Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön | 2001 | 941,039 words
This page describes “preliminary notes on the four fearlessnesses (vaisharadya)” as written by Nagarjuna in his Maha-prajnaparamita-sastra (lit. “the treatise on the great virtue of wisdom”) in the 2nd century. This book, written in five volumes, represents an encyclopedia on Buddhism as well as a commentary on the Pancavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita.
Preliminary notes on the four fearlessnesses (vaiśāradya)
This chapter is poorly entitled and poorly divided. The previous chapter dealt with the ten powers (bala) of the Tathāgata according to the Sarvāstivādin Abhidharma. The present chapter consists of three sections:
1. The four fearlessnesses (vaiśāradya) of the Buddha according to the Abhidharma.
2. The ten powers and the four fearlessnesses of the Buddha and the bodhisattva according to the Mahāyāna.
3. The four unobstructed knowledges (pratisaṃvid) according to the Abhidharma, then according to the Mahāyāna.