歷代三寶紀 12

English (machine translation) 12

Language: English

12.1

Submitted by the translation scholar, your servant Fei Zhangfang, in the seventeenth year of Kaihuang.

The Great Sui Catalogue: Our Emperor received the mandate from the Four Heavenly Kings to protect and uphold the Three Jewels; inheriting the tally of the five movements, he resides in these Nine Provinces. Therefore, at the very beginning of his birth, a divine light illuminated the chamber; after his ascension as ruler, spiritual responses arrived in competition. For this reason, celestial portents appeared on tortoise shells, waters floated with five colors, the earth opened sweet springs, mountains echoed for ten thousand years, clouds offered congratulations, dew was sweet, pearls shone, stones transformed, the deaf heard, the blind saw, the mute spoke, and the lame walked. Birds and beasts displayed extraordinary omens; grasses and trees presented auspicious signs difficult to record. How could only the seven treasures uniquely manifest the golden wheel, or only the four seasons harmonize the jade candle? Therefore, the 'Chapter on Proper Discourse' of the *Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra* (*Jin guangming jing*) states: 'Because of the accumulation of karma, one attains birth among humans; reigning as king over a realm, he is called a king of men. While dwelling in the womb, devas protect and guard him, or they protect him first before he enters the womb. The thirty-three devas each share their own virtue with this king; because the devas protect him, he is called the Son of Heaven.' In the year of *chizhi*, driving the yellow canopy, earth overcame the movement of water, reviving what had been ruined and abolished. The Buddha-sun, with fire riding upon the movement of wood, inaugurated the year, taking Kaihuang as the reign title. It can be said that the torch of the Dharma, having been extinguished, shone brightly once more; and the time of stagnation returned to peace. That winter, śramaṇas including Zhi Zhou and others arrived in accordance with the destined time, carrying two hundred and sixty Sanskrit texts from the Western Regions. An imperial decree assigned them to the official bureau to seek personnel and have them translated. In the mid-spring of the second year, the translation began. In late summer, an imperial edict stated: 'The five moves of Yin feared that the people would all die. This was using auspicious and inauspicious locations to determine the length of life; planning for the new and casting off the old is like a farmer longing for autumn. The hills and plains of Mount Longshou are elegant and beautiful, with luxuriant vegetation; it is suitable for building a capital city. The foundation for setting the dynastic cauldrons shall be eternally secure, and an endless enterprise lies here.' Thereupon, the city was named Daxing City, the hall was named Daxing Hall, the gate was named Daxing Gate, the county was named Daxing County, the park was named Daxing Park, and the monastery was named Daxingshan Monastery. The compassionate transformation of the Three Jewels flourished greatly from this, and the benevolent influence across ten thousand states was reaffirmed through it. Saṅghārāmas loomed high, interspersed within the cities and walls; banners and canopies soared, adorning the boundaries of the realm. The Dharma halls and Buddha halls equaled celestial palaces; Cīnasthāna, the Divine Continent, returned to being like a pure land. The śramaṇas were abundant, cultivating the six perfections to perfume their minds; upāsakas were numerous, practicing the ten wholesome deeds as their conduct. The four seas thereby stilled their waves, and the nine domains thereby quieted their dust. Hence, as the virtue of earth became magnificent, celestial blessings naturally flowed brightly. White deer have already appeared, and the descent of the qilin is not far; the green bird has already taken flight, and the arrival of the phoenix is near. Thereupon, the elderly with full bellies vied to purchase Jetavana; green-collared youths, singing as they beat the earth, competed to gather the earth of King Aśoka. Stūpas arose intermittently, and precious monasteries were spread like stars. At present, monks and nuns number nearly two hundred thousand, and caityas and monasteries approach more than four thousand. All translators, whether Brāhmaṇas, monastics, or laypeople, have been compiled and assembled, along with nineteen monastics and Confucian scholars of this land. The newly translated texts, as well as the preserved old editions of treatises, biographies, and vinaya precepts, total seventy-five works in four hundred and sixty-two fascicles, compiled as the catalogue of the Great Sui Daxing Record. It is transmitted to distant generations to serve as an eternal model, radiating uniformly and enduring imperishably. It is hoped that future sages will follow this and continue the cultivation, that the divine efficacy of the Three Jewels will be expounded throughout the Sahā world, and that the teachings of the thousand Buddhas will be propagated without end throughout the Fortunate Kalpa.

12.3

Governor of Yangchuan Commandery under the Great Sui, Tan Fazhi: one work (one fascicle of sūtra).

12.4

Śramaṇa Vinītaruci: two works (two fascicles of sūtras).

12.5

Śramaṇa Narendrayaśas: eight works (twenty-eight fascicles of sūtras).

12.6

Śramaṇa Shi Sengjiu: one work (sixty fascicles of sūtras).

12.7

Śramaṇa Jñānagupta: thirty-one works (one hundred and sixty-five fascicles of sūtras).

12.8

Śramaṇa Shi Fashang: three works (forty-three fascicles of sūtras and catalogues).

12.9

Śramaṇa Shi Lingyu: eight works (thirty fascicles of treatises and records).

12.10

Śramaṇa Shi Xinxing: two works (thirty-five fascicles of records of the Three Stages).

12.11

Śramaṇa Shi Fajing: one work (seven fascicles of catalogue).

12.12

Śramaṇa Shi Baogui: one work (eight fascicles of sūtra).

12.13

Śramaṇa Shi Sengcan: one work (one fascicle of treatise).

12.14

Śramaṇa Shi Sengkun: one work (thirty-one fascicles of miscellaneous records).

12.15

Śramaṇa Shi Yancong: six works (nine fascicles of treatises, biographies, and catalogues).

