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“The Chapter on Going Forth” is the first of seventeen chapters in The Chapters on Monastic Discipline, a four-volume work that outlines the statutes and procedures that govern life in a Buddhist monastic community.

「藥本事」收錄於《根本說一切有部毘奈耶》，當中制定了僧團服用藥物的條規。同時，經文還敘述了佛陀和弟子們的故事，包括佛陀平息瘟疫並且調伏龍族等事蹟。其中有佛陀自述的本生故事，也有世尊和弟子們宣說的偈頌。

The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines is the longest of all the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras and fills no fewer than twelve volumes of the Degé Kangyur. Like the other two long sūtras, it is a detailed record of the teaching on the perfection of wisdom that the Buddha Śākyamuni gave on Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha, setting out all aspects of the path to enlightenment that bodhisattvas must know and put into practice, yet without taking them as having even the slightest true existence.

在佛法思想與修持中，無論「廣行派」還是「深見派」都將本經視為最重要的經典之一。在三部長篇般若經中，本經是中等長度的一部，佔《甘珠爾》中三卷的篇幅。與另外兩部長篇經典類似，本經記敘了釋迦牟尼佛在靈鷲山所傳的有關般若智慧的重大教法，完整地詳述了覺悟之道，同時強調菩薩必須實修法道，但卻不將法道乃至證悟的任何方面執為實有。

此篇《般若波羅蜜多一萬八千頌》英譯本源自十八世紀德格版《甘珠爾》中所收錄的藏文譯本，與《八千頌般若經》同為於南亞和中南亞地區形成的長篇般若經的版本，很可能是出現於公元五百年之前。

While dwelling at Vulture Peak near Rāja­gṛha, the Buddha sets in motion the sūtras that are the most extensive of all—the sūtras on the Prajñā­pāramitā, or “Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom.”

在此經中，佛陀概括了般若智慧的種種含義，尤其指出一切法、五蘊、五大種、十波羅蜜的特性如何，般若波羅蜜的特性亦與之相同，由此著重闡明了世間諸法與空性無二。

在這部以《心經》之名廣傳於世的經典中，長老舍利弗承佛威神力，請觀世音菩薩教導修學般若波羅蜜多的方法。觀世音菩薩言，樂欲修學般若波羅蜜多者，當觀諸法皆無自性，亦即了悟空性。繼而宣說短咒，若能持誦此咒者，即是修學般若波羅蜜多。爾時世尊贊嘆觀音菩薩之教法，並印證說：般若波羅蜜多當如是學，是即真實最上究竟。

《聖般若波羅蜜多日藏大乘經》是一部短篇般若經典，講述世尊與日光明菩薩之間的對話。在此經中，日光明菩薩如是問世尊：具足方便善巧的菩薩，應如何修習般若波羅蜜多？世尊答曰：菩薩應修習「方便善巧日三昧」，並以日輪為喻宣說「方便善巧日三昧」的七種功德。世尊進而講述：菩薩修習般若波羅蜜多，應當修學諸法了義理趣。最後，世尊以一偈頌宣說般若波羅蜜多法門修行者之特質。

《聖般若波羅蜜多月藏大乘經》是一部短篇般若經典，講述世尊與月藏菩薩之間的對話。在此經中，月藏菩薩如是問世尊：菩薩應如何修習般若波羅蜜多？為答此問，世尊以月輪為譬喻，宣說：一切法離實有，即般若波羅蜜多。月藏菩薩進而問世尊：菩薩之般若波羅蜜多有幾何？世尊答曰：菩薩之般若波羅蜜多有二，謂：有漏、無漏。進而，世尊以一切法的了義理趣來解釋般若波羅蜜。最後，世尊以般若波羅蜜多咒和偈頌總結般若波羅蜜多法門。

在摩揭陀國阿蘭若法菩提道場，釋迦牟尼佛與普賢菩薩及諸菩薩眾示現三昧神通。普賢菩薩問世尊，相似般若與實相般若有何區別，世尊即講述這兩種般若的定義。此經為一部短篇般若經典，與五位菩薩（日光明菩薩、月藏菩薩、普賢菩薩、金剛手菩薩、金剛幢菩薩）相關。

In the first of the two parts of The Benefits of the Five Precepts, a man and woman who have been married since they were very young and have never been unfaithful to each other ask the Buddha how they can remain together in future lives. The Buddha replies that this is possible for couples such as them who are equal in faith, ethical discipline, generosity, and wisdom, and who practice the Dharma together. In the second, longer part of the sūtra, the Buddha gives a teaching on the five precepts, by which one renounces the five negative deeds—killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, speaking falsehoods, and consuming intoxicants. The sufferings in various hells that are the consequence of those five negative deeds are described, as are the benefits experienced by those who renounce them.

這部簡短的經文描述了佛教觀點中的日蝕。一時，佛住舍衛國，阿修羅王羅睺羅攫取日輪，導致日蝕。日天請求皈依佛陀，爾後佛令羅睺羅速放彼日。另一阿修羅王婆稚詢問此事，羅睺羅解釋道：「佛陀說咒偈，不速舍日者，頭當破七分。」本經廣為傳誦至今，是藏文守護經咒中的一種。

這部簡短的經文描述了佛教觀點中的月蝕。一時，佛住舍衛國，阿修羅王羅睺羅攫取月輪，導致月蝕。月天請求皈依佛陀，爾後佛令羅睺羅速放彼月。另一阿修羅王婆稚詢問此事，羅睺羅解釋道：「佛陀說咒偈，不速舍月者，頭當破七分。」本經廣為傳誦至今，是藏文守護經咒中的一種。

釋迦牟尼佛於證得正等正覺後同時示現於多處。在其證悟後的第二週，於欲界最高之他化自在天宮中入定。無量眾菩薩聚集於此，金剛藏菩薩蒙佛威神力入三摩地，並受諸佛之加持而為諸菩薩眾宣說妙法。金剛藏菩薩應解脫月菩薩所問而細說菩薩之十地。隨之即有無數無量諸天菩薩化現於此處，並說於此時在他方世界的天界中亦有相同的教法正在宣講。佛聞此金剛藏之教法甚是歡喜。

心王菩薩於菩薩眾會之中，演說了不同佛剎之間的時間相對性。他提到十一個佛剎，其中此娑婆世界釋迦牟尼佛剎的一劫，為西方極樂世界阿彌陀佛剎的一日一夜，而西方極樂世界的一劫，為袈裟幢世界金剛堅佛剎的一日一夜，如是次第，乃至過百萬阿僧祇世界，最後世界一劫，為蓮花吉祥世界賢吉祥佛剎的一日一夜。

