2015/01/01 by David Drewes · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · #Indian and Buddhist Studies #Study and Philosophy of Religion #Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices #Buddhism #Literature #History #Philosophy #Art #Theology
paper · doi:10.1163/15728536-05800051
openalex publication_date 2015/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
This paper reconsiders the idea that Indian Mahāyāna was specially involved with or indebted to the use of writing. Focusing on an analysis of the words ud √ grah , √ dhṛ , and pari ava √ āp , it argues that like the texts of other pre-modern Indian religious traditions, Mahāyāna sūtras were primarily used orally and mnemically, though like epics, purāṇas, and non-Mahāyāna Buddhist sūtras, they were also written and venerated in written form.