A new translation of the Saddharma­smṛtyupasthāna from the Tibetan

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84000.co has just published a translation of the The Application of Mindfulness of the Sacred Dharma (Saddharma­smṛtyupasthāna / ’phags pa dam pa’i chos dran pa nye bar gzhag pa) Toh 287.

This Mulasarvastivada text includes passages which seem to be EBTs, though there is also a lot of extensive expansion on the simpler early teachings. It is a big work which takes some EBT passages and concepts and expands on them to create a much more detailed meditation manual (a yogacarabhumi). The text includes a section on mindfulness of the body (ch. 5), a section on the ten paths of wholesome action (ch. 1) and a passage (in chapter 2) which seems to be a parallel to the Discourse on Distinguishing the Six Elements (Saddhatuvibhangasutra, MA 162) according to Daniel Malinowski Stuart (see his A Less Traveled Path dissertation). There are also further passages in chapter two describing the contemplations of impurity, loving-kindness and pratityasamutpada. The work has been dated between 150 CE and 400 CE by Stuart.

Anyways, here it is: The Application of Mindfulness of the Sacred Dharma | 84000 Reading Room

I have not had the chance to read and find the main EBT passages yet (the text is massive), however, it seems it could be a good source for additional parallels for suttacentral.

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This is wonderful. There’s a Chinese translation too that I’ve looked at in the past and found kind of amazing, but for the detailed cosmology. The only analogue I can think of is the sutra in the Dirgha Agama that goes through all the planes of existence in explaining the life cycle of the world. I guess if I ever get back to it, I’ll have something to check myself with.

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1,766 pages :astonished:

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I’m impressed by the detailed and expanded analysis of the body and its foulness. A very interesting text no doubt. :anjal: