Examining the Symbolic Role of the Thirty-Seven Dharmas Across

Buddhist Cultures Before the Sixth Century

Abstract

While Buddhism originated in South Asia, the scarcity of materials from mainland India necessitates a discussion of its development in India by consulting materials that can provide insights into both the era and the geographical context. This paper focuses on the Thirty-Seven Dharmas Associated with Awakening（三十七菩提分法）, which encompass the seven sets of ethical practices. It investigates archaeological findings from Central and Southeast Asia and Chinese Buddhist scriptures preserved in East Asia that all date back to before the sixth century. These sources reveal how the Thirty-Seven Dharmas were perceived as symbolic representations of the Buddha’s teachings. Furthermore, the study analyses Pāli scriptures and early Chinese Buddhist translations predating the sixth century, comparing them with Sanskrit and Gandhāran manuscripts. This comparative study illustrates the widespread dissemination of the Thirty-Seven Dharmas across the pre-sixthcentury Buddhist world. They were universally recognized as the symbols of the teachings of the Buddha, contributing to a unified understanding across diverse regions. By integrating archaeological evidence and textual analysis, this paper illuminates the pivotal role of the Thirty-Seven Dharmas in shaping Buddhist doctrine at a relatively early stage and demonstrates that discussions of the seven sets circulated concurrently throughout South Asia. These findings suggest that the idea of the seven sets as symbolic representations of the Dharma originated in South Asia and evolved into a significant intellectual trend that encompassed the entirety of the Buddhist world before the sixth century.