Karandavyuha Sutra
by Mithun Howladar | 2018 | 73,554 words
This page relates “Introduction (Buddhist Philosophy)” of the Karandavyuha Sutra (analytical study): an important 4th century Sutra extolling the virtues and powers of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. The Karandavyuhasutra also introduces the mantra “Om mani padme hum” into the Buddhist Sutra tradition.
Part 1 - Introduction (Buddhist Philosophy)
The Buddhism prior to its decline in the land of its origin, developed in India into two chapters,
- Śrāvakayāna or otherwise called Hīnayāna,
- Bodhisattvayāna also known as Mahāyāna.
The term Mahāyāna refers to Bodhisattvayāna in supersession to Śrāvakayāna on several grounds referred by Āchārya Asaṅga in his Sūtrālaṃkāra. One of the specific points deferent between the two is that a Bodhisattva attends a higher spiritual state than that of a wayfarer of Śrāvakayāna. Another important point is that the Bodhisattvayāna developed independent process of spiritual practice.
From this point of view the Bodhisattvayāna holds two facts in practice:
These are called respectively pāramitānaya and mantranaya. Both these practices are supported by the literary sources of Bodhisattvayāna which are classified from different angles in different manners.