# Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra

The Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra (Sanskrit; traditional Chinese: 大寶積經; simplified Chinese: 大宝积经; pinyin: dàbǎojī jīng, Tib. dam-chos dkon-mchog-brtsegs-pa) is a major ancient collection of Indian Mahāyāna Buddhist sūtras. It is also known simply as Ratnakūṭa Sūtra (寶積經), literally the Sutra of the Heap of Jewels in Sanskrit (kūṭa means ‘accumulation’ or ‘heap’).
The Mahāratnakūṭa contains many important Mahāyāna sūtras, like the Śrīmālā-devī-siṁhanāda, the Maitreya-paripṛcchā, Kāśyapa-parivarta, and the Sukhāvatīvyūha. The Heap of Jewels collection exists in Chinese and Tibetan translations. It also gives its name to one of the main divisions of Mahayana sutras in the Chinese Buddhist canon and in the Tibetan Buddhist canon.

## Overview

The Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra contains 49 texts of varying length, which are termed "assemblies" by tradition. This collection includes the Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra, the Longer Sukhāvatī-vyūha Sutra, the Akṣobhya-vyūha Sūtra, a long text called the Bodhisattvapiṭaka, and others.
Parts of this collection was brought to China and translated by Bodhiruci in the 8th century. Bodhiruci translated some of the texts, and included others which had been previously translated. This later Bodhiruci (also known as Bodhiruci II) should not be confused with another Bodhiruci who was the translator of the commentary on Ten Stages Sutra.
The Ratnakūṭa collection totals 49 Mahāyāna sūtras, divided into 120 fascicles in the Chinese translation. Garma Chang, who is listed as General Editor of a volume of select sūtras from the Mahāratnakūṭa translated from Chinese into English, (see below, Further Reading, Garma C.C. Chang, (1983). A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras: Selections from the Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra. Title Page) summarizes the breadth and variety of texts contained in this collection:
   We have found this work to contain a broad coverage of various subjects. The topics discussed range from the monastic precepts (Vinaya) to intuitive wisdom (prajñā), from good deportment to the manifestation of the Tathāgata's light, from illusion (māyā) to ingenuity (upāya) to the nature of consciousness and the Pure Land practice. It can perhaps be called a small encyclopedia of Mahāyāna Buddhism, which should be useful to general readers as well as to scholars.
In the Taishō Tripiṭaka in volumes 11 and 12a, the Mahāratnakūṭa is the text numbered 310, and texts numbered 311 through 373 are various other translations of some of the sutras contained in the Mahāratnakūṭa.
According to the Nikāyasaṅgraha (a Theravādin text), the Ratnakūṭa Sūtra was composed by the "Andhakas", meaning the Mahāsāṃghika Caitika schools of the Āndhra region. The texts of the sutra seem to have been collected over a number of centuries, and their varying subject matter is suggestive of historical transitions between major eras of Buddhist thought. The collection may have developed from a "Bodhisattva pitaka" attributed to some of the early Mahayana schools.

