According to existing records, the person who first distinguished between translated sutras and apocrypha was Daoan (道安 314-385). Twenty-six sutras in thirty rolls are listed in his Catalogue of Apocrypha, and we have assumed these sutras were lost. One of the sutras in Daoan's catalogue, the Piluosanmeijing (毘羅三味経) was recently discovered. I have examined for the second time this sutra from following viewpoints. 1. The name of translator is not recorded. 2. The location where it was translated is not recorded. 3. The date when it was translated is not recorded. 4. Terms used for translation are disorganized. 5. Terms of Chinese traditional culture are used. 6. The same expressions as found in translated sutras are present. As a result, I was able to prove that Daoan's indication was correct. Judging from this point of view, I can say there are apocryphal elements in the Guawuliangshoujing 観無量寿経. The meaning of the phrase "十二部経首題名字" has not been clarified, but we also find it in the 16 roll apocryphal Fomingjing 仏名教, Using this clue, I conjecture that the 16 roll Fomingjing was edited in the 5th century. |