The Bequeathed Teachings Sutra, or the Sutra on the Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching is a brief Mahayana sutra containing instructions left by the Gautama Buddha before His said final nirvana. It is reportedly translated by Kumārajīva into Chinese around 400 C.E.
Overview
The sutra presents itself as the final teachings of Gautama Buddha, delivered to the disciples assembled around his resting place between two sal trees. In this last sermon, the Buddha urged his disciples to strive for enlightenment through thorough monastic discipline. According to Cleary, "the Buddha teaches here from the perspective of cause and effect: pure discipline is a basic necessity because it allows good qualities to develop."
The Buddha concluded by declaring the sutra His last teaching.
The sutra "is used as a liturgical text in both Taiwan and Japan, where it seems to be particularly associated with the Soto Zen sect."