A comparative analysis of the Pāli and Chinese Buddhist text versions of Siṅgālaka Sutra

Abstract

     Most of the study and research of Buddhism in abroad, many Buddhist scriptures are often used in comparable studies, such as the Pāli Tipiṭaka, Chinese Tipiṭaka, Tibetan Tipiṭaka or Sanskrit scriptures, etc. in order to concede comprehensive and complete information on the issues that need to be researched. However, most Buddhist studies in Thailand focus on specific studies in the Pāli scriptures. The reasons might be from language restrictions. Besides it may also have the idea that the other language versions of the Tipiṭaka belong to the Mahāyāna Buddhism and only the Pāli Tipiṭaka is the Theravāda Buddhism. Therefore, in this article, the researcher has selected the Siṅgālaka sutta which there are parallel versions of the Chinese Buddhist Scriptures for a comparative study. This study might as another proof that not all Chinese scriptures belong to Mahāyāna.
     This research has taken the Siṅgālaka sutta of which contents have influenced the way of life of Buddhists throughout the history of Buddhism. This study of Siṅgālaka sutta uses a documentary research method based on a comparison of Pāli and other four Chinese versions of the Siṅgālaka sutta such as Siṅgālaka sutta Sutra, the Buddha to Sigālava on the worship of the six directions Sutra, Son of Shansheng Sutra, the Shansheng Sutra of the Madhyamāgama and the Shansheng Sutra of the Dīrghāgama The results of the study are as follows; After 5 versions have been studied by a comparison and analytical method, it is evident that more than 75 percent of the contents are similar and consistent. Moreover, one of the parallel sutras which their manuscript were likely derived from Mahāsāṃghika, the early Buddhist sect. The result of this study illustrated that the sutra is likely to have existed in that form since the first Buddhist council. Of the remaining 25 percent of all versions are different due to the reshuffle of the sequences of some contents, such as six vicious and ruinous paths, four true friends and four fake friends.