Reconsidering the Translation Sequence and Textual Formation of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra and Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra: Evidence from Sengrui’s Prefaces and Textual Variants

Abstract

The Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (Da Zhidu Lun 大智度論), traditionally dated to Kumārajīva’s translation between 402 and 405 CE, and the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra (Mohe Bore Boluomi Jing 摩訶般若波羅蜜經), traditionally dated to 403–404 CE, are among the most important sources for the study of Mahāyāna Buddhism in medieval China. Both texts are traditionally attributed to Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva (龍樹菩薩) and translated into Chinese by Kumārajīva (鳩摩羅什). Sengrui’s (僧睿) Preface to the Large Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra (Dapin Jing Xu 大品經序), Preface to the Commentary on the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra (Dazhi Shilun Xu 大智釋論序), and Record of the Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (Dazhidulun Ji 大智度論記) provide important accounts of the translation process and chronology of these two works. However, these records are not entirely consistent with one another or with the chronological information preserved in later Buddhist catalogues. This study examines the relationship between the two texts through a comparative analysis of textual variants, including differences in terminology, old and new translation expressions, and variant readings preserved in manuscripts and printed editions. The results suggest that Sengrui’s description of the sequential and interactive translation process is more reliable than the chronological records preserved in later catalogues, although the exact dates of completion of the two works require further reconsideration. The evidence further suggests that the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra and the Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra were produced through a process of reciprocal translation and textual revision. Moreover, the exegetical sections of the Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra may not derive entirely from Nāgārjuna but may instead reflect Kumārajīva’s own interpretative contribution during the translation process.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Religions, 2026 · DOI ↗