12.16

Śramaṇa Shi Huiying: four works (twenty-seven fascicles of explanations of the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* and treatises).

12.17

Marshal of Guangzhou Guo Yi: one work (two fascicles).

12.18

Gentleman of the Confucian Forest Hou Junsu: one work (ten fascicles of biography).

12.19

Libationer of the Prince of Jin's Princely Mansion Xu Tongqing: one work (two fascicles of treatise).

12.20

Translation scholar Liu Feng: one work (one fascicle on inner calculation and arts).

12.21

Compiled by imperial decree through the officials: one work (ten fascicles of models and formats for the sūtras).

12.22

*Da Sui yebao chaobie jing* (Great Sui Sūtra on the Distinctions of Karmic Retribution), one fascicle (translated in the third month of the second year of Kaihuang; this is the second translation, broadly similar with slight differences from the *Zuiye baoying jing*).

12.23

The above single work in one fascicle [was translated by] Dharmaprajñā (rendered in the language of the Sui as Fazhi), the eldest son of the Brāhmaṇa upāsaka Gautama Prajñāruci of the Northern Wei. His lineage had passed down translation work through generations. At the end of the Northern Qi, he served as the Controller of the Clergy (Zhaoxuan Du). When the state of Qi was subjugated, the Buddhadharma was also abolished; Zhi shifted from monastic office to secular office, and was appointed as the Governor of Yangchuan Commandery in Yangzhou. When the Great Sui received the abdication, Sanskrit texts immediately arrived, displaying the revival of the Buddha-sun and manifesting the hidden response to the state's transformation. An imperial decree was issued summoning Zhi back to translate sūtras, which were translated at Daxingshan Monastery. Since Zhi was exceedingly proficient in both the Sui and Sanskrit languages, he held the original text and translated it himself without needing an interpreter. The śramaṇa Shi Zhixuan of Chengdu at Daxingshan Monastery acted as scribe, while arranging the phrasing and the doctrinal principles. The śramaṇa Shi Yancong of Zhao Commandery at Riyan Monastery composed the preface.

12.24

Xiangtou jingshe jing (Gayāśīrṣa Sūtra), one fascicle (translated in the second month of the second year of Kaihuang; the second translation, identical in substance to the Gayāśīrṣa Sūtra, differing only in title).

12.25

Dasheng fangguang zongchi jing (Mahāyāna-vaipulya-dhāraṇī Sūtra), one fascicle (translated in the seventh month of the second year of Kaihuang).

12.26

The two works above, in two fascicles, were translated by the Tripiṭaka Dharma Master Vinītaruci (in Sui: Miexie, 'Extinguishing Joy') from Uḍḍiyāna in Northern India. Having heard that our Emperor had revived and restored the Three Jewels, he did not consider five hundred yojanas too distant, but took up his mendicant's staff and travelled far and wide to observe the flourishing transformation. Upon his arrival, he was summoned to the court and ordered to translate sūtras, which were translated at Daxingshan Temple. The Gentleman Attendant (Jishi) Li Daobao and Tanpi, the second son of Prajñāruci, both served as interpreters. The śramaṇa Shi Fazuan of Daxingshan Temple in Chang'an took down the text in the Sui language and put the phrasing and meaning in proper order. The śramaṇa Yancong composed prefaces for both texts.

12.27

Dafangdeng rizang jing (Sūryagarbha Sūtra of the Mahāvaipulya), fifteen fascicles (translation commenced in the fifth month of the fourth year of Kaihuang, and was completed in the second month of the fifth year; the śramaṇas Zhixuan, Daosui, and Huixian, the Court Gentleman for Consultation Yu Zhi, and the Translation Scholar Fei Zhangfang served as scribes for the text and meaning; drawn from the Mahāsaṃnipāta).

12.28

Li zhuangyan sanmei jing (Balavyūha-samādhi Sūtra), three fascicles (translated in the tenth month of the fifth year of Kaihuang; scribe: Fei Zhangfang).

12.29

Da zhuangyan famen jing (Mahāvyūha-dharmaparyāya Sūtra), two fascicles (translated in the first month of the third year of Kaihuang; scribe: śramaṇa Zhixuan; identical in substance to the Mañjuśrīvikurvaṇa Sūtra, the Suvarṇaprabhāsādṛṣṭi-devī Sūtra, and the Da jing famen jing, being a different translation under another title).

12.30

Dehu zhangzhe jing (Śrīgupta-śreṣṭhi Sūtra), two fascicles (translated in the sixth month of the third year of Kaihuang; scribe: śramaṇa Huikun; also titled Shiliguduo zhangzhe jing; broadly identical in substance to the Shendidou ben jing and Yueguang tongzi jing, being a different translation under another title). / Lianhuamian jing (Padmamukha Sūtra), two fascicles (translated in the third month of the fourth year of Kaihuang).

12.31

Dayun lun qingyu jing (Mahāmegha-cakra-varṣādhāraṇa Sūtra), two fascicles (translated in the first month of the fifth year of Kaihuang; being the hundredth chapter of the Mahāmegha Sūtra).

12.32

Laogu nü jing, one fascicle (translated in the twelfth month of the second year of Kaihuang).

12.33

Bai fo ming jing (Names of a Hundred Buddhas Sūtra), one fascicle (translated in the tenth month of the second year of Kaihuang; for the above four sūtras in six fascicles, the śramaṇa Huixian served as scribe).

