The Indian International Journal of Buddhist Studies
Published in Association with Bhikkhu Jagdish Kashyap Institute of Buddhist and Asian Studies
Current Volume: 25 (2025 )
ISSN: 0972-4893
Periodicity: Yearly
Month(s) of Publication: January - December
Subject: Buddhism
The Indian International Journal of Buddhist Studies (IIJBS) is sponsored by the Bhikkhu Jagdish Kashyap Institute of Buddhist and Asian Studies, Varanasi, India. It is a New Series, starting from 1999-2000, in continuation of the Institute's earlier periodical, the Indian Journal of Buddhist Studies (IJBS) (Vols. I to X; 1989-1998). It is now published annually around Vaisakha Purnima (May-June).
IIJBS accepts scholarly contributions, in Hindi and English, pertaining to Buddhist Studies in a wider sense, in various disciplines such as anthropology, archaeology, art, history, philology, philosophy, politics, psychology, sociology etc., and in those dealing with texts and translations. It includes reviews, notices, bibliographical information and list of books received. Also, it reprints occasionally significant papers published in the past and elsewhere with due permission.
Manuscripts prepared in accordance with the standard international guidelines for publication may be sent electronically through email to the Editors. The editors reserve the right to accept or reject a contribution without assigning reasons. The Institute, the editors, the publishers and the printers assume no responsibility for the views expressed by the contributors. Books for reviews and notices may also be sent to editor at the address 76, Nandnagar, Karaundi, Varanasi–221005, India. Publication of reviews should not be taken for granted and unsolicited books may not be returned to the senders. A list of such books as well as those received in exchange by the Institute/IIJBS may be published along with their blurbs.
EBSCO
Founder Editor-in-Chief Formerly Founder Editor-in- Chief Secretary, Aditya Shyam Trust Pali and Buddhist Studies Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Chinese Independent Art Historian
Professor Emeritus A. K. Narain
JIABS(1976-1986) and IJBS (1989-98)
Managing Editor and Trustee
Kamal Sheel
Editor
Lalji Shravak
Banaras Hindi University, Varanasi, India
C. D. Sebastain
IIT Bombay, Mumbai, India
Assistant Editor
Dhriti Roy
School of Languages and Literarure
Sikkim University, Sikkim, India
Rajesh Kumar Singh
Baroda, India
Editorial Advisory Board
Bhikkhu Dhammajoti, Hong Kong
Charles Willemen, Belgium
Huang Xianian, China
Richard Gombrich, U.K.
Shaoyong Ye, China
Bhikkhu Pasadika, Germany
David Fiordalis, U.S.A.
Nobuyoshi Yamabe, Japan
Roger R. Jackson, U.S.A.
Volume 25 Issue 1 , (Jan-2025 to Dec-2025)
The Erosion of Ethics in Emptiness: Infallible Teachers and Inconsequential Matricide
By: Bhikkhu Anālayo
Page No : 1-42
Abstract
This article examines two passages taken from early Mahāyāna sūtras that exemplify a promotion of emptiness in a form that, I suggest, may contribute to a gradual erosion of the significance of ethical conduct. My argument proceeds by close textual analysis of these two case studies, each illustrating a distinct but related ethical dynamic.The first of these two cases, found in the earliest complete version of the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā, appears to reflect an early stage in the emergence of the idea that perceived shortcomings of a Dharma teacher are reinterpreted as an expression of the latter’s skill in means (upāyakauśalya), effectively placing the teacher beyond critique. The second passage, found in the earliest extant Chinese translation of the Ajātaśatrukaukṛtyavinodanā-sūtra, employs emptiness rhetoric to dismantle the dire consequences of matricide and thereby undercuts the conventional link between unwholesome action and karmic fruition. Taken together, these two passages point to an early and internally diverse set of rhetorical strategies through which discourse on emptiness could be mobilized in ways that destabilize ethically principles.
Author :
Bhikkhu Anālayo: Barre Centre for Buddhist Studies, 149 Lockwood Road, Barre, MA 01005, USA.
