Song · Source text translated by 施護等
292 · about 1 min
The Sutra on the Pure Mind Spoken by the Buddha is a Buddhist scripture translated during the Song Dynasty by the translator Śikṣānanda and others, belonging to the important literature of Mahāyāna Buddhism. This sutra emphasizes the cultivation of a pure mind, elucidating how to attain liberation through observing one’s own mind and eliminating afflictions. The text is concise yet profound, guiding practitioners to purify the inner mind through right mindfulness and Wisdom (Prajñā), aligning with the core Mahāyāna principle that “when the mind is pure, the land is pure.” Śikṣānanda was a renowned scripture-translating monk of the Northern Song Dynasty; his translation holds a significant position in Chinese Buddhism, providing a theoretical foundation for later meditation practice and the discourse on mind-nature. Widely cited in Buddhist practice and philosophical study, this sutra remains one of the essential texts for exploring the pure mind and the path to liberation.