藏文《華嚴經》共四十五品，本經是其中第三十八品。如標題所示，這一品是關於菩薩的住處。經文列出二十三個住處，前九處提到了安住其中的菩薩名號，其餘的十四處則未詳說菩薩名號。

「入法界品」是大乘經典之王《華嚴經》中最為重要的章節之一。經中，釋迦牟尼佛於舍衛城入定，文殊菩薩啟程往南行。在南印度遇見年輕居士善財童子，並指示他去尋求善知識。善財童子因而開啟了一段不可思議的旅程，他一路參訪了50餘位善知識，每一位善知識均再指引他尋訪下一位，其中有男有女有成人也有孩童，有人、天神、比丘也有在家人，其中甚至包括了佛陀出家前的妻子與母親。善財童子所遇見的最後三位善知識分別為彌勒菩薩、文殊菩薩以及普賢菩薩。「普賢行願品」是普賢菩薩在經文最後給予善財童子的開示。

The Chapter Teaching the Purification of Boundless Gateways consists of an extended discourse presented by the Buddha to his bodhisattva disciple Anantavyūha. The instruction consists of a so-called dhāraṇī gateway, a teaching that involves a series of dhāraṇī spells, which are interspersed throughout. The teaching is generally concerned with well-known Mahāyāna Buddhist themes, ranging from the lack of inherent identity to the qualities of complete awakening, but these topics are here presented within a larger exegesis on the meaning of the dhāraṇī gateway.

本經主要講述金剛手與佛陀之間的一些教法與對話。金剛手是夜叉之王，常伴佛陀左右。在經文的前半部分，金剛手就菩薩與證悟者的身、語、意之秘密給予一系列教授。後半部分，金剛手講述了佛陀的生平事跡——行極苦行、前往覺悟之座、戰勝魔羅、獲得證悟、以及轉法輪。之後，佛陀授記金剛手為未來佛，並至金剛手住處應供。經中穿插了講法、對話等內容，並記敘了很多奇聞軼事。這些故事涵蓋主題豐富，刻畫大量的人物形相，其中包括金剛手、梵天娑罕帕提以及佛陀的一些本生故事。最後，金剛手和佛陀分別誦念兩則長咒以護持佛法，令法住世。

經中釋迦牟尼佛為無邊慧菩薩解說欲證菩提者應當修持的「被大甲」法。此甲並非世俗意義上的盔甲，而是意指捨離法執、精進修行以及了悟法性之功德。佛陀與無邊慧菩薩同時亦探討大乘道之空性與無相。

While the Buddha is in the Jeta Grove, he asks Mañjuśrī to teach on the nature of reality. Mañjuśrī’s account upsets some of the monks present in the gathering, who subsequently leave. Nevertheless, by means of an emanation, Mañjuśrī skillfully teaches the distraught monks, who return to the Jeta Grove to express their gratitude. The monks explain that their obstacle has been a conceited sense of attainment, of which they are now free. At the request of the god Ratnavara, Mañjuśrī then teaches on nonduality and the nature of the bodhisattva. Next, the Buddha prophesies the future awakening of Ratnavara and other bodhisattvas present in the gathering. However, the prophecies cause Pāpīyān, king of the māras, to appear with his army. In a dramatic course of events, Mañjuśrī uses his transformative power on both Pāpīyān and the Buddha’s pious attendant, Śāradvatīputra, forcing both of them to appear in the form of the Buddha himself. He then makes Pāpīyān and Śāradvatīputra teach the profound Dharma with the perfect mastery of buddhahood. Numerous bodhisattvas appear from the four directions, pledging to practice and uphold the sūtra’s teaching. The Buddha grants his blessing for the continuous transmission of the sūtra among bodhisattvas in the future.

In The Exposition on the Universal Gateway, the bodhisattva Amalagarbha arrives in this world from a distant pure land to request teachings from the buddha Śākyamuni. The Buddha proceeds to explain to all assembled bodhisattvas, monks, and lay devotees the manner in which the five aggregates are equal to meditative absorption. He also explains how the various classes of beings and all other phenomena are absorption as well. In conclusion, he lists the names of various absorptions and the benefits one obtains upon attaining these states.

在本经中，世尊应月光童子菩萨所问，讲诉诸如来所放光明为其证悟成就之显现，并给予一系列相关教法。在种种神通力的示现中，世尊分别述说每一种光明所对应的功德，並再三阐明：以空无作慧，而現和合光。经文中亦包含一般共通的教法，如大乘行者所需具足之善根资粮以及布施等。

In The Collected Teachings on the Bodhisatva, the Buddha describes in detail the views and practices that are to be followed by the bodhisatva, the ideal Mahāyāna practitioner. Through his interactions with human and nonhuman interlocutors, and through stories of various past buddhas, we are led step by step through the topics of renunciation, the mind of awakening, the four immeasurables, and the six perfections. Among the many accounts of past buddhas included in the sūtra, we find the story of the prophecy made by the Buddha Dīpaṅkara to the brahmin Megha about his future attainment of awakening as the Buddha Śākyamuni.

此經中，佛陀為同父異母的兄弟難陀詳細分析胎兒於三十八週妊娠期間的發展。世尊一一闡述中陰期後入胎的過程、胚胎的實體結構、新生兒所經歷的痛苦以及往後人生當中將經歷的諸多苦難。經中對於妊娠期的描述是古印度文獻當中最為詳細的解釋，此經也因此成為藏醫胚胎學的知識基礎。

此經中，釋迦牟尼佛為眾人闡釋菩薩的發願與其未來佛土功德之間的關聯，以及能夠圓滿菩薩之願的諸功德。為聽聞此法十方諸菩薩眾紛紛前來詣佛，世尊即為其講述文殊師利初發菩提心的故事。最後，佛陀揭示了文殊師利不可思議的願力，以及此大願力將造就文殊未來佛土之不可思議功德的緣由。

In Veṇuvana, outside Rājagṛha, Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra asks the Buddha about the conduct of bodhisattvas practicing on the path to awakening. The Buddha replies by describing the attitudes that bodhisattvas must possess as well as their benefits. Then, at the request of Maudgalyāyana, the Buddha recounts several of his past lives in which he himself practiced bodhisattva conduct. At the end of the teaching, the Buddha instructs the assembly about how to deal with specific objections to his teachings that outsiders might raise after he himself has passed into nirvāṇa.

