The primary purpose of the dissertation is to investigate the role of the third century translator, Dharmaraksa, and his translations, in order to shed light on the origin of the Mahayana texts in Chinese translation. The goal of this research is to discover the influence of Central Asian Buddhism on early Chinese translation.

The dissertation contains eight chapters. The first chapter examines the different early catalogues, treats the questions of Fahu's translation, language and style and provides some examples of the textual problems associated with Fahu's work.

The second chapter is about Fahu's life, his Yuezhi background and the people who assisted him in his translations.

The third chapter discuss the disciples and the bodhisattvas respectively.

The great bodhisattva Manijusri, and other outstanding bodhisattvas who appear in many of Fahu's translated works, compose the subject of the fourth chapter of the dissertation.

The fifth chapter is about the laity and its role in Mahayana Buddhism. One interesting aspect of this chapter is that it presents texts in which a young child always represents a great bodhisattva.

The sixth chapter addresses the issue of women, a very controversial topic in Fahu's texts. This chapter explores the manner in which the texts treat the question of the purity of women's bodies; and the possibility of women becoming Buddhas.

The seventh chapter focuses the beings of other realms which play a major role in Fahu's texts. These non-humans include gods, animals, dragons, semi-gods, lishi, and Mo.

The eighth chapter discusses the Buddha, and the role that he plays in the Mahayana texts. The emphasis on different Buddha lands reflects various struggles within the Buddhist community.

In conclusion the author suggests that the Mahayana texts are records of a living religious movement in Central Asia.