Buddhist texts
From Buddha himself, there are no writings. Whether he was able to write, is not known. In his time the written language did not have the importance that it had now or in the future European antiquity.
His discourses, however, are preserved. In the first centuries they were memorized and passed on orally. The verse form and the content of repetitions in texts facilitated thereby, the handing down of the suttas. In addition, the texts were compared repeatedly, such as during the rainy season. During this time the monks had settled down for a few weeks of each other and recite the sutras. The transmission of the Buddhist doctrine was in its early days thus mnemonic. The first Buddhist scriptures emerged only around 100 BC, 400 years after the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama had died.
- 4.1 See also
- 7.1 novels
History of the Buddhist canon
During the first three Buddhist Councils Buddhist canon was first defined and written down later.
The first Buddhist Council (c. 480 BC) the sutras were determined and the Vinaya rules ( rules for Buddhist monks and nuns ) who were canonically recognized. The oral transmission and determination of the Buddhist teaching is to be done in Pali. A secured fact it is not, since it is uncertain whether Pali was ever a spoken language or only a written language.
Approx. 383 BC was held the Second Council by the sutra texts have been revised and a partially changed so that Buddha was shown as Knower. This was, however, so that the changes in style, word choice, and logical inconsistencies were identified.
The third council by 244 BC, the canon was expanded through extensive scholastic works, the Abhidamma. The three text collections monastic rules, instructional conversations and the scholastic works are also referred to as Tipitaka ( " three baskets ").
First writings; Fundamentals of Theravada
About 80 BC, the first texts were written in the rock monastery Aluvihara, 3 km north of Matale, Sri Lanka. The that emerged from " Pali Canon " (or " Tripitaka " in contrast to other language sources) forms the basis of Theravada and is composed of three individual works:
- The Suttapitaka are the suttas the Buddha
- Abhidhamma ( Pali, the "higher teaching ") is a name given to the third part of the Pali Canon and the higher Buddhist philosophy and psychology, in which the teachings of the Buddha and his chief disciples analyzed were ordered and systematized.
- The Vinaya Pitaka contains the monastic rules of the Buddhist tradition. It is divided into two main divisions, the actual monastic rules Patimokkha, and the Khandakas or " chapters ".
Up to the present the Pali tradition is the oldest completely preserved writings of Buddhism.
Buddhist literature in Pali emerged in the areas of living Theravada tradition, eg Northern Thai Lanna kingdom of the 15th and 16th centuries.
Mahayana literature
Many basic texts of Mahayana, which also Vajrayana, Zen and Chan belong, are originally in Sanskrit ( therefore often " Sanskrit canon" ) drafted but often receive only in Chinese and Tibetan translations.
Mahayana Sutras
Main article: Mahayana Sutras
The 100 year n.u.Z. wrote Diamond Sutra is one of the most important texts of Mahayana Buddhism. It has been found in various Asian countries early on a wide distribution and is part of the " Prajnaparamita Sutra " (Sanskrit " prajnaparamita " = perfect wisdom ).
- Lotus Sutra
The Lotus Sutra (Sanskrit, n, सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्र, saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra, literally " Sutra of the lotus flower of the wonderful law" ) is a sutra of Mahayana Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra is considered to be the highest in the Mahayana Buddhist teachings, which will directly lead to enlightenment.
The Heart Sutra, the short version of the Prajnaparamita sutras in East Asia because of its conciseness very popular and widespread.
- Vimalakirti Sutra
The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa is both the style, as well as the content according to a special Sutra. Is unique in this Sūtra, the fact that it is not the usual way of the Buddha or Bodhisattva a transcendent plays the protagonist, but a householder, who embodies the ideal of a lay Buddhist trailer after mahāyānistischem model. In all branches of the East Asian Mahāyāna this work is highly appreciated.
- Ullambana Sutra
The apocryphal Ullambana Sutra is very popular because of its content ( child love and ancestor worship ), particularly in China, Vietnam and Japan.
Zen literature (Japan, China, Korea)
Basic works of Zen specified include the ' Xinxinming ' of Sengcan, the ' Huangbo Chuan Xin Fa Yao ' and the ' Linji Lu ' and the Platform Sutra, also called ' Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch '. The latter is the only text in the Zen literature that uses the expression Sutra, which assigns him special importance among the teaching texts. The Sutra is regarded as the work of Huineng and describes his life and his teaching method. It is the basis of the ' Southern School '.
- Koans (Japanese ) - gongan (Ch ) (公案- literal translation: Public notice board) are in Chinese Chan and Japanese Zen Buddhism a kind of (very) short anecdote or aphorism that an example or didactic act or poignant testimony of a Zen master, very rarely also of Zen students, representing.
- The " Treasury of the True Dharma Eye" by Dogen, the founder of the Japanese Soto Zen is the most important work of this school.
Tibetan literature
The first translations of writings of Tibetan Buddhism have been published by the American anthropologist and author Walter Evans - Wentz Yeeling, who got 1926 delivered on a journey through Tibet in English by Lama Kazi Dawa - Samdup. They are still among the classics of Buddhist literature. They include lower others, the first translation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead as well as the narrative of the life story of the yogi Milarepa.
More first translations and representations of the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism come from Alexandra David- Néel.
Various texts
In all Buddhist schools mantras find (Sanskrit, m, मन्त्र, mantra, literally. " Instrument of thought, speech" ) use. Mantra meditation referred to in a short phrase that is recited repetitive. This can either whispering, singing or done in thought.