Chindian Myth of Mulian Rescuing His Mother - On Indic Origins of the Yulanpen Sutra: Debate and Discussion

The scriptural source for the Ghost Festival in East Asia is the Yulanpen Sūtra, which, however, is overwhelmingly considered apocryphal in modern scholarship. This book challenges this widely held belief by demonstrating that the sūtra is a Chinese creative translation rather than an indigenous Chinese composition.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 122 pages
Publication date: 05 September 2023
Publisher: Anthem Press

The Yulanpen Sūtra, the scriptural basis for the Yulanpen Festival or Hungry Ghost Festival in East Asia, is a subject covered in this book. The Chinese Buddhist bibliography lists the sūtra, which tells the story of Mulian's (Skr. Maudgalyāyana) journey into the Preta realm to save his mother, under the Indo-Scythian Dharmarakṣa (Ch. Zhu Fahu, ca. 266–308) as the translator. However, in current Chinese, Japanese, and Western scholarship, the sūtra is more frequently than not considered a Chinese Buddhist apocryphal scripture, and the Mulian myth is thought to be an apocryphal story invented by Chinese Buddhists to promote the sinicization and transformation of Indian Buddhism, primarily because there is no extant Yulanpen Sūtra in Indic sources and because the sūtra emphasizes Confucian filial piety and ancestor worship.

This book disputes these commonly held views by demonstrating that filial piety and ancestor worship are not unique to Confucian China but are also fundamental to Indic traditions. Furthermore, it shows that the sūtra is a Chinese creative translation rather than an indigenous Chinese composition.

The Yulanpen Sūtra is a Mahāyāna Buddhist text that was translated into Chinese during the Tang dynasty. It is believed to have been written in Sanskrit and is attributed to the Indian monk Vajrabodhi. The sūtra tells the story of Mulian, a legendary figure who rescues his mother from the underworld by defeating the demon king Yama.

The sūtra is significant in Chinese Buddhist history because it is one of the earliest examples of Mahāyāna Buddhism being translated into Chinese. It also highlights the importance of filial piety and ancestor worship in Chinese Buddhist thought.

However, the sūtra has also been the subject of debate and controversy. Some scholars argue that the sūtra is not authentic and that it was created by Chinese Buddhists to promote their own beliefs and practices. Others argue that the sūtra is authentic but that it has been misinterpreted and misused by Chinese Buddhists.

The debate over the authenticity of the Yulanpen Sūtra has been ongoing for many years, and there is still no consensus among scholars. However, the sūtra remains an important text in Chinese Buddhist history and thought, and it continues to be studied and debated by scholars around the world.

In conclusion, the Yulanpen Sūtra is a controversial text that has been the subject of debate and controversy for many years. While some scholars argue that the sūtra is not authentic, others argue that it is authentic but has been misinterpreted and misused by Chinese Buddhists. The sūtra remains an important text in Chinese Buddhist history and thought, and it continues to be studied and debated by scholars around the world.

Weight: 202g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 11 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839986963