Introduction to Mahayana Buddhist Texts

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The book titled "Introduction to Mahayana Buddhist Texts" contains the contents and essence of ten important Mahayana Buddhist Texts together with a brief introduction of their author(s). Though both the collections of Tibetan Kagyur and Tengyur contain more than five thousand texts, these ten texts have been selected for this book as these are introduced in the syllabi of several Buddhist institutions as well as centres and departments of several institutions.

Born in a middle class family in West Bengal, Professor (Dr.) Sanjib Kumar Das was educated at Chandpara Nimna Buniyadi Vidyalaya (Amtala) and then in Gobardanga Khantura High School. Later, he went to Darjeeling and took shelter in a Buddhist Monastery (Thupten Sanga Chöling Monastery) where he worked as a helper of mason for about a year. In course of time, he was admitted in the branch school of the monastery where he studied upto standard VIII. Subsequently, he was sent to CIHTS, Sarnath 1989 for higher studies. Getting admission, he obtained B.A. and M.A., pursuing upon Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan Language, Sanskrit and other prescribed subjects. In 1998, he was awarded with the Kashi Naresh Gold Medal for being the best student of 1998. After completing M.A., he started doing his Ph.D. which he completed in 2002. In 1999, he was invited to Taiwan as a Translator from Tibetan into English where he stayed for about five months. In 2002, he got a temporary job in the Translation Department in the CIHTS, Sarnath and simultaneously a permanent in CIBS, Leh where he worked for about six years. In 2008, he got a new job in Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan where he is working now on the post of Professor in the Department of Indo-Tibetan Studies. He was awarded with 'Bharat Siksa Puraskara' in 2002. Prof. Das served as a Vice- Principal, Bhasha-Bhavana, Visva-Bharati for two years, Head of the Department (HoD) for more than six years and Director Incharge of the Centre for Buddhist Studies, Visva-Bharati for three years. He is also associated with several institutions as its member. He translated, edited, restored, compiled and composed more than twenty-five books which have been published by different universities, institutions and publishers in India. Similarly, his more than thirty research papers have been published in different national and international journals, his Bengali translations of more than hundred articles on Buddhist Studies are uploaded in a website (studybuddhism.com) as well as his English translation of two Prajnaparamita Texts are uploaded by 84000, USA. Apart from translation, compilation, restoration and editing work, Prof. Das attended numbers of Local, National and International seminars, and presented papers.

Buddha Dharma, popularly known as Buddhism, is one of the major Dharmas of the world. It began with the appearance of its founder Tathagata Buddha more than 2,560 years ago. He appeared in this world, not as a creator, or a tempter of heaven, rather he appeared as a guide, a spiritual teacher, or as a path-shower of liberation for the appropriate disciples.

History says that after attaining Buddhahood, the Buddha showered the nectar of sacred Dharma in the form of turning three Wheels of Dharma showing the right path for the sake of all sentient beings. As per general assertion, he turned the first Wheel of Dharma at Rşipattana Mrgadava (present Sarnath) giving sermons on the four noble truths, the second one at Grdrakuta Parvata (Vulture Peak Mountain) near Rajgir (Rajgrha,) giving teachings on Prajnaparamitasutra (Perfection of Wisdom Sutra) and the third and final one at Vaisali, Malaya Parvata etc., expounding the Three Nature or Three Characteristics. In the first Wheel of Dharma, he spoke on the existence of phenomena while preaching the existence of suffering, the cause of suffering, cessation of suffering and the path to cessation. In the second Wheel of Dharma, he spoke on the absence of characteristics expounding on the non-existence of phenomena.