續高僧傳 2
English (machine translation) 2
- Language
- English
Contents
- 2.11 — 5 parts
2.1
Compiled by Shi Daoxuan, śramaṇa of Ximing Monastery under the Great Tang
2.2
Translators of Scriptures, Part 2: Four main biographies, eight appended
2.3
Biography 1: The North Indian śramaṇa Narendrayaśas of Daxingshan Monastery in the Western Capital under the Sui (Wan Tianyi)
2.4
Biography 2: The Northern Indian śramaṇa Jñānagupta of Daxingshan Monastery in the Western Capital under the Sui (Sengjiu, Fazhi)
2.5
Biography 3: The Southern Indian śramaṇa Dharmagupta of the Scripture Translation Hall in Shanglin Park by the Luo River in the Eastern Capital under the Sui (Hou Junsu, Xu Tongqing, Liu Ping, Fei Changfang)
2.6
Biography 4: The śramaṇa Shi Yancong of the Scripture Translation Hall in Shanglin Park in the Eastern Capital under the Sui (Xingju)
2.7
Narendrayaśas—rendered in the Sui language as Zuncheng (Venerable Renown)—was a man from the kingdom of Uḍḍiyāna in North Tianzhu. The correct phonetic rendering should be Wutu (鄔荼), with the sound of tu being *chiye* (chi-ye fan). Its king was of the same clan as the Buddha, having Śākya as his surname and belonging to the kṣatriya caste, which in the Sui language is rendered as "lord of the soil and fields." Because at the beginning of the kalpa they were the first to serve as lords distributing the land, they were consequently so named; this refers to what are now called rulers of kingdoms. At the age of seventeen, [Narendra]yaśas resolved to enter the monastic life (pravrajyā). Soon he met famous masters and heard the true teaching in full. At the age of twenty-one, he received the full precepts. Hearing various senior elders praising the holy traces of the Buddha—some saying that a certain kingdom possessed his bowl, another kingdom his robe, or that his cranial bone and teeth had performed numerous miraculous transformations—he thereupon conceived the wish to be able to behold and venerate them. Because he had newly received the precepts, he needed to know the aspects of the Vinaya; having completed five summer retreats, he set forth on foot to travel the regions. Thus, the traces of the heavenly ladder and the stone terrace, and the sites of the dragon shrines and precious stūpas, he widely visited across various kingdoms, personally bowing in homage to them all with almost nothing omitted. He once resided at the Veṇuvana Monastery for ten years; walking everywhere throughout the monasteries, he encountered many eminent virtues. There was a venerable elder deeply cognizant of human capacities, who looked at [Narendra]yaśas and said: "If you could cultivate in quietude, you would attain the noble fruit; I fear that by wandering and traveling, you will ultimately accomplish nothing." At the time, though he heard this, his mind did not comprehend it; later on, looking back and reflecting, what use was his regret? [Narendra]yaśas turned his back on the Himalayas in the north, reached Siṃhala (Sri Lanka) in the south, and having surveyed the holy traces throughout, he returned to his old land. There he beheld the ruler of the kingdom of Uḍḍiyāna to be a true great being (mahāsattva); among all he had experienced and seen, few were his equal. Let us attempt to describe it briefly: he governed the people with principle, and the people loved him like kin. In the fifth watch of the late night, he first paid homage to the triratna, offering incense, flowers, instrumental music, and song with complete sincerity. When the sun rose, he ascended the hall and only then attended to the myriad affairs of state. Next, when the hour of chen arrived, he bathed the image [of the Buddha] in fragrant water. In the palace, a meal for one hundred monks was regularly provided every day; the king and his consort served the food with their own hands. After the meal, to digest the food, he practiced various martial arts. When the sun began to decline, he copied ten lines of scripture, discussed the meaning of the Dharma with virtuous monks, and deliberated on governance with his ministers. At dusk, he entered the Buddha hall and offered lamps and candles himself; his prostrations and recitations each had a regular rhythm. Only after completing his routine practices did he retire to rest. For more than thirty years, this devotion never faltered. The king had a hundred sons, all harboring sincere filial piety; the surviving ways of the Śākya clan flowed on in this kingdom. However, because the monastery adjoined the hills, it was burned down by a wild fire. They dispatched one another to make appeals far and wide. With six companions, [Narendra]yaśas went forth to propagate the teaching north of the Himalayas. Reaching the precipitous peaks, they saw two paths—one for humans and one for spirits. The human path was barren and perilous, while the spirit path was smooth and clear. Travelers, their minds confused, mostly followed the spirit path; as they gradually entered its realm, they were killed. In the past, a holy king had erected a stone statue of the heavenly king Vaiśravaṇa at the start of the path, pointing his finger toward the human path. One monk among his companions mistakenly took the spirit path. When [Narendra]yaśas realized this, he recited the divine dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara with his mouth and pursued him for a hundred paces, but the monk had already been harmed by the spirits. [Narendra]yaśas himself escaped this disaster through the power of the mantra. Then he proceeded forward again, and encountered mountain bandits. Focusing his mindfulness on the aforementioned mantra, he received divine protection; the bandits rushed forward to attack him, but though facing his eyes, they could not see him. Following the road eastward, he reached the kingdom of the Rouran. Encountering the turmoil of the Turks, the western road was blocked; his wish to return to his homeland was severed, and so he drifted along. To the north, he reached the shore of the Muddy Sea (Ni Hai), and to the south, he was more than seven thousand li away from the Turks. Since that place was also unstable, he fled far away to the territory of the [Northern] Qi. In the seventh year of the Tianbao era, he arrived at the capital, Ye. Emperor Wenxuan granted him extraordinary courtesies, treating him uniquely differently from ordinary people. [Narendra]yaśas was then forty years old; his character was staunch, heroic, and