歷代三寶紀 8

English (machine translation) 8

Language: English

8.1

Presented by your subject Fei Zhangfang, Translation Scholar, in the seventeenth year of the Kaihuang era.

Regarding the successive records of the two Qin dynasties, the Fu and the Yao: these rulers were also hegemons of their time who promoted the Dharma. Ever since the Jin imperial house crossed the Yangtze and the Xiongnu burned Luoyang, the Yi, Chan, Jing, and Wei rivers were no longer the imperial capital. The Master said: 'When the four barbarian tribes invade together, the Central Plains decline.' Does it not refer to this? Fu Jian was originally a man from Wudu of the Di ethnicity. Taking advantage of the turmoil of the two Zhao dynasties, he occupied Guansi. His descendants seized the opportunity to successively establish themselves and claim the title of emperor, naming their state Qin and making Chang'an their capital. By the time of the third sovereign, whose taboo name was Yonggu, a divine light appeared at his birth connecting heaven and earth, and an inscription appeared on his back saying 'Cao fu chen' (straw-grass minister). Thereupon he changed his surname to Fu. Sixteen years after Yonggu ascended the throne, the Grand Astrologer memorialized: 'A virtuous star has appeared in the astrological field of foreign kingdoms; a sage should come to assist the Central Realm, and whoever obtains him will become king.' Yonggu consequently sought Kumārajīva of the kingdom of Kucha, Shi Dao'an of Xiangyang who 'filled heaven', and others. At the time, Dao'an belonged to the Jin; [Fu Jian] attacked Nanyang, obtained Dao'an, and would always share his carriage with him, inquiring about politics as well as having him expound Buddhist scriptures. He dispatched an expedition westward to fetch Kumārajīva, but before Kumārajīva arrived, Yonggu had already died. After six sovereigns and forty-four years, [the territory] fell to the Later Qin. Yao Chang was a Qiang of the Western Rong; seizing the moment, he successively established himself, still keeping Chang'an as capital, and renaming it Chang'an [with the character 'constancy']. By the third spring of the Hongshi era of his son Yao Xing, trees with intertwined branches grew in the ancestral temple courtyard, and the scallions in the Xiaoyao Garden all transformed into Chinese chives. Everyone declared this to be an auspicious omen, indicating that a wise man was due to arrive as an auspicious response for the kingdom. In winter Kumārajīva arrived. Yao Xing welcomed him with exceptional courtesy, treated him as National Preceptor, and revered him most profoundly. He broadly expounded scriptures and treatises, and the propagation and translation of texts in Cīnasthāna reached its height during this dynasty. Śramaṇas from the four directions gathered like clouds. Before this, from the fall of the Former Han to the rise of the Fu Qin, for 331 years Chang'an's court and marketplaces had been desolate and its customs rough. Although there were a few saṅghārāmas, converts were rare. Three thousand virtuous monks lived together in one place, jointly receiving the offerings of the Heavenly King of the Yao Qin. The world called it the Great Monastery, though that was not its original name. In the center, a hall was constructed temporarily thatched with grass; within it and at the Xiaoyao Garden, translations were carried out in both places. The far-reaching reach of the Dharma-treasure and the verified signs were such as this. Monastic officials were therefore established with the salary and rank of Palace Attendants, and two registrars were appointed to supervise the monks of the five divisions. The flourishing of the Court of National Monastic Affairs originated from this. At the end of the Wei and the beginning of the Zhou, when the streets and avenues were slightly rearranged, the Great Monastery was consequently divided into four saṅghārāmas. The original name 'Thatched Hall' became one monastery; east of the Thatched Hall was the Changzhu Monastery; to the south was the Jingzhao Wang Monastery, which was later renamed Anding Guo Monastery; west of Anding Guo was the Mahāyāna Monastery. Beside the left side of Anding, on the east bank of the Imperial Avenue, was an octagonal great well; this was the sweet spring from the eastern kitchen of the old Great Monastery that supplied the three thousand monks. The descendants comprised three sovereigns over thirty-two years before being destroyed by the Jin, and their territory passed to the Wei. The combined records of the two Qin dynasties span seventy-six years; because West Qin's Qifu Gangui extinguished Fu Chong twelve years after the Later Qin was founded, when calculated according to the sexagenary cycle their chronologies overlap. Reckoning from the first year of Huangshi when Fu Jian arose, corresponding to the jia-yin year of the tenth year of the Yonghe era of Emperor Mu of the Jin, down to the second year of the Yonghe era of Yao Hong, which was the ding-si year of the thirteenth year of the Yixi era of Emperor An of the Jin, the national dynastic record actually covers sixty-four years. Sixteen Chinese, Rong, and Śākyan persons produced a total of 164 works of scriptures, treatises, and biographies in 914 fascicles. These are summarized as the successive records of the two Qin dynasties of the Fu and the Yao.

8.3

(Fu Qin) Śramaṇa Dharmadhara: two works (precept texts and altar liturgies in two fascicles).

8.4

Śramaṇa Shi Huichang: one work (precept text in one fascicle).

8.5

Śramaṇa Dharmapriya: one work (sūtra in five fascicles).

8.6

Śramaṇa Kumārabodhi: one work (sūtra in two fascicles).

8.7

Śramaṇa Dharmanandin: five works (sūtras, collections, and treatises in 114 fascicles).

8.8

Śramaṇa Saṅghabhadra: three works (sūtras in twenty-seven fascicles).

8.9

Śramaṇa Saṅghadeva: three works (Abhidharma and others in sixty fascicles).

8.10

Śramaṇa Shi Dao'an: twenty-four works (commentaries, treatises, records, and catalogues in twenty-eight fascicles).

8.11

(Yao Qin) Śramaṇa Zhu Fonian: thirteen works (sūtras and treatises in eighty-six fascicles).

8.12

Śramaṇa Dharmayaśas: two works (Abhidharma in twenty-one fascicles).

8.13

Śramaṇa Puṇyatāra: one work (vinaya in fifty-eight fascicles).

8.14

Śramaṇa Kumārajīva: ninety-eight works (sūtras, treatises, and biographies in 425 fascicles).

8.15

Śramaṇa Buddhayaśas: four works (sūtras, vinaya, and precepts in sixty-nine fascicles).

8.16

Śramaṇa Shi Sengzhao: four works (treatises in four fascicles).

8.17

Śramaṇa Shi Sengrui: one work (catalogue in one fascicle).

8.18

Śramaṇa Shi Daoheng: one work (treatise in one fascicle).