Price: 101
How Instrumental is Fear in the Nikāyas and Āgamas?
By: Che Yuan Hsiao
Page No : 43-66
Author
Che Yuan Hsiao: Department of Philosophy, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
Price: 101
External Objects and Consciousness-Only
By: Kang Wang
Page No : 67-106
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to examine the concept of the “perceptual object” (ālambana) within the Sarvāstivāda, Sautrāntika, and Yogācāra. This study contends that the conceptions of perceptual objects evolved from Sectarian to Mahāyāna Buddhism through sustained debate and exchange. The Sarvāstivāda defines “existence” by the presence or absence of perception (*buddhi), which supports its claim that “the three periods of time exist (asti).” To refine their epistemology and theory of direct (pratyakṣa) perception, the Sarvāstivādins introduced “simultaneous causality” (sahabhū-hetu) and the physical agglomeration of atoms (*saṃcaya). In contrast, the Sautrāntika advocated the doctrine of mind without a perceptual object, upon which the theory of the pursuant element (anudhātu) was proposed, along with further development of the theories of consciousness arising with representational form (ākāra) and “selfcognition” (sva-saṃvedana). By rejecting the real existence of external objects and asserting internal consciousness as the objectcondition (ālambana-pratyaya), Yogācāra supports the “consciousness-only” (vijñaptimātra) doctrine, which denies external objects. In Yogācāra, the “consciousness-only without image” view holds that consciousness is an “unreal discrimination” (abhūtaparikalpa) of the other-dependent nature (paratantrasvabhāva), with all manifestations forming the external object of the pervasively fabricated nature (parikalpita-svabhāva); in contrast, the “consciousness-only with image” interpretation holds that the internal object corresponds to the other-dependent nature, while the external object is identified with the pervasively fabricated nature.
Author
Kang Wang: Ph. D. of University of Kelaniya of Sri Lanka, the Leader of Research of the English Base for Buddhist Exchange (EBBE).
Price: 101
By: Ramakant Mishra
Page No : 107-139
Abstract
Cunningham identified Sāheṭh Māheṭh with Śrāvastī based on an inscription incised on the base of a bodhisattva statue found in Sāheṭh. The identification was questioned later, when Lumbinī was identified with Pāḍariyā, since the location of Sāheṭh Māheṭh relative to Pāḍariyā did not agree with that of Śrāvastī relative to
Lumbinī. Instead, another spot, Bālāpur, whose location agreed with Pāḍariyā, was identified with Śrāvastī. Subsequently a copperplate Land Grant was found in Sāheṭh, which contained the words: ‘Jetavana mahāvihāra’, the name of a famous monastery of Śrāvastī. This appeared to support the original identification of Śrāvastī with Sāheṭh Māheṭh. Consequently, the location of Śrāvastī remained an unresolved issue. The aim of this study was to re-examine Sāheṭh inscription and Sāheṭh Land Grant to see if they really indicate the location of Śrāvastī. To facilitate understanding, Sāheṭh inscription was compared with two similar inscriptions: Sārnāth inscription and Mathurā inscription. The results indicate that the bodhisattva statues of Sāheṭh, Sārnāth and Mathurā do not depict Buddha, which was believed earlier; rather they depict senior monks of Sarvāstivādin sect. Careful examination of Sāheṭh Land Grant revealed that the place was known as Vāḍā-Caturaśīti, and not Śrāvastī.
Author
Ramakanta Mishra: Fellow of IIM, Ahmedabad.
Price: 101
By: Dilipkumar Mohanta
Page No : 141-162
English Translation of Two Lost Works of Nāgārjuna: Pratītyasamutpādahṛdaya kārikā And Ᾱryadharmadhātugarbhavivaraṇam
Author
Dilipkumar Mohanta: Former Professor of Philosophy at the University of Calcutta, Kolkata (India).
Price: 101
Jan- to Dec-2024
Acitta in Early Prajñāpāramitā: Unconsciousness, Cessation Attainment,or Signlessness?
