Śūraṅgama Sūtra facts for kids
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra (pronounced Shoo-ran-gah-mah Soo-tra) is an important Mahayana Buddhist book. It's also known as the Sutra of the Heroic March. This book has been very important in Korean Buddhism and Chinese Buddhism. In Korea, it's still a main book studied in Seon monasteries. In China, it was often read daily during the Song period. The Śūraṅgama Sūtra teaches about Buddha-nature, Yogacara ideas, and esoteric Buddhism.
This sutra was widely accepted in East Asian Buddhism. It was traditionally included in Chinese Buddhist collections called Tripitakas. Today, in the modern Taisho Tripitaka, it's placed in the "Esoteric Sutra" group. The Śūraṅgama Mantra from this sutra is often recited in temples in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
Many modern experts believe this sutra was written in China. They think it shows Chinese ideas. However, some scholars, like Ron Epstein, believe it's a mix of older Indian writings that were edited in China. The sutra was also translated into Tibetan, Mongolian, and Manchu languages.
What the Name Means
The word Śūraṅgama comes from Sanskrit. It means "heroic valor," "heroic progress," or "heroic march."
Different Names for the Sutra
In English, the sutra is often called the "Heroic March Sutra" or the "Scripture of the Heroic Progress."
The full title of the sutra is very long: traditional Chinese: 大佛頂如來密因修證了義諸菩薩萬行首楞嚴經; ; pinyin: Dà Fódǐng Rúlái Mìyīn Xiūzhèng Liǎoyì Zhū Púsà Wànxíng Shǒuléngyán jīng; Korean: 대불정여래밀인수증료의제보살만행수릉엄경; Vietnamese: Đại Phật đỉnh Như Lai mật nhân tu chứng liễu nghĩa chư Bồ Tát vạn hành thủ-lăng-nghiêm kinh.
It's also known by shorter names like traditional Chinese: 大佛頂首楞嚴經; ; pinyin: Dà Fódǐng Shǒuléngyán jīng; Korean: 대불정수릉엄경; Vietnamese: Đại Phật đỉnh thủ-lăng-nghiêm kinh or simply traditional Chinese: 楞嚴經; ; pinyin: Léngyán jīng; Korean: 릉엄경; Vietnamese: lăng-nghiêm kinh.
History of the Sutra
Who Wrote the Sutra?
The first record of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra was made by Zhisheng, a monk in Tang China. He wrote about it in 730 CE.
Zhisheng gave two different stories about how the sutra came to China:
- One story says it was translated in 713 CE by Master Huai Di and an Indian monk.
- Another story says it was translated in May 705 CE by Śramaṇa Pāramiti from India. He brought the text to China. Then, a minister named Fang Yong helped to polish and edit the translation.
In the 8th century, people in Japan wondered if this book was real or a fake. So, Emperor Kōnin sent monks to China to find out. A layperson in China told the Japanese monks that Fang Yong had created it.
Later, in the 12th century, Zhu Xi, a scholar who didn't like Buddhism, also thought it was made in China. However, the Qianlong Emperor and the Third Changkya Khutukhtu in the 18th century believed the sutra was real. They even had it translated into Manchu, Mongolian, and Tibetan.
In more recent times, some scholars like Liang Qichao and Lü Cheng have argued that the sutra is not a true Buddhist scripture from India. Lü Cheng even wrote an essay called "One hundred reasons why Shurangama Sutra is apocryphal."
Ron Epstein, another scholar, looked at all the arguments. He thinks the sutra is likely a collection of Indian writings that were put together and edited in China. He noted that the sutra's structure is very complex and beautiful, which might suggest it came from India. But it was clearly edited in China.
Many scholars connect the Śūraṅgama Sūtra with the Buddhist teachings at Nālandā, a famous ancient university in India. Epstein also agrees that the sutra's teachings match what was taught at Nālandā during that time.
Charles Muller and Kogen Mizuno also believe this sutra was written in China. They say it uses ideas and terms that were common in Chinese philosophy, like "innate enlightenment" and "actualized enlightenment." These terms are often found in Chinese texts, not original Indian ones.
Translations into Other Languages
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra was translated into Tibetan around the late 8th or early 9th century. However, only parts of it survived. One part might have been translated from Chinese, suggesting another part might have come from Sanskrit.
In 1763, the entire sutra was translated from Chinese into Manchu, Mongolian, and Tibetan. This was ordered by the Qianlong Emperor. The third Changkya Khutukhtu helped supervise these translations.
There are also several English translations of the sutra available today.
Main Teachings
What the Sutra Teaches
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra includes teachings from Yogācāra (a school of Buddhist thought), Buddha-nature (the idea that everyone has the potential to become a Buddha), and Vajrayana (a form of esoteric Buddhism). It also uses Buddhist logic, like the "fourfold negation" method.
Key Ideas in the Sutra
Some of the main ideas in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra are:
- The importance of deep meditation (called samādhi) and moral rules for Buddhist practice.
- How to deal with confusing thoughts or illusions that might appear during meditation.