8.19

(Fu Qin) Shisong biqiu jieben (Sarvāstivāda Bhikṣu Prātimokṣa), one fascicle.

8.20

Jiaoshou biqiu er sui tanwen (Altar Liturgy for Instructing Bhikṣus over Two Years), one fascicle. (Sengchun obtained it from the kingdom of Kucha; Fonian held the text and translated the language; Huixiang was the scribe; recorded in Baochang's catalogue.)

8.21

The above two works in two fascicles were translated in Chang'an during the reign of Emperor Jianwen of the Jin by Tripiṭaka Vinaya Master Dharmadhara of the Western Regions—translated into Qin as Fahui—together with Zhu Fonian; Huixiang served as scribe.

8.22

Biqiuni da jieben (Bhikṣuṇī Prātimokṣa), one fascicle.

8.23

The above one fascicle was translated in Chang'an during the reign of Emperor Jianwen of the Jin by Vinaya Master Shi Huichang together with Dharmadhara, Zhu Fonian, and others. It is not recorded in the catalogues. If one investigates the school from which it stems, it should mostly likely be the Sarvāstivāda Prātimokṣa.

8.24

Mohe boluo bore boluomi jing (Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra), five fascicles (translated in the eighteenth year of Jianyuan; or seven fascicles; recorded in Sengrui's Catalogue of the Two Qin Dynasties).

8.25

The above one sūtra in five fascicles: During the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of the Jin, the Indian Tripiṭaka Śramaṇa Dharmapriya—translated into Qin as Fa'ai—held the Sanskrit text of the Large Prajñāpāramitā, and Zhu Fonian translated it into the language of Qin. It is also called the Chang'an Section, named after the place where it was produced. It is an abridgement of a foreign scripture.

8.26

Si ahan muchao jing (Sūtra of Evening Extracts from the Four Āgamas), two fascicles (produced in the fourteenth year of Jianyuan).

8.27

The above one sūtra in two fascicles: During the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of the Jin, the Tripiṭaka Śramaṇa Kumārabodhi of the Western Regions—translated into Qin as Tongjue—translated it at a monastery in Ye. Kumārabodhi held the Sanskrit text, Zhu Fonian, Fohu, and others translated it into the language of Qin, and Śramaṇas Sengdao, Tanhui, Sengrui, and others served as scribes.

8.28

Zhong ahan jing (Madhyamāgama), fifty-nine fascicles (produced in the twenty-first year of Jianyuan; this is the first translation; Zhu Fonian served as scribe; recorded in Zhu Daozu's Miscellaneous Record of the Jin Period).

8.29

Zengyi ahan jing (Ekottarikāgama), fifty fascicles (produced on the first day of the fourth month in the twentieth year of Jianyuan for Zhao Wenye, Administrator of Wuwei under the Qin; this is the first translation; Śramaṇa Huisong, Zhu Fonian, and others served as scribes; recorded in Sengrui's Catalogue of the Two Qin Dynasties, and listed in both Sengyou and Baochang).

8.30

Ayu wang taizi huaimu yinyuan jing (Sūtra on the Causes and Conditions of Prince of King Aśoka Having His Eyes Put Out), one fascicle (also called Wangzi Fayi huaimu yinyuan jing; produced on the eighth day of the second month in the second year of Jianchu in the city of Anding for Yao Min, Prefect of the Masters of Writing; recorded in the Catalogue of the Two Qin Dynasties; one edition lacks the character 'jing'; this should properly belong to the Later Qin, appended here following the majority).

8.31

Sengjialuoca ji (Saṅgharakṣa's Anthology), two fascicles (composed seven hundred years after the Buddha's nirvāṇa by Saṅgharakṣa; recorded in Baochang's catalogue).

8.32

San fadu (Tridharmaka), two fascicles (slightly different from the one produced by Saṅghadeva during the Jin dynasty).

8.33

The above five works in 114 fascicles: During the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of the Jin, Tripiṭaka Dharma Master Dharmanandin of the Tokhāra kingdom—translated into Qin as Faxi—arrived in Chang'an at the beginning of the Jianyuan era. He recited from memory the Sanskrit text of the four Āgamas and dictated it orally; Zhu Fonian wrote it down in Indic script. By the twentieth year, it was translated for the ruler Fu [Jian], making fifty-nine fascicles. At that time, when Murong Chong and Yao Chang rebelled, the area within the passes became dangerous and obstructed, and [the translations] could not be thoroughly polished. Dharmanandin departed for the west, and where he went is unknown. Great are the hardships in propagating the Dharma, and diligent was the exertion upon encountering the conditions—truly worthy of respect and lamentation!

8.34

Apitan piposha (Abhidharma-vibhāṣā), fourteen fascicles (produced in the nineteenth year of Jianyuan; or twelve fascicles).

8.35

Poxumi jing (Vasumitra Sūtra), ten fascicles (produced in the twentieth year of Jianyuan; or said to be an anthology of treatises).

8.36

Sengjialuoca ji jing (Saṅgharakṣa's Anthology Sūtra), three fascicles (produced on the thirtieth day of the eleventh month in the twentieth year of Jianyuan).

8.37

The above three works in twenty-seven fascicles: During the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of the Jin, Tripiṭaka Dharma Master Saṅghabhadra of Kashmir—translated into Qin as Zhongxian—had of old recited the brāhmaṇa Indic texts with great fluency. Dharmanandin first recorded them in Indic script, Fotuoluoca interpreted, and Śramaṇa Huisong, Śramaṇa Zhimin, Zhao Wenye (Gentleman of the Palace Library), and others served as scribes, rendering them into the language of Qin.

8.38

Apitan ba jiandu (Abhidharma-aṣṭagrantha), thirty fascicles (produced in the nineteenth year of Jianyuan; also called the Kātyāyana Abhidharma; Zhu Fonian interpreted; Śramaṇas Huili, Sengmao, and others served as scribes; composed over three hundred years after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa by the arhat Kātyāyana; or twenty fascicles).

8.39

Apitan xin (Abhidharmahṛdaya), sixteen fascicles (produced at the end of the Jianyuan era in Luoyang; recorded in Sengrui's Catalogue of the Two Qin Dynasties).

8.40

Piposha apitan (Vibhāṣā-abhidharma), fourteen fascicles (also called the Extensive Exposition; produced likewise in Luoyang; recorded in the Catalogue of the Two Qin Dynasties).

