[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [大唐故三藏玄奘法師行狀](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2052) › 1.2.5 # 大唐故三藏玄奘法師行狀 1.2.5 大唐故三藏玄奘法師行狀 1.2.5 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2052.1.2.5) 小乘諸僧無敢言者。 王曰。 師論太好。 在此諸師。 並皆信伏。 恐餘國小乘外道。 尚守愚迷。 望於中印度曲女城。 為師作一會。 命五印度沙門婆羅門外道等。 發顯大乘。 使其改邪從正。 不亦大哉。 是日發　勅。 普告集曲女城。 觀支那法師論。 自冬初而進至\[萉-巴+(日/(句-口+匕))\]月。 方到會場。 四方沙門婆羅門外道等。 蘊義洽聞之輩。 到者數千人。 王先令造殿。 容千餘人。 於中安尊像陳香花音樂。 設食行施訖。 請法師昇座。 標舉論宗。 命諸眾徵擊。 竟十八日。 無一人敢問。 王讚歎。 施法師銀錢三萬金錢一萬上㲲衣一百具。 又令大臣將法師袈裟。 巡眾告唱云。 支那法師論勝。 十八日來。 無敢問。 並宜知之。 諸眾歡喜。 為法師各立美號。 大乘眾號為摩訶耶那提婆。 此云大乘天。 小乘者號為木叉提婆。 此此解脫天。 燒香散花。 禮敬而去。 自是德音遐振。 會訖欲還。 王留。 更觀七十五日大施。 觀訖辭還。 王施大象一頭。 金銀錢數萬。 法師受象。 不受錢等。 戒日王拘摩羅王等。 十八大國王。 流淚辭別。 北道而歸。 備經艱險。 度雪山葱嶺等。 歷三十餘國。 到于闐。 附表陳請。 勅遣于闐王。 多給駝馬。 至燉煌。 以貞觀十九年春正月。 到長安。 於西域請轉法輪像等七軀。 經論六百五十七部。 佛肉舍利一百五十粒。 二十五日送經像於弘福已。 謁帝於洛陽。 三月一日。 奉勅還京師。 即於弘福翻譯。 及修西域記。 至二十年秋七月十三日。 進新翻經。 并請御製經序。 及進西域記。 蒙神筆報書。 極裒揚之美。 勅書云。 法師夙標高行。 早出塵表。 泛寶舟而登彼岸。 搜妙道而闢法門。 弘闡大猷。 蕩滌眾罪。 是故慈雲欲卷。 舒之蔭四空。 惠日將昏。 朗之照八極。 舒朗之者。 其唯法師乎。 朕學淺心拙。 在物猶迷。 況佛教幽微。 豐能抑測。 請為經題。 非已所聞。 又云。 新撰西域記者。 當自披覽。 勅奘尚法師。 又表謝。 兼重請序。 至二十二年。 駕幸玉華宮。 六月勅追法師。 既至。 接以殊禮。 勅問。 師比更翻何經論。 答。 近翻瑜伽師地論一百卷。 上曰。 此論甚大。 何聖所作。 復明何義。 答。 論是彌勒菩薩造。 明十七地義。 何名十七地。 法師答名及標大旨。 上甚悅。 於是勅遣使。 向京取論。 論至。 自披更歡喜。 因勅所司。 寫新翻經論。 為九本。 頒與雍洛相兖荊揚等九州。 遣遞流布。 法師更請經題。 恩勅方許。 至其年八月四日。 製序訖。 凡七百八十言。 題云。 大唐三藏聖教序。 通冠新經之首。 於明月殿。 命弘文舘學士上官儀。 以所製序。 對群僚宣讀。 霞爛錦舒。 光讚兼極。 凡厥百僚。 喜躍慶賀。 今上在春宮。 又製述三藏聖教序訖。 凡五百七十言。 二聖序文出。 後法師又陳表謝蒙勅。 報云。 朕才謝珪璋。 言慚愽達。 至於內典。 尤所未閑。 昨製序文。 深為鄙拙。 唯恐穢翰墨於金簡。 標瓦礫於珠林。 忽得來書。 謬承裒讚。 循躬省慮。 彌益厚顏。 善不足稱。 空勞致謝。 法師又陳表重謝。 勅報書云。 朕往不讀經。 兼無才智。 忽製論序。 翻污經文。 具覽來言。 枉見裒飾。 愧逢虛美。 唯益真慚。 自此之後。 四方道俗。 手舞足蹈。 歌詠連音。 內外揄揚。 曾未浹晨。 而周六合。 慈雲再蔭。 惠日重明。 歸依之徒。 波迴霧委。 所諸上之化下。 猶風靡草。 因賜摩雲納袈裟一領。 妙絕今古。 價直萬金。 又令天下寺觀。 各度五人。 冬十月隨　駕還京。 於北闕別弘法院安置。 有令造慈恩寺。 於寺西北角。 造翻經院。 勅法師移就翻譯。 給弟子五十人。 > None of the Hinayāna monks dared to speak. The king said, 'The Master's treatise is truly magnificent! All the masters here have been convinced and submitted to it. I only fear that the Hinayāna and non-Buddhist teachings of the other countries are still clinging to their foolish delusions. I desire to convene an assembly for the Master in Kanyākubja in Central India, summoning the śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, non-Buddhists, and others of the Five Indias to bring forth and illuminate the Mahāyāna, causing them to turn from the heterodox to the orthodox. Would that not be magnificent?' On that day, an imperial decree was issued, widely announcing the gathering at Kanyākubja to observe the disputation of the Chinese Dharma Master. Setting out at the beginning of winter, they did not reach the assembly grounds until the second month of spring. There were several thousand śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, non-Buddhists, and men of erudition and broad learning from the four quarters who arrived. The king had beforehand ordered the construction of a hall capable of holding over a thousand persons, inside which sacred images were enshrined and incense, flowers, and music were presented. Once the banquet was laid out and the almsgiving concluded, he invited the Dharma Master to ascend the high seat, set forth the thesis of the treatise, and invited the assembly to challenge it. For eighteen days in all, not a single person dared to question him. The king praised him and bestowed on the Dharma Master thirty thousand silver coins, ten thousand gold coins, and one hundred sets of fine cotton robes. He also ordered high ministers to hold the Dharma Master's kāṣāya and proclaim to the multitude on circuit, saying, 'The Chinese Dharma Master's thesis has triumphed! For eighteen days now, no one has dared to question it; let all be aware!' The multitude rejoiced, and each group conferred an honorific title upon the Dharma Master: the Mahāyāna assembly called him Mahāyānadeva, which means 'God of the Mahāyāna'; the Hinayāna adherents called him Mokṣadeva, which means 'God of Liberation'. Burning incense and scattering flowers, they paid homage and departed. From