Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön | 2001 | 941,039 words
This page describes “jambukhadakasutra” 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.
The Jambukhādakasūtra
Thus the brahmacārin Yen feou k’ia (Jambukhādaka) asked Śāriputra: “What is most difficult in Buddhism?”
Śāriputra replied: “The religious life is difficult.”
Jambukhādaka continued: “But where is the difficulty?”
“For the monastic, compliance with the Dharma (dharmābhirati) is difficult.”
“For the monastic who complies with the Dharma, what is difficult?”
The cultivation of all the good dharmas (sarvakuśaladharmabhāvanā){GL_NOTE::} is difficult.”
This is why the religious life should be embraced.
Note on this Sūtra:
This sūtra, entitled Dukharaṃ “Difficulty”, is taken from a chapter of the Saṃyutta, the Jambukhādakasaṃyutta, telling about a conversation between Śāriputra and his nephew, the channaparibhājaka Jambukhādaka. In the Chinese version (T 99, no. 490, k. 18, p. 126a), the Dukkarasttanta is at the beginning of the chapter; in the Pāli version (Saṃyutta, IV, p. 260), it is placed at the end.