8.41

The above three works in sixty fascicles: Tripiṭaka Dharma Master Saṅghadeva of Kashmir—also called Tihe, which is merely a regional variation in Sanskrit pronunciation—translated into Qin as Zhongtian. During the reign of Emperor Jianwen of the Jin, in the Jianyuan era of the Fu house, he entered Chang'an to propagate and spread the teaching of the Dharma. Earlier, when Saṅghabhadra produced the Vasumitra and Dharmanandin translated the Madhyamāgama, Ekottarikāgama, Tridharmaka, and others, it was during a time of barbarian conflict, so the translations were not detailed or complete. Dao'an departed this world before they could be revised. Later, when the region east of the mountains was pacified, Saṅghadeva, together with Dao'an's fellow student Shi Fahe, went to Luoyang. Over four or five years they studied and lectured on the former scriptures. Living in China longer, his understanding of the Qin language deepened, and only then did he realize that the earlier productions contained many errors. Fahe, lamenting that this rarely encountered Dharma had been produced without perfection, then once again prevailed upon Saṅghadeva to retranslate the previous scriptures. Shortly after this, Buddhist affairs under Yao Xing of the Later Qin flourished greatly; Fahe returned to the west, and Saṅghadeva crossed south. Therefore, the earlier and later texts differ slightly.

8.42

Bore zheyi lüe (Abridged Resolution of Doubts on the Prajñāpāramitā), two fascicles; Da shi'er men zhujie (Annotated Commentary on the Great Twelve Gates), two fascicles.

8.43

Yin chi ru zhujie (Annotated Commentary on the Skandha-dhātu-āyatana), two fascicles; Da Fatai nan (Response to Fatai's Objections), two fascicles.

8.44

Guangzan zhezhong jie (Compromise Exposition on the Guangzan), one fascicle; Guangzan chaojie (Extracted Exposition on the Guangzan), one fascicle.

8.45

Bore zheyi zhun (Standard for Resolving Doubts on the Prajñāpāramitā), one fascicle; Qijin jie (Exposition on the Arising and Ceasing), one fascicle.

8.46

Daoxing jiyi zhu (Notes on Collected Variations of the Daoxing), one fascicle; Xiao shi'er men zhujie (Annotated Commentary on the Lesser Twelve Gates), one fascicle.

8.47

Liao benshengsi zhujie (Annotated Commentary on Understanding the Fundamental Samsāra), one fascicle.

8.48

Miji chixin er jing zhenjie (Discerning Exposition on the Two Sūtras: Guhyaka and Dhāraṇī), one fascicle.

8.49

Xianjie zhu duwuji jie (Exposition on the Pāramitās of the Bhadrakalpa), one fascicle.

8.50

Renben yusheng zhu cuojie (Extracted Exposition with Notes on the Human Origin in Desiring Existence), one fascicle.

8.51

Anban shouyi jie (Exposition on Ānāpānasmṛti), one fascicle; Da daodi zhujie (Annotated Commentary on the Great Yogācārabhūmi), one fascicle.

8.52

Zhongjing shi fa lianza jie (Joint Exposition on the Ten Dharmas in Various Sūtras), one fascicle; Yizhi zhujie (Annotated Commentary on the Purport of the Meanings), one fascicle.

8.53

Jiushiba jie lianyue tongjie (Comprehensive Combined Concise Exposition on the Ninety-Eight Defilements), one fascicle.

8.54

Sanshi'er xiang jie (Exposition on the Thirty-Two Marks), one fascicle.

8.55

Sanjie hunran zaoza wei lu (Catalogue on the Chaotic Entanglement of the Three Realms), one fascicle.

8.56

Da Fajiang nan (Response to Fajiang's Objections), one fascicle; Xiyu zhi (Records of the Western Regions), one fascicle.

8.57

Zongli zhongjing mulu (Comprehensive Catalogue of the Scriptures), one fascicle.

8.58

The above twenty-four items, totaling twenty-eight fascicles, were written by the śramaṇa Shi Dao'an. Dao'an was originally from Fuliu in Changshan. His secular surname was Wei. His family had been eminent Confucians for generations. Having lost his parents at an early age, he was raised by his maternal cousin of the Kong clan. At the age of seven, he read books, and after reviewing them twice he was able to recite them by heart. His fellow villagers and neighbors were astonished. When he reached the age of twelve, he went forth from household life. His spiritual nature was clever and perceptive, yet his physical appearance was quite ugly. He was not valued by his master. He carried out menial tasks and servitude without ever showing resentment. Firm in nature and vigorous, he observed the abstinences and precepts without omission. After several years, he finally requested sūtras from his master. The master gave him the Sūtra on Distinguishing Intent in one fascicle, about five thousand words. Dao'an took the sūtra into the fields, and during rests he read it. In the evening he returned and gave the sūtra back to his master, asking for another. The master said, 'You have not read yesterday's sūtra, yet now you ask for another?' Dao'an replied that he had already recited the sūtra to completion. Although the master marveled at this, he did not yet believe him. He then gave him the Chengju guangming jing in one fascicle, nearly ten thousand words. Dao'an took it as before, and in the evening returned it to the master. The master held the sūtra and examined him on it; not a single word was off. The master was greatly astonished and respected him with wonder. Later, he conferred the full precepts upon him and allowed him to travel and study as he pleased. During the reign of Huaimin of Jin, while escaping disasters in the west and east, he first met Fotudeng. Deng saw him, sighed in admiration, and spoke with him all day long. The assembly then respectfully submitted. Later he went to Xiangyang, where he greatly propagated the Buddhadharma. Previously, sūtras had been produced long ago, but older translations often contained errors, causing the deep meaning to be hidden and poorly grasped. Whenever it came to lecturing, teachers would only outline the general drift and recite the texts. Dao'an then thoroughly examined the canonical texts, plumbing the depths and reaching the far-off, and thereupon annotated the twenty-odd works mentioned above. His prefaces were profound and rich, wondrously exhausting the subtle meanings. The thematic structure having been laid out, the literary style and doctrinal logic came into seamless coherence. The clear illumination of the sūtras' meanings truly began with Dao'an. At that time in Xiangyang there was Xi Zuochi, whose keen eloquence was extraordinary, surpassing his contemporaries. Relying on Dao'an's already established high reputation, he had previously sent a letter to establish cordial relations. When he heard that Dao'an had arrived, he immediately went to pay a visit. Once seated, he announced, 'Xi Zuochi of the Four Seas.' Dao'an said, 'Shi Dao'an of the Vast Sky.' Contemporaries regarded this as a famous retort. Zuochi later presented ten pears just as the saṅgha was eating. Dao'an sliced and distributed the pears with his own hands; when the pears were exhausted, everyone had been served without any discrepancy. Que Chao of Gaoping sent an emissary to deliver a thousand bushels of rice, writing a letter across several sheets of paper expressing deep affection. Dao'an replied in a letter, saying, 'Diminishing the rice makes me feel all the more how troublesome having attachments is.' From the Han and Wei through to the Jin, sūtras arrived in ever greater numbers. The names of the persons who transmitted these sūtras were often unrecorded, so later generations who sought after them could not determine their eras. Dao'an then compiled a comprehensive catalog of titles, indicated their historical periods, evaluated the new and old, and composed a catalog of sūtras. That the sūtras possess verifiable provenance is truly due to his merit. The Fu ruler heard of him from afar; thus he ordered Fu Pi to lead a host of one hundred thousand to attack and seize Xiangyang, capturing Shi Dao'an. After Dao'an returned to Chang'an, he resided at Wuchong Temple. With a monastic assembly numbering several thousands, he greatly promoted the transformation of the Dharma. The Fu ruler once went out and invited Dao'an to mount his imperial carriage and ride with him. Some admonished and criticized this. The emperor said, 'We do not find governing the world easy, so how could the honor of an imperial carriage suffice to match his virtue?' Dao'an admonished him not to embark on a southern campaign; the emperor did not listen and indeed suffered defeat. Dao'an frequently stated that translating from the foreign language into Qin involves five losses of the original and three difficulties. The first is that foreign word order is entirely reversed, and making it conform to Qin is the first loss of the original. The second is that foreign sūtras esteem plainness while the people of Qin favor literary embellishment; to transmit in a way that pleases the minds of the masses requires literary phrasing, which is the second loss of the original. The third is that foreign sūtras are exhaustive, going so far as to offer praises, repeating themselves earnestly three or four times without begrudging repetitiveness; yet now this is abridged and excised, which is the third loss of the original. The fourth is that foreign texts have explanatory disquisitions that look just like rambling words; tracing the discussion back to earlier remarks reveals no difference in the phrasing; whether a thousand or five hundred words, they are pruned and discarded, which is the fourth loss of the original. The fifth is that after an exposition is completed and is about to turn to another topic, it loops back to restate the prior words before stating what follows; yet all of this is eliminated, which is the fifth loss of the original. However, the scriptures of wisdom originate from the mind of the three knowledges; what is expounded by the wide-tongued Tathāgata must certainly adapt to the times. Contemporary customs change, yet pruning ancient elegance to suit modern times is the first difficulty. The foolish and the wise are separated like heaven and earth; holy beings cannot be stepped up to. To wish to take the subtle words of a thousand years ago and transmit them to match the degenerate customs under a hundred dynasties of kings is the second difficulty.

