宋高僧傳 2.23

2.23

The śramaṇa Zhihui, whose Sanskrit name was Prajñā, belonged to the Gautama clan and was a person of the kingdom of Kapiśa in Northern India. He possessed natural brilliance. At the age of seven he conceived the aspiration for awakening, left the service of his parents, and took refuge in the Three Jewels. At that time, following the Venerable Vinītasena, he was taught to recite the Four Āgamas, completing one hundred thousand verses, and thirty thousand verses of Abhidharma. When he reached the age prescribed by the Dharma, he followed his teacher to another country and received the full ordination. He recited nearly forty thousand verses of Sarvāstivāda texts and twenty-eight thousand verses of the Kośa, and also recited the Mahāvibhāṣā, penetrating its meaning as well. For seven years there, he specialized in studying the Hīnayāna. Later, he went to Nālandā Temple in Central India, where he received instruction and studied the Mahāyāna treatises Vijñaptimātratā, Yogācāra, and Madhyāntavibhāga, the Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, and logic (hetuvidyā), grammar (śabdavidyā), medicine (cikitsāvidyā), and the arts, vinaya, and treatises, all under the reliance of the three great treatise masters Jñānamitra, Jinamitra, and Jñānamitra. He further traveled to the Twin Trees and passed by the Eight Stūpas, traveling back and forth in pilgrimage for eighteen years. Hearing that Southern India held dhāraṇī-holders in high esteem, he proceeded there to consult and receive instruction. A master of abhiseka named Dharmayaśas there, seeing that Prajñā was diligent and serious and could be taught, conferred upon him the yoga methods, entry into the maṇḍala, the three mysteries, body protection, the five divisions, and the texts of the seals; within one year, he thoroughly recited over 3,500 verses.