Essential Treatise and Commentary on the Sutra of the Buddha's Final Teaching
Translated by Tripiṭaka Master Kumārajīva of the Later Qin
Jinshui Monk Jingyuan's Selected Summary
The Sutra on the Buddha's Final Teachings
There are two types of names for scriptures: common and specific. "The Buddha's Bequeathed Teachings" (Fo Yijiao) is the specific name; "Sutra" (Jing) is the common name. In Sanskrit, it is called "Buddha" (Budh), which translates here as "the Awakened One"—one who has fully awakened to the nature of reality. This has three meanings: first, self-awakening—realizing that one's own mind is originally free from arising and ceasing; second, awakening others—realizing that all phenomena are none other than Suchness (thusness); third, perfect awakening—when these two aspects of awakening are fully realized, this is called completion. According to the *Awakening of Faith in Mahayana*, it also reveals three meanings: first, initial awakening—the wisdom that realizes; second, inherent awakening—the principle that is realized; and third, ultimate awakening—when wisdom and principle merge, and initial and inherent awakening become non-dual. Furthermore, the first chapter of the *Buddhabhumi Sutra* (Treatise on the Buddha Land) states that the Buddha has ten meanings; to avoid being wordy, these are not quoted here.
The phrase "bequeathed teachings" (yijiao) means the instructions and exhortations left behind, urging all beings of various capacities. "Teachings" (jiao) means to emulate (xiao)—causing sentient beings to model themselves after them. "Sutra" (Jing) in Sanskrit is "Sutra" (Sūtra), which ancient translators rendered as "consistent with the scriptures" (qijing), while the direct translation is "thread" (xian). Since the term "thread" is not highly regarded in this country, the rendering "scripture" (jing) is retained. The *Buddhabhumi Sutra* says, "It can string together and contain, therefore it is called scripture." Thus, the Buddha's bequeathed teachings string together all the meanings that should be spoken, and contain and guide the sentient beings to be transformed.