8.59

When Ānanda recited the sūtras, the Buddha's passing was not long past. The Venerable Mahākāśyapa commanded five hundred arhats endowed with the six spiritual penetrations to scrutinize and record them in turns. Now, separated by a thousand years, we measure and judge them with our limited understanding. Those arhats were as cautious and fearful as that, while these ordinary mortals bound to birth and death are so complacent and casual as this. Is it not that those who do not understand the Dharma are emboldened? This is the third difficulty. Venturing into these five losses and experiencing these three difficulties, how can one not be cautious when translating from the foreign into Qin? It is proper simply to convey the text without introducing disparate words so that readers may comprehend and synthesize it. Why should one further carp over gains and losses? This is truly something I dare not presume to know. He also said: 'Among the earlier translators, only Lokakṣema and An Shigao accurately grasped the foreign originals, proving difficult to rival. Kang Senghui and Zhi Qian were skilled craftsmen who carved and chiseled.' When sages and worthies guide and communicate, they can indeed inspire us; like a tortoise shell or mirror, or as words inscribed on a sash, they serve forever as admonitions. Yet referring to Sanskrit as 'foreign' does slight violence to the root, which I privately cannot accept.

8.60

(Yao Qin) Chuyao jing, nineteen fascicles (Produced in the tenth year of Jianyuan. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs, the Gaoseng zhuan, Baochang's catalog, etc.; some call it a treatise).

8.61

Pusa yingluo jing, fourteen fascicles (Produced in the seventh month of the twelfth year of Jianyuan. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs and the Gaoseng zhuan; some say thirteen fascicles).

8.62

Shizhu duanjie jing, eleven fascicles (Second translation. Slightly different from the eight-fascicle version translated by Zhu Falan in the Han dynasty. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs and the Gaoseng zhuan; some say ten fascicles).

8.63

Binaye jing, ten fascicles (Also called the Jie yinyuan jing. Scribed by the śramaṇa Tanjin. Found in Shi Dao'an's sūtra preface).

8.64

Shidi duanjie jing, ten fascicles (Second translation).

8.65

Pusa chutai jing, five fascicles (Also called simply the Tai jing. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs and the Gaoseng zhuan).

8.66

Dafangdeng wuxiang jing, five fascicles (Or four fascicles; also named the Dayun jing).

8.67

Chiren pusa jing, three fascicles; Pusa puchu jing, three fascicles.

8.68

Yingluo benye jing, two fascicles; Zhongyin jing, two fascicles (Found in the Two Qin Catalogs and the Gaoseng zhuan).

8.69

Wangzi Fayi huaimu yinyuan jing, one fascicle (Second translation; slightly different from the translation by Dharmanandin. Also called the Ayuwang xi huaimu yinyuan jing).

8.70

Shisong biqiuni jie suochu benmo jing, one fascicle (Sengchun obtained the text in the country of Kucha. Fo Nian's translation was verbose; later Zhu Fatai pruned and corrected it. Found in Baochang's catalog).

8.71

The above thirteen works, totaling eighty-six fascicles. During the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, the śramaṇa Zhu Fo Nian of Liangzhou had a lucid and perceptive intellect and in his youth loved traveling abroad. His family had lived in Xihe for generations, and he was thoroughly versed in both Chinese and foreign languages. In the early Jianyuan era of Fu Jian of the Former Qin, he came to Chang'an. At that time, Zhao Zheng, Gentleman of the Palace Secretariat, invited Saṅghabhadra, Dharmanandin, and others to produce numerous sūtras and treatises. None of the renowned monks of the era could translate them, so everyone recommended Fo Nian. Combining both languages to make the text clear showed Fo Nian's translating merit. Since the Han era, after Dao'an, Shigao, and Zhi Qian, none surpassed Fo Nian. Therefore, through both the Fu and Yao eras, he was the model of translators. Renowned monks of the Guanzhong region all praised him together. Afterward, he himself produced the works listed above. The Gaoseng zhuan records only five works; the other eight works are attested in various catalogs, and thus are listed in full here.

