Anityatāsūtra (Fo Shuo Wuchang Jing) 佛說無常經

Translated by Yijing

Colophon

第 17 冊　No. 801 佛說無常經 唐 義淨譯 共 1 卷 Volume 17, No. 801; Anityatāsūtra (Fo Shuo Wuchang Jing); Translated by Yijing in the Tang in 1 scroll

Notes

Sanskrit title and date 701 from Lancaster (Lancaster 2004, 'K 870')

English Translations

Li Kuo Wei 1972, “The Sutra of the Buddha’s Discourse on Impermanence,” Vajra Bodhi Sea 金剛菩提海 , No.23, https://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/1_100/vbs23/23_4.html.

Summary

The text emphasizes the impermanence of life and all worldly things, including beauty, power, and possessions, and encourages listeners to seek refuge in the teachings of the Buddha. It details practices for the dying and the dead, aiming to alleviate suffering and guide them toward a better rebirth through faith, repentance, and virtuous actions like donating to the sangha. The text also describes rituals to be performed during and after death to purify the deceased's negative karma, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness of impermanence, devotion to the Buddha, and the pursuit of wisdom. (AI generated)

Primary Source

Yijing, 《佛說無常經》 'Anityatāsūtra (Fo Shuo Wuchang Jing),' in Taishō shinshū Daizōkyō 《大正新脩大藏經》, in Takakusu Junjiro, ed., (Tokyo: Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō Kankōkai, 1988), Vol. 17, No. 801, Accessed 2016-09-25, http://tripitaka.cbeta.org/T17n0801.

References

  1. Lancaster, L.R. 2004, The Korean Buddhist Canon: A Descriptive Catalogue, http://www.acmuller.net/descriptive_catalogue.

Collection vocabulary analysis