此經中有一名為護國的比丘請世尊講解菩薩之正行。佛陀應其所問而演說菩薩行，並進而講述其過去生之種種事蹟。世尊敘述自己曾在某一世名為福德光王子，為利益眾生而遵循菩薩證悟之道，捨棄了享樂、王國以及財富。

While the Buddha Śākyamuni is residing at Vulture Peak Mountain, in the nearby city of Rājagṛha the accomplished illusionist Bhadra hatches a scheme to humiliate the Buddha and disprove his omniscience in order to win over the people of Magadha. The failure of Bhadra’s plan, in which he conjures the illusion of a resplendent courtyard that, to his dismay, cannot be undone, culminates in a series of surreal and magnificent visions that convince Bhadra of the superiority of the Buddha’s powers. This sūtra presents a colorful and often humorous narrative and contains teachings on illusion, emptiness, and the distinction between the illusionist’s mundane abilities and the Buddha’s miraculous display.

在本經中，摩訶迦葉提出一系列有關出家人之律儀與修持的問題，佛陀一一詳細作答。爾後，摩訶迦葉請佛住世守護佛法。然而，當佛陀預言摩訶迦葉本人將於未來守護佛法時，摩訶迦葉卻堅稱，為使佛法長久駐世，必須由一位菩薩而非聲聞弟子來荷擔如此重任。佛陀遂將未來保護教法之大任付囑於彌勒菩薩。之後，佛陀開示了末世將會出現的偽菩薩，以及正確的菩薩行儀與修持，彌勒亦自述其所修行的菩薩之道。當摩訶迦葉問及未來何者是偽菩薩時，佛陀給予一系列教示，否定、呵責了借由供養舍利、佛塔和佛像而謀求利養與生計的做法，並將此與出家僧人捨世苦修、深觀禪定的正確行持作了對比。除了佛陀對偽菩薩的批評之外，此經以其中令人難忘的種種譬喻、本生故事和對依止阿蘭若處捨世修行的重視而著稱。

此經主要探討比丘的別解脫戒與大乘菩薩戒之間的關係。佛陀應長者舍利弗與優波離所問而講解兩種戒律，進而細說諸乘於根器、見地與戒律之間的區別。經中亦對三種懺悔法有詳盡的描述，是尚存的經典中少數針對此法做出解釋的經文。

此經中，彌勒菩薩見眾會中有六十位菩薩已忘失正念且丟失修行的信心。為此彌勒菩薩向佛陀求助，世尊因而揭示導致菩薩們現況的前世因緣。諸菩薩聞佛所說生起懊悔之心，立志從此歸回正道。世尊甚為歡喜，繼而與彌勒菩薩探討菩薩眾在末世應如何避免諸過失以及如何正確受持佛法。

In this scripture Śākyamuni Buddha describes how a bodhisattva should ideally train in the six perfections. In the Veṇuvana near Rājagṛha, the Buddha teaches this sūtra in response to a single question put to him by the bodhisattva Subāhu: what are the qualities a bodhisattva should have in order to progress to perfect awakening? The Buddha responds by first listing the six perfections of generosity, ethical discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight, and then expounding in greater detail on each perfection in turn.

此經有關一名為善順的窮困流浪漢，他雖在物質上貧乏卻在品德方面富具善根。經中，帝釋天試圖以種種神變誘惑善順，但善順始終梵行清淨不為所動。一天，善順偶獲一塊無價珍寶，並決定將它給予舍衛城内最貧窮的人。善順認為整座城內最窮的是波斯匿王，因為波斯匿王愚昧且貪婪，從不知滿足。佛陀告示波斯匿王，勤修梵行和淨持戒律等善行才可獲得真正的財富。波斯匿王聞此教法後調伏了自己的驕慢之心，並且了悟到富貴的真實意義。佛陀隨後預言授記善順將於未來世成佛。

一时，佛在舍卫国祇树给孤独园，与众比丘俱。尔时，舍卫大城有一长者名为勤授，与五百长者聚会共议修持大乘之事。为解除疑惑，勤授与五百长者前往祇树园诣见世尊。世尊言说菩萨应如何生起大悲，于身及一切乐具无所执着，进而教导观身无常與不净之法。复以偈颂，再次宣说此身之无量过患及前后因缘。五百长老闻此法已，得无生忍，继而以一段广为流传的偈颂称叹发菩提心之功德。尔时世尊微笑，授记勤授与五百长者将于未来成无上菩提。经文末尾，世尊告知阿难此法门之名号。

Manipulated into a murderous rage by the jealous Queen Anupamā, King Udayana launches a barrage of arrows at Queen Śyāmāvatī. King Udayana is terrified when Queen Śyāmāvatī pays homage to the Buddha, cultivates loving kindness, and the arrows are repelled. Awestruck by such a spectacle and inspired by Queen Śyāmāvatī’s words of praise for the Buddha, King Udayana approaches the Buddha and requests a teaching on the inadequacies of women. The Buddha tells King Udayana that he must first understand his own faults and proceeds to deliver a discourse on the four faults of men, such as attachment to sense pleasures and failure to take care of elderly parents. The teaching is delivered with a plethora of analogies and striking imagery to turn the mind away from sensual desires. The work concludes with King Udayana giving up his weapons and going for refuge in the Three Jewels, filled with love for all beings.

In The Questions of Gaṅgottarā, a laywoman named Gaṅgottarā leaves her home in the city of Śrāvastī and visits the Buddha Śākyamuni in Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. The Buddha asks her from where she has come, sparking a dialogue on the true nature of things. Among other things, they discuss the fact that, from the perspective of ultimate truth, all things, including Gaṅgottarā herself, are like magical creations, and thus no one comes or goes or pursues nirvāṇa.

In The Questions of Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita, the sūtra’s interlocutor, Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita, asks the Buddha Śākyamuni whether there might be other buddhas in other realms whose names carry the power to produce awakening. The Buddha responds that there are, in fact, buddhas whose names are so efficacious that simply by remembering them, the disciple will be awakened. The Buddha then names the buddhas of the ten directions, their worlds and eons, and the specific effects that knowing each of their names will have on disciples with faith.