12.34

The eight works above, in twenty-eight fascicles, were translated by Narendrayaśas (in Sui: Zunchéng, 'Honoured Fame'), Tripiṭaka Dharma Master from the kingdom of Uḍḍiyāna in Northern India and Controller of the Clergy (Zhaoxuan tong) under the Northern Qi. In his youth, Yaśas left the household life and travelled across four of the Five Indies, passing through more than sixty kingdoms, great and small. Wherever there was a sacred site associated with Śākyamuni, he never failed to visit it. Having travelled to the Southern Sea, he returned to Northern India, and subsequently went to the Rouran. He met with the collapse of that state and consequently entered the capital Ye, precisely during the reign of Emperor Wenxuan, when he was just forty years of age. Yaśas's unyielding rectitude was remarkably distinct from the ordinary; because of this, Emperor Wenxuan accorded him exceptionally high regard, and his fame became prominent, whereupon he was appointed to manage this supervisory bureau. At that time, he also produced translations of sūtras, which are fully recorded in the Qi catalogue. When Qi was destroyed by Zhou, he still resided on the banks of the Zhang River. In the first year of Kaihuang, when new sūtra manuscripts arrived, an imperial decree summoned him. In the seventh month of the second year, he was conducted to the capital. The Emperor showed him deep solicitous care and at once decreed that he be accommodated at Daxingshan Temple, providing him with superior offerings, holding the Dharma to be profound and its bearer worthy of esteem. In the final month of winter of that year, the work of translation began. The śramaṇas Sengcan and Mingfen, along with the Gentleman Attendant Li Daobao, the Translation Scholar Tanpi, and others—four monastics and laymen—took turns interpreting the language. The Great Virtues of the capital, such as the Controller of the Clergy (Zhaoxuan tong) the śramaṇa Tanyan, the Vice-Controller of the Clergy (Zhaoxuan du) and Abbot of Daxingshan Temple the śramaṇa Lingzang, and more than twenty other virtuous monks oversaw the proceedings from start to finish. In the tenth month of the fifth year, collation and verification were completed. By then, Yaśas was over ninety years old. In the ninth year, he passed away. There is a separate biography. For all the sūtras he translated, the śramaṇa Yancong composed the prefaces.

12.35

Xinhe Daji jing (Newly Collated Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra), sixty fascicles.

12.36

The single work above, in sixty fascicles, was newly collated in the sixth year of Kaihuang by the śramaṇa Shi Sengjiu of Zhaoti Temple. In his youth, Sengjiu left the household life and devoted himself to study in monasteries. According to the Indic text, this Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra consists of 100,000 verses; if fully translated, it would comprise about three hundred fascicles. At present, the Tripiṭaka Master [Dharma]gupta, who is now engaged in translating sūtras, frequently recounts: 'More than two thousand li southeast of Khotan lies the kingdom of Cokkuka. Its king possesses pure faith and deeply venerates the Mahāyāna. When eminent monks from various kingdoms enter his territory, he subjects them all to examination: if they study the Hīnayāna, he sends them away without allowing them to remain; if they are followers of the Mahāyāna, he invites them to stay and makes offerings to them. In the royal palace itself are kept three great scriptures: the Mahāprajñā[pāramitā], the Mahāsaṃnipāta, and the Avataṃsaka, each comprising 100,000 verses. The king personally receives and upholds them, holding the key in his own hand; when they are to be unrolled and read, he opens [the repository] and makes offerings of incense and flowers. Furthermore, within the sanctuary (bodhimaṇḍa), there are various adornments, with all kinds of precious gems complete, and diverse mixed flowers and seasonal and unseasonal fruits are suspended there, inviting the various lesser kings to enter and pay homage.' In that land, it is also said: 'More than twenty li southeast of this kingdom, there is a mountain exceedingly precipitous. Within it are preserved the Mahāsaṃnipāta, Avataṃsaka, Fangdeng baoji (Ratnakūṭa), Laṅkāvatāra, Fangguang (Vaipulya), Śāriputra-dhāraṇī, Huaju tuoluoni (Kusumasañcaya-dhāraṇī), Dusalozang (Tuṣitakośa), Mahāprajñā, eight divisions of Prajñā, and Dayun jing (Mahāmegha Sūtra), amounting to twelve works in all, each comprising 100,000 verses. The laws of the state have traditionally guarded and protected them. Furthermore, it is said that three arhats who abide in the cessation attainment (nirodhasamāpatti) reside in the mountain caves, quietly meditating and secretly protecting them. Once every half-month or month, monks sometimes go to the mountain to shave the arhats' hair. Truly, such supernatural power must certainly be real! Their beard and hair grow back after being shaved, yet they remain unmoved within the cessation attainment. What an inconceivable field of merit that preserves such treasures! One hopes that enlightened rulers and sagacious sovereigns of modern times, planting the roots of worthiness to carry on the sacred lineage, rulers who propagate the Dharma and transform [the people], will have them copied and disseminated, so that within their dominions the hearing of what is good will continue to be transmitted; hence, this narrative is recorded here.' However, as the Holy One recedes into the distance, ordinary minds grow dim; unable to retain the entirety, they merely extract and transcribe according to their capacity. Consequently, the Indic manuscripts that arrived here were incomplete in their volumes and sections: when an abridged version arrived, it was translated briefly; when a full version arrived, it was translated extensively. For this reason, in the translations made by the past masters Zhi Tan and Kumārajīva, the fascicles were variously twenty-seven, thirty, or thirty-one, never fixed in number. As Sengjiu propagated the teaching, he continually lamented this. When he saw that Yaśas had translated the Yuezang jing (Candragarbha Sūtra) in twelve fascicles during the Northern Qi, and that now under the Kaihuang era of the Sui, Yaśas had again translated the Rizang jing (Sūryagarbha Sūtra) in fifteen fascicles, both belonging to the original chapters of the comprehensive text of the Mahāsaṃnipāta, he was deeply delighted in his heart. Thereupon, he combined them according to this arrangement into sixty fascicles. Although Sengjiu assembled them, his collation was not yet refined. At Daxingshan Temple, there was a śramaṇa named Hongqing, whose discernment and intellect were profound and luminous. Acting on behalf of the Empress, he collated and transcribed the scriptures of the two canonical collections; he subsequently corrected the titles and sections combined by Sengjiu, rendering them extremely well ordered. Furthermore, in what is presently being translated, there are still sections belonging to the Mahāsaṃnipāta. If gathered together in brief, they should fill a hundred fascicles, which would constitute nearly one-third of the original Indic text. Now, when earth and stone are ground into fine dust, they have no power to support themselves; but when they consolidate into mounds and hills, they have the virtue of generating and carrying [all things]. How much less could a branch separated from the grove hope to flourish luxuriantly, or a stream severed from its spring seek to provide wide moisture? Could that be possible? Our Emperor was born endowed with extraordinary qualities, responding to heaven's seasons and according with earth's principles. The Nine Provinces had been divided and separated for more than three hundred years; the hundred-thousand-verse text had been scattered for over a thousand years. The dispersed scriptures have now been reunited, their gathering illuminating the text of the Mahāsaṃnipāta; the divided territories have finally been unified, their unity making manifest the country of the Great Prosperity (Da Xing). If not for one who holds the Golden Wheel in his hands and propagates the Vaipulya in his transformation, among all the past august emperors and former rulers who promoted transformation and expounded the Dharma, who could match this?

