Zhong guo fo jiao shi jing

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The fourth volume on the engraved Buddhist texts in the Grove of the Reclining Buddha (Wofoyuan), Sichuan, presents section D with two sutra caves. Cave 59 features exquisite ornamentation and begins the enormous Nirvana sutra, briefly interrupted by two meditation texts. The sutra continues in cave 66, encompassing approximately 65,000 characters. All engravings are reproduced in high-quality photographs of the cave walls and ink rubbings, with the texts transcribed for the first time, accompanied by notes on textual variants. The book is bilingual in Chinese and English. Essays provide new insights into this treasure trove. Jessica Rawson offers an art historical analysis, revealing cave 59 as a reliquary from the inside. Mark L. Blum appraises the Nirvana Sutra's significance at the Grove, while Eric M. Greene situates the two meditation texts within the early Chan Buddhism history in China. Ryan Richard Overbey discusses the history and importance of the Sutra on the Profound Kindness of Parents. Translations from the Sutra on the Ten Wheels and the Scripture on the Secret Essentials of Meditation are included. Series editor Lothar Ledderose's introduction highlights the precinct's significance, emphasizing the colossal Buddha sculpture entering nirvana and the engraved Nirvana Sutra, marking the Grove as a major Buddhist site and a unique monument addressing death.