本经开篇讲述阿闍世王之子狮子，与其随侍五百人俱，持金色宝盖往诣灵鹫山礼敬供养佛陀。尔后，王子提出一系列有关菩萨行的问题，请如来开示。如来以偈颂一一作答，並宣说了成就菩萨之功德以及德相的种种业因。闻是语已，王子及诸随侍皆发愿依此修学。是时如来微笑，三千世界为之震动。弥勒菩萨问佛，以何因缘现此微笑？如来答言，此王子与其五百同伴俱将于未来成佛，其佛刹之庄严一如无量寿佛之国土。

In The Questions of Bhadrapāla the Merchant, the Buddha’s principal interlocutor is a wealthy merchant who asks him to explain what consciousness is, and what happens to it when one dies and is reborn. In his characterization of consciousness, the Buddha relies heavily on the use of analogies drawn from nature. The sūtra also reflects common cultural beliefs of ancient India, such as spirit possession. In addition, it presents graphic and vividly contrasting descriptions of rebirth in the realms of the gods for those who have lived meritorious lives and in the realms of hell for those who lack merit.

Vimalaśraddhā, the daughter of King Prasenajit, comes to see the Buddha in Jetavana, together with a retinue of five hundred women. She pays homage to the Buddha and asks him to explain the conduct of bodhisattvas. The Buddha responds by presenting twelve sets of eight qualities that bodhisattvas should cultivate. Vimalaśraddhā and her five hundred companions, having developed the mind set on awakening, join the ranks of the bodhisattvas, and the Buddha prophesies her future attainment of awakening.

In The Question of Maitreya, the bodhisattva Maitreya asks the Buddha what qualities a bodhisattva needs to attain enlightenment quickly. The Buddha outlines several sets of qualities, foremost among them the altruistic intention of perfect bodhicitta. The Buddha then recounts to Ānanda how, in a former life, Maitreya revered a previous Buddha and, wishing to become just like him, at once realized that all phenomena are unproduced. Ānanda asks why Maitreya did not become a buddha sooner, and in answer the Buddha compares Maitreya’s bodhisattva career with his own, listing further sets of qualities that differentiate them and recounting examples of the hardships he himself faced in previous lives. Maitreya, on the other hand, has followed the easy bodhisattva vehicle using its skillful means, such as the seven branch practice and the training in the six perfections; the aspirations he thus made are set out in the famous “Prayer of Maitreya” for which this sūtra is perhaps best known. The Buddha declares that Maitreya will become enlightened when sentient beings have fewer negative emotions, in contrast to the ignorant and turbulent beings he himself vowed to help.

In The Question of Maitreya on the Eight Qualities, Maitreya asks the Buddha what qualities bodhisattvas need in order to be sure of completing the path to buddhahood. In response, the Buddha briefly lists eight qualities. Starting with the excellent intention to become enlightened, they include loving kindness, as well as realization of the perfection of wisdom, which the Buddha explains in terms of reflection on the twelve links of dependent origination.

在本经中，一位外道苦修士广博仙人，偕众多眷属往诣佛所，求问布施之业果。佛陀随即教导该等业果，以及清净施与不清净施的区别等要点。最后有一长段经文描述了作为特定布施之果的天道生活，并解说了天人即将寿终以及往生人间的相应徵相。

世尊於毗舍離城外的林間安坐，喜王菩薩上前請求禪定之法。世尊隨即教導「了諸法本三昧」，繼而詳細開演六度。佛告喜王菩薩，今此會中有菩薩大士，得此定意諸度無極，未來於此賢劫成最正覺，一千如來中除四如來也。應喜王菩薩之請，世尊詠說賢劫千佛名號，一一講說諸佛在此世間出生、悟道與說法的因緣。在本經的最後一品中，世尊講述了當來成佛的此諸菩薩大士初發道意之本末。

The Play in Full tells the story of how the Buddha manifested in this world and attained awakening, as perceived from the perspective of the Great Vehicle. The sūtra, which is structured in twenty-seven chapters, first presents the events surrounding the Buddha’s birth, childhood, and adolescence in the royal palace of his father, king of the Śākya nation. It then recounts his escape from the palace and the years of hardship he faced in his quest for spiritual awakening. Finally the sūtra reveals his complete victory over the demon Māra, his attainment of awakening under the Bodhi tree, his first turning of the wheel of Dharma, and the formation of the very early saṅgha.

The Miraculous Play of Mañjuśrī presents a series of profound teachings within a rich narrative structure involving a beautiful courtesan’s daughter, Suvarṇottama­prabhāśrī. A banker’s son has purchased her favors, but while they are riding together toward a pleasure garden the girl’s attention is captivated instead by the radiantly attractive Mañjuśrī, who gives her instructions related to the meaning of the mind set on awakening. She then expresses her new understanding in a dialogue with Mañjuśrī, in the presence of King Ajātaśatru, his retinue, and the citizens of Rājagṛha.

In The Chapter on Mañjuśrī’s Magical Display, the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī answers a series of questions posed by the god Great Light concerning the appropriate conduct for bodhisattvas and the potential pitfalls and obstacles presented to bodhisattvas by Māra. Midway through the sūtra, the demon Māra himself appears and, after being captured and converted by Mañjuśrī, he begins to teach the Buddha’s Dharma to the audience. After revealing that Māra was never truly bound by anything other than his own perception, Mañjuśrī resumes his teaching for the remainder of the sūtra.

The Buddha’s disciple, the monk Pūrṇa, oversees the construction of a temple dedicated to the Buddha in a distant southern city. When the master builder suggests that the building may be used by others in the Buddha’s absence, Pūrṇa argues that no one but an omniscient buddha may rightly take up residence there.

The main topic of this sūtra is an explanation of how the Buddha and all things share the very same empty nature. Through a set of similes, the sūtra shows how an illusion-like Buddha may dispense appropriate teachings to sentient beings in accordance with their propensities.

This sūtra, one of the longest scriptures in the General Sūtra section of the Kangyur, outlines the path of the Great Vehicle as it is journeyed by bodhisattvas in pursuit of awakening. The teaching, which is delivered by the Buddha Śākyamuni to a host of bodhisattvas from faraway worlds as well as a selection of his closest hearer students, such as Śāradvatī­putra and Ānanda, elucidates in particular the practice of engendering and strengthening the mind of awakening, as well as the practice of bodhisattva conduct for the sake of all other beings.

This sūtra is a story in which the spiritual realization of the child Inconceivable Radiance is revealed through a dialogue with the Buddha Śākyamuni. The Buddha furthermore recounts events from the child’s past lives to illustrate how actions committed in one life will determine one’s future circumstances. The teaching concludes with the Buddha prophesying how the child Inconceivable Radiance will eventually fully awaken in the future.