12.37

Fo benxing ji jing (Abhiniṣkramaṇa Sūtra), sixty fascicles (commenced in the seventh month of the seventh year of Kaihuang, completed in the second month of the twelfth year; scribes: śramaṇa Sengtan, Translation Scholars Fei Zhangfang, Liu Ping, and others; preface composed by the śramaṇa Yancong).

12.38

Faju tuoluoni jing (Dharmolkā-dhāraṇī Sūtra), twenty fascicles (commenced in the fourth month of the thirteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the sixth month of the sixteenth year; scribes: śramaṇa Daosui and others).

12.39

Weide tuoluoni jing, twenty fascicles (commenced in the seventh month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the twelfth month of the sixteenth year; scribes: śramaṇa Sengkun and others).

12.40

Zhu fo huniang jing, ten fascicles (commenced in the tenth month of the fourteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the twelfth month; scribe: śramaṇa Sengtan).

12.41

Wuqian wubai fo ming jing (Names of Five Thousand Five Hundred Buddhas Sūtra), eight fascicles (translated in the eighth month of the thirteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the ninth month of the fourteenth year; scribes: śramaṇa Sengtan and others).

12.42

Xianhu pusa jing (Bhadrapāla-bodhisattva Sūtra), six fascicles (commenced in the twelfth month of the fourteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the second month of the fifteenth year; scribes: śramaṇa Langfen and others).

12.43

Xianshanzhu tianzi suowen jing (Bhadrasupratiṣṭhita-devaputra-paripṛcchā Sūtra), four fascicles (translated in the fourth month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang; scribes: śramaṇa Daomi and others).

12.44

Guancha zhufa xing jing, four fascicles (translated on the twenty-fourth day of the fourth month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang, completed on the twenty-fifth day of the fifth month; scribe: Translation Scholar Fei Zhangfang).

12.45

Si tongzi jing (Caturdāraka Sūtra), three fascicles (translated in the fifth month of the thirteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the seventh month; scribe: śramaṇa Sengkun).

12.46

Zhufa benwu jing (Sarvadharmāpravṛtti Sūtra), three fascicles (translated in the sixth month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the seventh month; scribes: Translation Scholar Liu Ping and others).

12.47

Xukongyun pusa jing (Ākāśagarbha-bodhisattva Sūtra), two fascicles (translated in the first month of the seventh year of Kaihuang, completed in the third month; scribe: śramaṇa Sengtan; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.48

Yueshang nü jing (Candrottarādārikā Sūtra), three fascicles (translated in the fourth month of the eleventh year of Kaihuang, completed in the sixth month; scribe: Translation Scholar Liu Ping; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.49

Shansi tongzi jing (Acintyaprabhāsa-nirdeśa Sūtra), two fascicles (translated in the seventh month of the eleventh year of Kaihuang, completed in the ninth month; scribe: Translation Scholar Fei Zhangfang; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.50

Yishi jing, two fascicles (translated in the tenth month of the eleventh year of Kaihuang, completed in the twelfth month; scribe: Translation Scholar Fei Zhangfang).

12.51

Piyu wang jing, two fascicles (translated in the fifth month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the sixth month; scribes: śramaṇa Daosui and others).

12.52

Fajue jingxin jing, two fascicles (translated in the ninth month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the tenth month; scribes: śramaṇa Sengkun and others).

12.53

Yixiang chusheng pusa jing, one fascicle (translated in the eleventh month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the twelfth month; scribe: śramaṇa Sengtan; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.54

Daweiteng xianren wenyi jing, one fascicle (translated in the first month of the sixth year of Kaihuang, completed in the second month; scribe: śramaṇa Daosui; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.55

Wenshushili xing jing, one fascicle (translated in the first month of the sixth year of Kaihuang, completed in the second month; scribe: śramaṇa Sengtan; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.56

Ba fo minghao jing (Names of Eight Buddhas Sūtra), one fascicle (translated in the fifth month of the sixth year of Kaihuang, completed in the sixth month; scribe: śramaṇa Daosui; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.57

Xiyou jiaoliang gongde jing, one fascicle (translated in the sixth month of the sixth year of Kaihuang, completed that same month; scribe: śramaṇa Sengtan; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.58

Shan gongjing shi jing, one fascicle (translated in the seventh month of the sixth year of Kaihuang, completed in the eighth month; scribes: śramaṇa Sengtan and others; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.59

