歷代三寶紀 9.80

9.80

The twenty-four works above, totaling one hundred fifty-one fascicles. During the reign of Emperor An of the Jin, the Tripiṭaka Dharma Master Dharmakṣema of Central Tianzhu—also called Wuchan, translated into Liang as Fafeng—brought the earlier portion of the Mahāparinirvāṇa[-sūtra] in ten fascicles along with the Bodhisattva Precepts and other texts, and arrived at Guzang, lodging at a guest-house. Fearing the loss of the sūtra texts, he slept using them as a pillow. At night, someone pulled Dharmakṣema down to the ground. Startled awake, he thought it was a thief. After three nights like this, he heard a voice in the air saying, 'These are the storehouse of liberation of the Tathāgata; why do you use them as a pillow?' Dharmakṣema was ashamed and awakened to this, and placed them in a high place instead. Indeed, there were thieves who tried several times at night to lift them, but could not budge them at all. The next morning, Dharmakṣema carried them without finding them heavy. Thinking he was a holy man, the thieves all came to bow and apologize. At that time, Juqu Mengxun had usurped control of the Liang territory and claimed the title King of Hexi. Hearing of Dharmakṣema's virtuous reputation, he summoned him to meet. Upon their first conversation, he treated him with great courtesy and subsequently requested him to proclaim and translate [the texts]. The outstanding śramaṇa of the Liang territory, Huisong, personally received and transcribed them. Several hundred monastics and laypeople of the western province rejoiced at witnessing his brilliance, posing difficulties in cross-examination from all sides; Dharmakṣema resolved doubts and bottlenecks with clear eloquence flowing like water. He subsequently produced over 600,000 words across the various sūtras and precepts from Baofang [Monastery], comprising one-third of the Mahāparinirvāṇa[-sūtra]. From start to finish, back and forth, he sought them out; over eight years and through three journeys, the translation was finally brought to completion. Although forty fascicles long, much was still missing; it is hoped that those who propagate the Dharma King's teachings will make it entirely complete. Seeing the perfect teaching once, may the transformation flourish anew! The translation of sūtras in Liang was completed in the second year of Yongchu of Emperor Wu of the Song.