How much confidence can be placed in the authenticity of the Buddhist texts?
The tripitaka Koreana, Collection of Buddhist Texts
The oral transmission of Buddhist texts may well have been strength rather than a weakness. When texts are preserved by groups of monastics chanting them together at regular intervals, the likelihood of errors of omission or deliberate amendments is minimized. While it must be acknowledged that there can be no unshakeable evidence for the authenticity of the Buddhist texts, there are nonetheless a number of good reasons to place confidence in them.
Firstly, as explained earlier there is an inner coherence and lack of contradiction in the Buddha’s discourses witch are remarkable over such a huge amount of material, hundreds of time more extensive than, for example, the Christian New Testament. The same collections of teachings preserved by different Buddhist sects in different languages show a very high degree of correspondence.
The Buddha’s teachings do not stand or fall on particular historical events. They describe a system of education of body, speech and mind leading to awakening. Over the past centuries many man and women, monastic and lay, have put the teachings in these texts into practice, and proved for themselves their truth and effectiveness. Ultimately, it is for this reason that Buddhist have confidence in the authenticity of the Buddha’s teachings that have been passed down to the present day.
More questions and answers HERE.
Source:
- Without and Within – Ajahn Jayasaro
Ryokan Says
The question arise in our minds at the beginning of our quest in Buddhism, Was the Buddha really Enlightened?. And the more balanced answer is just a simple “I don’t know”, nobody has the means to know it. However is not the title (of enlightened) which make the Buddha so great, it is his teachings and practices, those speak for themselves, for what they are, for what they represent and the good things that comes with them. Everything else is a matter of trust, but without forgetting to first search always within ourselves. The same is applicable to the texts.
…”So, as I said, Kalamas: ‘Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, “This contemplative is our teacher.” When you know for yourselves that, “These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering” — then you should abandon them.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.”…
…”So, as I said, Kalamas: ‘Don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, “This contemplative is our teacher.” When you know for yourselves that, “These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness” — then you should enter & remain in them.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.”…
