226 The Mahiiyiinaearliest is probably the A:ftasiihasrikii or 'Perfection of Wis-
dom iii 8,ooo Lines'. The characteristic teaching is the 'empti-
ness' of dharmas.- The 'ideas only' (vijiiapti-miitra) stitras. These sfltras intro-
duce the idealist doctrine that the 'mind', 'ideas' or 'informa-
tion' ( vijiiapti) alone is real. The most important early sutra
is the Saf!1dhinirmocaria Sutra but its teachings along with
associated theories are found developed in the next group
of sfltras. - The 'embryo of the Tathagata' (tathiigatagarbha) sfltras: the
Tathiigatagarbha Sutra, Mahiiparinirviil}a Sutra, Lankiivatiira
Sutra, Srfmiiliidevf-sif!1haniida Sutra.
• Two sfltras of particular importance in East Asian Bud-
dhism are the Saddharmapul}t;larfka Sutra ('Discourse ofthe
Lotus of the True Dharma', commonly referred to simply
as the 'Lotus Sutra'), which expounds the notion of the 'onevehicle' (seep. 228), and the (Buddha-) Avataf!1saka Sutra
(incorporating the Gal}t;lavyuha and Dasabhumika Sutras ),which develops the notion of the 'interpenetration of all
phenomena' (see pp. 264-5).- The 'pure land' sfltras: the smaller and larger Sukhiivau-vyuha
Sutras, the Amitiiyur-dhyiina Sutra. These sfltras describe the
'pure land' of the Buddha of Boundless Light and become
the basis for the Pure Land school of East Asian Buddhism. - Meditation sfltras: Pratyutpanna-buddha-sammukhiivasthita-
samiidhi Sutra, Samiidhi-riija Sutra, Surangama-samiidhi Sutra.
These sfltras describe particular meditation practices.
Such a list indicates only in outline the nature and scope of a few
of the most important Mahayana sfltras. Let us now turn to the
summary exposition of the ideas artiCulated in these sfltras and
the related expository manuals or siistras.
The vehicle of the bodhisattva
That all Buddhism has a bodhisattva path follows from the fact
that all Buddhism knows the story of the ascetic variously named
~s Megha (in the Mahiivastu) or Sumedha (in Pali sources) and