A Philological Study of the Earliest Chinese Translation of the Larger Sukhavativyuhasutra---in Comparison with the Sanskrit Old Fragments from Afghanistan

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I have studied and prepared an annotated Japanese translation of the oldest Chinese translation of the Larger Sukhavativyuhasutra, namely Amituo Sanyesanfo saloufotan Guodurendao jing 阿彌陀三耶三佛薩樓佛檀過度人道經(or Da Amituo jing 大阿彌陀經; incorrectly ascribed to Zhi Qian 支謙 in the traditional catalogues) by Lokaksema (fl.ca.170-190), comparing this mainly with the two other early Chinese translations - namely Wuliangqingjing Pingdengjue jing 無量清淨平等覺經(probably by Zhi Qian 支謙, fl.ca.220-257) and the Wuliangshou jing 無量壽經 (presumably translated in the first half of the fifth century)- as well as the Sanskrit version (based on manuscripts from Nepal), Sanskrit fragments from Afghanistan and the Tibetan translation. After three years' research, I have attained several findings, for example, (I) saloufotan 薩樓佛檀 of the long title of the text in question might be a corruption of elouxuan 〓楼亘(a transliteration of Avalokitasvara), then the title, which has been a longtime enigma, means probably "The scripture about Amitabha samyaksambuddha and Avalokitasvara liberating those in human existence," and (II) The original form of amituo 阿彌陀 was in all likelihood a Gandhari form of Amitabha "Limitless Light," such as ^*Amidaha, -ahu or -a'u, from which the new form Amitayus "Limitless Light" was subsequently coined.I have published several articles concerning the text both in Japanese and Chinese as well as an annotated Japanese translation of the Sutra in series. However, as the Chinese of this text is difficult to understand, I need another few years to complete the annotated translation, an edition and glossary of the text. Based on such a comprehensive and thorough philological study of the text, it would be possible to pursue historical research on this and so to expand our understanding of early Mahayana Buddhism.