Rulai fangbian shanjiao zhou jing, one fascicle (translated in the first month of the seventh year of Kaihuang, completed in the second month; scribes: śramaṇa Sengtan and others; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.60

Bukong juansuo Guanshiyin xin zhou (Amoghapāśa-avalokiteśvara-hṛdayadhāraṇī), one fascicle (translated in the fourth month of the seventh year of Kaihuang, completed in the fifth month; scribes: śramaṇa Sengtan and others; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.61

Shier fo ming shenzhou chu zhang mie zui jing, one fascicle (translated in the fifth month of the seventh year of Kaihuang, completed that same month; scribe: śramaṇa Sengkun; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.62

Jingangchang tuoluoni jing (Vajramaṇḍa-dhāraṇī Sūtra), one fascicle (translated in the sixth month of the seventh year of Kaihuang, completed in the eighth month; scribes: śramaṇa Sengkun and others; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

12.63

Zhufa zuishang wang jing, one fascicle (translated in the eleventh month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the fourth month [of the following year]; scribes: śramaṇa Mingfen and others).

12.64

Ru fajie jing (Dharmadhātupraveśa Sūtra), one fascicle (translated in the seventh month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the eighth month; scribes: śramaṇa Daomi and others).

12.65

Shangzhu tianzi wen jing, one fascicle (translated in the eighth month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang, completed in the ninth month; scribes: Translation Scholar Fei Zhangfang and others).

12.66

Chusheng pusa jing, one fascicle (translated in the ninth month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang, completed that same month; scribe: Translation Scholar Liu Ping).

12.67

The Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra, "Chapter on Entrustment" and "Chapter on the Lord of Silver", together in one fascicle. (During the Liang dynasty Dharmakṣema translated [the sūtra in] four fascicles; during the Liang dynasty Paramārtha translated [it in] six fascicles; in both, these were absent. Under the Zhou dynasty Jñānagupta translated [it in] five fascicles, and these were also absent. As these two chapters are now extant, they were produced subsequently.)

12.68

The above thirty-one works, comprising a total of one hundred sixty-five fascicles, were translated by the Tripiṭaka Dharma Master Jñānagupta from the state of Gandhāra in North Tianzhu—in the Sui language rendered as Zhide ("Utmost Virtue"), and also called Fode ("Buddha Virtue"). At the beginning of the Wucheng era during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Zhou dynasty, together with his fellow student Yaśogupta and accompanying their master, the Tripiṭaka Dhyāna Master Jñānayaśas of Magadha, he brought sūtras into the realm. Master, disciple, and fellow students all learned the regional languages. Over twenty-odd years, Gupta became the most proficient. Living at the capital during the same period and also traveling to the Shu region, he proclaimed and translated new scriptures wherever he went, or supplied earlier lacunae, his texts and their meanings all being apt. Then he encountered the demonic catastrophe: the secular ruler exerted royal force, and in the third year of Jiande both teachings met with destruction. The seven assemblies of the realm all had to wear the single secular garment. Gupta and his fellow disciples were also enticed and coerced. Having never bound himself by any pledge to surrender his life wandering in this land, and without dreading toil and suffering, he took extensive conversion as his mission. Meeting with the destruction and extinction of the Dharma, his original aspiration was thwarted. He declined on the grounds that he was a man of Brahmā [origin] and would not comply with Chinese dress; holding fast to his integrity, he begged to return to his native state. The court granted permission and dismissed him with due etiquette. Our Cīna is truly the continental ocean of Jambudvīpa, where all the remote border regions of strange garb and different appearance hasten and gather. Were it not a land of delight, how could it bring about such things? Those who come admiring our transforming influence are accommodated; those who yearn for their homelands and wish to leave are not opposed. As he turned back toward North Tianzhu, his path passed through the Turks. He encountered the Qaghan Taspar of the central region, who earnestly invited him to remain. In the course of their exchange, the Qaghan said: "The Zhou undergoes rise and fall; it wearies the Master to travel there and back. Here there is neither destruction nor resurgence; happily reside in peace of mind. Provisions and offerings will surely be made to your satisfaction." He therefore remained there together [with the others] for more than ten years. Both his master and his fellow student passed away there first; only Gupta remained alone. At that time, the śramaṇa Baoxian of Xiangzhou (along with Daosui, Zhizhou, Sengwei, Fabao, Sengtan, Zhizhao, Senglü, and others, eleven men in all), sequentially journeyed west in the sixth year of the Wuping era of the Qi dynasty. They traveled back and forth for seven years, and acquired in all two hundred sixty Sanskrit texts. Returning to the Turks, they heard that the Zhou had destroyed the Qi and had simultaneously annihilated the Buddhadharma. Retreat was impossible, and forward they had nowhere to turn. Lingering in that place, they then met Zhide. It was like finding drink when thirsty, or encountering light in darkness. Thereupon they jointly examined and read the newly acquired Sanskrit texts, requested him to translate the titles, and collated them against the old catalogues; they found him remarkably adept, far surpassing earlier men. Xian and the others inwardly rejoiced in secret: having obtained treasures and encountered the master craftsman, their journey had not been in vain. Together they vowed, burned incense, and pledged to proclaim and translate them. When the Great Sui received the abdication, the Buddhadharma immediately flourished. Xian and the others, bringing the scriptures, arrived first in response to this opportune era, reaching [the capital] in the final month of winter in the first year of Kaihuang.

