Analyzing the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: A Text-Critical Approach : หน้า 3/33

The Document Research Methods Case Study: The Dhammakakkappavattana Sutta Pramaha Pongsak THANIO Abstract Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Sanskrit: Dharmacakaravartana Sutra) is regarded as one of the most important and influential Buddhist Sutras. However, within a few hundred years of the Buddha’s passing, there arose a number of different schools or sects. Although all of these schools claimed to have preserved the original teachings of the Buddha, the fact that there are 23 versions of this Sutta raises doubts about which version might be authentic. This article applies vertical and horizontal methods of text-critical research to the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta and its various versions. This research suggests two basic conclusions: 1. In general, it seems that the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta origi- nated during the early Buddhist period, as a record of the Buddha’s first teaching; given the widespread agreement between the different verisons of the Sutta, it would seem to have belonged to a pre-sectarian Buddhist canon. 2. Considering the structure and content, the Sarvastivada version of the Sutta, with its adjusted sections on the darsana-marga, bhavana- marga, and asaiksa-marga, seems to be a later revision of the early tradition. Keywords: Document research method, Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Sarvastivada.