大唐故三藏玄奘法師行狀 1.2.5

1.2.5

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.