refined, so that public opinion held him in awe. For this reason, Wenxuan treated him with great honor, housing him in the Tianping Monastery and requesting him to translate scriptures. The Indic manuscripts in the Tripiṭaka Hall numbered more than a thousand bundles; by imperial order, they were sent to the monastery. He was lodged in the upper quarters; a sanctuary was established for him, and offerings of supreme rarity and delicacy were provided. A separate kitchen and storehouse were set up to show reverence. The emperor also commanded the Grand Controller of the Office of Buddhist Clergy (Zhaoxuan Datong), the śramaṇa Fashang, and more than twenty others to oversee the translation. The śramaṇa Fazhi and the upāsaka Wan Tianyi transmitted the language. Tianyi was originally a Xianbei surnamed Wansi (Wanqi); having left home in his youth to study under a Brahmin, he was intelligent, resolute, skilled in Indic writing and language, and adept in incantations, charms, and arts; for this reason, he had a prior reputation and took part in the transmission. They initially translated more than fifty fascicles of various scriptures, greatly reviving the true Dharma and bringing expansive joy to the minds of the multitude. Emperor Xuan held the Dharma in extraordinary regard; he personally bowed to the Indic manuscripts and turned to his ministers, saying: "This is the vast foundation of the triratna; therefore, I honor it with special devotion." Such was his faithful reverence and sincerity. Whenever [Narendra]yaśas had leisure from his translation work, he occasionally recited divine dhāraṇīs, providing unseen deliverance and visible aid, and accomplishing much merit. Before long, he was appointed Metropolis Controller of the Office of Buddhist Clergy (Zhaoxuan Du), and soon shifted to Controller (Tong). The offerings and stipends he received were not kept for his personal sustenance; he loved giving rise to compassion and benevolence and took pleasure in promoting works of merit. He set up offerings to feed monks and gave to the poor and destitute; prisoners in jail and tethered livestock were all delivered by him. In busy places such as markets and city gates, he dug many public wells and personally filtered water to provide drink to sentient beings. Furthermore, in the western mountains of Jijun, he founded three monasteries; situated beside springs and bordering valleys, their layout was extremely scenic. He also gathered and cared for men and women suffering from leprosy in separate quarters, providing the four requisites so that their needs were fully met. Furthermore, he went to the guesthouse of the Turks and urged them to observe the six days of purification, releasing sheep that were meant for slaughter and adopting a vegetarian diet. He once fell ill and could not rise for a hundred days; the Son of Heaven and the Empress personally inquired after his health. [Narendra]yaśas sighed and said: "I was originally a guest from abroad, and my virtue is not lofty; now that the imperial carriage has descended, it is purely out of respect for the Dharma." Looking into his heart, he felt shame and apprehension combined. In the final years of the Jiande era, Emperor Wu of the Zhou conquered Qi; Buddhism and the state were extinguished at the same time. On the outside, [Narendra]yaśas donned lay clothing, while on the inside, he wore the three robes. Fleeing from place to place, east and west, he had no leisure to rest. The five assemblies were impoverished and distressed, having nowhere to take refuge; to those who were starving in ditches, he reduced his own rations to give to them; to the aged and sick who had to be supported, he helped them according to circumstances. Although his strength and resources were scarce, he refused dissuasion and persisted in doing this; his spirit and resolve remained vigorous, and he taught and guided without weariness. He bore these difficulties for four full years. When the Sui ruled the realm, they once again exalted the triratna. At the beginning of the Kaihuang era, in distant response to Indic scriptures, an imperial edict was issued requesting him to come and propagate translations. In the seventh month of the second year, his disciple Daomi and others escorted him to the capital, where he resided at Daxingshan Monastery. In the last month of winter of that year, the work of translation was initiated. By imperial order, the Controller of the Office of Buddhist Clergy (Zhaoxuan Tong), the śramaṇa Tanyan, and more than thirty others were instructed to collaborate in the translation. The sovereign's courteous inquiries were frequent, and the offerings were abundant. Although advanced in age, his conduct grew ever more vigorous. He once practiced according to the Śāriputra-dhāraṇī, fully observing its disciplines; in a dream, he attained a realm in which his own body became a Buddha. Such auspicious signs were frequent and numerous. Later, he moved to Guangji Monastery and served as the leader of foreign monks, comforting travelers and winning people's hearts in a wondrous manner. Suddenly, one morning, he said to his disciples: "I am old and my strength is failing; I shall soon depart this world. While I am still clear-minded, I admonish you, my disciples: the Buddhadharma is difficult to encounter, so you should diligently cultivate and study it; a human body is difficult to obtain, so be careful not to waste it in vain." Having spoken, he went to his pillow and peacefully passed away. He had completed a hundred years of age; it was on the twenty-ninth day of the eighth month in the ninth year of the Kaihuang era. Earlier, [Narendra]yaśas had encountered a skilled physiognomist who said: "Your years will certainly reach a hundred, and you are also destined to ascend as an immortal." Having passed away at full age, his words were verified. As for ascending as an immortal, that profound principle remains difficult to fathom. However, his face and physique were majestic and remarkably different from ordinary people; the uṣṇīṣa rose upon his crown, soaring like a cloud-capped peak; his eyes were perfectly centered and equal in upper and lower proportions; his ears were high and long, with complete lobes. Among the glorious features of men, none could compare to this. He was truly an eminent virtue in transmitting the Dharma. Once the Dharma master passed away, both monastics and laity were plunged into grief and shock, and