仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經疏 1.14

1.14

明翻譯年代者，自周星隱耀、漢日通津，洎乎魏朝，此經尚闕。從初晉代至今巨唐，前後翻傳凡有四譯。第一晉朝太始三年，有月支國三藏法師曇摩羅蜜，晉云法護，譯為一卷，名仁王般若。第二後秦弘始三年，三藏法師鳩摩羅什，秦云童壽，於長安西明閣逍遙園譯為兩卷，名仁王護國般若波羅蜜。第三梁朝承聖三年，有西天竺優禪尼國三藏法師波羅末陀，梁云真諦，於洪府寶因寺譯為一卷，名仁王般若，并疏六卷。然則晉本初翻，方言尚隔。梁朝所譯，隱而不行。秦時所翻流傳宇內，自古高德疏義寔繁，百坐相仍崇護國矣。粵惟巨唐　肅宗皇帝，重昌堯化革弊救焚，至憂黎元澡心齋戒，請南天竺執師子國灌頂三藏名阿目佉，唐云不空，翻傳眾經以安社稷，茲願未滿仙駕歸天。我今　寶應皇帝再造乾坤禮樂惟新，明白四達恭嗣先訓恩累請焉。永泰元年歲在乙巳四月二日　詔曰「如來妙旨惠洽生靈，仁王寶經義崇護國，前代所譯理未融通，望依梵夾再有翻譯。貝葉之言永無漏略，金口所說更益詳明。仍請僧懷感等於內道場所翻譯，福資先代澤及含靈，寇盜永清寰區允穆，傳之曠劫救護實深者。」遂　詔觀軍客使開府魚朝恩兼統其事，於南桃園翻譯。起自月朔終乎月望，於承明殿灌頂道場，　御執舊經對讀新本。　詔曰「新經舊經理甚符順，所譯新本文義稍圓。」斯則金言冥契於　聖心、佛日再生於鳳沼，翻傳先後其在茲歟。總是初門經起竟。

Regarding the clarification of the eras of translation: from the time the star of the Zhou hid its brilliance and the sun of the Han opened the ford, up through the Wei dynasty, this sūtra was still lacking. From the beginning of the Jin dynasty down to our present Great Tang, it has been translated and transmitted four times in total. First, in the third year of the Taishi era of the Jin dynasty, there was the Tripiṭaka Master Dharmarakṣa (translated into Jin as Fahu) from the Yuezhi kingdom, who translated it in one fascicle entitled "Benevolent Kings' Prajñā". Second, in the third year of the Hongshi era of the Later Qin, the Tripiṭaka Master Kumārajīva (translated into Qin as Tongshou) translated it at the Ximing Pavilion in the Xiaoyao Garden of Chang'an into two fascicles entitled "Benevolent Kings' Prajñāpāramitā for Protecting the State". Third, in the third year of the Chengsheng era of the Liang dynasty, there was the Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha (translated into Liang as Zhendi) from the country of Ujjayinī in Western India, who translated it at Baoyin Temple in Hongfu into one fascicle entitled "Benevolent Kings' Prajñā", together with a commentary in six fascicles. However, when the Jin version was first translated, regional idioms still caused discrepancies. The translation made in the Liang dynasty remained concealed and did not circulate. The translation made during the Qin circulated throughout the realm; from antiquity, virtuous figures of high renown composed numerous commentaries and treatises on it, and its hundred seats succeeded one another in exalting the protection of the state. Looking back to our Great Tang, Emperor Suzong revived the transformative rule of Yao, reformed abuses, and rescued [the realm] from devastation. Deeply concerned for the common people, he cleansed his mind in abstinence and invited the abhiseka Tripiṭaka Master named Amogha (translated into Tang as Bukong) from the Lion Kingdom of Southern India to translate and transmit various sūtras in order to pacify the altars of the soil and grain. Before this vow was fully accomplished, the imperial carriage ascended to heaven. Our present Baoying Emperor reconstructed heaven and earth, renewing ritual and music; with luminous understanding reaching everywhere, he reverently carried on the previous instructions and repeatedly reiterated the imperial invitation. On the second day of the fourth month in the year yisi, the first year of the Yongtai era, an imperial decree stated: "The Tathāgata's sublime purport spreads beneficence to living beings, and the precious sūtra of the Benevolent Kings accords high honour to protecting the state. The translations of previous dynasties were not yet fully harmonized in their principle; it is hoped that, based on the Sanskrit folios, another translation be produced, so that the words of the palm leaves may never be omitted or abridged, and the teachings from the golden mouth may be rendered even more detailed and clear. Let the monk Huaigan and others be requested to translate it at the Palace Bodhimaṇḍa, thereby dedicating merit to previous generations, extending bounty to sentient beings, permanently clearing away bandits and rebels, and bringing harmonious peace to the realm, transmitting it across vast kalpas so that its rescue and protection may be truly profound." Thereupon, by imperial decree, the Military Overseer and Kaifu Yu Chao'en was tasked with jointly supervising the affair at the Southern Peach Garden. Commencing on the first day of the month and concluding on the full moon, at the Abhiseka Bodhimaṇḍa in the Chengming Hall, the Emperor held the old sūtra and collated it against the new version. An imperial decree stated: "The new sūtra and the old sūtra correspond and harmonize extremely well; the text and meaning of the newly translated version are somewhat more complete." Thus the golden words secretly matched the sacred mind, and the sun of the Buddha was reborn in the Phoenix Pool. The chronological succession of translation and transmission is surely found in this. This concludes the entire first gateway on the genesis of the sūtra.