Lankavatara Sutra

hi all

Any idea why was that the Lankavatara Sutra which is also the teaching from Budhha Gautama, was only handed down by Bodhidharma very long time after the nirvana of Budhha, but not released immediately after the nirvana of Budhha, like many other Buddhism sutras ?

Thanks in advance. Namaste.

I have no idea, but if you have read the Lankavatara Sutra, you will notice it is rather 'advanced'. Gautama was well known to adapt his teachings to his followers.

Those kind of teachings (those on the lankavatara) stay hidden and are handed to adepts only. Let's be grateful that Bodhidharma released it to a broader public.

Originally Posted by skywalker

hi all

Any idea why was that the Lankavatara Sutra which is also the teaching from Budhha Gautama, was only handed down by Bodhidharma very long time after the nirvana of Budhha, but not released immediately after the nirvana of Budhha, like many other Buddhism sutras ?

Thanks in advance. Namaste.

Two explanations.

1: It wasn't composed or taught by the historical Buddha, and was created many years after the fact to reflect philosophical developments in a particular Buddhist lineage. This is the historical explanation.

2: It was taught by the Buddha, but only grasped and remembered by some monks who kept it alive by teaching it to select students. Or it was revealed to Bodhidharma by a celestial Buddha, deva or naga that kept the sutra safe until the time was right - a bit like Nagarjuna's supposed discovery of the Prajnaparamita Sutras from the realm of the Nagas. This is the more religious reasoning.

Either way, I don't see much of a reason to say "oh, well you mean it wasn't written by the Buddha?" The Dharma transcends the man who reached parinirvana, and skilled practitioners, like Bodhidharma can compose their own sutas, that can be useful for others. As long as they don't go against the Buddha's teachings themselves. Just my thoughts upon the matter.

[Samana]

The Pali Canon contains the earliest recorded teachings from the historical Buddha.

Mahayana text are later add-ons written by other people. Saying that they were revealed by celestial beings or naga snake-beings is just myth and fantasy and a convenient way of explaining them.


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