glorious undertakings gradually fell into decline. In total, the scriptures and treatises he translated across his life amounted to fifteen texts in more than eighty fascicles; these were the Bodhisattva-gocaropāya-viṣaya-vikurvaṇa-nirdeśa-sūtra, the Candragarbha Sūtra, the Sūryagarbha Sūtra, the Dharmaśreṣṭhy-abhidharma, and so on. The śramaṇas Sengshen, Mingfen, and the Gentleman-in-Attendance Li Daobao and others transmitted the words and transcribed them brush in hand. The Controller of the Office of Buddhist Clergy, the śramaṇa Tanyan, and the Metropolis Controller, the śramaṇa Lingzang, along with more than twenty other monks, supervised the process from start to finish. By the winter of the fifth year, the collations and examinations were all completed, and the śramaṇa Yancong wrote prefaces for them; they are all documented in the Buddhist catalogues of the Qi, Zhou, and Sui. Looking back, [Narendra]yaśas traveled for more than forty years across more than fifty kingdoms and one hundred and fifty thousand li. Auspicious omens, spiritual traces, fine monasteries, eminent monks, rushing waters, deep forests, mountain spirits, and sea beasts—there was none that he did not respect or that did not submit to him. Because the events were so vast, there is no leisure to relate them all. The śramaṇa Yancong wrote a basic biography for him, which circulates fully in the world. At that time, there was also a śramaṇa from the same kingdom named Vinītaruci—rendered in the Sui language as Miexi (Extinguishing Delight)—who came from not far beyond five hundred yojanas to observe the thriving conversion. In the second year of the Kaihuang era, at Daxingshan, he translated two texts: the Gayāśīrṣa-vihāra Mahāyāna-dhāraṇī Sūtra [and another text]. The Gentleman-in-Attendance Li Daobao transmitted the words, the śramaṇa Fazuan transcribed them brush in hand, and the śramaṇa Yancong wrote the preface.
2.8
Jñānagupta—rendered in the Sui language as Dezhi (Virtue-Resolve)—was from North Xiandou. "Xiandou" was originally pronounced Indravardhana, which means "place of the Lord," referring to its protection by the Lord of the Devas (Indra). The pronunciation "Xiandou" is merely an erroneous abbreviation in that land. "Shendu" and "Tianzhu" are erroneous appellations used here [in China]. People of that land simply call it "Xiandou" as a collective term, and then divide it into five regions.
2.9
He was a native of the Gandhāra kingdom, called in the Sui 'the kingdom of fragrant conduct'. He lived in the city of Puruṣapura, meaning 'the palace of men'. He was of the kṣatriya caste, with the surname Jinbu (pronounced *ju-fan*), which means 'neck', referring to a peacock's neck; in that kingdom it is considered a noble surname. His father was named Vajrabara, meaning 'adamantine firmness'. In his youth he possessed far-reaching capacity, and as he grew up he maintained pure deportment; he held the position of prime minister, regulating the governance of the state. Jñānagupta had five brothers and was the youngest of them. Having planted the roots of virtue in past lives, he gave rise to the aspiration for bodhi early on. While still a boy with milk teeth, he already wished to leave home. His parents deeply recognized his capacity and did not go against his request. In their native country was a monastery called Great Forest; thither he went to take refuge, and thereby received ordination. His upādhyāya—which means 'one who is constantly approached and keeps [the precepts]', now called *heshang*, which is merely a corrupted abbreviation from Khotan—was named Jinayaśas, meaning 'Victorious Fame'; he devoted himself to quiet sitting and plumbed the depths of meditative practice. His ācārya—which means 'transmitter' or 'correct conduct', that is, the so-called *ācārya*, which is likewise a corrupted abbreviation from neighbouring countries—was named Jñānabhadra, meaning 'Wise and Worthy'; he had mastered all three trainings and was especially versed in the Vinayapiṭaka. After leaving home, Jñānagupta was devotedly filial and reverent; through years of instruction he came to fully comprehend the ultimate purport. Yet, because the sacred sites and spiritual traces of India were still preserved, he followed his original teacher so that he could pay homage to them all. At that time he was twenty-seven years old, having held the precepts for three summers. Master and disciples made a pact to travel afar to propagate the Dharma. At first there were ten persons who together agreed to depart the borders. Their route passed through the kingdom of Kapiśā, where they lingered for several years. The king of the country earnestly invited his master, venerating him as Lord of the Dharma, and the benefits [to the people] were comprehensive. When they were about to resume their travels, they crossed the western foot of the Great Snow Mountains; it was indeed the most precipitous of natural hazards. They reached the Hephthalite kingdom; upon first arriving, the wilderness was vast and the population sparse, so there was no one to prepare the necessary food and drink. Jñānagupta therefore relinquished his full precepts and exerted all his strength to serve and provide for [the others]. Though they repeatedly endured hardships of the times, protected by the unseen spirits, they fortunately escaped disasters and misfortunes. They also passed through the kingdoms of Qashgar, Khotan, and others, repeatedly encountering summer rains and cold snow, so they temporarily halted. Having no opportunity to preach widely, they did not stay long. They also reached the Tuyuhun kingdom, and then arrived at Shanzhou; at that time it was the first year of the Datong era of the Western Wei. Although they had passed through hardships and perils, his resolve grew all the more valiant; three years had passed since they set out on their trek. More than half of the ten persons had perished, and of those remaining, only four survived to reach this point. In the Wucheng era of Emperor Ming of the Northern Zhou, he first reached Chang'an and resided at Caotang Monastery. Master and disciples had fulfilled their original aim in travelling and converting; he ascended the pure altar once again and received the full ordination anew, following the Way with sincere dedication even greater than before. Gradually he had audience in the imperial capital and became versed in the Chinese language. Soon he accompanied his original