Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra · Volume I
Mahāyāna · Nirvāṇa Sūtra · Buddha-nature
The linked edition is Volume I of Mark L. Blum’s translation of the Mahāyāna Nirvana Sūtra.
Contents
- 1. Longevity · Parts 1–3: pp. 3, 31, 69
- 2. The Adamantine Body · p. 91
- 3. The Virtues of the Name · p. 103
- 4. The Nature of the Tathāgata · Parts 1–7: pp. 107, 135, 169, 201, 235, 271, 305
- 5. The Query of the Entire Assembly · p. 313
Translations & sourcesEditions & translators
BDK offers Mark L. Blum’s translation as a free PDF alongside its printed edition. This volume does not contain the complete sūtra.
Edition & attribution
An introduction. The linked source provides the translation.
Introductions, reflection questions and added section headings are editorial material, separate from the attributed translation.
The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork created for Buddhist Atlas. It is an evocative companion, not a depiction of the text’s historical setting.
Volume I of four · free PDF
Source link checked October 13, 2026. The linked publisher provides the text and its usage terms.
Connections
Guru Viking0
No connected episodes found for this text.
People & teachers1
- Siddhārtha Gautama · the Buddha
Śākyamuni is the principal teaching voice in this Mahāyāna scripture.
Source
Traditions & history3
- Mahāyāna movements
Context for this scripture’s Mahāyāna account of awakening.
Source
- Mahāyāna
Study context: this text is included in the Atlas guide to Mahāyāna.
- East Asian traditions
Study context: this text is included in the Atlas guide to East Asian traditions.
Books1
- How Compassion Works: A Step-by-Step Guide to Cultivating Well-Being, Love, and Wisdom
Broader reading companion on cultivating compassion and wisdom; not a commentary on this sūtra.
Source
Topics2
- Emptiness & not-self
Explore Emptiness & not-self across the Atlas.
- Mindfulness & awareness
Explore Mindfulness & awareness across the Atlas.
Make yourself comfortable
About this textContext & reading guide
A major Mahāyāna scripture that uses the setting of the Buddha’s final teachings to explore Buddha-nature and the enduring character of Buddhahood. It became especially influential in East Asian Buddhism.
This is a different work from the Pāli Mahāparinibbāna Sutta, DN 16. Their related titles and final-teaching settings should not obscure their distinct contents and transmission histories.
The linked BDK edition is Mark L. Blum’s translation of volume I from Dharmakṣema’s Chinese version. It is one volume of a projected four-volume translation, so the free PDF covers only part of the sūtra.