Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön | 2001 | 941,039 words
This page describes “dahara-sutra” 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 Dahara-sūtra
Have you not heard the Buddha say: “There are four things that, small as they are, cannot be mistaken (catvāro daharā iti nāvajñeyāḥ): i) the crown prince (kumāra), young as he may be, will be king of the country and cannot be despised; ii) the snake (uraga), small as it may be, kills people with its venom and cannot be despised. iii) a small fire, if it is badly tended, is able to burn down the forest and cannot be despised; iv) the śrāmaṇera, young as he is, is able to attain the noble supernatural powers (āryābhijñā) and absolutely cannot be despised.”
Notes on the Dahara-sūtra:
Daharasutta in Saṃyutta, I, p. 68–70 (cf. Tsa a han, T 99, no. 1226, k. 46, p. 334c13–334b8; Pie tsa a han, T 1000, no. 53, k. 3, p. 391c2–392a25; Tseng yi a han, T 125, k. 25, p. 683b26–c6).