master Jinayaśas, summoned by an edict from Emperor Ming to enter the rear garden to discuss the Buddha-Dharma together. Exceptional courtesies and special provisions were supplied in full within the palace. Wishing to disseminate the Dharma but having no means to unfold it on his own, he submitted a memorial detailing the matter. Thereupon he received a special imperial edict ordering the construction of the Four Heavenly Kings Monastery for them to dwell in. From then on, they translated new scriptures. Yet it was not a grand or extensive undertaking; it was merely a temporary accommodation. Thus they supplemented texts previously lacking, translating from the Indic scripts; namely, the *Eleven-Faced Avalokiteśvara Sūtra*, the *Sūtra of the Golden Immortal's Questions*, and others. It happened that Yuwen Jian, the Prince of Qiao, was garrisoning Shu; he also invited [Jñānagupta] to travel with him. For three years there, he constantly served as the Saṅgha Controller of Yizhou, residing at Longyuan Monastery. He also translated the *Verses of Avalokiteśvara* and the *Buddhabhāṣita Sūtra*. In the Jiande era, the fortunes [of the Dharma] fell into ruin and the semblance teachings were not propagated; the five groups [of monastics] were at once forced to adopt secular dress. Emperor Wu issued an imperial edict summoning him to the capital, where he was offered official titles and emoluments and pressured to follow Confucian rites. Holding fast to his integrity, he remained steadfast unto death without fear. Pitying his uprightness and purity, the emperor took mercy on him and allowed him to return. His path led through Ganzhou and northward through the Tujue. The ācārya Jñānabhadra returned to the west and passed into extinction. Jñānagupta and his upādhyāya were detained by the Tujue. Before long, his upādhyāya passed away. A solitary figure without support, he knew not where to find peace. Fortunately, the ruler and people of the northern nomads greatly promoted merit, and relying on this, though wandering and stranded, he benefited beings wherever he went. There were the Qi monks Baoxian, Daosui, Sengtan, and others, ten in all, who in the sixth year of the Wuping era joined together to journey to the Western Regions to collect scriptures. After seven years of travelling back and forth, they were about to return east, having obtained in all two hundred and sixty Indic manuscripts. When they reached the Tujue, the Qi had suddenly fallen, so they also took refuge in that country. Thereupon they dwelt together, finding joy in lecturing on the Way. The [monks from Qi] requested him to translate the titles of the newly brought scriptures; checking them against old catalogues, they found them all the more apt and skillful, surpassing those of predecessors. Vowing that their bitter travels would not be in vain, they burned incense together and pledged to proclaim them. When the Great Sui received the abdication, the Buddha-Dharma immediately flourished. Baoxian and the others, bringing the scriptures, arrived first in response to the turn of fortune. In the final month of winter in the first year of the Kaihuang era, they reached the capital. An edict entrusted them to the relevant bureau to seek out someone to translate them. In the second month of spring in the second year, the translation commenced. In the middle of summer, an imperial edict stated: 'When the Yin moved five times, it was feared that the people would all perish. Thus, dwelling in lands of good or bad omen determines whether lives are short or long. Planning for the new and discarding the old is like a farmer looking forward to autumn. At Dragon Head Mountain, the streams and plains are splendidly beautiful, and the vegetation is lush and abundant. A capital should be established there, the foundation for setting up the bronze tripods, an eternal and boundless enterprise; here is an auspicious realm. Let the city be called Daxing City, the hall called Daxing Hall, the gate called Daxing Gate, the county called Daxing County; the gardens, flowers, ponds, and marshes shall all bear the same name; and the monastery shall be called Daxingshan.' In this monastery, the Dharma texts were translated. At that time, Jñānagupta was still dwelling among the northern nomads. By the fifth year of the Kaihuang era, Śramaṇa Tanyan and more than thirty others of Daxingshan Monastery, finding that when translating themselves the sounds and meanings diverged, heard that Jñānagupta was in the north and memorialized the throne requesting his return. The emperor then issued a special imperial edict summoning him. Jñānagupta had abandoned hope of returning west and had been stranded for ten years; deeply longing for an enlightened era to encounter the Three Jewels once again, when he suddenly received this summons from afar, joy and vows converged. He thereupon travelled into the country with the envoy. At that time, Emperor Wen was on an imperial tour to Luoyang; there [Jñānagupta] had audience with him. The Son of Heaven was greatly pleased and repeatedly bestowed gifts and inquiries. Before returning to the capital, an imperial edict was soon issued ordering him to undertake translations. The newly arrived Indic manuscripts were numerous across many sections—some scriptures, some treatises, both inner and outer texts; whenever there was translation, Jñānagupta was always made the principal. Everyone considered that Jñānagupta understood foreign languages and was versed in distinct scripts; thus he was able to express and explain on his own without relying on intermediaries. His comprehension of the doctrinal principles was sound, his sentences well-rounded in style, and once the phrasing and meaning were roughly established, the manuscript was complete. Those who took down his words with the brush were spared much effort. If compared with past masters, he surely was their worthy successor. At that time, Narendrayaśas had already passed away, and he alone served as the chief master. At Daxingshan, they further summoned the Brahmin monk Dharmagupta, and also ordered the upāsakas Gao Tiannu and Gao Heren, brothers, to assist in rendering the Indic language. They also appointed ten Great Virtues—the śramaṇas Sengxiu, Facan, Fajing, Huizang, Hongzun, Huiyuan, Fazuan, Senghui, Mingmu, and Tanqian—to supervise the translation work and determine the central doctrines. The śramaṇas Mingmu and Yancong compared the text