By: Bhikkhu Anālayo
Page No : 1-41
Abstract
The present article attempts to explore possible meaning(s) of what appears to be the earliest extant reference in Mahāyāna literature to the notion of acitta, found in a Gāndhārī manuscript of the text generally known as the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā.
Author :
Bhikkhu Anālayo: Barre Centre for Buddhist Studies, 149 Lockwood Road, Barre, MA 01005, USA.
Price: 101
By: Soma Basu
Page No : 43-50
Author :
Soma Basu : Professor, School of Vedic Studies, Rabinda Bharati University, Kolkata -700050.
Price: 101
By: Federico Divino
Page No : 51-88
Abstract
This paper explores the complex ways in which fire and water are used in Buddhist writing, clarifying their symbolic meaning in the context of doctrine. Fire, a symbol of material trappings and illusions of perception, represents the worldly energies of sensory awareness and habit, and must be ‘extinguished’ in order to be freed. On the other hand, water, the opposite of fire,represents the difficult, austere path that is dangerous but leads to peaceful stretches of land, like a river flowing into the ocean, which is a symbol for achieving spiritual enlightenment. This firewater dialectic, which is possibly evocative of earlier Indian poetry traditions, emphasizes how Buddhism uses vivid imagery to convey transcendent truths. It acknowledges the lyrical quality of Buddhist speech but cautions against severing it completely from philosophical investigation so as not to reinforce colonial prejudices. The article concludes advocating for a nuanced understanding of ancient Buddhist thought as a profound philosophical praxis, offering insights still relevant in contemporary discourse.
Author :
Federico Divino : University of Antwerp, Belgium.
Price: 101
A Case of Lectio Difficilior Potior in the Aṅguttara-Nikāya ?
By: Bhikkhu Pāsādika
Page No : 89-97
Author :
Bhikkhu Pāsādika : Wiener Weg 1b, 50858 Köln/Cologne, Germany.
Price: 101
Re-examination of Mahāyāna Buddhist Artifacts in Peninsular Malaysia before the Modern Era
By: Ampere A. Tseng
Page No : 99-132
Abstract
This article explores the early spread of Mahāyāna Buddhism to Peninsular Malaysia by re-examining the artifacts discovered from various archaeological sites across the region and scrutinizing the associated conditions that facilitated its spreading.The spread commenced mid-first millennium and concluded premodern era. Archaeological findings, supplemented by historical documents, are analyzed to evaluate the Buddhist influences from India. Artifacts related to Mahāyāna Buddhism include thirteen inscriptions with engraved figures, sixteen statues of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, and dozens votive tablets with imprinted images and inscriptions. The study presents fresh perspectives and updated data on these artifacts, affirming their Mahāyāna Buddhism connection. It rectifies discrepancies in initial archaeological studies and also corrects inconsistencies in original archaeological studies where necessary. The article posits that Mahāyāna Buddhism reached West Malaysia primarily through Indian traders and missionaries from the 5th century or earlier. By the first millennium’s end, Mahāyāna Buddhism was prevalent in Peninsular Malaysia, particularly in its northern five states.
Author :
Ampere A. Tseng : Manufacturing Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 85287 USA.
Price: 101
Śūnyatā of Yogācāra: A Study of the Tattvārtha Chapter of the Bodhisattvabhūmi
By: Kang Wang
Page No : 133-208
Abstract
This paper examines the origins and developments of the theory that “the unreal (prajñapti) is based on the real (vastumātra)”. This theory serves as a foundational principle in the Tattvārtha Paṭala of YBŚ. Traces of this theory can be discerned in the contemplative practice of Lesser Discourse on Emptiness (Cūḷasuññatasutta), preserved in either Zhōngāhánjīng (Middle Length Āgama Sutras) or Majjhima-Nikāya, where it is referred to as the “remains of emptiness”. The Sarvāstivāda, the earliest Buddhist sect, to formally propose this idea, asserts that “all phenomena in the three times truly exist (asti), as do the essences of phenomena.” The Yogācāra critically inherited and further developed the Sarvāstivāda’s logic of this theory. The Yogācāra inherited elements of Nāgārjuna but diverged from it, having formulated the Two Natures doctrine to challenge the Sarvāstivāda’s self-nature and Mādhyamika views that all are merely designation and that this constitutes reality. Building upon this foundation, the Yogācāra articulated its understanding, employing this theory as a key element in its exposition of emptiness (śūnyatā).
