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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
I. Bhaisajya-guru-Sutra
There are three manuscripts of this sūtra, of which ms. A has only three leaves while mss. B and C are nearly complete with one or two leaves missing here and there. Ms. C forms the second portion of a bundle of leaves, of which the first (leaves 1-12) contains the Vajracchedika-sutra. Of the three mss., ms. C is a little more concise than ms. B and forms the basis of the Tibetan version. There is a distinct difference between the mss. B and C showing the priority of the one to the other. From the facsimiles attached hereto, sizes of leaves of the three mss., characters and other particulars will be apparent and do not need any further comment (vide ante, p. 42).
The title of the work as stated at the end of the ms. B is Bhaiṣajyaguru nāma mahāyānasūtra (leaf 40 b.) In the Šikṣāsamuccaya it is called Bhaiṣajyaguru vaidūrya-prabha-rāja-sūtra, while in its Tibetan version (Rgyud. Tha., pp. 470 ff.), the Sanskrit title is Arya-Bhagavato Bhaiṣajyaguru-Vaiduryaprabhasya Pūrvapranidhānavisesa-vistara nama mabayana-sutra (phags. pa bcom. Idanhdas. smon-gyi bla vai. du. ryahi hod-kyi snon-gyi smon-lam gyi khyad. par rgyas. pa shes. bya. ba theg. pa chen. pohi mdo). The Tibetan title though too long is not without a basis for we have on page 2 the following passage, in which Mañjuśri requests Buddha to deliver the sutra in these words:
देशयतु भगवांस्तेषां तथागतानां नामधेयानि पूर्व प्रणिधान विशेषविस्तरविभङ्गम् । (Preach O Bhagavan, in full details, the excellent resolutions that were made previously by the Tathāgatas).
The object of the whole work is to relate the great resolutions (mahāpranidhānas) made by each of the seven Buddhas, and the effect of such resolutions. The present work deals with the resolutions of the Buddha called Bhaiṣajyaguru-vaidūrya-prabharāja. In the Saddhar
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