with the Indic original once again, carefully re-examining and polishing the meaning and phrasing. Formerly, the *Mahāsaṃnipāta* translated by Dharmakṣema, Kumārajīva, and others mostly comprised thirty rolls per division. In the Northern Qi dynasty, Narendrayaśas produced the twelve rolls of the *Candragarbha Sūtra*, and in the early Sui, the fifteen rolls of the *Sūryagarbha Division* were subsequently produced. Since these were all broad sections of the *Mahāsaṃnipāta*, but translated separately earlier and later, they ended up disjointed and dispersed across different wrappers. In the sixth year of the Kaihuang era, Śramaṇa Sengjiu of Zhaoti Monastery combined them into sixty rolls. Sengjiu had left home at an early age and devoted himself to monastic studies; although he contributed to their propagation, he regretted that the literary structure was not harmonious, so he grouped them by category and appended them to the great compilation. Yet regarding the appropriateness of phrasing and purport, he was not entirely thorough. Recently, Śramaṇa Hongqing of Daxingshan Monastery, who possessed clear understanding and oversaw the copying of the canon for the state, further revised what Sengjiu had compiled, and the sequence of titles became very coherent in its logic. Furthermore, among the various scriptures currently being translated, many are remaining chapters of the *Mahāsaṃnipāta*; if briefly collected, they should fill a hundred rolls. According to the Indic text, this scripture has a total of one hundred thousand verses; rendered in the Sui language, it could comprise some three hundred rolls. Jñānagupta once recounted that more than two thousand li southeast of Khotan lies the kingdom of Cakuka. Its king is purely faithful and deeply reveres the Mahāyāna. Within the palace, he personally keeps three texts: the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā*, the *Mahāsaṃnipāta*, and the *Avataṃsaka*. The king upholds them himself and personally holds the keys; when chanting them, he opens them with offerings of incense and flowers. Sometimes he uses various cakes and fruits to entice minor kings to pay homage to them. About twenty li southeast of this kingdom, the mountains are extremely rugged, and there is a deep, pure cavern where twelve texts are stored: the *Mahāsaṃnipāta*, the *Avataṃsaka*, the *Vaipulya Ratnakūṭa*, the *Laṅkāvatāra*, the *Vaipulya*, the *Śāriputra-puṣpasaṃcaya*, two dhāraṇīs, the *Dūsala Repository*, the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā*, eight divisions of the *Prajñāpāramitā*, and the *Mahāmegha Sūtra*, totaling nearly one hundred thousand verses. By state tradition, they are guarded and protected. There are also three arhats who entered the cessation trance, dwelling in meditative calm within the cavern. Every half-month, monks go to the mountain to shave their hair. Thus the human custodians and the Dharma abide together, upon which sentient beings rely. Jñānagupta's religious character was pure and generous, his spiritual resolve unbending and upright. He loved virtue insatiably and sought the Dharma unflaggingly. Broadly learned in the Tripiṭaka, he investigated the ultimate truth from afar; having studied all five sciences, he was also versed in secular treatises. In walking meditation, he grasped the delight of the bodhimanda; in dhāraṇīs, he penetrated the principles of divine spells. With his three robes and one meal a day, he held fast to his sincerity to the end. His benevolent aid and wide-ranging guidance did not depend on entreaties. Diligently reciting Buddhist sūtras, he became all the more devout as he aged; possessing a strong memory of ancient times, he grew all the more proficient with the passage of time. Gentry and commoners admired and esteemed him; monastics and laypeople revered him. Prince Teng of the Sui revered and followed his vinaya standards, taking him as his master. When [the prince] was implicated in worldly affairs and exiled to Dongyue, [Jñānagupta] was also in the Ou and Min regions; his reputation for the Way filled the roads, saving both bodies and minds, and conferring immense benefit. In the twentieth year of the Kaihuang era, he passed away at the age of seventy-eight. From the time he came from the Western Regions to China, he sequentially translated thirty-seven works in one hundred and seventy-six rolls, namely the *Abhiniṣkramaṇa Sūtra*, the *Dharmadīpa Sūtra*, the *Tejovaty-ārakṣā*, the *Bhadrapāla*, and other sūtras. All were thoroughly examined and refined, their principles and teachings fully integrated, their language clear and their doctrinal meanings well formulated, circulating completely in the world; these are recorded in Fei Changfang's *Record of the Three Jewels*. Earlier, Emperor Gaozu of the Sui also ordered Jñānagupta, together with the Western Śramaṇa Jñānagupta, Kaifu Gao Gong, Gong's sons the Commanders Tiannu and Heren, the Brahmin Viśākhadatta, and others, to translate ancient Indic books and Sanskrit texts in the Secretariat and Imperial Chancellery. By the twelfth year of the Kaihuang era, the translation of the books was completed, totaling more than two hundred rolls, which were memorialized and presented to the inner palace; this is recorded in the *Datang Zhenguan Neidian Lu*. At that time, there was also an upāsaka of the Gautama family named Dharmaprajñā, called Fazhi in the Sui; his father was named Prajñāruci, as detailed in other biographies. Fazhi was originally from Central India; having drifted and settled in Dongchuan, he adapted to Chinese customs. For generations his family had inherited and practiced translation. At the end of the Northern Qi, he served as the Controller of Buddhist Affairs. When the Qi was conquered and the Buddha-Dharma was destroyed alongside it, Fazhi transferred from monastic administration to secular office, twice being appointed Governor of Yangchuan Commandery in Yangzhou. When the Sui received the abdication and Indic texts arrived, an imperial edict summoned him back to take charge of translation. Fazhi was exquisitely skilled in dialects; holding the original, he translated directly without requiring interpreters. He translated the *Karmavibhaṅga Sūtra* and others. Śramaṇa Shi Zhixuan of Chengdu took down the phrasing with the brush and arranged the doctrinal structure. Śramaṇa Yancong of Riyansi composed the preface. These are recorded in the *Sui Dynasty Scriptural Catalogue*.