Author :
Kang Wang : Leader of Research Team of the English Base for Buddhist Exchange (EBBE), East Gate of Guangxiao Temple, No.177 Haizhu North Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, China
Price: 101
An Ultimate from Immanence: Lotus Buddhism Redefined for a Secular Worldview
By: John R. Tate
Page No : 209-250
Abstract
The article proposes a Lotus Sūtra-based approach to Secular Buddhism, differing from the current versions primarily derived from the Pāli Canon. After summarizing the present state of secular Buddhist doctrine and practices, it explains why a secular adaptation of the Lotus Sūtra will diverge. Next, is a section on scholarly opinions that cast doubt on the validity of a literal reading of the sutra’s climactic revelation of an eternal Buddha and hinder belief today in Nichiren’s conclusions about it in the thirteenth century. This, I argue, justifies dismantling all vestiges of the text’s supernaturalism. With the above topics addressed and hermeneutic integrity in mind, the following phrase is introduced: the conditional emergence of benevolence as gifted by time, process, and potential. These words are intended to transform the text’s depiction of an eternal Buddha into an expression for a paramount morality grounded in immanence and thereby redefine the Lotus Sūtra for a secular worldview. From there on, the phrase is contextualized within traditional Buddhist and contemporary socio-philosophical principles to show how they align and how the phrase can function as a replacement for faith in a transcendent understanding of the scripture’s long-venerated core.
Author :
John R. Tate : is an independent researcher who resides in Fujinomiya, Japan.
Price: 101
Obituary
Charles Willemen (October 17th, 1941, Nieuwpoort - June 3rd, 2024, Leffinge)
By: ..
Page No : 251-256
Price: 101
Jan- to Dec-2023
Memories of Past Lives in Nikāya / Āgama and Mahāyāna Literature
By: Bhikkhu Anālayo
Page No : 1-22
Abstract
The present article critically examines two propositions presented by Schopen (1983/2005) in an article entitled “The Generalization of an Old Yogic Attainment in Medieval Mahāyāna Sūtra Literature.” The first of these propositions is that a change took place in the notion of memories of past lives in some Mahāyāna texts, turning what earlier was conceived as a demanding yogic attainment into something generally available without need for meditative accomplishment. The second, related proposal is that the early Buddhist doctrine of karma implies that all those who are not yet perfected will eventually have to face rebirth in hell or other lower realms and then have little chance of emerging from that condition again.
Authors
Bhikkhu Anālayo: Barre Centre for Buddhist Studies, 149 Lockwood Road, Barre, MA 01005, USA.
Price: 101
By: Anand Singh
Page No : 23-49
Abstract:
Dakkhinagiri was an important monastic settlement in the southern vicinity of Rājagṛha, the first capital of Magadha. The Buddhist landscape of the region exhibits fascinating historical traditions and the transformation of Buddhism after the mahāparinibbāna of the Buddha. Its rich ethos and unique identity are shaped by engrossing ecclesiastical activities during the age of the Buddha and the historical happenings of the first Buddhist Council. The Pali sources mention that the vihāra of Dakkhinagiri was situated in the southern ranges of the hills just outside Rājagṛha and here Bhikkhu Purāṇa resided with his vast retinue of followers. The term ‘giri’ suggests hill and the word ‘dakkhina’ means south. It indicates that the monastic area was in the southern hillocks of Rājagṛha i.e., one kilometer away from the river Banganga (also referred as Bāngaṅgā) towards district Gayā. Dakkhinagiri was frequently visited by the Buddha, and the suttas like the Kasi Bhāradvāja Sutta, were preached in this region. The scope of the study focuses on the identification of the Dakkhinagiri monastic settlement and one of the cave shelters as an abode of Bhikkhu Purāṇa. The structural morphology of the cave proposes that it may be natural but later on, chiseled out to habitat and meditate. The literary evidence suggests that the cave might also be visited by the Buddha. The adjacent smaller caves and the shape of the hillocks suggest the possibility of a vihāra as mentioned in the Pali literature.