8.72

Shelifu apitan, thirty fascicles (Or twenty fascicles. Sengyou also says it was translated from the Vibhāṣā. Fei Zhangfang examined it: the biography says it was Yaśas. Following the biography as correct, it is amended here. Found in the Baoxiang catalog).

8.73

Chamo jing, one fascicle (Reached Guangzhou during the Long'an era of Jin and translated at Baisha Temple for the upāsikā Zhang Puming. This should belong to the Jin dynasty, but following the person it is appended to the Qin).

8.74

The above two works, totaling thirty-one fascicles. During the reign of Emperor An of Jin, the Tripiṭaka Dharma Master Dharmayaśas of Jibin (translated into Qin as 'Fancheng'; yaśas means 'fame', yet the Gaoseng zhuan says 'Faming', deriving the character from the phonetic sound, which is somewhat unreasonable in its logic) entered Chang'an in the Yixi era. Together with the Indian śramaṇa Dharmagupta (translated into Qin as 'Fazang'), he began in the ninth year of the Hongshi era of the Qin to write out the Sanskrit text for Yao Xing. The translation was completed in the autumn of the sixteenth year. The Qin Crown Prince Hong personally supervised the doctrinal essence. The śramaṇa Shi Daobiao composed the preface.

8.75

Shisong lü, fifty-eight fascicles (Produced at Zhong Temple on the seventeenth day of the tenth month of the sixth year of Hongshi. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs).

8.76

The above one work, totaling fifty-eight fascicles. During the reign of Emperor An of Jin, the Tripiṭaka Vinaya Master Puṇyatāra of Jibin (translated into Qin as 'Gongdehua') was praised for his observance of the monastic rules and had traveled widely converting people. When Puṇyatāra arrived, Yao Xing summoned more than six hundred monks of notable virtue from Chang'an, inviting Puṇyatāra to reside at Zhong Temple. He recited from memory the Sanskrit text of the Daśabhāṇavāra Vinaya, and Kumārajīva translated it into Qin text. When two-thirds were completed, Puṇyatāra suddenly passed away, and the assembly deeply grieved. Kumārajīva later worked with Dharmaruci (translated into Qin as 'Faxi') to translate the remainder to completion.

8.77

Maha boreboluomi jing, thirty fascicles (Formerly twenty-seven fascicles. Sengrui's Two Qin Catalogs states: When translating the Large Section, the Heavenly King Yao Xing of the Great Qin personally held the old version, Kumārajīva held the Sanskrit text, Zhu Fo Nian interpreted, and Sengrui and Sengzhao took down the translation and composed the preface. By this we know that what was translated earlier is now in thirty fascicles).

8.78

Dafangdeng daji, thirty fascicles (Second translation. Slightly different from the twenty-seven-fascicle version translated by Lokakṣema in the Han dynasty. Found in Li Kuo's catalog, the present Bie lu, and the Two Qin Catalogs. Their titles all include the word 'New', by which it is clear that it had been translated previously. It now exists in sixty fascicles).

8.79

Fangguang boreboluomi jing, twenty fascicles (Second translation; found in the Bie lu).

8.80

Jian zhu zuifu jing, ten fascicles (Found in the Bie lu).

8.81

Xiaopin boreboluomi jing, ten fascicles (Re-translated in the tenth year of Hongshi; or seven fascicles. Scribed by Sengrui. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs. It shares the same original as the seven-fascicle Puti jing but represents a different translation; Sengrui composed the preface in the Bie lu).

8.82

Huashou jing, ten fascicles (Also named the She shangen jing. Translated in the eighth year of Hongshi. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs).

8.83

Miaofa lianhua jing, seven fascicles (Produced at Da Temple in the eighth year of Hongshi; scribed by Sengrui, who also composed the preface. It is the second translation, sharing the same original with the Zheng fahua jing translated by Dharmarakṣa under the Jin, separated by nearly a century. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs).

8.84

Xianjie jing, seven fascicles (Produced on the fifth day of the third month of the fourth year of Hongshi; largely identical with minor differences compared to Dharmarakṣa's translation. Scribed by Tangong. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs. Also named the Xianjie sanmei jing, and also the Xianjie dingyi jing, having three names in all).

8.85

Shizhu jing, five fascicles (Translated jointly by Kumārajīva and Buddhayaśas; or four fascicles. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs).

8.86

Siyi jing, four fascicles (Also called the Siyi fantian suowen jing. Produced at Xiaoyao Garden on the first day of the twelfth month of the fourth year of Hongshi. It is the second translation, sharing the same original with the Sheng siwei jing translated by Dharmarakṣa, though differing in translation. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs; Sengrui composed the preface).

8.87

Dashu jinnuoluo jing, four fascicles (Second translation. Shares the same original with Lokakṣema's Dun zhenduoluoni jing, differing in translation and title, and its text is somewhat expanded).

8.88

Chishi jing, four fascicles (Second translation. Shares the same original with Dharmarakṣa's Chiren pusa suowen jing, differing in translation and title, and its text is slightly expanded. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs).

8.89

Weimojie jing, three fascicles (Produced at Da Temple in the eighth year of Hongshi. This is the fourth translation, largely identical with minor differences compared to the translations by Fotiao, Zhi Qian, Dharmarakṣa, and others. Scribed by Sengzhao. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs. Kumārajīva personally annotated it, and Sengrui composed the preface).

8.90

Fozang jing, three fascicles (Also named the Xuanze zhufa jing; or four fascicles. Produced on the twelfth day of the sixth month of the seventh year of Hongshi. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs).

8.91

Pusa zang jing, three fascicles (Also named the Fulouna wen jing, and also named the Dabei xin jing; or two fascicles. Produced in the seventh year of Hongshi. Found in the Two Qin Catalogs).

8.92

*Chengyang zhufuo gongde jing* (Sūtra on Praising the Merits of the Buddhas), three fascicles (Also titled *Jihua jing*. Produced in the seventh year of Hongshi. Appears in the *Catalogue of the Two Qin*).

8.93

*Chan jing* (Dhyāna Sūtra), three fascicles (Also titled *Pusa chanfa jing*; identical to the *Zuohan sanmei jing*. Produced on the fifth day of the first month in the fourth year of Hongshi. Appears in the *Catalogue of the Two Qin* and Baochang's catalogue).

8.94

*Chan miyao jing* (Sūtra on the Secret Essentials of Dhyāna), three fascicles (Appears in the *Bielu*. Sometimes lacks the character *jing*; some state one fascicle).

