New Class - Sutra of the Forty-Two Chapters

More pictures here

The Sutra of Forty-two Chapters (四十二章經) is the very first Buddhist sutra to be translated into Chinese. During emperor Ming of Han, Kasyapa-Matanga (迦葉摩騰) and Dharmaraksha (竺法蘭), two Buddhist monks from India, brought to China many sutras, Buddha relics, and Buddha paintings, reportedly on the back of a white horse. When they reached the Chinese capital of Luoyang, the emperor built the White Horse Temple for them. This was the very first Buddhist temple built in China. The emperor also requested that they translate the sutra into Chinese.

The Sutra of Forty-two Chapters consists of largely quotations from the Buddha. It is believed that these quotations were systematically selected and compiled by Buddha’s disciples after Buddha passed away and entail all major teachings of both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.

Master Jian Dan carefully categorizes the forty-two chapters and selectively chooses sections that are more suitable for contemporary livings. Combining with real-life examples, Master skillfully explains the meanings of the sutra to realize Buddhism in everyday life.

Due to the overwhelmingly large audience, the class has to be moved to a larger classroom to accommodate everyone. Students always enjoy and appreciate Master’s humor and lively interactions.