About.
THE GREAT PRAJNA PARAMITA SUTRA
The most extensive Buddhist canon ever translated into English, now freely available for every seeker of wisdom.
The Great Prajna Paramita Sutra is the largest canon in Buddhism, spanning approximately five million words across 600 fascicles. Originally translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by the monk Xuanzang between 660 and 663 CE, this monumental text has now been rendered into English in its complete, unabridged form for the first time.
Prajna means wisdom, not merely intellectual knowledge, but the deep understanding of life, existence, and all phenomena. Paramita means ferrying across the ocean of suffering to reach the shore of liberation and happiness. Together, prajna paramita represents the highest wisdom, described in this sutra as the mother of all Buddhas.
This sutra encompasses the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra, among many other teachings, delivered by the Buddha across 16 assemblies over 22 years. It guides bodhisattvas through the complete path of cultivation, from the practice of the six paramitas to the attainment of perfect and universal enlightenment, offering a timeless roadmap for all who aspire toward Buddhahood.
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BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY INTO WISDOM
The Great Prajna Paramita Sutra is one of the most profound and expansive scriptures in the Buddhist tradition. Translated into English by Naichen Chen from Master Xuanzang’s Chinese version, this complete 600-fascicle work is offered here in 30 volumes, freely available for your study, reflection, and practice.
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Volume 1 | Fascicles 1-20 Sets the foundation of the sutra, opening with the sacred assembly and its causes, then guiding the reader through the practice of contemplation, the path of Prajna Paramita, the teachings on rebirth, and the virtues and cautions essential to the journey. |
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Volume 2 | Fascicles 21-40 Continues the extensive teachings on cautions and right learning, then introduces pivotal chapters on non-dwelling, encouraging others to practice, and the observable phenomena that arise through sincere Prajna practice. |
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Volume 3 | Fascicles 41-60 Explores the nature of the Bodhisattva and Mahasattva through rich similes and teachings, moving into the armor and defense of the Large Vehicle (Mahayana), and closing with a celebration of its virtues. |
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Volume 4 | Fascicles 61-80 Deepens the Mahayana teachings through chapters on nonattainment, contemplations on action, nonarising, and the path of purification, concluding with teachings centered on the role of the Heavenly Emperor. |
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Volume 5 | Fascicles 81-100 Brings the first assembly toward its conclusion with teachings on the Heavenly Sons, accepting and pursuing Prajna, the scattering of flowers as offering, and a series of chapters on acclaiming virtue and entering deep absorption. |
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Volume 6 | Fascicles 101-120 Continues from the deep meditative states of absorption introduced in Volume 5, then transitions into one of the sutra’s most expansive teachings: a thorough and detailed assessment of the merits and virtues accumulated through Prajna practice. |
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Volume 7 | Fascicles 121-140 Devoted entirely to the ongoing exploration of merits and virtues, this volume reflects the profound depth of Chapter 30, walking the reader through section after section of its far-reaching teachings on the rewards of sincere practice. |
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Volume 8 | Fascicles 141-160 Continues the extensive teachings of Chapter 30 on assessing merits and virtues, covering sections 39 through 58. This volume illustrates just how central the cultivation of virtue is to the path of Prajna Paramita. |
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Volume 9 | Fascicles 161-180 Brings Chapter 30 to its conclusion, then opens into two uplifting chapters: Joyful Participation and Transference, which explores the sharing of merit with all beings, followed by the beginning of Praising the Prajna. |
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Volume 10 | Fascicles 181-200 Opens with the conclusion of Praising the Prajna and a sobering chapter on Slandering Prajna, then moves into one of the sutra’s most thought-provoking teachings: Being Difficult to Believe and Understand, a chapter that spans the remainder of this volume across 19 sections. |
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Volume 11 | Fascicles 201-220 Continues Chapter 34, Being Difficult to Believe and Understand, covering sections 20 through 39 in full depth across all twenty fascicles of this volume. |
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Volume 12 | Fascicles 221-240 Carries Chapter 34 forward through sections 40 to 59, sustaining the sutra’s most expansive single teaching across another twenty fascicles. |