12.69

An imperial decree entrusted the matter to the authorities to seek people to have them translated. In the fourth year, Gupta finally managed to enter the realm. He was installed at Xingshan Monastery to undertake the work of extensive proclamation. In the fifth year, an imperial decree commanded Gupta, together with the Brahmin śramaṇa *Jñānagupta, the Kaifu Gao Gonggong's sons Commander Tiannu and Heren, as well as the Brahmin Viśākhadatta and others—six men in total, both monastics and laity—to translate ancient Sanskrit books and astrological/divinatory texts in the Secretariat and the Palace Secretariat. At that time, at Guangji Monastery only Yaśas alone translated scriptures. In the seventh year, a separate decree commanded Gupta to participate concurrently in translating scriptures, travelling between both locations. By the twelfth year, the translation of the books was completed, yielding a total of over two hundred fascicles; their presentation was concluded. At that time, Yaśas had already passed away. The emperor then decreed that Gupta should take exclusive charge of translation, moving the Dharma seat to the Daxingshan Monastery. He further summoned the Brahmin śramaṇa Dharmagupta and sent the brothers Gao Tiannu and Gao Heren to translate together with them. Furthermore, the monastic authorities appointed ten śramaṇas of great virtue: Sengxiu, Facan, Fajing, Huizang, Hongzun, Huiyuan, Fajuan, Senghui, Mingmu, and Tancian, to supervise and take charge of the process from beginning to end, verifying and determining the doctrinal purport. The fourteen works, including the Abhiniṣkramaṇa Sūtra in seventy-six fascicles, were all translated by Gupta himself at other places before the eleventh year; the śramaṇa Yancong wrote prefaces for all of them. The seventeen works, including the Fajü jing, in eighty-nine fascicles, were produced inside the Dhyāna Hall at Daxingshan Monastery from the twelfth year onward, with the śramaṇa Gupta and the brothers Gao Tiannu aiding him, while the śramaṇas Mingmu and Yancong checked them again against the Sanskrit originals, collated them once more, and edited the text and meaning. Beyond these, there are still over ninety works, which are currently being translated continuously and will be appended to the catalogue as they are finished. With deep reverence we reflect that when the golden mouth of the Tathāgata made a single utterance, beings of different categories each gained understanding, just as the sun and moon shine across the heavens. Kāśyapa and Ānanda personally received the Brahmā sounds, and their compilation was spread across birchbark and palm leaves, just as a radiant torch illumines the night. From the Later Han to the present, the customs of our state have been distinctly different; when proclaimed and translated into literary writing, it is like a flickering lamp illuminating a chamber. What we hope is that this spark of flint may carry on the sun's brilliance, transmitting light by means of shadows, and that the moisturizing flow of the Dharma may moisten sentient beings without cessation. When investigating their genuineness and spuriousness, their origins and branches, how could they possibly be compared and matched as if from the same era?

12.70

Numerical Groupings of the Ekottarika, in forty fascicles (abbreviating the numerical categories present in various sūtras and śāstras, from one to ten, from ten to one hundred, and up to millions and tens of millions, resembling a forest of numbers).

12.71

Buddhadhātu-śāstra, in two fascicles; Catalogue of the Scriptures, in one fascicle.

12.72

The above three works, comprising forty-three fascicles, were compiled by the śramaṇa Shi Fashang of the former Dingguo Monastery in Xiangzhou. Shang's mountain of precepts was lofty and steep, and his ocean of wisdom profound and fathomless; his virtue could serve as a model for men, and his majesty could discipline all beings. Therefore, during the Wei and Qi dynasties, he served successively as Controller-General. The monks and nuns under his charge numbered fully two million, and Shang regulated them for nearly forty years. During the time of Emperor Wenxuan, the Śākya scriptures were extensively promoted; Shang shouldered it all, harmonizing and unifying everything, propagating both within and without, so that monastics and laity were all accommodated. Had he not been such a pillar and stone, who could have served as such a ridgepole and beam? Once his admirable deeds were manifest, his extraordinary renown reached far and wide, leading the Grand Chancellor of Koguryŏ, Wang Godeok, to deeply cherish right faith and revere the Mahāyāna. Wishing to spread the monastic customs to that maritime corner, yet not knowing the beginnings and endings or causes and conditions of the Dharma teachings, or the years and imperial dynasties during its passage from west to east, he drew up a list of queries from that state and sent the monk Uiyeon to sail to Ye to inquire about what had not yet been heard. The summary of queries stated: "Since Śākyamuni Buddha entered nirvāṇa, how many years have passed until now? Moreover, how many years did [the Dharma] stay in Tianzhu before reaching the Han land? Under which emperor did it first arrive, and what was the reign title? Furthermore, between the Qi and Chen states, whose Buddhadharma came first? From then until now, how many years and emperors have passed? We earnestly request full annotations. As for the various treatises such as the Daśabhūmika, the Prajñāpāramitopadeśa, the Bodhisattvabhūmi, and the Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā, who originally composed them? What were the causes and conditions of their composition, and the origins of their auspicious omens? Are there biographies and records? We respectfully record these consultations to ask that you deign to dispel our doubts." Shang answered: "The Buddha was born in the twenty-fourth year, jiayin, of King Zhao of the Ji-Zhou dynasty. He left home at nineteen and attained the Way at thirty, in the twenty-fourth year, guiwei, of King Mu. When King Mu heard that a transformed man had appeared in the West, he immediately journeyed westward and ultimately did not return; this serves as proof. He remained in the world for forty-nine years. From his parinirvāṇa until now, the seventh year of Wuping, bingshen, of the Qi dynasty, is altogether one thousand four hundred and sixty-five years. In the tenth year of the Yongping era of Emperor Ming of the Later Han, the scriptural Dharma first arrived, being transmitted through the Wei and Jin down to the present. In the Chiwu era of Sun Quan, Kang Senghui went to Wu and only then propagated the teachings. The Bodhisattvabhūmi was received by the monk Asaṅga from Maitreya Bodhisattva; its text reached the Long'an era of Emperor An of the Jin, when Dharmakṣema translated it in Guzang for Juqu Mengxun, King of Hexi. The Mahāyāna Treatise was composed by Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva; in the Long'an era of the Jin, Kumārajīva reached Chang'an and translated it for Yao Xing. The Daśabhūmika-śāstra and the Vajracchedikā-śāstra were both composed by Asaṅga's younger brother Vasubandhu; during the time of Emperor Xuanwu of the Later Wei, the Tripiṭaka Dharma Master Bodhiruci first translated them." Shang's answers, corrections, and accounts of their origins were extremely extensive; now I merely summarize the essentials to show their similarities and differences. As for what Shang wore, other than plain patched kāṣāya, one alms bowl, and three robes, he accumulated nothing else. All the offerings and secular wealth he received were used to build a mountain monastery named Heshui. At the absolute peak of the mountain he built a Tuṣita Hall, constantly vowing to be reborn there to gaze upon Maitreya, and provided the fourfold offerings to one hundred fifty monks. When the Qi destroyed the Dharma and submerged it, the mountain monastery was not destroyed. Shang privately concealed himself among the laity, pursuing his spiritual vocation as usual. He constantly prayed that in his remaining years he might see the restoration of the Triratna, and pay homage once more to Maitreya Tathāgata. Since his practice was so devoted and his sincerity so profound, his mind was like pouring water. Thereupon, when the Sovereign of the Kaihuang era ascended the dragon throne, the Buddha sun shone forth again. Shang's wish was fulfilled: while ill, he put on his kāṣāya, and his disciples carried him on a litter up to the peak of the mountain monastery. Joining his palms, he paid homage three times to Maitreya, the World-Honoured One, circumambulated three times to the right, and then returned to the foot of the mountain. He passed away peacefully, aged over ninety.