then on, his virtuous renown resounded far and wide. The assembly having ended, he wished to return home, but the king detained him, asking him to stay to witness the seventy-five-day Great Distribution of Alms. Having witnessed it, he bade farewell to return. The king offered an elephant and tens of thousands of gold and silver coins; the Dharma Master accepted the elephant, but not the money. King Śīlāditya, King Kumāra, and the other kings of the eighteen great states wept as they parted from him. Taking the northern route to return, he braved all kinds of hardships and perils, crossing the Snow Mountains and the Pamir Mountains, passing through more than thirty countries, and reaching Khotan. He sent a memorial to report his request. An imperial edict was sent ordering the King of Khotan to provide plenty of camels and horses. Arriving at Dunhuang, he reached Chang'an in the spring, in the first month of the nineteenth year of Zhenguan. From the Western Regions, he had brought back seven statues, including images depicting the turning of the wheel of the Dharma, six hundred and fifty-seven scriptures and treatises, and one hundred and fifty relics of the Buddha's flesh. On the twenty-fifth day, after delivering the scriptures and statues to the Hongfu Monastery, he had an audience with the Emperor in Luoyang. On the first day of the third month, he returned to the capital by imperial decree, where he forthwith began translating at the Hongfu Monastery and compiling the Record of the Western Regions. By the thirteenth day of the seventh month, in the autumn of the twentieth year, he presented the newly translated scriptures, requested an imperial preface to the scriptures, and presented the Record of the Western Regions. He received a letter in reply written by the divine brush, overflowing with words of highest praise. The imperial decree stated: 'The Dharma Master has from early days distinguished himself by exalted conduct, long rising beyond worldly dust. Sailing the jeweled vessel, he attained the other shore; inquiring into the wondrous Way, he opened the Dharma gates. Broadly expanding the great principles, he washed away all sins. For this reason, when the clouds of compassion were about to roll up, he spread them to overshadow the four voids; when the sun of wisdom was about to grow dim, he brightened it to illuminate the eight extremities. Who could spread and brighten them thus, if not the Dharma Master? We are of shallow learning and clumsy mind; concerning external things, we are still confused; how much more so with the subtle mysteries of the Buddha's teachings—how could we fathom or measure them? What you request as a preface for the scriptures is not something within Our knowledge.' It also stated: 'As for the newly compiled Record of the Western Regions, We shall personally read it.' Addressing Master Xuanzang, \[the Emperor wrote thus\]. The Master submitted another memorial of gratitude and again requested a preface. In the twenty-second year, when the imperial chariot visited the Yuhua Palace, an imperial edict in the sixth month summoned the Dharma Master. Upon his arrival, he was received with extraordinary courtesy. The Emperor asked in an edict, 'What scriptures or treatises has the Master recently translated?' He replied, 'I have recently translated the Yogācārabhūmiśāstra in one hundred fascicles.' His Majesty said, 'This treatise is vast indeed! Which sage composed it, and what doctrine does it clarify?' He replied, 'The treatise was composed by the Bodhisattva Maitreya and clarifies the doctrine of the seventeen stages.' 