『解深密経』の結文に関する考察 : 大乗経典編纂の痕跡という観点から=Some Questions Concerning Epilogue Phrase of the Saṃdhinirmocana sūtra : Is it a vestige of the compilation of this sutra?
The Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra is a Mahāyāna sūtra that expounds the philosophical thought of the Yogācāra school. Some researchers believe that it comprises several texts that have different origins and dates. One of the reasons is that the last four chapters of the sutra have epilogue phrases with a fixed form. Each epilogue phrase shows the title of the chapter, and explains the fruits which listeners can acquire as a result of hearing the sutra. Such a statement can be occasionally found at the end of Buddhist canonical texts. Therefore, it is said that the last three chapters, which had been originally individual sutras, were gradually added to the basic section of this sutra. However, the epilogue phrase of the sutra does not state that the listeners were delighted with the teaching of Buddha, something that we usually see in the general ending of sutras. As is well known, not only the Āgamas but also the Mahayana sutras close with a description about the joy of the audience. In general, this description seems to remain after the compilation of canonical texts. Some major sutras like the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, the Buddhāvataṃsaka-sūtra, and so on occasionally retain the expression about the delight of the audience as a vestige of compilation. In this sense, the epilogue phrase of the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra might have a figure distinguished from the usual case. In addition, the epilogue phrases seem to show a process in which bodhisattvas gradually experience the more magnificent stages. The sutra explicates the accomplishments of bodhisattvas at the end of each chapter, namely the anutpattikadharmakṣānti in chapter 7, the mahāyogamanasikāra in 8, the mahāyānālokasamādhi in 9 and the paripūrṇadharmakāyapratisaṃvedin in chapter 10. In this sense, the epilogue phrases might possibly indicate the context or structure of this sutra. Accordingly, the epilogue phrase cannot be taken alone as strong evidence for the compilation of the sutra. At least, it does not prove that the last three chapters had originally been independent sutras.