12.73

Treatise on Pacifying the People, in twelve fascicles; Treatise on Cultivating the Spirit, in ten fascicles.

12.74

Treatise on Cause and Effect, in two fascicles; Record of Sacred Traces, in two fascicles.

12.75

Record of Stūpas and Monasteries, in one fascicle; Record of the Eastward Flow of the Scriptural Dharma, in one fascicle.

12.76

Record of the Ten Virtues, in one fascicle; Regulations for Monks and Nuns, in one fascicle.

12.77

The above eight works, comprising thirty fascicles, were compiled by the śramaṇa Shi Lingyu of Daci Monastery in Xiangzhou. Yu was the disciple of Dharma Master Daoping. He took his master's moral stature as a pattern and was adept at upholding the vinaya rules; his wisdom penetrated deeply, and his learning and experience were vast and extensive. Combining Buddhist and non-Buddhist studies, he served as a master to both monastics and laity. By nature he loved transmitting the lamp, and in disposition he was fond of authoring treatises; he could truly be called a śramaṇa of solid discernment and lofty conduct. Observing Yu's Pacifying the People, Cultivating the Spirit, and Cause and Effect, his intention lay in propagating the unsurpassed Dharma treasure. Yet the Dharma is a great treasure; to make it shine and manifest is truly difficult. In the final age, its maintenance relies upon the lineage of the Śākya clan, while the establishment of the semblance era is entrusted to kings and emperors. Thus, the fly clinging to a thoroughbred's tail can gallop a thousand leagues, and the creeper entwining a tall pine can rear up ten thousand fathoms: only by relying on superior conditions can extraordinary aspirations be fulfilled. Moreover, "jing" (capital) means great, and "shi" (master/multitude) means host; where the great host gathers is called the "jingshi" (metropolitan capital). Furthermore, now that the nine provinces are united and the six directions brought under single rule, the Sovereign only wishes to sit with hands folded in the palace halls and govern through non-action. Since he employs all under heaven, he must also employ the talents of all under heaven. Therefore he summoned eminent monks to propagate Buddhism, enlisted Ru scholars to transform the populace, entrusted governance to the gentry, and sought skill among artisans; women weave and men farm, each devoting themselves to their occupation: these are the duties of the four classes of people. The official bureaus all exist, leaving nothing further to be instituted. As for the vinaya rules and dhyāna contemplation, expounding the sūtras and śāstras, and chanting in Dharma services, these are the masteries of the five assemblies. Because canonical regulations were not yet complete, a wide search was conducted once again. In the tenth year of Kaihuang, an imperial decree descended upon his prefecture, summoning Yu to enter the capital; when he arrived and was received at court, he was questioned and greeted with great warmth. He was just about to grasp the dragon's scales to spread the Dharma clouds and allow the common multitude to receive moisture, and attach himself to the phoenix's wings to stir the breeze of wisdom and grant coolness to the black-haired people; yet before long, he repeatedly begged to retire, saying: "Unaccustomed to the climate, I frequently feel my illness worsening." In the spring of the eleventh year, he was released to return to Ye. Fei [Zhangfang] says: "Only one who can forget oneself can save the times. Now, pining after one's bodily form, one forgets the great benefit. If one cannot even cast off the kinship and settlement, then reasonably, how can one escape dwelling within the three realms?"

12.78

Miscellaneous Record of Undertaking Practices According to Capacities, in thirty-two fascicles.

12.79

Classified Collection of the Three Stages and Ranks, in three fascicles.