一時，佛在摩揭陀國與無量菩薩俱。爾時，不思議光王菩薩為眾演說不同佛剎之間時間的相對性。他提到十一個佛剎，其中此娑婆世界一劫，為西方極樂世界無量壽佛剎一日一夜，而西方極樂世界一劫，為妙喜世界阿閦佛剎一日一夜。如是次第，乃至過百萬阿僧祇世界，最後世界一劫，為蓮花吉祥世界賢吉祥佛剎一日一夜。

In Unraveling the Intent, the Buddha gives a systematic overview of his three great cycles of teachings, which he refers to in this text as the “three Dharma wheels” (tri­dharma­cakra). In the process of delineating the meaning of these doctrines, the Buddha unravels several difficult points regarding the ultimate and relative truths, the nature of reality, and the contemplative methods conducive to the attainment of complete and perfect awakening, and he also explains what his intent was when he imparted teachings belonging to each of the three Dharma wheels. In unambiguous terms, the third wheel is proclaimed to be of definitive meaning. Through a series of dialogues with hearers and bodhisattvas, the Buddha thus offers a complete and systematic teaching on the Great Vehicle, which he refers to here as the Single Vehicle.

這是一部描述大乘法道不同面向的精要佛經。經名得自於開示發生的地點，即菩提伽耶附近的迦耶山。經中依次記敘了佛陀的內觀，佛陀與文殊師利菩薩的對話，以及文殊師利與三位提問者——兩位天人和一位菩薩——之間的對答，由此簡要而持續地解說了證悟的漸進過程、四種發菩提心的階段、菩薩道的方便與智慧兩大原則，以及菩薩行的種種分類。《迦耶山頭經》有多種譯本、釋論，其中的段落被大量引用，可見其對於印度和漢藏兩地大乘佛教界的廣泛影響。

此經講述釋迦牟尼佛回憶起自己過去世的其中一世：當時身為國師的他發願要成佛，此舉令國王和王子、國師自己的兒子和弟子們以及其他人都深受啟發，眾人皆發願要成佛。此事即為阿彌陀佛、不動佛、觀世音菩薩、文殊師利菩薩以及賢劫千佛等諸佛菩薩之殊勝緣起，同時也成為釋迦牟尼佛殊勝佛行事業的緣由。 這部經經題中的“慈悲白蓮”指的是釋迦牟尼佛，並強調他的殊勝之處——釋迦牟尼佛就像衆花中那朵妙香芬芳、療癒他人的高潔蓮花。他選擇投生於末法時期的五濁惡世之中，其悲心遠比其他諸佛更為廣大。

The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, popularly known as the Lotus Sūtra, is taught by Buddha Śākyamuni on Vulture Peak to an audience that includes bodhisattvas from countless realms, as well as bodhisattvas who emerge from under the ground, from the space below this world. Buddha Prabhūtaratna, who has long since passed into nirvāṇa, appears within a floating stūpa to hear the sūtra, and Śākyamuni enters the stūpa and sits beside him.

The events recounted in The King of the Array of All Dharma Qualities take place outside Rājagṛha, where the Buddha is residing in the Bamboo Grove together with a great assembly of monks, bodhisattvas, and other human and non-human beings. At the request of the bodhisattvas Vajrapāṇi and Avalokiteśvara, the Buddha teaches his audience on a selection of brief but disparate topics belonging to the general Mahāyāna tradition: how to search for a spiritual friend and live in solitude, the benefits of venerating Avalokiteśvara’s name, the obstacles that Māra may create for practitioners, and warnings on how easy it is to lose one’s determination to be free from saṃsāra.

In the Jeta Grove of Śrāvastī, the Buddha Śākyamuni, surrounded by a large audience, presents to his disciple Śāriputra a detailed description of the realm of Sukhāvatī, a delightful, enlightened abode, free of suffering. Its inhabitants are described as mature beings in an environment where everything enhances their spiritual inclinations. The principal buddha of Sukhāvatī is addressed as Amitāyus (Limitless Life) as well as Amitābha (Limitless Light).

The Basket’s Display (Kāraṇḍavyūha) is the source of the most prevalent mantra of Tibetan Buddhism: oṁ maṇipadme hūṁ. It marks a significant stage in the growing importance of Avalokiteśvara within Indian Buddhism in the early centuries of the first millennium. In a series of narratives within narratives, the sūtra describes Avalokiteśvara’s activities in various realms and the realms contained within the pores of his skin. It culminates in a description of the extreme rarity of his mantra, which, on the Buddha’s instructions, Bodhisattva Sarva­nīvaraṇa­viṣkambhin obtains from someone in Vārāṇasī who has broken his monastic vows. This sūtra provided a basis and source of quotations for the teachings and practices of the eleventh-century Maṇi Kabum, which itself served as a foundation for the rich tradition of Tibetan Avalokiteśvara practice.

一時，世尊在靈鷲山中，與眾多大比丘俱。文殊師利菩薩來詣佛所。世尊與文殊師利及長老舍利弗之間展開一場對話，闡明不可別異、無二、周遍一切的法界甚深實相。

While the Buddha is residing in the Akaniṣṭha realm, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Ākāśagarbha asks him how a bodhisattva should view the mind at the point of dying. The Buddha replies that when death comes a bodhisattva should develop the wisdom at the hour of death. He explains that a bodhisattva should cultivate a clear understanding of the nonexistence of entities, great compassion, nonapprehension, nonattachment, and a clear understanding that, since wisdom is the realization of one’s own mind, the Buddha should not be sought elsewhere.

In this sūtra the Buddha Śākyamuni recounts how the thus-gone Sarvārthasiddha purified the buddha realms in his domain. In his explanation, the Buddha Śākyamuni emphasizes the view of the Great Vehicle, which he explains as the fundamental basis for all bodhisattvas who aspire to attain liberation. The attendant topics taught by the Buddha are the six perfections of generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and wisdom. The Buddha explains each of these six perfections in three distinct ways as he recounts the past lives of the buddha Sarvārthasiddha. First, he describes how Sarvārthasiddha learned the practices that purify buddha realms, namely the six perfections. Next, he explains how to seal these six virtuous practices with the correct view so that they become perfections. Finally, he recounts how Sarvārthasiddha, as a bodhisattva, received instructions for enhancing the potency of the perfections.

在此短篇經文中，阿難尊者請佛陀講解菩提心之本質。世尊告阿難，菩提心的本質如黃金般純淨。如同金匠能將黃金塑造成各種形狀卻不改變黃金的本質，菩提心即使以不同方式呈現也始終本質不變。

This sūtra presents a short dialogue between Ānanda and the Buddha on the theme of limitlessness. In response to Ānanda’s persistent inquiries, the Buddha uses analogies to illustrate both the limitlessness of the miraculous abilities acquired by realized beings, and the limitless multiplicity of the world systems in which bodhisattvas and buddhas are to be found. The Buddha then concludes his teaching with a further analogy—referenced in the sūtra’s title—to illustrate that although buddhas and bodhisattvas are innumerable, it is nevertheless extremely rare and precious to find a buddha within any given world system, or to find bodhisattvas who engage sincerely in bodhisattva conduct. To encounter such beings, he says, is as rare as finding a single grain of gold dust among all the sands of the ocean, or all the sands of the mighty river Gaṅgā.