## List of sutras

| Number | Sanskrit Title | English Title | Chinese title | Tibetan title (Wylie) | English translations |
| 1 | Trisaṁvara-nirdeśa | The Chapter Explaining the Three Vows | 三律儀會 | sdom pa gsum bstan pa'i le'u/ | Translation from Tibetan by Dharmachakra translation Group (84000.co) |
| 2 | Anantamukha-pariśodhana-nirdeśa | The Chapter Teaching the Purification of Boundless Gateways | 無邊莊嚴會 | sgo mtha’ yas pa rnam par sbyong ba bstan pa’i le’u | Translation from Tibetan by Dharmachakra translation Group (84000) |
| 3 | Tathāgatācintya-guhya-nirdeśa | The Secrets of the Tathāgatas | 密迹金剛力士會 | de bzhin gshegs pa’i gsang ba | Translation from Tibetan by 84000 Translation from Chinese by Shaku Shingan |
| 4 | Svapna-nirdeśa | The Teaching on Dreams | 淨居天子會 | rmi lam bstan pa | Translation from Tibetan by 84000 |
| 5 | Sukhāvatī-vyūha | The Array of the Blissful Land | 無量壽如來會 (The Assembly of Amitāyus Tathāgata, T. 360) | | Translation from Chinese in Chapter 18 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras. Translation from Chinese by Rulu |
| 6 | Akṣobhya-tathāgatasya-vyūha | The Array of the Tathāgata Akṣobhya | 不動如來會 | mi 'khrugs pa'i bkod pa'i mdo/ | Translation from Chinese in Chapter 17 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 7 | Varma-vyūha-nirdeśa | The Teaching of the Armor Array | 被甲莊嚴會 | go cha’i bkod pa bstan pa | Translation from Tibetan by Dharmachakra translation Group (84000) |
| 8 | Dharmadhātu-prakṛty-asambheda-nirdeśa | The Teaching on the Indivisible Nature of the Realm of Phenomena | 法界體性無別會 | chos dbyings rang bzhin dbyer med bstan pa’i mdo | Translation from Tibetan by Dharmachakra translation Group (84000) |
| 9 | Daśadharmaka | The Ten Dharmas | 十法會 | chos bcu pa'i mdo/ | |
| 10 | Samantamukha-parivarta | The Exposition on the Universal Gateway | 文殊師利普門會 | kun nas sgo’i le’u | Translation from Tibetan by Dharmachakra translation Group (84000) Translation from Chinese in Chapter 8 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 11 | Raśmisamantamukta-nirdeśa | The Teaching on the Effulgence of Light | 出現光明會 | ’od zer kun du bkye ba bstan pa | Translation from Tibetan by Dharmachakra translation Group (84000) Translation from Chinese in Chapter 11 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 12 | Bodhisattva-piṭaka | The Basket of Bodhisatva [teachings] | 菩薩藏經 | byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod | Translation from Tibetan by The Norwegian Institute of Palaeography and Historical Philology, 84000 |
| 13 | Āyuṣman-nanda-garbhāvakrānti-nirdeśa | The Teaching to the Venerable Nanda on Dwelling in the Womb | 佛爲阿難說處胎會 | tshe dang ldan pa dga’ bo la mngal na gnas pa bstan pa | |
| 14 | Nanda-garbhāvakrānti-nirdeśa | The Teaching to the Venerable Nanda on Entry into the Womb | 佛說入胎藏會 | tshe dang ldan pa dga’ bo la mngal du ’jug pa bstan pa | Translation from Tibetan by Robert Kritzer, 84000 |
| 15 | Mañjuśrī-buddhakṣetra-guṇa-vyūha | The Array of Virtues of Mañjuśrī’s Buddhafield | 文殊師利授記會 | ’jam dpal gyi sangs rgyas kyi zhing gi yon tan bkod pa | Translation from Tibetan by Dharmachakra translation Group (84000) Translation from Chinese in Chapter 10 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 16 | Pitāputrasamāgamana | The Meeting of Father and Son | 菩薩見實會 | yab sras mjal ba'i mdo/ | |
| 17 | Pūrṇa-paripṛcchā | The Questions of Pūrṇa | 富樓那會 / 富樓那問經 / 菩薩藏經 | gang pos zhus pa | Translation from Tibetan by Dharmachakra translation Group (84000) |
