The Romantic Legend of Sâkya Buddha: From the Chinese-Sanscrit

This book presents the life of Śākyamuni Buddha in a broad legendary and doctrinal framework, beginning with cosmic reflections on the rarity of a Buddha’s appearance and moving through accounts of past Buddhas, the Bodhisattva’s long preparation, the birth and youth of Prince Siddhārtha, his extraordinary learning and princely excellence, his renunciation, ascetic discipline, awakening, first sermon, and the conversion of early disciples. The narrative gives particular emphasis to the Buddha’s spiritual authority, miraculous powers, compassionate teaching, and ability to guide beings from faith toward liberation. Important sections describe the first disciples, the preaching of the Dharma, the acceptance of the Three Refuges, the emergence of lay followers, and the gradual institutional formation of the Buddhist community. The work is not merely a biography but a sacred narrative that integrates doctrine, miracle, karmic memory, devotional imagination, and monastic formation, making it a significant source for studying how the Buddha’s life was remembered, expanded, and transmitted in Chinese Buddhist literature derived from Indian materials.