2.10
Dharmagupta, called Fami in the Sui language, was originally a man of the country of Lāṭa in South India. He was of the kṣatriya caste, with the family name Vyāghra, which means 'Tiger'. He had four younger brothers and was the eldest son. His parents were deeply attached to him and would not allow him to take pravrajyā. However, out of a fervent love for the Dharma gate and a deep desire to leave worldly life, at the age of twenty-three he went to the city of Kanyākubja in Central India, which means 'Hunchback-Born' (or 'Ears-Projecting'). There he arrived at the Kaumudī Saṅghārāma; [kaumudī] refers to a yellow lotus flower after which the monastery garden was named. Saṅghārāma means 'community garden'; the old transcription saṅghārāma (sengqielan) was an erroneous abbreviation. It was in this monastery that Dharmagupta was finally able to shave his head and take the name Fami. Only at the age of twenty-five did he receive full ordination. His upādhyāya was Buddhagupta, which means 'Scholar-Secret'. His ācārya was named Guṇadatta, which means 'Virtue-Given'. Another ācārya was named Puzhao ('Universal Illumination'), who was versed in both Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna sūtras and treatises, able to recite and expound them all. He practiced the observance of piṇḍapāta, meaning the practice of begging for food, previously termed fenwei. He entered dhyāna, which means 'cultivation of mindfulness'; the earlier renderings channa and chihena were both erroneous corruptions. He constantly entered this contemplation as his daily practice. After receiving full ordination, Dharmagupta remained for another three years, studying under this master, and came to gain a foundational grasp of what his master had attained. Later, because Master Puzhao was invited by the king of the country of Ṭakka, he accompanied his master there and stayed for one year. When the master returned to his native land, Dharmagupta stayed on for four more years, residing at the Deva-vihāra, which means 'Celestial Pleasure-Ground' (Devavihāra). 'Celestial' refers to the king, and 'pleasure-ground' refers to the dwelling of the monks; because it was established by the king, it was called Celestial Pleasure-Ground. Anciently it was replaced by si (temple), but si is this land's name for a public bureau, namely an office or court. Furthermore, the term zhaoti is also an erroneous abbreviation. Worldly people interpret the characters by taking zhao to mean 'to summon' and ti to mean 'to lead by the hand', which are both reckless talk. This is merely a Western word: the correct phonetic form is catur-diśa, meaning 'the four quarters', referring to the place as a residence relied upon by the saṅgha of the four quarters. Thereupon he traveled through various Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna countries and monasteries, greatly expanding what he saw and heard. Merchants traveling the northern route frequently arrived there and brought news from afar that in the eastern realm there was the great country of Cīna. The ancient names Zhendan and Zhendan are neither correct sounds nor do they have translatable meanings; one merely knows they are general designations for this divine realm. Although reports were transmitted initially, he did not entirely believe them and did not yet have the intention to come. Yet because his heart was set on traveling without worldly ties, he proceeded to the country of Kapiśā. With six companions who stayed behind in that country residing at the royal monastery, Dharmagupta took four companions and stayed in the royal capital for two years, visiting all the monasteries to observe fully what was studied there. His ambition for far-flung travels was not yet sated. That country was the nexus of the northern route, located on the northern slope of the Snow Mountains where merchant caravans converged. From the merchants he again heard that the Triratna was flourishing in the great country of Cīna. He and his companions set their minds entirely on coming here, not merely to observe its customs and morals, but desiring to benefit living beings and propagate the scriptures. Thereupon they crossed the western foothills of the Snow Mountains and passed through the countries of Balkh (Bāhlīka), Badakhshān, and Dharmasthiti. In none of these countries did they stay long, yet enough to learn their customs and the rituals of their monasteries. They then arrived in the country of Qal'a-i Panja (Khabandha), staying for one year without much proselytizing. They then arrived in the country of Kaśgar (Kashgar). One companion returned to their hometown, leaving three remaining to stay at the royal monastery, which had been built by the king of Kashgar. They remained for two years, and there Dharmagupta expounded the Po lun (Refutation Treatise) for the local monks. It contains two thousand verses, elucidating the tenets of the two Hīnayāna divisions and primarily refuting non-Buddhists. He also lectured on the Rushishi lun (Tattvasiddhi-śāstra), likewise in two thousand verses, whose style and reasoning belong to the dialectical methods of worldly disputation. They then reached the country of Kucha and also stayed at the royal monastery. Staying for another two years, he again lectured on and explained the previous treatises for the monks there. The king was devoted to the Mahāyāna and achieved much awakening; with a mind eager to detain him, he visited him morning and evening. Dharmagupta's heart was set on the Eastern Xia, with no intention of lingering in secret. Secretly taking one monk with him, he traveled along byways to the country of Agni (Karashahr). At the Araṇya Monastery, he lectured thoroughly on the previous treatises. After another two years, he gradually arrived in Gaochang and traveled as a guest among its various monasteries. The monks of that country mostly studied the Chinese language; although he stayed for two years, he did not preach. He then reached Yiwu (Hami) and stayed for one year. Meeting with adversity, he sought refuge to the southwest. The route was pure desert, devoid of both water and grass. The companions looked at each other with nowhere to turn for survival. They