Da zhidu lun 大智度論

Da zhidu lun 大智度論, also called Da zhidu jing lun 大智度經論 or da huidu jing jiyao 大慧度經集要, is a Buddhist treatise. It is often abbreviated as Zhidulun 智度論, Zhilun 智論, Dalun 大論, or Shilun 釋論, and is also translated as Mohe bore boluomi jing shilun 摩訶般若波羅蜜經釋論 or Mohe bore shilun 摩訶般若釋論. The work serves as a commentary on the Mahā-prajñā-pāramitā-sūtra (Chinese version Da bore boluomi jing 大般若波羅蜜經). Traditionally, the original Sanskrit Mahāprajñā-śāstra is believed to have been authored by Nāgārjuna (Ch. Longshu 龍樹, c. 150–c.250 CE) in ancient India and later translated into Chinese by Kumārajīva (Ch. Jiumoluoshi 鳩摩羅什, 344-413) under the Later Qin dynasty 後秦 (384-417). It comprises 100 juan.

The preface by Sengrui 僧叡 (371–438) states that Nāgārjuna systematised the canonical texts of wisdom (Sa. prajñā). The treatise cites numerous scriptures and preserves many popular stories and legends that circulated in northern India at the time, making it an important resource for the study of Mahāyāna Buddhism and ancient Indian culture. Additionally, because the Mahā-prajñā-pāramitā-sūtra/Da bore boluomi jing was the largest sutra of its era, and because the author further develops its key concepts such as "emptiness of inherent nature" (xing kong 性空) and "illusory existence" (huan you 幻有), the work is called the "King of Commentaries" (lun zhong zhi wang 論中之王).

The text first discusses various interpretations of dharmas (appearances, beings) from the perspective of dharma characteristics (faxiang 法相), viewing them as an ideal; it then concludes with the principle of the non-characteristic ultimate reality (wu xiang shi xiang 無相實相) and the emptiness of dharma-nature (fa xing kong li 法性空理), regarded as the attainment of ultimate goodness. However, since the commentary is based on the sutra, its explanations cannot fully capture the meaning of all principles; therefore, Nāgārjuna also authored the Mūlamadhyamaka-kārikā (Chinese version Zhonglun 中論) and the Dvādaśāṅga-śāstra (Shi'ermen lun 十二門論) as supplements to the Da zhidu lun. The text cites numerous scriptures, making it an important resource for the study of Mahāyāna Buddhism, and it also preserves many popular stories and legends circulating in northern India at the time.

The monk Huiyuan 慧遠 (334-416) regarded the first Chinese translation of the text as too verbose and cumbersome, so he edited it, creating the Dazhi lun chao 大智論鈔), where he distilled its key points and expanded on them in detail. During the Tang period, Junzheng 均正 compiled the commentary series Silun xuanyi 四論玄義 (X0784), which also comments on the Da zhidu lun. Manuscripts from Dunhuang 敦煌 also preserve the text, retaining an earlier form of the work and its division into fascicles. An original Sanskrit version has not yet been discovered.

The most important commentaries are Sengzhao's 僧肇 (384-414) Da zhidu lun chao 大智度論鈔, Huiying's 慧影 Da zhidu lu shu 大智度論疏 (X0791), Sengkan's 僧侃 Da zhidu lun shu 大智度論疏 and Tanying's 曇影 Da zhidu lun chao 大智度論鈔.