This sūtra, much quoted in later Buddhist writings for its profound statements especially on the nature of emptiness, relates a long teaching given by the Buddha mainly in response to questions put by a young layman, Candraprabha. The samādhi that is the subject of the sūtra, in spite of its name, primarily consists of various aspects of conduct, motivation, and the understanding of emptiness; it is also a way of referring to the sūtra itself. The teaching given in the sūtra is the instruction to be dedicated to the possession and promulgation of the samādhi, and to the necessary conduct of a bodhisattva, which is exemplified by a number of accounts from the Buddha’s previous lives. Most of the teaching takes place on Vulture Peak Mountain, with an interlude recounting the Buddha’s invitation and visit to Candraprabha’s home in Rājagṛha, where he continues to teach Candraprabha before returning to Vulture Peak Mountain. In one subsequent chapter the Buddha responds to a request by Ānanda, and the text concludes with a commitment by Ānanda to maintain this teaching in the future.

In this sūtra the Buddha Śākyamuni teaches how bodhisattvas proceed to awakening, without ever regressing, by relying on an absorption known as the miraculous ascertainment of peace. He lists the very numerous features of this absorption, describes how to train in it, and explains how through this training bodhisattvas develop all the qualities of buddhahood. The “peace” of the absorption comes from the relinquishment of misconceptions and indeed of all concepts whatsoever, and the sūtra provides a profound and detailed survey of how all the abilities, attainments, and other qualities of the bodhisattva’s path arise as the bodhisattva’s understanding and realization of what is meant by the Thus-Gone One unfold.

In this sūtra Buddha Śākyamuni explains how to attain the absorption known as “the illusory absorption,” a meditative state so powerful that it enables awakening to be attained very quickly. He also teaches that this absorption has been mastered particularly well by two bodhisattvas, Avalokiteśvara and Mahā­sthāmaprāpta, who live in Sukhāvatī, the distant realm of Buddha Amitābha. Buddha Śākyamuni summons these two bodhisattvas to this world and, when they arrive, recounts the story of how they first engendered the mind of awakening. Finally the Buddha reveals the circumstances surrounding the future awakening of Avalokiteśvara and Mahā­sthāmaprāpta.

In The Absorption of the Thus-Gone One’s Wisdom Seal, a vast number of bodhisattvas request the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach them about his state of meditative absorption. In his responses to various interlocutors, including the bodhisattvas Mañjuśrī and Maitreya, the Buddha expounds on this profound state, exhorting them to accomplish it themselves. The sūtra also describes the qualities of bodhisattvas and their stages of development.

The Absorption That Encapsulates All Merit tells the story of Vimalatejā, a strongman renowned for his physical prowess, who visits the Buddha in order to compare abilities and prove that he is the mightier of the two. He receives an unexpected, humbling riposte in the form of a teaching by the Buddha on the inconceivable magnitude of the powers of awakened beings, going well beyond mere physical strength. The discussions that then unfold—largely between the Buddha, Vimalatejā, and the bodhisattva Nārāyaṇa—touch on topics including the importance of creating merit, the centrality of learning and insight, and the question of whether renunciation entails monasticism. Above all, however, Vimalatejā is led to see that the entirety of the Great Vehicle path hinges on the practice that forms the name of the sūtra, which is nothing other than the mind of awakening (bodhicitta).

The Four Boys’ Absorption narrates the Buddha Śākyamuni’s passing away (or parinirvāṇa) in the Yamakaśāla Grove near Kuśinagara. Ānanda has a portentous dream that is confirmed by the Buddha to be an indication that he will soon die. Widespread panic spreads through the various realms of this world system, and as gods and other beings converge on the forest grove near Kuśinagara, tragic scenes of mourning ensue. Then, when the Buddha lies down, the narrative suddenly shifts to recount how four bodhisattvas from distant buddha fields in the four directions are reborn as four infants in prominent households in the major cities of the Gangetic Plain, announce their intention to see the Buddha Śākyamuni, and with expansive entourages proceed to the forest grove in the country of the Mallas where the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa will take place. Their appearance is marked by various miracles, whereupon the Buddha explains their arrival and consoles his grieving followers with teachings on the limitless numbers of buddhas. He confers responsibility on his attendant Ānanda and his son Rāhula, and then manifests a variety of spectacular miracles. Toward the end of the sūtra, while still appearing to lie upon the lion couch, the Buddha visits the various hells and some god realms, where he sets countless beings on the path to awakening. The text culminates in his final passing.

The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī is one of the core texts of the Mahāsannipāta collection of Mahāyāna sūtras that dates back to the formative period of Mahāyāna Buddhism, from the first to the third century ce. Its rich and varied narratives, probably redacted from at least two independent works, recount significant events from the lives, past and present, of the Buddha Śākyamuni and some of his main followers and opponents, both human and nonhuman. At the center of these narratives is the climactic episode from the Buddha’s life when Māra, the personification of spiritual death, sets out to destroy the Buddha and his Dharma. The mythic confrontation between these paragons of light and darkness, and the Buddha’s eventual victory, are related in vivid detail. The main narratives are interwoven with Dharma instructions and interspersed with miraculous events. The text also exemplifies two distinctive sūtra genres, “prophecies” (vyākaraṇa) and “incantations” (dhāraṇī), as it includes, respectively, prophecies of the future attainment of buddhahood by some of the Buddha’s followers and the potent phrases that embody the Buddha’s teachings and are meant to ensure their survival and the thriving of its practitioners.

