A comparison of the pali and Chinese versions of the Brahma samyutta, a collection of early Buddhist discourses on brahmas, the exalted gods

Abstract

This article first briefly examines the textual structure of the Brahma Samyutta of the Pali Samyutta-nikaya in conjunction with two other versions preserved in Chinese translation in Taisho vol. 2, nos 99 and 100. Then it compares the main teachings contained in the three versions. This comparative study of these three different versions focuses on some shared images of Brahmas and on disagreements of some teachings presented in the three versions. It reveals similarities and significant differences in structure and doctrinal content, thus advancing the historical/critical study of early Buddhist doctrine in this area.