Authors
Anand Singh: Department of History, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow
Price: 101
An early Chinese Buddhist text: The Foshuo sanshiqi pin jings
By: Chengzhong Pu
Page No : 51-92
Abstract:
Buddhist texts by Chinese authors that date back to the earliest phase of Chinese Buddhism are rare. The newly identified Dunhuang manuscript, “Foshuo sanshiqi pin jing 佛説三十七品經”, is one such example. This article examines its contents and writing to identify when and how it was composed and to clarify its relationship with other early Chinese Buddhist texts. The study here also surveys all of such similarly titled texts or texts with points of commonalities if any, in traditional Chinese Buddhist catalogues in order to establish a link between this particular manuscript and any one of such texts. The research paper here argues that the manuscript could date back to the third century CE or earlier, and may be identical to a text mentioned in two of the Sui dynasty Buddhist catalogues.
Authors:
Chengzhong Pu: HKN
Price: 101
By: Choong Mun-keat
Page No : 93-124
Abstract:
This article examines three major discourses selected from the Pāli Citta Saṃyutta and its Chinese counterpart Citra Saṃyukta (質多羅相應 Zhiduoluo Xiangying). It also for the first time provides a full translation of the Chinese Buddhist texts in conjunction with their Pāli parallels for comparison. It reveals similarities but also differences in content.
Authors
Choong Mun-keat: School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, University of New England (Australia).
Price: 101
Sarvāstivāda and Sautrāntika Epistemology of External Object
By: Kang Wang & Chen Yuqiao
Page No : 125-159
Abstract:
The Sarvāstivāda posited that the perception (*buddhi) of any external object or matter is a direct process, whereas the Sautrāntika contended that the external object is perceived indirectly. The hypothesis being proposed in this research article is that the root reason for their disagreement on how to perceive the external object arises from epistemology. The Sarvāstivāda adhered to the concept of “tri-temporal existence”, asserting the actual existence of past, present, and future, while the Sautrāntika maintained that only the present instant exists. This paper suggests that their ontological disagreements can be alternatively justified from an epistemological standpoint. The Sarvāstivāda posited that the physical assemblage (和集 *saṃcaya) of atoms (paramāṇu) can be directly perceived, refining presentational perception by introducing “simultaneous causality” (sahabhū-hetu) and three types of “direct perception” (pratyakṣa). In contrast, the Sautrāntika, grounded in the concept of the “pursuant element” (anudhātu), formulated the theory of “consciousness having representational form (ākāra).” Consequently, according to the Sautrāntika, the cognition of external objects is indirect, with the direct object of cognition being the unified complex ( 和合 *sāmagrī) of atoms. This refinement in their theory constitutes the Sautrāntika’s approach to representational perception
Authors
Kang Wang: Guangzhou Kelin Academy, Guangzhou, 510000, China.
Chen Yuqiao: East Gate of Guangxiao Temple, No. 177 Haizhu North Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City. China
Price: 101
Daughters in Early Indian Buddhist Literature
By: Mengqiu Tian
Page No : 161-190
Authors
Mengqiu Tian: Centre for East Asian Studies, Heidelberg University, building 4120, 1.OG, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
Price: 101
Difficulties in Understanding Pāḍariyā Inscription and Development of an Alternative Interpretation
By: Ramakant Mishra
Page No : 191-215
Abstract
Pāḍariyā of Nepal has been identified as Lumbinī, the birthplace of Buddha, based on a pillar inscription found there. However, the inscription has not been understood fully. Particularly two words, vigaḍabhīcā and aṭhabhāgiye, confounded past translators. All attempts to interpret them were met with difficulties, and they remain untranslated even hundred years after discovery of the inscription. This creates doubts if the interpretation of the inscription is correct. There should have been attempts to examine if the inscription could have a different meaning, but that did not happen because the identification of Lumbinī with Pāḍariyā was presumed to be certain. Since the identification itself is based on this inscription, it is essential that the inscription is understood accurately. An analysis of the past interpretations of vigaḍabhīcā and aṭhabhāgiye indicated that it was difficult to decipher them because the context was wrong. The context had been determined based on a few words ignoring other words of the inscription, and that created problems. A new context was determined based on the core meaning of the difficult word vigaḍabhīcā. It was found that all other words of the inscription had meanings appropriate to the new context. That made translation of the complete inscription possible. From the translation it becomes clear that the inscription is an edict of King Priyadarśī imposing ban on animal sacrifice.
