Libraly Journal

Libraly Journal ›› 2021, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (8): 123-128.

• LITERATURE RESEARCH • Previous Articles    

On the Study of Buddhist Scriptures by Monks in Dunhuang Area in the Tang Dynasty: Focusing on BD08263 Notes on Vajra Prajnaparamita Sutra

Dong Daxue   

  • Online:2021-08-15 Published:2021-08-24

Abstract: The Dunhuang manuscript BD08263 named Notes on Vajra Prajnaparamita Sutra is the second processing by the transcribers with the notes added betwee n the lines of the original Vajra Sutra. The transcribers only annotated some sentences or words instead of the full text of the scriptures of Vajra Sutra. The interpretation is concise and clear with quite a Zen style. Their purpose should not be to lecture, but to a greater extent reflect their learning notes when reading Vajra Sutra. Compared with the relatively institutionalized materials such as monks chanting and testing sutras in Dunhuang documents, this annotation is a relatively more personalized document with a unique value for researching the reading history of Buddhist scriptures in the Tang Dynasty.