[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) › [高僧傳](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059) › 14.281 # 高僧傳 14.281 高僧傳 14.281 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [14.281](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.14.281) 弟子孤子曼頴頓首和南。一日蒙示所撰《高僧傳》，並使其掎摭。力尋始竟，但見偉才。紙弊墨渝，迄未能罷。若迺至法既被，名德已興。年幾五百，時經六代。自摩騰、法蘭發軫西域，安侯、支讖荷錫東都，雖跡標出沒，行實深淺。咸作舟梁，大為利益。固宜油素傳美，鉛槧定辭，照示後昆，揄揚往秀。而道安、羅什間表《秦書》，佛澄、道進雜聞趙冊。晉史見捨，恨局當時；宋典所存，頗因其會。兼且攙出君台之記，糅在元亮之說。感應或所商搉，幽明不無梗概，泛顯傍文，未足光闡。間有諸傳，又非隱括。景興偶採居山之人，僧寶偏綴遊方之士，法濟唯張高逸之例，法安止命志節之科。康泓專紀單開，王秀但稱高座，僧瑜卓爾獨載，玄暢超然孤錄。唯釋法進所造，王巾有著，意存該綜，可擅一家。然進名博而未廣，巾體立而不就。梁來作者，亦有病諸。僧祐成蘭，既同法濟之責；孝秀染毫，復獲景興之誚。其唱公纂集，最實近之，求其鄙意，更恨煩冗。法師此製，始所謂不刊之鴻筆也。綿亘古今，包括內外。屬辭比事，不文不質，謂繁難省，云約豈加。以高為名，既使弗逮者恥；開例成廣，足使有善者勸。向之二三諸子前後撰述，豈得挈長量短，同年共日而語之哉？信門徒竟無一言可豫，市肆空設千金之賞。方入簉龍函，上登麟閣，出內瓊笈，卷舒王笥。弟子雖實不敏，少嘗好學，頃日尫餘，觸途多昧。且獲披來帙，斯文在斯，鑽仰弗暇，討論何所。誠非子通見元則之論，良愧處道知休奕之書。徒深謝安慕竺曠風流，殷浩憚支遁才俊耳。不見旬日，窮情已勞。扶力此白，以伐訴盡。弟子孤子王曼頴頓首和南。 > The disciple and orphan Manying bows his head and offers obeisance. The other day I was favoured with the perusal of your compiled \*Biographies of Eminent Monks\*, and was asked to examine and critique it. Having only just finished reading it with all my effort, I see nothing but great talent. Though the paper is worn and the ink faded, I could not bear to put it down. Indeed, since the ultimate Dharma was spread and celebrated virtue arose, nearly five hundred years have passed, spanning six dynasties. Ever since Śeṣamātaṅga and Dharmarakṣa set their carriages in motion from the Western Regions, and Master An and Lokakṣema bore their monk's staffs to the Eastern Capital, their traces have differed in appearing or hiding away, and their practices have varied in depth. Yet all served as boats and bridges, bringing immense benefit. It is truly fitting that their excellence be recorded on silk and their accounts established in writing, to illuminate and guide posterity and to extol the outstanding figures of the past. But Dao'an and Kumārajīva were only occasionally mentioned in the \*Qin Annals\*, while Fotudeng and Daojin were merely touched upon in the records of Zhao. Their omission in the histories of the Jin is regrettable for its narrow temporal horizon; and what was preserved in the records of the Song depended largely on circumstance. Furthermore, accounts emerged intermittently in the records of Juntai or were mixed into the writings of Yuanliang. While sympathies and responses were discussed here and there, and the hidden and manifest worlds were outlined in brief, these broad appearances in marginal writings were insufficient to shed brilliant light. Although various biographies appeared from time to time, they also lacked comprehensive synthesis. Jingxing only happened to select those who dwelt in the mountains; Sengbao exclusively gathered wanderers; Faji set forth only instances of lofty seclusion; Fa'an designated merely the category of moral integrity. Kang Hong recorded Shan Kai exclusively; Wang Xiu only praised the Eminent Seat; Sengyu documented them with singular detachment; and Xuanchang made an isolated record independently. Only what was produced by Shi Fajin and composed by Wang Jin intended to be comprehensive, enough to establish their own schools. Yet Jin's title was broad while his scope was not comprehensive, and Jin's structure was established but left incomplete. Among authors since the Liang, there have also been flaws: Sengyou and Chenglan incurred the same censure as Faji; Xiaoxiu, when taking up the brush, met the same reproach as Jingxing. The compilation by Master Chang was indeed the closest \[to perfection\], yet from my humble perspective, I still regret its prolixity. This work of the Dharma Master, however, is truly what may be called an enduring masterpiece. It spans antiquity to the present and embraces both inner and outer learning. In phrasing sentences and arranging facts, it is neither overly ornate nor crude; called detailed, it could hardly be reduced; termed concise, what could one add? Titling it with 'Eminent' makes those who fall short feel ashamed; establishing categories to broaden its scope provides ample encouragement to those who do good. How could the past writings of those several gentlemen be weighed against this or mentioned in the same breath? Truly, even if disciples wished to add a single word, none could; and the market's offer of a thousand pieces of gold would be made in vain. It is destined to enter the dragon-adorned cases, ascend to the Unicorn Pavilion, be placed within jade hampers, and be unfolded from the imperial boxes. Although your disciple is truly lacking in talent, I loved study in my youth; lately plagued by infirmity, I am ignorant in many things. Yet having had the fortune to open this work, I find that culture indeed resides here! I have had no leisure even to admire its depths—how could I have anything to discuss or critique? Truly I am not like Zitong discerning Yuanze's discourse, and I am deeply ashamed that I do not match Chudao appreciating Xiuyi's book. I merely harbour Xie An's deep admiration for Zhu Kuang's elegance, and Yin Hao's awe of Zhi Dun's brilliance. Not having seen you for ten days, my exhausted mind already yearns for you. Straining my strength to submit this letter, I express myself fully. The disciple and orphan Wang Manying bows his head and offers obeisance. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 14.280](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.14.280) - [Next: 14.282](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.14.282) - [Up: 14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.14) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059~en-mt.14.281) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [廣弘明集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2103.24.48) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.14.281](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.14.281) · Pramāṇa