The Collection of the Buddha's Past Deeds Sutra (佛本行集經)

About 佛本行集經

Sui · Source text translated by 闍那崛多

365,725 · about 1219 min

The Sutra of the Collected Deeds of the Buddha, translated by the eminent monk Jinagupta of the Sui Dynasty, is an important Buddhist scripture belonging to the genre of Buddha biography. This sutra provides a detailed account of the complete life events of Śākyamuni Buddha, from his birth, renunciation, enlightenment, to his parinirvāṇa. Its contents encompass the causes and conditions from the Buddha’s past lives, his birth into the royal palace, the four-gate excursions, his abandonment of the throne, ascetic practices and awakening, the first turning of the Dharma wheel, and other significant events. As a renowned translator of Buddhist scriptures during the Sui Dynasty, Jinagupta produced a translation that is fluent in language and preserves the original style of Indian Buddhism. This sutra holds an important position in Chinese Buddhism, serving as a key text for studying the life of the Buddha and early Buddhist thought. It laid the foundation for the development of later Buddhist biographical literature and provides guidance for Buddhist practitioners in understanding the teachings of the Buddha.