List your favourite top 3 Mahayana Sutras

[JKhedrup]

Avatamsaka Sutra

Diamond Cutter Sutra

The Sutra of Golden Light

[Astus]

Complete Enlightenment Sutra

Vimalakirti Sutra

Diamond Sutra

(are you making statistics?)

[JKhedrup]

LOL If we're ever going to propose a Mahayana Sutra translation project to sponsors we need to figure out people's favourites, right?

[Astus]

LOL If we're ever going to propose a Mahayana Sutra translation project to sponsors we need to figure out people's favourites, right?

Since people here can read English but only very few knows canonical languages there is a big chance that all the favourite sutras are already translated, perhaps even more than once. So, instead of favourites, those that are not yet translated but are still considered important by the majority of the traditions should be published in English. Of course there are some sutras that could use a new translation (e.g. Lankavatara and the bigger Prajnaparamita Sutras).

[JKhedrup]

You make an excellent point... Don't know why I didn't think of that...

The lack of cohesion within the Mahayana Buddhist world leads to duplication of translation efforts and neglect of very important Sutras and Shastras that are still awaiting translation. If we could get our act together and the different organizations could start thinking of Buddhism as a whole instead of their institutional objectives great things could happen. But, I'm not holding my breath...


It will still be interesting though to see which Sutras peope like.

[Anders]

Avatamsaka Sutra
Diamond Sutra

It's a hard pick for the third between the Prajnaparamita, Shurangama and Vimalakirti sutras, but I am actually going to go with a less well known one from the Ratnakuta collection - I only know the English title as it is translated in "A treasury of Mahayana Sutras":

Demonstration of the Inconceivable State of Buddhahood Sutra

If the Ratnakuta collection could be heaped into one sutra, I'd go with that one as third choice. A lot of gems in there. And to my knowledge, this collection has yet to be translated in full.

[pueraeternus]

Of course there are some sutras that could use a new translation (e.g. Lankavatara and the bigger Prajnaparamita Sutras).

Totally with you on the Lankavatara. Can we have a new, academic translation of the Lanka? Others here have pointed out glaring issues with Red Pine's recent effort, so I hope there will be better translation in the horizon.

[randomseb]

Diamond Sutra
Sutra of Hei-neng
Surangama sutra

If there was a 4th maybe it would be the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings

[Yudron]

Khedrup-la... I've never taken an interest in a meritorious project like you are without eventually finding that I am the one who does it.

[David N. Snyder]

[warning: Theravada, vegetarian bias]

1. Heart Sutra
2. Lankavatara Sutra
3. Diamond Sutra

[/end warning]

[JKhedrup]

Khedrup-la... I've never taken an interest in a meritorious project like you are without eventually finding that I am the one who does it.

You are very kind but I would need a lot of help! I hope as the years of translation work go by my skills at translating more difficult written material can become refined enough to really do a decent job on such projects.

I used to dream of moving to Bhutan and spending my life doing such work but I realized that maybe wasn't the most realistic thing in the world. (Doesn't every Vajrayana practitioner who has visited Bhutan dream of moving there?)

The thing is though, with Geshe Sonam around (he was a petri gegan at Sera Jey)I do have a fantastic scholar to whom I could field questions if the opportunity arises.

[Son of Buddha]

Nirvana Sutra

Queen Srimala Sutra

Lotus Sutra

[Jnana]

I don't really have a top three, but I'm rather fond of these:

Ratnarāśi Sūtra
Rāṣṭrapālaparipṛcchā Sūtra
Ugraparipṛcchā Sūtra

[dyanaprajna2011]

This isn't an easy question to answer, but here goes:

Heart Sutra
Lotus Sutra
Lankavatara Sutra
(Hui-Neng's Platform Sutra would be a close fourth)

And I agree that we need a better English translation of the Lankavatara.

[kirtu]

I used to dream of moving to Bhutan and spending my life doing such work but I realized that maybe wasn't the most realistic thing in the world. (Doesn't every Vajrayana practitioner who has visited Bhutan dream of moving there?)

Is it possible?

Kirt

[cj39]

1. Amitabha Sutra
2. Heart Sutra
3. Tie: Contemplation Sutra and Diamond Sutra

[Johnny Dangerous]

Heart Sutra
Lankavatara Sutra
Diamond Sutra