Long Discourses
[intro TK]
Contents
Indications of Sectarian Affiliation
It has been well documented through comparative study of parallels texts with known sectarian provenances that the Long Discourses was part of the Dharmaguptaka canon.
Gifts Made to the Buddha
One example argument made by Bareau[1] relied on a comparison of a passage from the Mahaparinirvana Sutra (DA 2) which depicts the laywoman Ambapali giving her Mango Grove to the Buddha. This episode carried an important doctrinal significance for three early sects of Buddhism: The Mahisasaka, Dharmaguptaka, and Theravada. This doctrinal divergence is one piece of evidence that all three canons are related, with the Dharmaguptaka and Theravada canons being descendants of the Mahisasaka line of transmission.
The doctrinal issue was whether gifts to the Buddha were the same as gifts given to the sangha as a whole and whether any merit was gained from them. The Dharmaguptaka position was quite distinct and perhaps extreme compared to the other two canons. They believed the Buddha was not a part of the sangha he created and that any gifts given to him were the same as gifts placed in stupas or cetiyas dedicated to his relics. They could not be used by any other sentient beings and therefore would yield no merit to the donor. On the other hand, a donor would gain merit for gifts given to the sangha. Therefore, in the passage in DA 2, we find that the Buddha carefully instructs Ambapali to direct her gift to the sangha at large rather than to the Buddha. She then does so, saying the words that the Buddha suggests to her. This procedure, Bareau notes, is replicated in the case of Bimbisara donating the Bamboo Grove to the Buddha. Again, the Buddha tells Bimbisara to instead direct his gift to the sangha. Both of these episodes are found in the Chinese translation of the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya.
| DA 2: Ambapali's Gift | Dh Vin: Ambapali's Gift | Dh Vin: Bimbisara's Gift |
|---|---|---|
| 時，菴婆婆梨女即設上饌，供佛及僧。食訖去鉢，并除机案。時，女手執金瓶，行澡水畢，前白佛言：「此毘耶離城所有園觀，我園最勝，今以此園貢上如來，哀愍我故，願垂納受。」 | Example | Example |
| [English] | Example | Example |
| 佛告女曰：「汝可以此園施佛為首及招提僧。所以然者？如來所有園林、房舍、衣鉢六物，正使諸魔、釋、梵、大神力天，無有能堪受此供者。」 | Example | Example |
| [English] | Example | Example |
| 時，女受教，即以此園施佛為首及招提僧。佛愍彼故，即為受之， | Example | Example |
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| 而說偈言： | Example | Example |
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| 「起塔立精舍， 園果施清涼； 橋船以渡人， 曠野施水草。 |
[English] | Example |
| 及以堂閣施， 其福日夜增； 戒具清淨者， 彼必到善方。」 |
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Table of Contents and Parallels
Below is a (work-in-progress) list of all the sutras contained in the Dirgha Agama.
Parallels listed in () are either only similar or they share templates with the subject but don't appear to be direct parallels.
Notes
- ↑ Bareau, A. (1966). L’origine du Dīrgha-Āgama traduit en chinois par Buddhayaśas. Artibus Asiae. Supplementum, 23, 49–58.
