Please explain what the Mahayana Sutras are?

Question

Please explain what the Mahayana Sutras are?

Answer 1

Mahayana sutras are a very broad genre of Buddhist scriptures (sutras) which according to Mahayana Buddhists represent original teachings of the Buddha. The earliest scripture that mentions "Mahayana" is the Lotus Sutra, probably compiled in its earliest form in the first century CE.

List of some Mahayana Sutras

Texts of Indian or Central Asian origin

Innumerable Meanings Sutra (Ananta-nirdesa Sutra, 無量義經)

Lalitavistara Sutra(方廣大莊嚴經)

Lankavatara Sutra(楞伽經)

Lotus Sutra(妙法蓮華經)

Perfection of Wisdom sutras (Prajñāpāramitā sutras, 般若經)

Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā sutra(摩訶般若波羅蜜經)

Diamond Sutra(金剛般若波羅蜜經)

Heart Sutra(般若波羅蜜多心經)

Ten Stages Sutra(十地經)

Vimalakirti-nirdesa Sutra(維摩詰所說經)

Texts of Chinese origin

Perfect Enlightenment Sutra (Yuanjue Jing 圓覺經)

Platform Sutra (Liuzutan Jing 六祖壇經)

Other texts

Amitabha Sutra (Smaller Pure Land Sutra 佛說阿弥陀經)

Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Garland Sutra 華嚴經)

Contemplation Sutra(佛說觀無量壽經)

Infinite Life Sutra(Large Pure Land Sutra 大無量壽經)

Kandaraka Sutra

Mahaparinirvana Sutra(大涅槃經)

Sanghata Sutra

Shurangama Sutra(大佛頂首楞嚴經)

Sutra of Forty-Two Sections(四十二章經)

Sutra of Golden Light(金光經)

Sutra of The Great Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva (地藏菩薩本願經)

Ullambana Sutra(盂蘭盆經)

The Healing Buddha Sutra

The Dharani Sutra of Hundred Thousand Seals[citation needed](百千印陀羅尼經)

The Dharani Sutra of Peaceful Home[citation needed](佛說安宅咒陀羅尼經)