'What are the names of the seventeen stages?' The Dharma Master replied with their names and outlined their general purpose. His Majesty was exceedingly pleased. Thereupon, he dispatched an envoy by imperial decree to the capital to fetch the treatise. When the treatise arrived, he personally opened it and was further delighted. He then ordered the relevant offices to transcribe nine copies of the newly translated scriptures and treatises, to be distributed to the nine provinces—including Yong, Luo, Xiang, Yan, Jing, and Yang—so that they might be circulated and spread. The Dharma Master again requested a preface for the scriptures, and this imperial favor was granted. On the fourth day of the eighth month of that year, the preface was completed, comprising altogether seven hundred and eighty words, entitled Preface to the Sacred Teachings of the Tripiṭaka of the Great Tang, to stand as the opening across the beginning of the newly translated scriptures. In the Mingyue Hall, the Hanlin Scholar Shangguan Yi was commanded to read out the composed preface before the assembled officials. Dazzling as rosy clouds and unfolding like brocade, its praise and glory reached the utmost heights. The hundred officials leapt with joy and offered congratulations. The present Emperor, then in the Spring Palace, also composed an Account of the Preface to the Sacred Teachings of the Tripiṭaka, comprising altogether five hundred and seventy words. After the prefaces of the Two Sages were issued, the Dharma Master submitted another memorial expressing gratitude for the imperial favor. The reply stated: 'Our talents fall short of the jade scepters, and Our words are embarrassed by broad erudition. As for the inner classics, We are especially unversed. The preface composed yesterday was thoroughly clumsy and base. We only feared that Our brush and ink would defile the golden tablets, like displaying rubble in a forest of jewels. Suddenly receiving your letter, We have mistakenly accepted your excessive praise. Reflecting upon Ourselves and examining Our thoughts, Our face grows all the redder. Our virtue is not worth commending; you have vainly troubled yourself to express gratitude.' The Dharma Master submitted another memorial of repeated thanks. The imperial reply stated: 'In the past, We did not read scriptures and lacked talent and wisdom. Suddenly composing a preface for the treatises, We have rather defiled the scripture texts. Having fully read your incoming words, We find Ourselves wrongfully praised and adorned. Ashamed to encounter empty praise, We feel only genuine embarrassment.' From this point forward, monastics and laity throughout the four quarters danced with hands and feet, raising their voices in song; praises within and without spread throughout the universe before a single morning had passed. The clouds of compassion overshadowed again, and the sun of wisdom shone anew. Those taking refuge gathered like turning waves and gathering mists. Indeed, the ruler's transformation of those below was like the wind bending the grass. The Emperor thereupon bestowed an ink-cloud patched kāṣāya robe of exquisite quality, unmatched in ancient or modern times, valued at ten thousand pieces of gold. Furthermore, he ordered temples and shrines throughout the realm to ordain five persons each. In the tenth month of winter, the Master accompanied the imperial retinue back to the capital and was housed separately at the Hongfa Court by the Northern Gate. An order was given to construct the Ci'en Monastery, and in the northwestern corner of the monastery a Scripture Translation Cloister was built. By imperial decree, the Dharma Master was transferred there to undertake translation, and he was provided with fifty disciples. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2052.1.2.4) - [Next: 1.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2052.1.2.6) - [Up: 1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2052.1.2) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2052~en-mt.1.2.5) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [大唐大慈恩寺三藏法師傳](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2053.6.17) — 慧立 & 彥悰, Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2052.1.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2052.1.2.5) · Pramāṇa