Mahayana Sutras

Mahayana sutras are a very broad genre of Buddhist scriptures that were originally put in writing starting in the first century BCE. They form the basis of the various Mahayana schools. Mahayana Buddhists believe that these texts, with the exception of those with an explicitly Chinese provenance, are an authentic account of teachings given during the Buddha’s lifetime. However, Theravada Buddhists believe them to be apocryphal. Tibetan Buddhists generally divide Shakyamuni Buddha’s exoteric teachings into three general categories, known as “turnings of the wheel of dharma”–the Hinayana, and two Mahayana turnings: the Prajna Paramita (Perfection of Wisdom), and the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha Nature) teachings, respectively.

• Texts of Indian origin
  • Lalitavistara Sutra
  • Lankavatara Sutra
  • Lotus Sutra(妙法蓮華經)
  • Perfection of Wisdom sutras (Prajnaparamita sutras)
    • Diamond Sutra(金剛經)
    • Heart Sutra(心經)
  • Ten Stages Sutra
  • Vimalakirti-nirdesa Sutra(維摩詰經)

• Texts of Chinese origin
  • Perfect Enlightenment Sutra (Yuanjue Jing)
  • Platform Sutra (Liuzutan Jing)

• Other texts
  • Amitabha Sutra (Smaller Pure Land Sutra)
  • Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Garland Sutra)
  • Contemplation Sutra
  • Infinite Life Sutra(無量壽經) (Large Pure Land Sutra)
  • Mahaparinirvana Sutra(大涅槃經)
  • Shurangama Sutra
  • Sutra in Forty-Two Sections
  • Sutra of Golden Light