佛祖歷代通載 12.8

12.8

（五　甲寅）　五年中天竺國摩訶菩提寺。遣僧致法師玄奘書。并獻方物。其辭曰。微妙吉祥世尊金剛座側摩訶菩提寺諸多聞眾所共圍繞上座惠天。致書摩訶支那國於無量經律論妙盡精微木叉阿遮利耶。敬問無量少病少惱。我惠天苾芻今造佛大神變讚頌及諸經論比量智等。今附苾芻法長將往。此無量多聞長老大德阿遮利耶。智光亦同前致問。鄔波索迦日授稽首和南。今共寄白㲲一雙示不空心。路遠莫怪其少。願領。彼須經論錄名附來。當為抄送。木叉阿遮利耶願知。及法長辭還。奘答長老智光書。其略曰。往年使還承正法藏大師無常。奉問摧割不能已已。嗚呼苦海舟沈人天眼滅。遷奪之痛何可述歟。昔大覺潛輝。迦葉紹宗洪業。商那遷逝。鞠多闡其嘉猷。今法將歸真。法師次任其事。惟願清辭妙辨。共四海而弘流。福智莊嚴。與五山而永久。玄奘所將經論已翻瑜伽師地論等大小三十餘部。即日大唐天子聖躬萬福率土安民。以輪王之慈。敷法王之化。所出經論並蒙神筆製序。令所司抄寫國內流行。爰及隣邦亦俱遵奉。雖居像季之末。而教法光榮邕邕穆穆。亦不異室羅筏逝多林之化也。伏願照知。頃信度河失經一馱。今錄名于後。有便請為附來。并有片物供養。願垂納受。是歲特旨度沙彌窺基為大僧。入大慈恩寺參譯經正義。基姓尉遲代郡人（鄂國公敬德之姪。右金吾衛將軍敬宗之子）母裴夢掌月輪吞之而孕。誕夕神光盈室。甫六歲能著書。初法師奘公於西域得一童子。敏悟絕倫。因携之詣宗。宗呼基出拜。奘使誦所著兵書。且數千言。奘數目童子。及基誦畢。奘紿之曰。此古書耳。宗未之信。奘令西域童子覆誦之。不差一字。宗大怒。以基竊古書罔己將殺之。奘就丐出家。基曰。聽我御葷色晚膳即從出家。不然寧伏劍死不為餓死。奘愛其俊而許之。遂從入道。每覽疏記過目成誦。義亦頓解。善大小乘。既參譯經。從奘受瑜伽唯識宗旨。著論凡百部。時號百本論師。然性豪侈。每出必治三車。亦號三車法師。

([Year] five, jiayin) In the fifth year, Mahābodhi Monastery in Central India sent a monk to convey a letter to Dharma Master Xuanzang and present local products. Its text said: "From the Mahābodhi Monastery beside the wondrous, auspicious, and adamantine seat (vajrāsana) of the Bhagavān, the Sthavira Huitian (Prajñādeva), surrounded by the assembly of great learning, sends this letter to the Ācārya Mokṣa of the great realm of Mahācīna, who has wondrously penetrated the profound subtleties of the immeasurable Sūtras, Vinayas, and Śāstras: respectfully inquiring whether you have few illnesses and few troubles. I, the bhikṣu Huitian, have now composed a verse eulogy on the Buddha's great supernatural transformations as well as inferential cognitions (anumāna) on the various sūtras and śāstras. I am now entrusting them to the bhikṣu Fachang to convey to you. The Elder, Great Virtuous Ācārya of immeasurable erudition here, Zhiguang (Jñānaprabha), also joins in sending his greetings. The upāsaka Rishou (Sūryadatta) bows his head in reverent salutation. Together we now send a pair of white cotton cloths (paṭa) to show that this is not an empty heart. Do not blame us for the small quantity because of the great distance of the road. May you deign to accept them. If there are sūtras or śāstras needed over there, send a list of their titles; we shall copy and transmit them for you. May the Ācārya Mokṣa be informed." When Fachang took his leave to return, Xuanzang replied to the letter from Elder Zhiguang. It said in brief: "In a past year, when the envoy returned, I learned that Master Zhenfazang (Śīlabhadra) had passed into impermanence. Hearing this shattered me with unending grief. Alas! In the sea of suffering the boat has sunk; the eyes of humans and devas have been extinguished. How can the pain of this loss be described? Formerly, when the Great Enlightened One hid his radiance, Kāśyapa succeeded to the grand enterprise of the lineage. When Śāṇavāsa passed away, Upagupta propagated his splendid plans. Now that the general of the Dharma has returned to the real, you, Dharma Master, are next to shoulder this responsibility. I only hope that your clear words and wondrous eloquence will flow widely together with the four seas, and that the adornments of merit and wisdom will endure as long as the five mountains. Among the sūtras and śāstras that Xuanzang brought back, I have already translated the *Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra* and others, over thirty large and small texts in all. Today the sacred person of the Son of Heaven of the Great Tang enjoys myriad blessings, and across all the lands the people are at peace. With the compassion of a cakravartin, he spreads the transformation of the King of the Dharma. The translated sūtras and śāstras have all received prefaces composed by his divine brush, and he has ordered the relevant offices to transcribe them to circulate within the realm, extending even to neighbouring states where all likewise revere them. Although we dwell at the end of the Semblance Age, the glory of the teaching is peaceful and solemn, no different from the transformation in the Jeta Grove of Śrāvastī. I humbly pray that you be aware of this. Recently, one pack load of scriptures was lost in the Indus River; their titles are listed below. If an opportunity arises, please send them along. There is also a small offering; please condescend to accept it." In this year, an exceptional imperial decree ordered that the śrāmaṇera Kuiji be ordained as a fully ordained monk and enter Da Ci'en Monastery to participate in the translation of the correct meaning of the scriptures. Kuiji was surnamed Yuchi and was a native of Dai Commandery (the nephew of Yuchi Jingde, the Duke of E, and the son of Jingzong, General of the Right Jinwu Guard). His mother, Lady Pei, dreamt that she held the lunar disc in her hand and swallowed it, whereupon she became pregnant. On the night of his birth, a divine light filled the room. At barely six years old, he could write books. Earlier, Dharma Master Xuanzang had obtained a boy in the Western Regions who was extraordinarily intelligent. He brought him to visit Jingzong. Jingzong summoned Ji to come out and pay his respects. Xuanzang had [Ji] recite a military book he had written, amounting to several thousand words. Xuanzang winked several times at the boy. When Ji finished reciting, Xuanzang deceived him, saying: "This is merely an ancient book." Jingzong did not believe it. Xuanzang ordered the boy from the Western Regions to repeat the recitation, and he did not miss a single character. Jingzong was furious, and believing that Ji had plagiarized an ancient book to deceive him, was about to kill him. Xuanzang went to beg that he be allowed to leave home. Ji said: "If you allow me to partake of meat, women, and late meals, then I will follow you into the monastic life; otherwise, I would rather fall on a sword and die than starve to death." Xuanzang loved his brilliance and agreed to it. Thereupon he followed into the path. Whenever he perused commentaries and records, he memorised them at a glance, and also understood their meanings instantaneously. He was adept in both the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna. After participating in the translation of scriptures, he received from Xuanzang the essential tenets of Yogācāra and vijñapti-mātra. He authored around a hundred works, and at the time was called the Master of a Hundred Treatises. However, his nature was luxurious: whenever he went out, he invariably arranged for three carriages, so he was also known as the Three-Carriage Dharma Master.