仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經疏 1.14

1.14

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.