Which new Buddhist scriptures were especially important to the early Mahayana movement?

The early Mahayana movement, which emerged in India around the beginning of the Common Era, was defined by the compilation of new scriptures that purported to be the word of the Buddha. These texts were central to the movement's identity and were used to distinguish Mahayana from earlier Buddhist schools that did not accept them as authoritative.123

Two of the most important categories of scriptures for the early Mahayana movement were:

• Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) sutras: Representing the oldest major form of Mahayana literature, these texts radically extended the concept of ontological voidness (shunyata). The best-known work from this period is the Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita (Eight Thousand-Verse Prajnaparamita).42
• Lotus Sutra (Saddharmapundarika-sutra): This scripture was crucial for introducing a new conception of the Buddha, portraying him as having achieved enlightenment eons ago and utilizing "skillful means" (upaya) to guide beings toward liberation.52

While these texts are foundational, scholars note that the origins of the movement are obscure, and the scriptures most valued by later sectarian groups may not fully represent the movement during its formative period.1