Mahājana

PersonType	Category:Classical Indian Authors Category:Translators
MainNamePhon	Mahājana
MainNameWylie	Mahājana
YearBirth	ca. 11th/12th century
BDRC	https://www.tbrc.org/#!rid=P8226
IsInGyatsa	No
BnwShortPersonBio	Mahājana was a Kashmiri paṇḍita who was active around the 11th-12th centuries. According to Donald Lopez, one of his main contributions was his commentary on the Heart Sutra, Prajñāpāramitāhṛdayārthaparijñāna (Complete Understanding of the Meaning of the Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom). According to Lopez, "Mahājana's commentary is the only work ascribed to him in the Tibetan canons; he is listed as the translator of nine works, suggesting that he visited Tibet, probably in the late eleventh or early twelfth century.[13] His commentary reflects an author of a decidedly Yogācāra persuasion . . ." (Donald S. Lopez, Jr., Elaborations on Emptiness: Uses of the Heart Sūtra [New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1996], 16). Mahājana is also reported to have been one of several panditas who taught Atiśa the Perfection of Wisdom and secret mantra. (Sources of Tibetan Tradition, 2013, 178) Notes 13. The colophon of his commentary states that he collaborated in its translation with Seng ge rgyal mtshan, who was a student of Ngog bLo ldan shes rab (1059–1109).
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A class of Mahāyāna sūtras which represents some of the earliest known literature of this genre of Buddhism. There are around forty texts associated with this category, though the most widespread is the exceedingly brief Prajñāpāramitāhṛdayasūtra, popularly known as the Heart Sūtra. This class of literature is typically associated with the second turning of the dharma wheel and especially with the teachings on emptiness (śūnyatā). As such, these texts were the primary scriptural source for the philosophy of the Madhyamaka school.

Along with Madhyamaka, it was one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Asaṅga and Vasubandhu around the fourth century CE, many of its central tenets have roots in the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra and the so-called third turning of the dharma wheel (see tridharmacakrapravartana).