Aspects of Culture relating to the Saddharmapundarika-suta in the Caves Temples of Tun-huang

1989 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 63510017
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: 印度哲学(含仏教学)
• Research Institution: Rissho University
• Principal Investigator: SAKAWA Senkyo Rissho University, Dept. of Buddhist Studies, Professor, 仏教学部, 教授 (70062825)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ITO Zuiei Rissho University, Dept. of Buddhist Studies, Professor, 仏教学部, 教授 (10139496) ; MITOMO Kenyo Rissho University, Dept. of Buddhist Studies, Professor, 仏教学部, 教授 (50062865) ; KURUMIYA Enshu Rissho University, Dept. of Buddhist Studies, Professor, 仏教学部, 教授 (80062842) ; SASAKI Koken Rissho University, Dept. of Buddhist Studies, Professor, 仏教学部, 教授 (00062787)
• Project Period (FY): 1988 – 1989
• Keywords: Tun-huang Cave-Temples / Tun-huang Manuscripts / The Ten Fascicles Saddharmapundarika-sutra / Cheng-fa-hua-ching / Mia-fa-lien-hua-ching / Ch'ang-an Kung-t'ing Hsieh-ching / Dharmaraksa

Research Abstract

Our study elucidates the nature of faith concerning Saddharmapundarika-sutra(SP) at Tunhuang, through investigations of wall-paintings and sculptures, and of Tun-huang manuscripts.
In art field, the wall-paintings having SP theme were analyzed through their classification according to size and scale. The changes, in style and motifs, that large-scale wall-paintings had undergone with the passage of time was examined. Besides, the chapter-wise appearance frequency of SP in the wall-paintings was examined: The frequent usage of Stupa- samdarsana-parivartah and Avalokitesvara-vikurvapa-nirdesah was noticed.
Regarding the investigation of manuscripts of SP, so-called Stein Ms. and Pelliot Ms. were examined, focusing on the problems regarding Chokan [arrangement of volumes] and Okugaki [postscripts]. Regarding the former, besides the 7 and 8 fascicles versions, the existence of the 10 fascicles SP, which is the unique version of Tun-huang, and which reflects the influence of Dharmaraksa's Che ng-fa-hua-ching, has been cited. Regarding the latter, our study shows that majority of copying was made for the souls of copiers' close relations, and that a great number of them were transported from Ch'ang-an where a large scale copying was carried out.
The analysis of Tun-huang Ms. kept in Peking, which had been untouched, was also carried out. We have seen that Mia-fa-lien-hua-ching counts the most in number among the entire manuscripts in Peking. Besides, the chapter-wise and length-wise classifications of the available manuscripts of Mia-fa-lien-hua-ching have shown that they are the mixture of 7, 8, 10 fascicles versions.
Lastly, Dharmarakga translations were examined: Those problems of date and place of the translation and the date of his demise were discussed. Regarding the place of translation, we noticed that Cheng-fa-hua-ching and HsU-chen-t'ien-tzu-ching were translated at Ch'ang-an. Further, we noticed that a lack of proof-reading was a characteristic feature of Dharmaraksa's translations, possibly due to the lack of patronage from state.