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Volume 13 | Fascicles 241-260 Continues Chapter 34 through sections 60 to 79, deepening the teachings on what makes Prajna so difficult to believe and truly understand. |
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Volume 14 | Fascicles 261-280 Brings Chapter 34 through sections 80 to 99, drawing this vast and far-reaching teaching ever closer to its conclusion. |
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Volume 15 | Fascicles 281-300 Concludes Chapter 34, then moves into chapters on Acclaiming Purity, Attachment and Nonattachment, the Forms of Prajna, Paramita, and Rarely Heard Merits and Virtues. |
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Volume 16 | Fascicles 301-320 Covers chapters on Rarely Heard Merits, Demonic Hindrances, the Mother of the Buddha, Inconceivable Things, Fulfilling the Great Things, Similes, Real Virtuous Friends, and Aspiring to Perfect Knowledge. |
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Volume 17 | Fascicles 321-340 Continues with Realness, the Dwelling of Bodhisattvas, Nonregression, Skillful Means, Making Vows, A Heavenly Lady Named the Ganges, Learning Well, and Skillful and Expedient Learning. |
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Volume 18 | Fascicles 341-360 Covers the Similes of Aspiration, Praising Nonsolidity, Entrustment, Inexhaustibility, Elicitation and Absorption, and the extensive Chapter on Nonduality spanning the volume’s final fascicles. |
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Volume 19 | Fascicles 361-380 Continues Nonduality, then Teaching the Truth, Skillful and Expedient Actions, Learning All Paths Universally, Cultivation Undertaken Step by Step, and Formlessness and Nonattainment. |
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Volume 20 | Fascicles 381-400 Concludes the First Assembly with chapters on the Forms of Merits and Virtues, Equality of All Dharmas, The Unmovable, Assisting Sentient Beings, Purifying Buddha Lands, and the Crying-Often Bodhisattva. |
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Volume 21 | Fascicles 401-420 Opens the Second Assembly with its early foundational chapters, including teachings on the Forms of Merits and Virtues, the Equality of All Dharmas, and the chapter on The Unmovable. |
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Volume 22 | Fascicles 421-440 Continues the Second Assembly through Boundlessness, Getting Far Away, Heavenly Emperor Indra, Belief and Acceptance, Spreading Flowers, Conferring Prophecy, Absorption, The Stupas, The Blessing, Merits and Virtues, and No Signs. |
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Volume 23 | Fascicles 441-460 Covers the Discordance, the Mother of the Buddha, Manifestation of the Forms, Fulfillment, Similes of the Ships, Novice Practitioners, Taming Greed, Realness, Nonregression, and The Fathomless Meaning. |
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Volume 24 | Fascicles 461-480 Covers Skillful Means, Similes of the Trees, Bodhisattva Actions, Learning All Paths, Progressing Step by Step, Formlessness, No Mixture, Forms of Virtues, Thorough Understanding, and Reality. |
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Volume 25 | Fascicles 481-500 Concludes the Second Assembly and begins the Third Assembly with chapters on No Faults and Deficiencies, Bodhisattva-Path Practitioners, Right Concentration, the Buddha Dharma, Nothing Is Real, Telling the Truth, and Empty Nature. |
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Volume 26 | Fascicles 501-520 Covers The Stupas, Praising the Merits and Virtues, The Relics, Accumulation of Blessings, Joyful Participation and Transference, The Hells, Praising the Purity, Admiring the Virtues, The Dharani, and the Characteristics of Nonregression. |
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Volume 27 | Fascicles 521-540 Covers The Unmovable, Expedient Skillfulness, The Wisdom Paramita, The Exquisite Phenomena, Giving and Others, The Buddha Countries, Teaching and Converting, and Exquisite Actions, then opens into new assembly chapters. |
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Volume 28 | Fascicles 541-560 Covers Making Offerings to Pagodas, Gates of Gaining Blessings, Joyful Participation and Transference, Hell, Purification, General Retention, Demonic Hindrances, Manifestation of the World, The Inconceivable, and Realness. |
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Volume 29 | Fascicles 561-580 Spans five assemblies: The Thus-Comer, Enthusiastic Practitioners, Actions in Dreams, Superior Joyful Intentions, Roots Plantation, Entrustment, The Unmovable Buddha, then the Sixth Assembly through Dharma Realm, Mindfulness, Equality, and Entrustment. |
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Volume 30 | Fascicles 581-600 Completes the sutra with the Seventh Assembly (Manjusri), the Eighth Assembly (Nagasri), the Ninth Assembly (The Diamond That Overcomes All), the Tenth Assembly (Essential Meanings of Prajna), and the remaining assemblies through Giving Paramita. |
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