8.95

*Chanfayao jing* (Sūtra on the Essentials of Dhyāna Methods), three fascicles (Translated earlier; re-collated and corrected in the ninth year of Hongshi; preface composed by Sengrui).

8.96

*Asheshe jing* (Ajātaśatru Sūtra), two fascicles (Appears in the *Bielu*).

8.97

*Aranruo xichanfa jing* (Sūtra on the Practice of Dhyāna Methods in Āraṇya), two fascicles (Appears in the *Bielu*. Sometimes lacks the character *jing*. A different translation of the same underlying text as the *Zuohan sanmei jing*).

8.98

*Chanyao jing* (Sūtra on the Essentials of Dhyāna), two fascicles (Also titled *Chanfa yaojie*. Appears in the *Bielu*).

8.99

*Fa putixin jing* (Sūtra on Generating the Bodhicitta), two fascicles (Appears in Li Kuo's catalogue).

8.100

*Zizaiwang jing* (Īśvararāja Sūtra), two fascicles (Produced in the ninth year of Hongshi at the residence of Yao Xian, Minister of the Department of State Affairs and Duke of Changshan. Sengrui was the scribe and composed the preface. It is distinct from the "Īśvararāja Chapter" of the *Mahāsaṃnipāta*; it has five additional proofs, and the phrasing appears and disappears with slight variations in length. Appears in the *Catalogue of the Two Qin*).

8.101

*Shanxin mohe shenzhou jing* (Great Dhāraṇī Sūtra of Good Faith), two fascicles (Appears in Li Kuo's catalogue).

8.102

*Pusa he seyu jing* (Sūtra on the Bodhisattva's Scolding of Sensual Desire), one fascicle.

8.103

*Śūraṅgama Sūtra*, two fascicles (The seventh translation. It shares the same underlying text with the separate translations by Lokakṣema, Zhi Qian, Bo Yan, Dharmarakṣa, Zhu Shulan, and the *Yongfu ding jing*, among others. Together with two later versions from Shu and elsewhere, there are nine translations in total, each differing in phrasing).

8.104

*Brahmajāla Sūtra*, two fascicles (Produced in the eighth year of Hongshi at Caotang Monastery, where three thousand scholars translated this single final chapter. The Sanskrit text had one hundred and twelve fascicles and sixty-one chapters. When the translation was completed, three hundred people, including Daorong and Sengying, simultaneously received the ten bodhisattva precepts together. See the preface before the sūtra; Sengzhao was the scribe).

8.105

*Da shanquan jing* (Great Sūtra on Skill in Means), two fascicles (Appears in Li Kuo's catalogue).

8.106

*Zhufa wuxing jing* (Sūtra on the Inactivity of All Dharmas), two fascicles (Or one fascicle; appears in the *Catalogue of the Two Qin*).

8.107

*Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra*, one fascicle (Also titled *Amitābha Sūtra*. Produced on the eighth day of the second month in the fourth year of Hongshi. This is the fifth translation. It shares the same underlying text with the two-fascicle versions produced by Zhi Qian, Saṅghavarman, Bo Yan, Dharmarakṣa, and others, with minor differences in length. Appears in the *Catalogue of the Two Qin*).

8.108

*Maitreya-vyākaraṇa Sūtra* (Sūtra on Maitreya's Descent to Be Born), one fascicle (Also called *Mile shoujue jing*. Appears in the *Catalogue of the Two Qin*).

8.109

*Mile chengfo jing* (Sūtra on Maitreya's Attainment of Buddhahood), one fascicle (Produced in the fourth year of Hongshi. This is the second translation. Largely the same with minor differences compared to the version produced by Dharmarakṣa. Appears in the *Catalogue of the Two Qin*).

8.110

*Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra*, one fascicle (The one [beginning with] the Buddha in Śrāvastī is this text. Appears in the *Catalogue of the Two Qin*).

8.111

*Renwang huguo boreboluomi jing* (Humane Kings' Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra for the Protection of the State), one fascicle (Appears in the *Bielu*. The second translation. The text differs slightly from that produced by Zhu Dharmarakṣa of the Jin dynasty).

8.112

*Bodhi Sūtra*, one fascicle (Also titled *Wenshushili suowen puti jing*; also titled *Puti wuxing jing*; also titled *Gayāśīrṣa Sūtra*).

8.113

*Bequeathed Teaching Sūtra*, one fascicle (Also titled *Sūtra on the Brief Explanation of the Precepts Expounded by the Buddha as He was Nearing Parinirvāṇa*).

8.114

*Twelve Nidānas Sūtra*, one fascicle.

8.115

*Za piyu jing* (Miscellaneous Avadāna Sūtra), one fascicle (Produced in the tenth month of the seventh year of Hongshi; compiled by Daolüe).

8.116

*Pusa he seyu jing* (Sūtra on the Bodhisattva's Scolding of Sensual Desire), one fascicle.

8.117

*Suma ti pusa jing* (Sumati Bodhisattva Sūtra), one fascicle. / *Wenshu huiguo jing* (Mañjuśrī's Confession Sūtra), one fascicle.

8.118

*Biqiu yingfaxing jing* (Sūtra on the Monk's Practice in Accordance with the Dharma), one fascicle (Extracted from the *Dīrgha Āgama*; Sengyou noted it in his catalogue of doubtful texts).

8.119

*Wusiyi guang haitong pusa jing* (Sūtra on the Child Bodhisattva Inconceivable Light), one fascicle (Also titled *Busi guang pusa suoshuo jing*).

8.120

*Dafangdeng dingshengwang jing* (Mahāvaipulya Sūtra of King Mūrdhagata), one fascicle (The second translation. It shares the same underlying text with the *Dadingwang jing* translated by Dharmarakṣa, with minor differences in wording).

8.121

*Da jinse kongquewang jing* (Great Golden Peacock King Sūtra), one fascicle (Produced in Xiaoyao Park, fully complete with the ritual method for establishing the sīmā-mandala).

8.122

*Zhuangyan putixin jing* (Sūtra on Adorning the Bodhicitta), one fascicle (The second translation. A different translation of the same underlying text as the *Pusa shidi* produced by Dharmarakṣa).

8.123

*Fo dizi hua mozi jisong jing* (Sūtra of Verses on the Buddha's Disciples Converting the Sons of Māra), one fascicle (Extracted from the *Mahāsaṃnipāta*).

8.124

*Kaihua mo jing* (Sūtra on Converting Māra), one fascicle.

8.125

*Taibai mowang jianxin jing* (Sūtra on King Māra Taibai's Firm Faith), one fascicle (Extracted from the *Mahāsaṃnipāta*).

