Da baoji jing 大寶積經

Da baoji jing 大寶積經, abbreviated as Baoji jing 寶積經, it is an important Buddhist scripture. The original, the Mahāratnakūṭa-sūtra, was translated during the Tang period 唐 (618-907) by Bodhiruci (Ch. Putiliuzhi 菩提流志, 562 or 571-727) and others, in a total of 120 juan. It belongs to the Ratnakūṭa "Accumulation of [dharma] treasures" (Ch. baoji 寶積) collection of Mahāyāna Buddhism.

Bodhiruci, whose original surname was Kāśyapa (Chinese transcription [Ct.] Jiaye 迦葉), was a monk from South India renowned for his preaching. Emperor Gaozong 唐高宗 (r. 649-683), having heard of his reputation, sent envoys to invite him. In 693, under Empress Wu Zetian 武則天 (ruler 690-704), Bodhiruci arrived in Luoyang 洛陽 and began to translated various scriptures. In 706, under Emperor Zhongzong 唐中宗 (r. 705-709), he compiled and translated the Ratnakūṭa-sūtra.

Xuanzang's 玄奘 (602-664) project to translate a new Sanskrit manuscript of the scripture was never realised. Prior to this, from the Wei 曹魏 (220-265), Jin 晉 (265-420), and up to the early Tang period, various translators had already translated 23 assemblies (sections) of the Ratnakūṭa collection, totalling 81 juan. They are referred to as the "old translations" (jiuyi 舊譯). Under Bodhiruci's direction, 26 additional assemblies were newly translated in 39 volumes. These were then compiled into a total of 49 assemblies and 120 juan. Bodhiruci's collection is a combined compilation of both the "new" and "old" translations. Its content broadly discusses the major teachings and methods of Mahāyāna Buddhism, covering a wide range of topics. Some assemblies even expound the doctrines of Esoteric Buddhism (Ch. Mizong 密宗).

Among its components, the "Assembly of the Bodhisattva Puming/Vairocana" (Puming Pusa hui 普明菩薩會, also known as the "Mahākāśyapa Chapter" or Da Jiaye pin 大迦葉品) is the oldest text within the Ratnakūṭa collection and is usually dubbed the "Ancient Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra" (Gu Da baoji jing 古大寶積經). In Nāgārjuna's (Ch. Longshu 龍樹, c. 150–c.250 CE) treatise Da zhidu lun 大智度論, it is cited under the name Dadingjing 寶頂經. A treatise titled Da baoji jing lun 大寶積經論, attributed to Vasubandhu (Ch. Shiqin 世親, 4th-5th cent.) or Sthiramati (Ch. Anhui 安慧, c.510-570), is devoted specifically to explaining this section. Both the Madhyamaka (Ch. Zhongguan pai 中觀派) and Yogācāra (Ch. Yuejia xing pai 瑜伽行派) schools of Indian Mahāyāna Buddhism placed great importance on this text's exposition of the bodhisattva path.

The "Bodhisattva Piṭaka Sūtra" (Pusa zang jing 菩薩藏經) was translated by Xuanzang in 645, and it was the first scripture he translated after returning to China. This text systematises the major teachings of Mahāyāna Buddhism, organised around the catvāri brahmavihārāḥ or "Four Immeasurables" (si wuliang 四無量 or si fanzhu 四梵住, i.e., loving kindness ci 慈, compassion bei 悲, empathetic joy xi 喜, and equanimity she 捨), the "Six Perfections" (liudu 六度), and the "Four Means of Embracing" (sishe 四攝), thereby presenting a comprehensive framework of the bodhisattva path.

The "Ugra the Householder Assembly" (Yujia zhangzhe hui 郁伽長者會), which advocates ascetic forest practice (araṇya 阿蘭若) and the bodhisattva path for lay practitioners (zaijia Pusa xing 在家菩薩行), is regarded as an early text related to the origins of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Within the Da baoji jing, several sections are especially well known and frequently recited, including the "Assembly of the Tathāgata of Immeasurable Life" (Wuliangshou Rulai hui 無量壽如來會), associated with the faith of the Pure Land Amitābha, the "Queen Śrīmālā Assembly" (Shengman Furen hui 勝鬘夫人會), which teaches the doctrine of the Tathāgata-garbha (Buddha-nature), and the "Upāli Assembly" (Youboli hui 優波離會), which contains liturgical texts of bodhisattva confession.

Manuscripts of the scripture of the collection have also been found among the Dunhuang 敦煌 texts.