The Question of Rastrapala

The Question of Rastrapala is an important Buddhist sutra from the Ratna-kuta, "Heap of Jewels" collection. Rastrapala asks the Buddha what the qualities of a bodhisattva are, and what is the career of a bodhisattva by which he benefits countless living beings. This sutra comprises the Buddha s answer. Many jataka stories of the Buddha s previous births are given to help explain the bodhisattva path. This book includes both the major version of the sutra from the Ratna-kuta collection, and also the minor version from the general sutra collection. It also includes the critically edited Tibetan texts of both.