Sūtra on Herding Cows (Fang Niu Jing) 放牛經

Translated by Kumārajīva in 1 scroll

Colophon

佛說放牛經 後秦 鳩摩羅什譯 共 1 卷 Fang Niu Jing Translated by Kumārajīva in the Later Qin in 1 scroll

Other Titles

Pratītyasamutpādādivibhaṅganirdeśa Sūtra

Notes

Date 402-412, Sanskrit title, and relation to the Pāli Canon from Lancaster (Lancaster 2004, 'K 746a'; Majjhima Nikāya 33)

English Translations

From the Pāli (Bodhi 1995; Thanissaro 2004)

Summary

This text uses the analogy of a cowherd to illustrate how monks should and should not practice. It outlines eleven negative qualities of a cowherd who doesn't properly care for cows, mirroring eleven negative actions of a monk who doesn't follow the path to enlightenment. Conversely, it presents eleven positive qualities of a skilled cowherd, paralleling eleven virtuous practices that lead monks to spiritual growth and liberation, such as understanding the elements, controlling senses, and respecting elders. The text concludes by emphasizing the importance of adhering to these eleven practices to establish a firm foundation for the Dharma and achieve enlightenment. (AI generated)

Primary Source

Kumārajīva, trans., 《佛說放牛經》 'Fang Niu Jing (Pratītyasamutpādādivibhaṅganirdeśa Sūtra),' in Taishō shinshū Daizōkyō 《大正新脩大藏經》, in Takakusu Junjiro, ed., (Tokyo: Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō Kankōkai, 1988), Vol. 2, No. 123, Accessed 2016-07-09, http://tripitaka.cbeta.org/T02n0123.

References

  1. Bodhi 1995, The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya. Simon and Schuster.
  2. Lancaster, L.R. 2004 The Korean Buddhist Canon: A Descriptive Catalogue, http://www.acmuller.net/descriptive_catalogue.
  3. Thanissaro (trans.) 2004, "Maha-gopalaka Sutta: The Greater Cowherd Discourse" (MN 33), Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.033.than.html

Collection vocabulary analysis