8.126

*Moye jing* (Sūtra on the Deeds of Māra), one fascicle. / *Guo mofajie jing* (Sūtra on Transcending the Dharma-realm of Māra), one fascicle (Extracted from the *Mahāsaṃnipāta*).

8.127

*Fo wen axulun dahai you jian jing* (Sūtra on the Buddha Asking the Asuras Whether the Great Ocean Decreases), one fascicle.

8.128

*Mowang bianshen jing* (Sūtra on King Māra Transforming His Body), one fascicle.

8.129

*Dongfang shanhua shijie fozuo zhendong jing* (Sūtra on the Buddha's Throne Shaking in the Eastern World of Good Flowers), one fascicle.

8.130

*Tuoluoni famen liuzhong dong jing* (Sūtra on the Sixfold Trembling in the Dhāraṇī Teaching), one fascicle.

8.131

*Foji jian qianfulun xiang jing* (Sūtra on the Thousand-Spoked Wheel Sign Seen on the Buddha's Footprints), one fascicle.

8.132

*Fo qi hua chu pusa jing* (Sūtra on Bodhisattvas Manifesting from the Buddha's Navel), one fascicle.

8.133

*Wanggu shenghuo foguo yuanxing fadian jing* (Scriptural Sūtra on the Vows and Practices in the Buddha-land of Shenghuo in Antiquity), one fascicle.

8.134

*Fo qingke che shifang jing* (Sūtra on the Buddha's Cough Resonating Throughout the Ten Directions), one fascicle (Extracted from the *Mahāsaṃnipāta*).

8.135

*Guoqu wubian guangjing fotu jing* (Sūtra on the Pure Buddha-land of Boundless Light in the Past), one fascicle.

8.136

*Fo bian shihuishen jing* (Sūtra on the Buddha Transforming the Bodies of the Assembly at That Time), one fascicle. / *Wuliangyue fotu jing* (Sūtra on the Buddha-land of Boundless Joy), one fascicle.

8.137

*Wanghou wei qianglang jing* (Sūtra on the Queen Becoming a Dung Beetle), one fascicle.

8.138

*Foxin zongchi jing* (Sūtra on the Dhāraṇī of the Buddha-Heart), one fascicle (Differs slightly from the *Xin zongchi jing* extracted from the *Jātaka Sūtra*).

8.139

*Mihou yu bi gongxi zhibian jing* (Sūtra on the Monkey Sporting with the Maidservant Causing a Transformation), one fascicle.

8.140

*Shuiniu wang jing* (Sūtra of the Water Buffalo King), one fascicle (Extracted from the *Jātaka Sūtra*). / *Que wang jing* (Sūtra of the Sparrow King), one fascicle (Extracted from the *Ṣaṭpāramitā-saṃnipāta*).

8.141

*Tu wang jing* (Sūtra of the Hare King), one fascicle (Extracted from the *Jātaka Sūtra*).

8.142

*Pusa shen wei gewang jing* (Sūtra on the Bodhisattva in the Body of a Dove King), one fascicle (Extracted from the *Ṣaṭpāramitā-saṃnipāta*).

8.143

*Fo xi wei luwang jing* (Sūtra on the Buddha Formerly as a Deer King), one fascicle. / *Mu niu jing* (Sūtra on Tending Cattle), one fascicle.

8.144

*Xukongzang pusa wen chijing de jisuo gongde jing* (Sūtra on Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha Inquiring How Much Merit is Attained by Upholding the Sūtra), one fascicle.

8.145

*Guanshiyin jing* (Avalokiteśvara Sūtra), one fascicle (Extracted from the new *Lotus Sūtra*).

8.146

*Mile pusa benyuan daishi chengfo jing* (Sūtra on Bodhisattva Maitreya's Original Vow to Await the Proper Time to Attain Buddhahood), one fascicle (The above thirty-two sūtras all appear in the *Bielu*, which states that Kumārajīva re-translated them).

8.147

*Dengzhi yinyuan jing* (Sūtra on the Nidāna of Lamp-Finger), one fascicle. / *Guan puxian pusa jing* (Sūtra on Contemplating Bodhisattva Samantabhadra), one fascicle.

8.148

*Shan benqi jing* (Sūtra on the Original Deeds of Śyāma), one fascicle (Also called *Shan jing*).

8.149

*Guanfo sanmei jing* (Sūtra on the Samādhi of Contemplating the Buddha), one fascicle. / *Baowang jing* (Ratnajāla Sūtra), one fascicle.

8.150

*Le yingluo zhuangyan jing* (Sūtra on Joyous Garland Adornments), one fascicle.

8.151

*Qing guanshiyin jing* (Sūtra on Invoking Avalokiteśvara), one fascicle (The above seven sūtras appear in Li Kuo's catalogue, which states that Kumārajīva translated them).

8.152

Siwei yaolüe fa jing (Sūtra on the Essential Methods of Contemplation), one fascicle (sometimes without the character jing) / Chidi jing (Bodhisattvabhūmi Sūtra), one fascicle

8.153

Pusa jieben (Bodhisattva Prātimokṣa), one fascicle

8.154

Shisong biqiu jieben (Sarvāstivāda Bhikṣu Prātimokṣa), one fascicle (second translation; slightly differs from the one produced by Dharmadhara)

8.155

Dazhidu lun (Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa), one hundred fascicles (composed by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna; produced at the Xiaoyao Garden in the fifth month of the sixth year of Hongshi; Sengrui served as scribe and wrote the preface; see the Er Qin lu; Kumārajīva said: "If fully translated, it would have been a thousand fascicles; as the people of Qin have weak discernment, it was abridged, retaining one tenth")

8.156

Borejing lunji (Collection of Treatises on the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra), twenty fascicles (see the Wu lu)

8.157

Shizhu piposha (Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā), twelve fascicles (composed by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna)

8.158

Chengshi lun (Tattvasiddhi-śāstra), twenty fascicles (or sixteen fascicles; produced in the eighth year of Hongshi; Tanlüe served as scribe; see the Er Qin lu; this treatise was composed by Harivarman more than eight hundred years after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa)

8.159

Dazhuangyan lun (Mahālaṅkāra-śāstra), ten fascicles (composed by Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa)

8.160

Shizhu lun (Daśabhūmika-śāstra), ten fascicles (composed by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna; translated in the Hongshi era; unfinished at the end of the first fascicle; resembles the Liu du ji jing; see the Er Qin lu)

8.161

Zhong lun (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā), eight fascicles (or four fascicles; composed by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna; produced in the Hongshi era; see the Er Qin lu; Sengrui wrote the preface)

