History of Indian Philosophy by Purushottama Bilimoria

Author:Purushottama Bilimoria
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor & Francis (CAM)

Legitimizing the texts

Although the Mahāyāna sūtras are presented in the style of the earlier sūtras insofar as they purport to record the words of Śākyamuni or his authorized disciples, they are, as MacQueen (1982) observes, very poor imitations, differing not only in length and style but in some cases even going so far as to proclaim themselves as new revelations. How was it possible, then, for the adherents of early Mahāyāna to accept them as the word of the Buddha (buddhavacana)? Part of the answer lies in recognizing the role of “dharma preachers” (dharmabhāṇaka), whom MacQueen (1982) hypothesizes were inspired through a special mental clarity and receptivity to speak (pratibhā). In a sense, these dharma-preachers were channelling the Buddha, or more precisely, his liberating wisdom. When their teachings (which may be likened to the “residue” of visionary experiences hypothesized by Harrison) were written down in sūtra format, it required only a small leap of faith to recognize them as the word of the Buddha or at least a valid equivalent.

In effect, the Mahāyānists justified the authority of the new sūtras to themselves and others through the creation of a new episteme in which the Buddha’s wisdom became invested with a transcendent timelessness that was accessible to anyone with the right training. Even the verbal expression of that wisdom was timeless; as the Eight Thousand states:

In these very words, by monks called Subhūti, etc. has this very perfection of wisdom been expounded, just this very chapter of the perfection of wisdom. Maitreya also, the bodhisattva, the great being, will after he has won supreme awakening, at this very spot of earth teach this very same perfection of wisdom.

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