A List of the Place and Ethnic Names in the Sanskrit Manuscript of the Tathāgataguhya-sūtra: A Comparison with the Parallel Narrative in the *Abhidharma-mahāvibhāṣā

Abstract

It has been so far pointed out that the first Chinese translation of the Guhyakādhipatinirdeśa (Tathāgataguhya-sūtra) translated by *Dharmarakṣa includes many place and ethnic names including country names along the Silk Road. This paper compares the place and the ethnic names listed in the Sanskrit manuscript of the Tathāgataguhya-sūtra and in its first Chinese translation with the ethnic names in the parallel narrative in the *Abhidharma-mahāvibhāṣā. As a result, it can be speculated that the Tathāgataguhya-sūtra was established in Northwest India.