高僧傳 13.58

13.58

自大教東流，乃譯文者眾，而傳聲蓋寡。良由梵音重複，漢語單奇，若用梵音以詠漢語，則聲繁而偈迫；若用漢曲以詠梵文，則韻短而辭長。是故金言有譯，梵響無授。

Since the Great Teaching flowed east, many have translated the texts, but few have transmitted the chanting. This is truly because Sanskrit sounds are polysyllabic and repeated, while Chinese words are monosyllabic and distinct. If one uses Sanskrit tones to chant Chinese words, the notes become overcrowded and the verses cramped; if one uses Chinese tunes to chant Sanskrit texts, the melodies are too short and the words too long. For this reason, the golden words have been translated, but the brahma-sounds have not been passed down.