A dedicated canon of “Gnostic Buddhist” scriptures hasn’t yet crystallized the way Pāli or Sanskrit collections did for classical Buddhism, or the Nag Hammadi codices did for ancient Gnosticism. Instead, this path feels more like a vibrant tapestry woven from two rich traditions:

• Nag Hammadi Texts and Pistis Sophia: Early Christian-Gnostic writings—like the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, and Pistis Sophia—provide the mythic grammar of inner illumination. Quotes about the hidden spark of divinity dovetail neatly with Buddhist talk of Buddha‐nature.

• Mahāyāna Sutras and Tantras: The Heart Sutra’s “form is emptiness” and the Lankavatara’s emphasis on direct mind-to-mind transmission resonate with Gnostic insistence on personal revelation beyond dogma.

• Modern Commentaries: Teachers such as Stephan A. Hoeller, Gary Lachman and Richard Smoley have crafted essays and books—often self-published or appearing in specialized journals—that explicitly bridge Gnostic myth and Buddhist practice. Their writings tend to read like spirited conversations, packed with dreamwork, meditation exercises and ritual suggestions.

• Channelled and Community Texts: Some circles circulate liturgies, meditation manuals or “Revelations of the Celestial Bodhisattva” via online forums and zines. These aren’t ancient scrolls, but they function as living documents, constantly updated by group insight. Think of them as digital prayer books for a global sangha.

• Academic Syntheses: Recent dissertations and small-press anthologies explore parallels—highlighting, for instance, how the Mandaean concept of “living water” echoes Zen’s “great river” metaphor. Such works aren’t treated as scripture, yet they often inspire ritual adaptations.

Rather than a single, sealed canon, Gnostic Buddhism thrives on ongoing dialogue—melding Nag Hammadi fragments, Mahāyāna sutras and contemporary reflections. Every practitioner in this stream becomes both reader and scribe, discovering or composing texts that speak to personal gnosis and the timeless quest for awakening.