New Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra with Phonetic and Semantic Annotations (新譯大方廣佛華嚴經音義)

About 新譯大方廣佛華嚴經音義

Tang · by 慧菀述

38,822 · about 129 min

The *Newly Translated Avatamsaka Sutra Phonetic Glosses* was composed by the Tang Dynasty monk Huiyuan as a phonetic and semantic commentary on the eighty-fascicle *Avatamsaka Sutra* newly translated by Śikṣānanda. This work emerged during the flourishing Buddhist culture and prolific translation activities of the Wu Zhou period, primarily providing phonetic annotations and explanations for difficult or obscure terms in the sutra, offering essential support for contemporary readers navigating the vast *Avatamsaka Sutra*. These glosses not only serve as a precious resource for studying Tang Dynasty language, script, phonology, and exegesis but also constitute a vital tool for understanding the foundational text of the Huayan school. They hold irreplaceable academic value and historical significance in both Buddhist textual studies and the history of the Chinese language.