| 18 | Rāṣṭrapāla-paripṛcchā | The Questions of Rāṣṭrapāla | 護國菩薩會經 | yul ’khor skyong gis zhus pa | Translation from Tibetan by the Vienna Buddhist Translation Studies Group, 84000. Translation from Chinese in Boucher, Daniel (2008). Bodhisattvas of the forest and the formation of the Mahāyāna a study and translation of the Rāṣṭrapālaparipṛchā-sūtra. |
| 19 | Gṛhapaty-Ugra-paripṛcchā | The Sūtra of Ugra's Questions | 郁伽長者會 / 郁伽羅越問菩薩經 | drag shul can gyis zhus pa'i mdo/ | Translation from Chinese in Nattier, Jan (2005). A Few Good Men: The Bodhisattva Path According to the Inquiry of Ugra (Ugrapariprcchā). Univ of Hawaii Pr. |
| 20 | Vidyutprāpta-paripṛcchā | The Sūtra of Vidyutprāpta's Questions | 無盡伏藏會 | glog thob kyis zhus pa'i mdo/ | Translation from Chinese in Chapter 9 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 21 | Bhadramāyākāra-vyākaraṇa | The Prophecy for Bhadra the Illusionist | 授幻師跋陀羅記會 | sgyu ma mkhan bzang po lung bstan pa | Translation from Tibetan by 84000.co Translation from Chinese by Lapis Lazuli Texts Translation from Chinese in Chapter 1 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 22 | Mahā-prātihārya-nirdeśa | The Teaching of the Great Magical Display | 大變會 | cho 'phrul chen po bstan pa'i mdo/ | |
| 23 | Maitreya-mahāsiṁhanāda | The Great Lion’s Roar of Maitreya | 摩訶迦葉會 / 大迦葉經 | byams pa’i seng ge’i sgra chen po | Translated from Tibetan by Karen Liljenberg and Ulrich Pagel |
| 24 | Upāli-paripṛcchā | Upāli’s Questions | 優波離會 | ’dul ba rnam par gtan la dbab pa nye bar ’khor gyis zhus pa | Translated from Tibetan by the UCSB Buddhist Studies Translation Group, 84000.co Translation from Chinese in Chapter 15 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 25 | Adhyāśaya-saṁcodana | Inspiring Determination | 發勝志樂會 | lhag bsam skul ba | Translated from Tibetan by the Blazing Wisdom Translation Group, 84000.co |
| 26 | Subāhu-paripṛcchā | Subāhu's Questions | 善臂菩薩會 | lag bzangs kyis zhus pa’i mdo | Translation from Tibetan by Dharmachakra translation Group (84000) |
| 27 | Surata-paripṛcchā | Surata’s Questions | 善順菩薩會 | des pas zhus pa’i mdo | Translated from Tibetan by the UCSB Translation Group 2, 84000 Translation from Chinese in Chapter 13 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 28 | Vīradatta-gṛhapati-paripṛcchā | The Questions of the Householder Vīradatta | 勸授長者會 | khyim bdag dpas byin gyis zhus pa | Translated from Tibetan by the University of Calgary Buddhist Studies team, 84000 |
| 29 | Udayanavatsarāja-paripṛcchā | Questions of King Udayana of Vatsa | 優陀延王會 | bad sa’i rgyal po ’char byed kyis zhus pa | Translation from Tibetan by 84000.co |
| 30 | Sumatidārikā-paripṛcchā | Questions of the Girl Sumati | 妙慧童女經 | bu mo blo gros bzang mos zhus pa | Translation from Tibetan by 84000.co Translation from Chinese by Lapis Lazuli Texts Translation from Chinese in Chapter 14 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 31 | Gaṅgottarā-paripṛcchā | The Questions of Gaṅgottarā | 恒河上優婆夷會 | gang gA’i mchog gis zhus pa | Translation from Tibetan by 84000.co Translation from Chinese by Lapis Lazuli Texts Translation from Chinese in Chapter 3 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 32 | Aśokadatta-vyākaraṇa | Aśokadattā’s Prophecy | 無畏德菩薩會 / 無畏德經 | mya ngan med kyis byin pa lung bstan pa | Translation from Tibetan by 84000.co Translation from Chinese in Chapter 7 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 33 | Vimaladattā-paripṛcchā | Vimaladatta's Questions | 無垢施菩薩應辯會 / 無垢菩薩分別應辯經 | dri ma med kyis byin pas zhus pa'i mdo/ | Translation from Chinese in Chapter 5 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 34 | Guṇaratnasaṁkusumita-paripṛcchā | The Questions of Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita | 功德寶花敷菩薩會 | yon tan rin chen me tog kun tu rgyas pas zhus pa | Translation from Tibetan by Dharmachakra translation Group (84000) |
