Abstract:

The Shizhu piposha lun 十住毘婆沙論, or “Vibhāṣā-commentary on the Ten Stages,” is an influential commentary on the “Sūtra of the Ten Stages” (Daśabhūmika-sūtra), traditionally attributed to Nāgārjuna and Kumārajīva. However, a closer examination shows it rarely quotes the Daśabhūmika-sūtra and discusses only two of the ten bodhisattva stages. Furthermore, the text does not conform to the conventional understanding of the vibhāṣā-commentary style. The circumstances of its creation are equally complex: not only is Nāgārjuna’s authorship disputed, but many scholars, both past and present, also question whether Kumārajīva was its primary translator. 

In this talk, I will highlight how these labels—regarding its scriptural affiliation, style, author, and translation—were applied to the text over time. I will then consider what these labels contribute to our understanding of the text, and what they obscure. This discussion attempts to not only shed light on the mysteries surrounding the text’s creation but also improve our understanding of scripture–commentary relationship and Mahāyāna textual genres. 

Bio:

Yixiu Jiang is the current Postdoctoral Fellow at the Ho Center for Buddhist Studies at Stanford. She completed her PhD at Leiden University in 2024, specializing in the doctrine of the bodhisattva path in early Mahāyāna scriptures. Her research interests also include Gāndhārī manuscripts and documents, Central Asian Buddhism, and visions and dreams in Buddhist traditions.