Authors
Ramakant Mishra Fellow of IIM, Ahmedabad,
Price: 101
By: Ramakant Mishra
Page No : 217-230
Price: 101
Jan- to Dec-2022
By: Bruce J. Stewart
Page No : 1-73
Author :
Bruce J. Stewart
Southold, Long Island, New York
Price: 101
From Nothing to No-thing-ness to Emptiness: the Buddhist Recycling of an Old Jain Saying
By: Dhivan Thomas Jones
Page No : 75-100
Author :
Dhivan Thomas Jones
Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Chester, Chester CH1 4BJ (UK).
Price: 101
Buddhas’ Respect for the dhamma: A Commentarial Exposition
By: Bhikkhu Gyanabodhi (Sajal Barua)
Page No : 101-126
Author :
Bhikkhu Gyanabodhi (Sajal Barua)
International Buddhist College, Thailand.
Price: 101
K?li?gara??ha and its Buddhist Connections
By: Jyoti Dwivedi , Karam Tej S. Sarao
Page No : 127-142
Authors :
Jyoti Dwivedi : Research Scholar, Department of Buddhist Studies, Delhi University, Delhi-110007.
Karam Tej S. Sarao : Pro-Chancellor, S.V. Subharti University, Meerut, 250005
Price: 101
A?okan Rock Edict–I : Understanding A?oka’s Views on Killing
By: Ramakanta Mishra
Page No : 143-162
Author :
Ramakanta Mishra
Fellow of IIM, Ahmedabad
Price: 101
Translating from Canonical and Post-canonical Buddhist Texts – Problems and Perspectives
By: Bhikkhu Pāsādika
Page No : 163-185
Author :
Bhikkhu P?s?dika
Académie bouddhique Linh Son, 92-94 rue Pasteur, F – 94400, Vitry-surSeine, (Paris), France.
Price: 101
The Shape of Victory: the Earth-Touching Gesture in Context
By: Douglass Smith
Page No : 187-226
Author :
Douglass Smith
PO Box 552, Lakeville, CT 06039
Price: 101
Any Chinese Translation of Therav?da P?li ?
By: Charles Willemen
Page No : 227-236
Author :
Charles Willemen
Rector, International Buddhist College. Thailand.
Price: 101
Brief Note about the Heart S?tra and its Composition
By: Charles Willemen
Page No : 237-242
Author :
Charles Willemen
Rector, International Buddhist College. Thailand.
Price: 101
Obituary
Padmanabh S. Jaini (October 23, 1923 - May 25, 2021)
By: No author
Page No : 243-245
Price: 101
Instruction to the Author
Please submit manuscripts electronically, in both MS Word (or equivalent) and PDF format, to one of the editors– Lalji ‘Shravak’ (laljis@gmail.com; editor.iijbs@gmail.com) or C. D. Sebastian (sebastian@iitb.ac.in). Citation style should follow the most recent edition of the Chicago Manual of Style. An abstract is not necessary. While there is no set of word limit, typically articles should be in the 5000 to 12000 word range. For substantially longer or shorter pieces, please contact the editors. While the editors prefer electronic submission, we will also accept manuscripts (in duplicate) sent by regular mail to Editor, 76, Nandnagar, Karaundi, Varanasi-221005 (India).
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