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Dunhuang Manuscript S.2585: a Textual and Interdisciplinary Study on Early Medieval Chinese Buddhist Meditative Techniques and Visionary Experiences

Phra Kiattisak Ponampon

Apollo (University of Cambridge) October 10, 2018 DOI: 10.17863/cam.31982 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed
Topics Buddhism
Citations 1
Key points Argues that the vision of buddhas accompanying single-minded navel contemplation in the Dunhuang manuscript S.2585 may reflect a "buddha within" idea tied in some contexts to buddha-nature and tathāgatagarbha, and that navel contemplation became an important part of Buddhist meditation practice in early Chinese Buddhism.

Abstract

S.2585 is a significant Dunhuang manuscript, providing various types of Buddhist meditative techniques. Some techniques can be traced back to Central Asia and India, although some techniques seem to have been developed later. I argue that the vision of buddhas that accompanies single-minded contemplation of the navel as described in S.2585 may reflect the idea of a “buddha within” denoting the notions of buddha-nature and tathāgatagarbha in some contexts. I also argue that navel contemplation became an important part of Buddhist meditation practice in early Chinese Buddhism.

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