12.80

The above two works comprise thirty-five fascicles in total. Compiled by Śramaṇa Shi Xinxing of Zhenji Temple. Xinxing was a native of Weizhou. From his youth he was refined and brilliant, widely encompassing the various scriptures. He harboured unique insight and made manifest his lofty conduct. His understanding and practice differed from those of former elders of old: he did not allow śrāvakas to combine their practice with bodhisattva conduct; he renounced the two hundred and fifty precepts, placing himself below full monks (mahāsaṅgha) and above śrāmaṇeras. His disciples all practised the Vaipulya teachings, joined in pure dhūta, begged for food, ate only one meal a day, and walked along the roads, bowing in veneration to everyone without distinction of male or female, seeking to resemble the conduct of Sadāparibhūta in the Lotus Sūtra. Now, nirvāṇa is a single principle, yet the paths toward it are myriad. It is like the imperial capital, toward which people rush from the eight directions; nirvāṇa is also like this, with the ten directions all converging upon it. But the routes have hardships and level stretches, some being circuitous and some direct. When the mind is deluded about its path, understanding turns back into perplexity; when the mind is awakened to its route, perplexity becomes understanding. Therefore the scriptures say: 'When sentient beings have not yet attained buddhahood, they take bodhi to be defilement; when sentient beings have attained buddhahood, they take defilement to be bodhi.' This route of Xinxing is likewise one method among the myriad avenues. Yet people love conformity and detest difference, and for this reason he occasionally drew criticism. This catalogue draws throughout upon the canonical texts of sūtras and treatises, though its external titles lack fixed standards. Although it is called 'Cultivating Practice in Accordance with Capacities' and is profound and obscure, in designating substances and posting headings it conceals little of the actual matter. If future sages examine it, they may fortunately know that it has authority. (In the twentieth year of Kaihuang, an imperial edict banned it and did not permit its circulation. This was presumably to serve as an admonition and encouragement.)

12.81

Catalogue of the Canon of Scriptures, seven fascicles.

12.82

The above one work is in seven fascicles. In the fourteenth year of Kaihuang, Śramaṇa Shi Fajing and twenty other venerable ones of Daxingshan Temple compiled it by imperial command. Śramaṇa Mingmu of Yanghua Temple classified the sections and divided the entries, sketching out the main threads. Śramaṇa Yancong of Riyansi Temple detailed the fabric and collated the agreements and differences. Therefore the memorial states in brief: 'In total, the various scriptures comprise 2,057 works in 5,312 fascicles. In all, they form seven scrolls: six fascicles of the Separate Catalogue and one fascicle of the General Catalogue.' However, since Fajing and the others had not yet seen all the scripture editions from the three kingdoms to collate their agreements and differences, they have now only relied upon the catalogues of more than ten houses to prune the acceptable from the unacceptable and outline the overarching framework. They arranged them into nine catalogues, distinguishing categories and sections into forty-two divisions. The first six catalogues comprise thirty-six divisions, which briefly show the distinctions between the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna of the sūtras, vinaya, and Tripiṭaka, and roughly manifest the differences between correct and erroneous, genuine and spurious among the translations handed down. The last three catalogues collect biographies, records, and commentaries. The first three divisions among these were all written by sages and worthies of the Western Regions; because they are not canonical scriptures of the Tripiṭaka, they are treated as a separate catalogue. The latter three divisions were all composed by eminent and virtuous figures of this land; although unlike what was produced in the Western Regions, there is none that does not support the canonical scriptures, elucidate the sectarian teachings, shed luster on the heritage of the past, and instruct and advance later scholars. Hence they are included as well.

12.83

Newly Combined Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra, eight fascicles.

12.84

The above one work is in eight fascicles. Combined in the seventeenth year of Kaihuang by Śramaṇa Shi Baogui of Daxingshan Temple. Baogui was an eminent disciple of Dao'an of the Northern Zhou. Perusing the various scriptures, he saw that in the past, under the Jin dynasty, Śramaṇa Zhi Mindu had combined five versions of the Śūraṅgamasamādhi Sūtra by two Zhis and two Zhus—altogether five houses—into one work in eight fascicles; and also combined three versions of the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa by one Zhi and two Zhus—altogether three houses—into one work in five fascicles. In recent times, Śramaṇa Sengjiu also combined four versions of the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra by the two Chens, Kumārajīva, and Narendrayaśas—altogether four houses—into one work in sixty fascicles. The text and meaning of these various combined scriptures were fully complete. Since these were the surviving models of past sages, Baogui followed them as his standard. Now, there were three extant versions of the Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra: first, that translated by Dharmakṣema in four fascicles; second, that translated by Guptaka in five fascicles; and third, that translated by Paramārtha in seven fascicles. Its preface indeed states: 'Dharma Master Dharmakṣema declared that the Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra had missing chapters. Whenever I examined the text and weighed its meaning, I thought this statement was verified; yet lacking any means of collation, I brooded over it waking and sleeping. Emperor Wu of the Liang, pitying the cycle of transmigration in the three destinies and lamenting the drowning of the four kinds of born beings, launched the jeweled boat to rescue the drowning and held aloft the torch of wisdom to illumine the deluded. During the Datong reign era, an imperial decree dispatched Attendant Gentleman Zhang Ji and others to escort the Funan tribute envoys back to their country, and moreover to invite renowned monks and request Mahāyāna treatises, the Gaṇḍavyūha Sūtra, and so forth. That country then engaged Tripiṭaka Dharma Master Paramārtha—rendered Zhenzhen [or Zhendi] in Liang Chinese—of Ujjayinī in Western Tianzhu, who brought sūtras and treatises and respectfully complied with the imperial command. The Dharma Master had travelled through various countries, and was therefore in Funan. His spirit was keen and perceptive, serene and naturally aloof. Among the deep divisions of the various canons, there was none he did not investigate. In the first year of Taiqing, he first arrived at the capital, where he was granted an audience in the palace halls. Emperor Wu personally offered prostrations and made offerings to him at the Baoyun. Just as he was about to translate the sūtras and treatises, bandit invaders encroached; the great Dharma was disrupted and the state disaster was hard to pacify. Only later was Śramaṇa Sengyin able to consult and receive instruction from him. The Dharma Master translated the scripture, and its catalogue of chapters was indeed deficient. The four chapters—

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