在本經中，大智文殊師利菩薩祈請世尊說最上乘智慧之法，對於佛法中的基本概念與分類，不否認其「世俗有」而揭示其「勝義空」。佛陀遂以一種看似悖謬的方式進行教導。首先宣說：無正覺，亦無佛之功德，然而菩薩欲得佛果。繼而以類似方式，連續舉出佛法與凡夫法的諸多差別，卻又同時指出兩者本性相同。由此點出本經之一大要旨：凡夫法不離諸佛法，亦不在諸佛法。何以故？金剛場陀羅尼中，無有分別，法爾如是。自貪嗔癡至證悟佛果，一切諸法悉皆平等，空無自性，本來清凈，無縛無解。

一時，佛在凈居天上依空而住，與無數菩薩眾俱。世尊告諸菩薩：汝當受持六門陀羅尼法。隨即演說六門，即摧滅輪回之因的六種發願，繼而宣說六門陀羅尼，教喻信眾於日夜六時讀誦，並開示如是修持之利益。大眾聞佛所說歡喜贊嘆。經文最後以簡迴向結尾。

The Dhāraṇī “Entering into Nonconceptuality” is a short Mahāyāna sūtra that came to be particularly influential in Yogācāra circles. The central theme of the sūtra is the attainment of the nonconceptual realm, reached through the practice of relinquishing all conceptual signs by not directing the mind toward them. The sūtra presents the progressive stages through which bodhisattvas can abandon increasingly subtle conceptual signs and eliminate the erroneous ideas that lead to the objectification of phenomena.

In Cultivating Trust in the Great Vehicle, the Buddha Śākyamuni gives a discourse on the nature of trust (dad pa, prasāda) according to the Great Vehicle. The teaching is requested by a bodhisattva known as Great Skillful Trust, who requests the Buddha to answer four questions concerning the nature of trust in the Great Vehicle: (1) What are the characteristics of trust? (2) How is trust developed? (3) What are the different types of trust? (4) What are the benefits of having trust? Over the course of the sūtra, the Buddha answers all four questions, each in a separate chapter.

經中，佛陀與文殊菩薩、普賢菩薩探討法界、正覺及空性，一名為法慧的菩薩入「菩薩無邊相應寶光明三摩地」，並以諸佛威神力宣說菩薩之「十住法門」。之後，佛陀傳授陀羅尼，以長篇偈頌敘述賢吉祥菩薩之教法，以此鼓勵諸菩薩精進修行。此經之偈頌常為後世印度與藏地論師所援引。

The Teaching on the Great Compassion of the Tathāgata opens with the Buddha presiding over a large congregation of disciples at Vulture Peak. Entering a special state of meditative absorption, he magically displays a pavilion in the sky, attracting a vast audience of divine and human Dharma followers. At the request of the bodhisattva Dhāraṇīśvara­rāja, the Buddha gives a discourse on the qualities of bodhisattvas, which are specified as bodhisattva ornaments, illuminations, compassion, and activities.

靈鷲山上，彌勒菩薩參見佛陀，請佛宣講說法之業果。佛陀答言，若有一人向諸佛作廣大無量的財物供養，而另一人僅講授一偈佛法，後者所獲福德遠遠勝於前者。

This brief sūtra is introduced with the Buddha residing on Vulture Peak Mountain in Rājagṛha, together with a great monastic assembly of 1,250 monks and a multitude of bodhisattva mahāsattvas. The Buddha is approached and asked by the bodhisattva mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara about the qualities that should be cultivated by a bodhisattva who has just generated the altruistic mind set on attaining awakening.

The subject matter of this sūtra is indicated by the alternative title suggested by the Buddha himself in its conclusion: The Teaching That Clarifies Karma. In the opening section, the merchant Pratibhānamati, concerned about the state of society and what will become of the saṅgha in times to come, requests the Buddha Śākyamuni for a teaching that offers moral guidance to future beings. With the Buddha’s encouragement, he asks what actions lead to rebirth in ten different human and non-human states. The Buddha answers with descriptions of the actions associated with each of these states and the effects they will bring. Pratibhānamati then invites the Buddha to his home in Śrāvastī. Two beggars arrive there, and on account of their opposing aspirations and conduct in the presence of the Buddha and retinue, one soon becomes a king while the other is killed in an accident. The sūtra concludes as the Buddha, invited to the newly anointed king’s land, explains the karmic reasons for his unexpected fortune.

Heralded by a miraculous flood, the celestial bodhisattva Sāgaramati arrives in Rājagṛha to engage in a Dharma discussion with Buddha Śākyamuni. He discusses an absorption called “The Pristine and Immaculate Seal” and many other subjects relevant to bodhisattvas who are in the process of developing the mind of awakening and practicing the bodhisattva path. The sūtra strongly advises that bodhisattvas not shy away from the afflictive emotions of beings—no matter how unpleasant they may be—and that insight into these emotions is critical for a bodhisattva’s compassionate activity.

經文開篇記敘了一個瑞相，預示海龍王即將來到王舍城靈鷲山見佛。在海龍王與佛陀的長篇對話中，佛陀就區分相對實相與究竟實相的諸多問題作出開示，一再強調建立空性智慧最為重要。隨後，佛陀應邀前往海中龍宮，為龍王詳說其前世，由此開演無盡之藏總持門。佛在龍宮不僅就諸多主題給予教授，還調解了天人與阿修羅之間、龍族與金翅鳥之間的長期爭端。而後佛陀返回靈鷲山，與阿闍世王交談，並對海龍王作出授記。

The Questions of the Nāga King Sāgara presents a discourse given by the Buddha Śākyamuni on the importance of considering the effects caused by actions. At the start of his teaching, the Buddha remarks how the variety of forms that exist, and in fact all phenomena, come about as the result of virtuous and nonvirtuous actions. By understanding this law of cause and effect and by taking great care to engage in virtue, one will avoid rebirth in the lower realms and enter the path to perfect awakening. In the rest of his discourse he explains in great detail the advantages of engaging in each of the ten virtues and the problems associated with not engaging in them.

In this very short sūtra, the Buddha explains to a nāga king and an assembly of monks that reciting the four aphorisms of the Dharma is equivalent to recitation of all of the 84,000 articles of the Dharma. He urges them to make diligent efforts to engage in understanding the four aphorisms (also called the four seals), which are the defining philosophical tenets of the Buddhist doctrine: (1) all compounded phenomena are impermanent; (2) all contaminated phenomena are suffering; (3) all phenomena are without self; (4) nirvāṇa is peace.

《阿那婆达多龙王所问经》讲述六度、正念和禅定等菩萨道的核心法教，并侧重讲解菩萨道究竟本质——超越语言的空性。佛陀在王舍城附近的灵鹫山说法时，有位名为阿那婆达多的龙王来到佛所，就上述主题提问，佛陀则给予开示。随后，龙王邀请佛陀前往位于阿那婆达多的住处。龙王的住处是一个带有传奇色彩的湖泊，为南瞻部洲四大河流的源头。佛陀于是与无数随侍飞往此地，并继续宣说法教。文殊师利等数以千计的菩萨参加了集会，他们在会上就声闻道与菩萨道的功德展开了辩论。经文的最后，佛陀授记龙王将于未来获得证悟，龙王与其眷属也都皈依了三宝。

The Questions of the Kinnara King Druma, initiated by the questions of the bodhisattva Divyamauli, consists of a series of teachings by the kinnara king Druma, given within a rich narrative framework in which music plays a central role in teaching the Dharma. This sūtra presents a variety of well-known Great Vehicle Buddhist themes, but special attention is given to the six bodhisattva perfections and the perfection of skillful means, as well as to the doctrine of emptiness that is discussed throughout the text.