temporarily left the sūtras and treatises they carried by the roadside, crossing mountains in search of water in hopes of saving their lives. When their search proved futile, their fatigue and distress increased further. Dharmagupta single-mindedly recited the Avalokiteśvara dhāraṇī. Suddenly a night rain fell, bringing joy and refreshment to their bodies and minds. They then returned to their original trail. Looking around in all directions, the vast expanse left them lost; hesitating over whether to advance or retreat, they simply pressed forward and eventually reached Guazhou. Only then did they realize the windings of the Northern Route. Dharmagupta had admired the great empire from afar and trudged for years. Of the companions who originally pledged to travel, some stayed behind and some died. Looking back on his lone shadow arriving at this magnificent land, sorrow and joy mingled as he reflected in quiet contemplation. Soon he received an imperial decree summoning him to the capital, where he was accommodated in a renowned monastery with lavish provisions; this was the tenth month, in winter, of the tenth year of the Kaihuang reign (590 CE). Not long after his arrival, he gained a working knowledge of Chinese. By a separate imperial decree, he was ordered to undertake the translation of scriptures and moved to reside at Xingshan Monastery. Holding the Indic originals, he assisted in translation with abundant accuracy and rectitude. The Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna treatises he recited were all profound and essential; when he expounded them, he broadly elucidated their subtle principles, frequently dispelling long-accumulated doubts among traditional scholars in this land. Moreover, he conducted himself with compassion and forgiveness, being gentle and harmonious by nature. His mind did not stray outside the Way, and his deeds preceded his words. The ground of his precepts was level and serene; the waters of his wisdom were secluded and pure. In sūtras, he penetrated to the origin of characters; in treatises, he exhausted the meaning of phonetic expressions. In addition, his deportment was dignified and correct, and his rigorous discipline was noble and fierce. His chanting continued through morning and night, and his discourse on the Dharma was conversant with both internal [Buddhist] and external [non-Buddhist] learning. By nature he was fond of quiet seclusion, cut off from worldly affairs; his desires were meager, and he extinguished expectations and cravings. Tireless in instructing others, he prioritized that over personal benefit. He never showed an unpleasant countenance to those of lowly station, nor did he look down upon humble beings. As a result, those who had not yet seen him admired his reputation, and those who briefly visited him revered him with devotion. From the time he assumed the leadership among translators, he focused solely on transmission; in all his reviews and commentaries, his aim was to uphold the essential principles. When Emperor Yang established the capital at the Eastern Capital (Luoyang), his reverence grew even more profound, and his veneration for the Buddhadharma was heightened still further. An imperial decree was issued to establish a translation bureau inside the Shanglin Garden on the south bank of the Luo River, selecting outstanding talents to secure permanently the transmission of the Dharma. He immediately summoned Dharmagupta and various scholars to assemble there. The four requisites of support were regularly provided as before, ensuring that the translators' lineage was not broken and that their finished scrolls did not fall into neglect. When the Sui dynasty's governance collapsed and beacons of war rose in the suburbs, the newly arrived Indic sūtras ceased completely. Harboring deep understanding, Dharmagupta lacked the opportunity to set it forth and propagate it. Spanning twenty-eight years from the middle of the Kaihuang era to the end of the Daye era, he translated seven works of sūtras and treatises in thirty-two fascicles, including the Qishi jing (Lokanirdeśa-sūtra), the Yuansheng jing (Pratītyasamutpāda-sūtra), the Yaoshi benyuan jing (Bhaiṣajyaguru-mūlapraṇidhāna-sūtra), the She dacheng lun (Mahāyānasaṃgraha), and the Puti ziliang lun (Bodhisambhāra-śāstra). Their literary expression and doctrinal meaning are clear and refined, and the ornate and unadorned styles are balanced and transparent; all are recorded in detail in the Tang work Da Tang Zhenguan Neidian Lu. In the second year of Wude (619 CE), he passed away on the banks of the Luo River. Earlier, Dharmagupta translated the Pule jing (Lalitavistara) in fifteen fascicles. Before it could be polished and revised, the usurpation and fall of the Zheng state intervened, leaving no leisure to re-edit it; currently the scrolls remain in the capital, mostly expounding the eight phases [of the Buddha's life]. There was the śramaṇa Yancong, who had illuminated both internal and external learning and was versed in both Chinese and Sanskrit. Participating in the translation work, he was exceptionally mentored and guided by Dharmagupta. Because Dharmagupta had traveled extensively through famous realms and his accounts of what he saw and heard surpassed previous records, Yancong composed the Da Sui Xiguo zhuan (Account of the Western Regions under the Great Sui) in one work of ten sections: 1. Local products; 2. Seasons and climate; 3. Dwellings; 4. State governance; 5. Learning and teaching; 6. Etiquette and ceremonies; 7. Food and drink; 8. Dress and clothing; 9. Precious commodities; 10. A comprehensive layout of mountains, rivers, kingdoms, cities, and peoples. This constitutes an excellent history of the Five Indias, as well as a grand blueprint of the Three Sages. As the Hou Han shu's 'Xiyu zhuan' (Account of the Western Regions) says: 'It is the place where spiritual sages descend and assemble, and where worthy and eminent ones are brought forth.' Its diction is extremely thorough and comprehensive, broad as recorded above. Earlier, in the thirteenth year of Kaihuang (593 CE), there was a monk in Guangzhou who practiced the Stūpa Repentance method: he used two leather