釋迦譜 1.68

1.68

The meaning of Śākya is translated in Qi [Chinese] as 'able' (neng). The Ruiying benqi jing also says: 'Śākya is interpreted as able.' It is identical to this. These four sons all took their clan name on account of being able. Because they lived in a forest of straight trees (śāka), they were therefore called Śākya; in the Central Asian languages, 'straight' is also called śāka. In India, a single sound often encompasses several meanings; this is commonly the case. King Ikṣvāku was thus the ancestor of the Śākya clan.