《佛般泥洹經》和《遊行經》漢譯 差異突顯的佛傳文學特色=Literary Features and Narratives of Buddha：The Differences between the Chinese Translation of Buddha-Parinirvāna Sūtra and the Mahāparinibbānasutta of the Dīrgha-āgama
Buddha-Parinirvāna Sūtra 佛般泥洹經 narrates the journey of Buddha starting from Rāja-grha 王舍城 one year before attaining nirvana without remainder. The sutra could be regarded as a record of the places Buddha had travelled and stayed, giving an account of the people he had met and the dharma he had taught to the sangha and layman on the way to the countryside of Kuśi-nagara. This paper explores the literary features of the Chinese translation of Buddha-Parinirvāna Sūtra, including its detailed use of langauge and narratives. We first compare Buddha-Parinirvāna Sūtra with the Mahāparinibbānasutta 遊行經 of the Dīrgha-āgama 長阿含經, analyzing the textual differences from the perspectives of wording and the aesthetic realm beyond expression. This paper divides the text into four parts and selects key plot points to compare the literary techniques employed to show the idiosyncrasies of Buddha. We then consider the Buddha-Parinirvāna Sūtra in comparison with the chapter on niravana in the Dhanmapada 法句經 and the Dharmapadavadana-sutra 法句譬喻經 in order to identify the reasons for these differences and the unique implications found within the BuddhaParinirvāna Sūtra in regards to the self-attainment of parinirvāna. In conclusion, we interpret the deep implications of Buddha-Parinirvāna Sūtra and its characteristics in way of attending to the literary narratives of Buddha.