slips inscribed with the characters 'good' and 'evil' and had people cast them; obtaining 'good' was auspicious. He also practiced the method of self-prostration (casting oneself down) to eliminate sins; however, men and women mingled together, falsely claiming esoteric practices. Upāsakas in Qingzhou echoed them and joined in the practice. The authorities investigated and considered it heterodoxy. The monk claimed: 'This Stūpa Repentance is based on the Zhancha jing (Sūtra on the Divination of Good and Evil Karma), while the self-prostration repentance is based on the passages in various sūtras concerning casting the five limbs to the ground like the collapse of a great mountain.' When this was reported to the throne, an imperial decree ordered the Vice-Director of the Chancellery, Li Yuancao, to proceed to Daxingshan Monastery to question the bhadantas. The śramaṇas Fajing, Yancong, and others responded: 'The Zhancha jing appears in two fascicles. Its opening title attributes it to Bodhidīpa, translated abroad; the style seems of recent origin. Various libraries also contain copies that are transmitted. Examining various catalogues, there are neither authentic names nor the translator, time, or place. The Stūpa Repentance differs from other sūtras and must not be followed.' The emperor therefore banned it by decree. At that time, there was the xiucai and Gentleman of the Confucian Academy, Hou Bai, who received an imperial decree to compile the Jingyi zhuan (Biographies of Manifest Marvels) in one work of twenty fascicles, which mostly recounted spiritual resonances and frequently touched upon the propagation of the Buddhist gate. Bai, whose courtesy name was Junsu, was originally a man of Ye in Xiangzhou. With swift intellect and sharp wit, he was held in high esteem at the court ministries. Because of his broad learning regarding antiquity, the emperor appointed him to observe the state's talent, and he concluded his career in this post. There was also Xu Tongqing, Libationer of the Princely Mansion of Jin, who composed the Tongming lun (Treatise on the Penetration of Destiny) in two fascicles. Because of his literary wealth, Tongqing clearly understood the teachings of both the Profound [Daoism] and Confucianism, and was also conversant with karmic cause and effect across the three periods of time. Yet because scriptural words were subtle and hidden, and had not been elucidated by earlier sages, he cited the orthodox texts of the classics and histories, harmonizing destiny and tracing it back to karmic cause and effect. His intention was to illuminate the Confucian school and assist the Buddha in proclaiming the teaching, guiding all beings toward a single path. Because Tongqing was broadly learned and grounded in evidence, he could fathom these subtle investigations. There was also Liu Feng, a translation scholar from Jingyang, who composed the Neiwai pangtong bixiao shufa (Comparative Methods of Calculation for Buddhist and Non-Buddhist Systems) in one fascicle. Feng's learning encompassed the profound and the mundane, and he was particularly skilled in numerical arts. Because previous translations varied considerably in their treatment of numerical methods and proportions, he elaborated this principle. His preface briefly states: 'Worldly arts have depths and shallows, and what people inherit in their study varies in precision. Therefore, when calculation is applied, it encompasses the Great Expansion (Dayan); when not contemplated, it leads to confusion over the other three corners. The numerical methods of the Eastern Xia have three gradations of distinction; why should what is set forth in the Western Heavens lack two alternative standards? Yet earlier translated sūtras all render the great thousand [world system] as ten billion, and describe one yojana as forty li. Calculated against various systems, none correspond. I suspect that at the time of translation, meanings diverged between the two sides, and errors crept in during verbal rendition. Therefore, taking the mathematical methods of the various sūtras, I have cross-referenced them with the Eastern Xia, multiplying by tens in parallel correspondences, so that during the translation process one might hold to them and resolve doubts. Having participated in the handling of canonical texts, I have accordingly set this forth.' In the fifteenth year of Kaihuang (595 CE), Emperor Wen issued an imperial decree ordering the monks engaged in translation to compile guidelines for the various scriptures. The śramaṇa Yancong and others followed previous catalogues to assemble and complete it in one work of ten fascicles, which was submitted to the palace, as seen in the various catalogues by Master Fei of the Sui dynasty. At that time, there was the translation scholar Fei Changfang of Chengdu, who was originally among the black robes (monks) but was laicized due to the suppression of Buddhism under the Northern Zhou. He was refined and thoroughly versed in profound principles. When the translation bureau was re-established under the Kaihuang era, he was sought out and summoned to the capital by imperial decree to assist in editorial compilation according to precedent. Considering that the scriptural catalogues of successive dynasties were scattered and difficult to gather, and that the years since the emergence of Buddhism were obscured, he composed the Sanbao lu (Record of the Three Jewels) in fifteen fascicles. Starting from the beginning of King Zhuang of Zhou, he arranged the sexagenary cycle above and set forth the reign eras below, along with the titles and fascicles of sūtra sections translated across successive dynasties, detailing them scroll by scroll, with rules across many cases. However, tiles and jades are intermingled, making it difficult to distinguish the authentic from the spurious; its merit lies in wide currency, while it is deficient in critical discernment. When the catalogue was completed, it was submitted to the throne, and an imperial decree authorized its circulation everywhere, making it the most comprehensive and rich collection.
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Linked texts (1)
- 續高僧傳 — 道宣, Classical Chinese