宋高僧傳 3.53

3.53

“Coming to the fifth year of our Emperor ascending the imperial throne, the śramaṇa Fajin of Hezhong Prefecture, who transmitted the exoteric and esoteric teachings, requested the Western Tripiṭaka master Fatian to translate scriptures at Pujin. The prefectural officials submitted a memorial presenting this; upon viewing it, the Emperor was greatly pleased, bestowed purple robes upon each of them, and consequently ordered the construction of a Translation Institute to the west of the Taiping Xingguo Temple. Subsequently, he decreed the collection of palm-leaf manuscripts throughout the empire. The Indian monks Fahu and Shihu jointly took part in the enterprise, and Master Zhizhao Huiwen, saṅgha rectifier of the Left Precincts, certified the meaning. He also summoned the Tripiṭaka master Daoyuan of Cangzhou to certify the Sanskrit characters, carefully selected the exegete śramaṇa Zhixian from the Two Precincts to compose the text, and appointed Lingzun, Fading, and Qingzhao as scribes; Shouluan, Daozhen, Zhixun, Fayun, Huichao, Huida, Kegui, Shan’you, and Kezhi to certify the meaning and arrange the composition in proper order; the court emissaries Liu Su and Senior Official Wang Wenshou to supervise; and the Director of the Ministry of Rites Zhang Ji and Chief Minister of the Court of Imperial Entertainments Tang Yue to arrange the text and polish its style. They presented the Sūtra on Measuring Lifespan, the Sūtra on Karmic Retribution of Good and Evil, the Shan Jian Bianhua [Sūtra], the Sūtra of the Golden-Radiance Youth, and the Drum of Amṛta Sūtra, among others. An imperial decree bestowed master titles upon the three Tripiṭaka masters Tianxizai, Fatian, and Shihu, and additionally appointed them probationary Vice Directors of the Court of State Ceremonial and granted them imperial stables’ horses. The various śramaṇas who were scribes and certifiers of meaning were each granted purple robes and silk in varying amounts. The Emperor personally composed a preface for the newly translated scriptures, crowning the beginning of the scriptures. Observing the Buddha-sun shining anew and the wheel of Dharma being set in motion, the red jade cases unfolding secrets and the blue lotus blossoms opening their fragrance—such an extraordinary imperial response, what preceding dynasty could ever compare to it?