8.162

Bai lun (Śata-śāstra), two fascicles (composed by Bodhisattva Āryadeva; produced in the sixth year of Hongshi; see the Er Qin lu)

8.163

Shi'ermen lun (Dvādaśamukha-śāstra), one fascicle (composed by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna; see the Baochang lu; Sengrui wrote the preface)

8.164

Maming pusa zhuan (Biography of Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa), one fascicle / Longshu pusa zhuan (Biography of Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna), one fascicle

8.165

Tipō pusa zhuan (Biography of Bodhisattva Āryadeva), one fascicle / Shixiang lun (Treatise on the True Mark), one fascicle (composed by Kumārajīva himself)

8.166

The above ninety-seven works in a total of four hundred twenty-five fascicles. During the reign of Emperor An of the Jin, the Tripiṭaka Master Kumārajīvapō of Tianzhu—rendered in Qin as Tongshou ("Youth-Lifespan")—arrived in Chang'an in the winter of the third year of Hongshi. Yao Xing, King of Qin, treated him with lavish courtesy and invited him to reside in the Ximing Pavilion and the detached quarters of the Xiaoyao Garden. An imperial order directed Senglüe to assemble more than eight hundred śramaṇas to receive instructions from Kumārajīva and retranslate the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra. Kumārajīva held the Sanskrit manuscript, while Yao Xing himself held the old translation for collation. The new phrasing differed from the old, and the meanings were entirely thoroughly grasped, satisfying and convincing the assembly. Therefore, the Er Qin lu referred to the text revised by Kumārajīva as the New Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā, which clearly indicates there was an old one. There were more than twenty works of this kind, all originally prefixed with the character "New" in their titles; over the long years, later generations mostly omitted the character "New," so that nowadays none have it. Now, in the reign of Yao Xing, translation flourished immensely; humbling his heart of a ruler of ten thousand chariots, he venerated the teachings of the Triratna. Having thus emptied his heart to revere the Buddhadharma, Yao Xing consistently provided offerings for three thousand monks in the Caotang Monastery of the Great Monastery, collating and deciding upon various new and old scriptures together with Kumārajīva, thoroughly investigating and penetrating their profound meanings without exception. At that time there was Dharma Master Sengrui, who was deeply recognized by Yao Xing; all the scriptures translated by Kumārajīva were examined and rectified by Sengrui. Formerly, when Dharmarakṣa translated the Zheng fahua jing, the "Chapter on Receiving Predictions" said, "Gods see humans, and humans see gods." When Kumārajīva reached this point in translating the scripture, he said: "This phrasing is indeed identical in meaning to the Western Regions original, but the language is too unhewn." Sengrui immediately replied: "Might it not be rendered as, 'Mortals and devas commune, both beholding one another'?" Kumārajīva was delighted and said: "Indeed it is!" Sengrui and Kumārajīva enlightened each other in all cases like this. Kumārajīva also composed the Shixiang lun and a commentary on the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa for Yao Xing. Kumārajīva had an elegant fondness for the Mahāyāna, with his heart set on propagating it. He once sighed: "Were I to wield the brush and compose an Abhidharma of the Mahāyāna, Kātyāyanīputra could be no match for it. But now, in this land of Qin, those with profound discernment are few; with my wings clipped here, what is there to discuss?" Once, hearing the Qin monk Daorong lecture on the newly translated Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra, he sighed: "The one who will cause the Buddhadharma to flourish is Daorong!" Shortly afterward, there was a brāhmaṇa from Siṃhala who was brilliant in debate and widely learned, having read and recited virtually all the secular books of the Western Regions, and was the leader of the non-Buddhists of that land. Hearing that Kumārajīva was widely propagating the Buddhadharma in Guanzhong, he sighed with deep feeling and said to his disciples: "How can we allow the tradition of the Śākya clan alone to spread exclusively in Cīnasthāna, while our canonical scriptures of orthodox transformation do not reach the Eastern Country?" Thereupon, riding camels laden with books, he journeyed far and arrived in Chang'an. When Yao Xing saw his sharp eloquence and quick wit, he was considerably taken with him. The brāhmaṇa then petitioned Yao Xing, saying: "The ultimate Way is non-exclusive; each venerates his own practice. I have now come from afar specifically to request a contest of debating skill with the monks of Qin; whoever excels shall propagate his teachings." Yao Xing readily granted this. At that time, the monastic community from all quarters in Guanzhong looked at one another with apprehension, none daring to accept the challenge. Kumārajīva said to Daorong: "This non-Buddhist possesses intelligence far beyond ordinary men; in a contest of words, he is certain to triumph. How could we allow the unsurpassed Great Way to suffer defeat at his hands through our company? This would be truly lamentable! If we let this non-Buddhist have his way and fulfill his ambitions, the axle of our Dharma wheel would be shattered. How could this be permitted? As I see it, everything rests on you alone." Daorong considered that his own talents and power were not inferior, but he had not yet thoroughly read the scriptures and books of the non-Buddhists of the Western Regions. So he secretly sent someone to copy the catalogue of scriptures read by the brāhmaṇa; at a single glance, he memorized them. Later, on the appointed day for the debate, Yao Xing personally attended along with all the dukes and ministers, and the monastics of Guanzhong gathered from near and far. Then Daorong stood face-to-face with the brāhmaṇa to contest him; the razor-sharp eloquence and profound metaphysics he displayed were beyond the other's reach. Although the brāhmaṇa already realized his arguments and principles were defeated, he still prided himself on his extensive reading. Daorong then enumerated the books the brāhmaṇa had read, and further engaged in a comprehensive discussion of the canonical scriptures and histories of the land of Qin, exceeding the titles and fascicles of the brāhmaṇa's readings by threefold. Kumārajīva, seizing the opportunity, mocked him, saying: "Have you not heard of the vast learning of Great Qin? How could you have acted so rashly, taking the trouble to travel from so far?" The brāhmaṇa felt ashamed and repentant; he prostrated himself, bowing his head to Daorong's feet, and left after some ten days without accomplishing anything. That the period of the Semblance Dharma flourished anew was due to the efforts of Kumārajīva and Daorong. Daorong later returned to Pengcheng, where he continually lectured without interruption. More than a thousand people came after hearing of the Way, and his accompanying disciples numbered over three hundred. By nature he disliked clamor and would frequently climb into an upper chamber to study and ponder. Diligently and skillfully guiding others, he dedicated his whole life to propagating the Dharma. He later died in Pengcheng at the age of seventy-four.

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