Scholars Ron Epstein and David Rounds suggest that the sutra's themes reflect challenges faced by Buddhism in India at the time. These challenges included social changes and new spiritual movements. The sutra teaches clear understanding, strong moral rules, and how to avoid being tricked by illusions during meditation.
Two Kinds of Mind
The Buddha teaches his cousin, Ananda, that there are two main types of mind:
- The first is our everyday mind. This mind gets caught up in illusions and random thoughts, leading to a cycle of death and rebirth.
- The second is the true, everlasting mind. This is our real nature, which is like the mind of a Buddha.
The Buddha explains that the first mind is what we usually use and think is our true self. But the second mind is pure enlightenment, which has always existed.
Buddha Nature (Tathagatagarbha)
Rounds and Epstein explain the Buddha Nature, also called the "Matrix of the Thus-Come One," as described in the sutra:
The sutra says that everything that changes or comes and goes is part of the true nature of the "Matrix of the Thus-Come One." This is a wonderful, unchanging understanding, the true reality of everything.
The Buddha shows that many parts of our physical world and our senses are like illusions. But these illusions come from something real. This source, from which everything is made, is the "Matrix of the Thus-Come One." It is the same as our own true mind, the basic nature of the universe, and the mind of all Buddhas.
Śūraṅgama Samādhi
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra also teaches about the Śūraṅgama Samādhi. This is a special type of deep meditation linked to complete enlightenment and becoming a Buddha. This samādhi is also mentioned in other important Buddhist texts. The Buddha says it is the very core of a Buddha's nature and the "mother of all Buddhas." He also says it has other names, like Prajñāpāramitā (Perfection of Wisdom) and Buddhasvabhāva (Buddha-nature).
White Parasol Crown Dhāraṇī
The sutra contains a special chant called the Léngyán Zhòu (楞嚴咒) or Śūraṅgama Mantra. This chant is very popular in East Asian Buddhism. In Sanskrit, it's known as the "Sitātapatra Uṣṇīṣa Dhāraṇī," which means "White Canopy Dhāraṇī" or "White Parasol Dhāraṇī." In Tibetan traditions, it's sometimes called the "White Umbrella Mantra."
According to Venerable Hsuan Hua, the chant has five main parts. Each part helps control different "demon armies" or negative influences:
- The East is protected by the Vajra Division.
- The South is protected by the Jewel-creating Division.
- The Center is protected by the Buddha Division.
- The West is protected by the Lotus Division.
- The North is protected by the Karma Division.
Fifty Skandha-Māras
The sutra describes different types of "demons" or negative influences called Māras. These Māras are linked to the five skandhas, which are parts of our experience (like form, feelings, thoughts). There are fifty of these "skandha demons" described in detail. Each one shows a way a meditator can go wrong or get confused.
Epstein explains that this section describes mental experiences, their causes, and problems that come from getting too attached to them. It helps classify different spiritual experiences.
The Three Non-Outflow Studies
The Buddha explained five very important rules that people must follow:
- Do not kill.
- Do not steal.
- Control desires.
- Do not lie.
- Do not drink alcohol.
These rules are the foundation for deep meditation (samadhi), which then leads to wisdom. The Buddha said these rules are clear and unchanging, and they were also taught by Buddhas before him.
The sutra warns that even if someone has some wisdom or can meditate well, they will still face problems if they don't stop desiring, killing, and stealing. Such people will suffer and stay stuck in the cycle of birth and death. If people falsely claim to be a Buddha or a wise person, they will lose their true understanding and face suffering.
Influence of the Sutra
In China
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra has been widely studied in China. Ron Epstein found 127 Chinese commentaries on the sutra, showing how popular it was, especially during the Ming dynasty.
This sutra is one of the most important texts in Chán Buddhism. It was first shared by Yuquan Shenxiu, an important figure in the Northern school of Chán. It also helped in the enlightenment of other famous masters like Changshui Zixuan and Hanshan Deqing.
The Śūraṅgama Sūtra is even quoted in a famous Zen text called the Blue Cliff Record.
Dōgen, a famous Japanese Zen master, commented on a verse from the sutra. He called it the "Bones and Marrow of the Buddhas and Ancestors." He said that even if some people thought the sutra was fake, if masters continued to teach from it, then it was a true scripture.
The modern Chán master Venerable Hsu Yun wrote a commentary on the sutra. Venerable Hsuan Hua was a big supporter of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra. He said:
"In Buddhism all the sutras are very important, but the Śūraṅgama Sūtra is most important. Wherever the Śūraṅgama Sūtra is, the Proper Dharma abides in the world. When the Śūraṅgama Sūtra is gone, the Dharma Ending Age is before one's eyes." He believed the sutra was like the "true body of the Buddha."
The Śūraṅgama Mantra from the sutra is recited daily by Buddhist monks and nuns in China, Korea, and Vietnam. It's often the first mantra recited in morning services. Some Japanese Buddhist groups also recite it.
See also
In Spanish: Śūraṃgama sūtra para niños
