The Buddha himself named this sutra: ""The Sutra of the Causes and Conditions That Have Never Been Spoken Of"". ""Never"" refers to unprecedented and remarkable. In this sutra, the Buddha unprecedentedly and remarkably revealed through ""four verses"" * the dharma of all cause-condition-consequence-retribution in and between lives and deaths:
""Realizing that there will be a new birth after death; Performing virtuous deeds will harvest blessings; Committing evil deeds will suffer misfortunes; Cultivating the [Buddha's] Path will obtain the Path.""
This four-verse * dharani establishes the preliminary foundation of the root of correct faith for all sentient beings. In the ""Flower Ornament Sutra"" (Avataṃsaka Sūtra), it says: ""Faith is the origination of path and the mother of virtue"". ""Faith"" is the most important ""cause""-all virtuous roots are established from here; all cultivation of the path begins from here; all merits and virtues are realized from here.
This sutra has vivid stories of the past lives of the Buddha Sakyamuni as a hyena as well as King Ajita, Sariputra as Lord Sakra, Queen Mallika as Lady Tiwei and the five stone women as deceiving sramanas (monks). Also appearing in the sutra are the Buddha's mundane wife Yasodhara and son Rahula; his disciples Maudgalyayana and Ananda; and King Prasenajit and Prince Jeta who went to pay respects to the Buddha and thus encountered a rare chance to receive teachings directly from the Buddha himself. *The Chinese translation is 16 characters in four verses.
By:
Sheng Chang Hwang, Society of Ksitigarbha Studies Imprint: Society of Ksitigarbha Studies, USA Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
Spine: 21mm
Weight: 503g ISBN:9798218860820 Pages: 378 Publication Date:28 November 2025 Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format:Paperback Publisher's Status: Active
