Buddhokta Śatabudhhanāma Sūtra the Sūtra of the Buddha Proclaiming the Names of the Hundred Buddhas

Abstract

The Sūtra of the Buddha Proclaiming the Names of the Hundred Buddhas is a Mahāyāna Buddhist text originally composed in Sanskrit and translated into Chinese in 582 CE by the North Indian monk Narendrayaśas (那連提耶舍). The Chinese version, titled 《佛說百佛名經》, is relatively short, comprising only 2,280 characters. It is structured into four sections: the opening, Phalaśruti I, the main text listing the hundred Buddha names, and Phalaśruti II. In translating the Buddha names, the predominant method involves selecting Chinese characters that correspond to the meaning of each element within the original compounds, which are then combined to form the full name. Additionally, transliteration is employed in approximately one-fifth of the names. According to the meanings, the Buddha names in the text can be categorized into four groups: (1) names referencing other Buddhas, deities, or elements from the Buddha’s biography; (2) attributes of the Buddha; (3) auspicious symbols; and (4) methods of worship.