| 35 | Acintyabuddhaviṣaya-nirdeśa | The Teaching on the Inconceivable Scope of a Buddha | 善德天子會 | sangs rgyas kyi yul bsam gyis mi khyab pa bstan pa | Translation from Tibetan by 84000.co Translation from Chinese in Chapter 2 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 36 | Susthitamati-devaputra-paripṛcchā | The Sūtra of the Devaputra Susthitamati's Questions | 善住意天子會 | lha'i bu blo gros rab gnas kyis zhus pa'i mdo/ | Translation from Chinese in Chapter 4 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 37 | Siṁha-paripṛcchā | Siṃha’s Questions | 阿闍世王子會 | seng ges zhus pa | Translated from Tibetan by the Kīrtimukha Translation Group, 84000.co |
| 38 | Upāyakauśalya-jñānottara-bodhisattva-paripṛcchā | Bodhisattva Jñānottara's Questions on Skillful Means | 大乘方便會 (The Mahayana Assembly of Skillful Means) | byang sems ye shes dam pas zhus pa'i le'u/ | Translation from Chinese in Chapter 22 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 39 | Bhadrapāla-śreṣṭhi-paripṛcchā | The Questions of Bhadrapāla the Merchant | 賢護長者會 / 移識經 | tshong dpon bzang skyong gis zhus pa | Translated by Karen Liljenberg and Ulrich Pagel, 84000 Translation from Chinese in Chapter 12 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 40 | Dārikā Vimalaśraddhā paripṛcchā | The Questions of the Girl Vimalaśraddhā (or Vimalaśuddha) | 淨信童女會 | bu mo rnam dag dad pas zhus pa | Translated from Tibetan by The Karma Gyaltsen Ling Translation Group, 84000 |
| 41 | Maitreya-paripṛcchā-dharmāṣṭaka | The Question of Maitreya on the Eight Qualities | 彌勒菩薩問八法會 | byams pas chos brgyad zhus pa | Translated from Tibetan by Karen Liljenberg and Ulrich Pagel, 84000 |
| 42 | Maitreya-paripṛcchā | The Questions of Maitreya | 彌勒菩薩所問會 | byams pas zhus pa | Translated from Tibetan by Karen Liljenberg, 84000 |
| 43 | Kāśyapa-parivarta | The Kāśyapa Discourse | 普明菩薩會 / 古大寶積經 | od srungs kyi le'u/ | Translation from Chinese in Chapter 20 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 44 | Ratnarāśi-sūtra | The Mass of Jewels | 寶梁聚會 / 寶梁經 | rin po che'i phung po'i mdo/ | Silk, Jonathan. The Origins and Early History of the Mahāratnakūṭa Tradition of Mahāyāna Buddhism with a Study of the Ratnarāśisūtra and Related Materials, 1994. Translation from Chinese in Chapter 16 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 45 | Akṣayamati-paripṛcchā | Akṣayamati's Questions | 無盡慧菩薩會 | blo gros mi zad pas zhus pa'i mdo/ | Translation from Chinese in Chapter 21 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 46 | Saptaśatikā-nāma-prajñāpāramitā | The Seven Hundred [śloka] Perfection of Wisdom | 文殊說般若會 (The Assembly Where Mañjuśrī Expounds Prajñāpāramitā) | sher phyin bdun brgya pa/ | Translation from Chinese by Lapis Lazuli Texts Translation from Chinese in Chapter 6 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 47 | Ratnacūḍa-paripṛcchā | Ratnacūḍa's Questions | 寶髻菩薩會 | gtsug na rin po ches zhus pa'i mdo/ | |
| 48 | Śrīmālā-devī-siṁhanāda | The Lion's Roar of Śrīmālādevī | 勝鬘夫人會 | lha mo dpal phreng gi seng ge'i sgra'i mdo/ | Paul, Diana. The Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion’s Roar, BDK. Translation from Chinese in Chapter 19 of Garma Chang's A Treasury of Mahāyāna Sūtras |
| 49 | Ṛṣi-Vyāsa-paripṛcchā | The Rishi Vyāsa’s Questions | 廣博仙人會 | drang srong rgyas pas zhus pa | Translated from Tibetan by David Jackson, 84000 |