The Questions of Brahmadatta begins with the bodhisattva Amoghadarśin departing from the Jeta Grove of Śrāvastī, where the Buddha is residing. Together with more than five hundred bodhisattvas, he travels to the region of Pañcāla, where King Brahmadatta requests Amoghadarśin to impart teachings to him and his citizens. The bodhisattva discusses the attributes and correct practices of a king who is a protector of the Dharma. The king requests that the bodhisattva remain in his kingdom to observe the summer vows in retreat. Sixty wicked monks already residing there treat Amoghadarśin poorly, and after three months he leaves Pañcāla and returns to the Jeta Grove.King Brahmadatta later goes to see the Buddha, who explains to the king how the wicked monks behaved and the negative consequences of such actions. The Buddha then goes on to explain what a monk and others who wish to attain awakening should strive for, namely, to rid themselves of pride, anger, and jealousy. Upon hearing these instructions, King Brahmadatta expels the sixty wicked monks from his kingdom. Many beings then generate the mind of awakening, and King Brahmadatta is irreversibly set on the path of complete awakening. The Buddha smiles and radiates multicolored lights throughout the whole world. Finally, the king apologizes to Amoghadarśin and the bodhisattva forgives him.

此經中，釋迦牟尼佛與菩薩、長者、天神眾探討大乘的基本義理，包括四聖諦、輪迴之因以及諸佛的特徵。同時，佛陀讚賞菩薩的功德，將菩薩喻為行大乘道者之典範。

年輕商人吉祥世向佛陀請問：初地菩薩應如何於日常中行菩薩道？佛陀聞其所問甚是歡喜，即为其宣講大乘菩薩道之利他發心與修持。世尊並進而解釋菩薩日常修持，應以皈依三寶、修行六度以及迴向功德與自他之證悟為主。

Prompted by a dream, the young Licchavi boy Ratnajālin invites the Buddha to the city of Vaiśālī. When the Buddha arrives Ratnajālin asks whether there are other buddhas whose names, when heard, bring benefit to bodhisattvas. The Buddha replies that there are, and he proceeds to describe the power of the names of buddhas in the four cardinal directions as well as above and below. Once Ratnajālin has understood the teaching on the power of the names of these thus-gone ones, the Buddha provides encouragement for the future propagation of this discourse.

The Questions of Ratna­candra is a sūtra in which Ratna­candra, a prince from the country of Magadha, requests the Buddha Śākyamuni to reveal the names of the ten buddhas who dwell in the ten directions. Prince Ratna­candra has been told that hearing the names of these ten buddhas ensures that one will attain awakening at some point in the future. The Buddha confirms this and discloses their names, as well as details of their respective buddha realms, such as the names of these realms and their many unique qualities.

The Question of Kṣemaṅkara contains a teaching given by Buddha Śākyamuni to the Śākya youth Kṣemaṅkara, in response to a question he poses about the qualities of bodhisattvas and how to develop such qualities. The Buddha teaches him about bodhisattvas’ qualities, first in prose and later reiterated in verse, and then equates the teaching of this sūtra with the perfection of insight, stating that even if one practices the first five perfections for many eons, one will not make much progress without knowing what is taught in this sūtra.

為了和另一部篇幅較長的同名佛經（Toh62）有所區別，本經另名為《持國所問經（2）》。在這部簡短的大乘佛經中，佛陀應持國所問而為廣大僧眾解說哪一類的比丘將導致佛法衰微。

During an alms round in Vārāṇasī, the Buddha Śākyamuni encounters a brahmin woman by the name of Śrīmatī. Inspired by the Buddha’s majestic and graceful presence, Śrīmatī inquires about the teaching he gave at nearby Deer Park. In response, the Buddha reprises the teaching on how the twelve links of dependent origination lead to suffering and how their cessation leads to the end of suffering. Śrīmatī then asks about the nature of ignorance, the first of the twelve links. The Buddha offers a profound response and raises the distinction between ultimate truth and conventional teaching. At this, Śrīmatī makes the aspiration that she too may turn the many wheels of Dharma just as the Buddha has done. The Buddha then smiles and prophesies her eventual awakening. The sūtra concludes with the Buddha describing Śrīmatī’s virtuous deeds in past lives, in which she had venerated each of the six previous buddhas.

This sūtra contains teachings given by the Buddha to a 120-year-old woman in the city of Vaiśalī. Upon meeting the Buddha, she asks him questions concerning the four stages of life, the aggregates, the elements, and the faculties. In response, the Buddha gives her a profound teaching on emptiness, using beautifully crafted examples to illustrate his point. After hearing these teachings her doubts are dispelled and she is freed from clinging to the perception of a self.

文殊師利菩薩請教世尊，何等福德而能成就如來妙法螺音？世尊以類比倍增的方式說明此福德之廣大。假使四大洲一切眾生皆悉成就轉輪聖王之福德，三千大千世界一切眾生皆悉成就梵王之福德，盡虛空一切眾生皆悉成就菩薩之福德，後者之福聚無量倍於前者。更勝於此的是佛身八十種好與三十二大丈夫相之福德，然而如上所說所有福德之不可思議倍數，才等於如來法螺之福德。世尊繼而闡釋，如來螺音、身相與光明何以普聞、普照於無量無邊世界，現種種相以教化眾生。

此經為大乘行者與外道之間的對話，以「無我」為主要議題。大乘行者為外道詳盡闡釋諸多佛教理念，如無我、世俗諦與勝義諦、苦因、空性、諸法無相以及證悟之道。

In The Inquiry of Lokadhara, the bodhisattva Lokadhara asks the Buddha to explain the proper way for bodhisattvas to discern the characteristics of phenomena and employ that knowledge to attain awakening. In reply, the Buddha teaches at length how to understand the lack of inherent existence of phenomena. As part of the teaching, the Buddha explains in detail the nonexistence of the aggregates, the elements, the sense sources, dependently originated phenomena, the four applications of mindfulness, the five powers, the eightfold path of the noble ones, and mundane and transcendent phenomena, as well as conditioned and unconditioned phenomena.