三寶感應要略錄 2.86

2.86

顯慶五年正月一日起首翻大般若經。經梵本總有二十萬頌。文既廣大。學徒每請刪略。法師將順眾意。如羅什所翻。除繁去重。作此念已。於夢中即有極怖畏事。以相驚誠。或見乘危履嶮。或見猛獸搏人。流汗戰慄。方得免脫。覺已驚懼。向諸眾說。還依廣翻。夜中及見諸佛菩薩眉間放光。照觸己身。心意調適。法師又自見手執花燈供養諸佛。或昇高座。為眾說法。多人圍遶。讚嘆恭敬。或夢見有人奉己亦果。覺而喜慶。不敢更刪。一如梵本。佛說此經。凡在四處。一王舍城鷲峯山。二給孤獨園。三他化自在天宮。四王舍城竹林精舍。總一十六會。今為一部。然玄奘法師。於西域得三本。到此翻譯之日。文有疑錯。即校三本以定之。慇懃省覆。方乃著文。審慎之心。自古無比。或文乖旨奧。意有躊躇。必覺異境。似若有人授以明決。情即豁然。若披雲觀日。自云。如此悟處。豈玄奘淺懷所通。並是諸佛菩薩所冥加耳。經之初會。有嚴淨佛土品。品中說。諸菩薩摩訶薩眾。為般若波羅蜜故。以神通願力。盛大千界上妙珍寶諸妙香花百味飲食。衣服音樂隨意。所生五妙。憶種種供養。嚴說法處。時玉花寺主惠德。及翻經僧喜尚。其夜同夢。見玉花寺內廣博嚴淨。綺飾莊嚴。幢帳寶輦。華幡伎樂。盈滿寺中。又見無量僧眾。手執花蓋。如前供養大般若經。寺中內衢巷壚壁。皆莊綺飾。地積名花。眾共履踐。至翻經院。倍加勝妙。如經所載寶莊嚴土。又聞院內三堂講說。法師在中堂敷演。既覩此已歡喜驚覺。俱參法師。說所夢事。法師云。今正翻此品。諸菩薩等。必有供養。諸師等見信有是乎。時殿側有双李樹。忽於非時。數數開花。花皆六出鮮榮紅白。非常可愛。時眾評議云。是般若開闡之徵。又六出者。表六到彼岸。至龍朔三年冬十月廿三日。方及絕筆。合成六百卷。稱為大般若經焉。合掌歡喜。告徒眾曰。此於此地有緣。玄奘來此玉花者。經之力也。

On the first day of the first month of the fifth year of Xianqing, [Xuanzang] began translating the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra. The Sanskrit text of the sūtra comprised two hundred thousand verses in all. Because the text was so extensive, his disciples frequently requested that it be abridged. The Dharma Master was about to comply with the assembly's wishes and, as Kumārajīva had translated, remove redundancies and omit repetitions. Having formed this thought, he immediately experienced utterly terrifying matters in his dreams to shock and admonish him: sometimes seeing himself climbing perils and treading steep cliffs, or seeing fierce beasts pouncing on people, drenched in sweat and trembling before barely escaping. Awaking in fright, he told the assembly that he would return to translating it in full. During the night, he saw the buddhas and bodhisattvas emitting light from the tuft between their brows to illuminate and touch his body, making his mind peaceful and comfortable. The Dharma Master also saw himself holding floral lamps in his hands to make offerings to the buddhas; or ascending the high seat to expound the Dharma to the assembly, surrounded by many people praising him with reverence; or dreaming of someone presenting him with rare fruits. Awaking with joy, he dared not abridge it any further, rendering it exactly like the Sanskrit text. The Buddha preached this sūtra in four places in all: first, Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha; second, Anāthapiṇḍada's Park; third, the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven Palace; fourth, the Bamboo Grove Vihāra in Rājagṛha—sixteen assemblies in total, now made into one work. However, Dharma Master Xuanzang had obtained three copies in the Western Regions. When it came to translating them here, whenever the text contained doubts or errors, he would collate the three copies to determine it. Examining and checking with earnest care, only then would he compose the text; his prudence was incomparable since antiquity. Sometimes when the phrasing diverged or the meaning was profound and he hesitated in mind, he would inevitably perceive an extraordinary realm, as if someone were imparting a clear resolution, and his mind would immediately become open and clear, like parting the clouds to behold the sun. He himself said, "How could such awakenings be penetrated by Xuanzang's shallow mind? They are all the unseen assistance of the buddhas and bodhisattvas." In the sūtra's First Assembly, there is the chapter on "Purifying the Buddha Land." The chapter explains that for the sake of the prajñāpāramitā, the assembly of bodhisattva mahāsattvas, through their supernatural power and vows, fill the great trichiliocosm with the finest rare jewels, wondrous scents and flowers, food and drink of a hundred flavors, clothing, and music produced according to their wishes—the five wonders—remembering all manner of offerings to adorn the place of Dharma exposition. At that time, Huede, abbot of Yuhua Monastery, and the translation monk Xishang had the same dream that night: they saw the interior of Yuhua Monastery vast, adorned, and pure, decorated with elaborate ornaments—banners, canopies, jeweled carriages, flower streamers, and instrumental music filling the monastery. They also saw countless monks holding flower parasols, as before, making offerings to the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra. The streets, alleys, and walls inside the monastery were all decorated, and famous flowers were piled on the ground, trodden by the assembly. Arriving at the Translation Hall, it was doubly superior and wondrous, like the Jewel-Adorned Land described in the sūtra. They also heard discourses in the three halls of the courtyard, with the Dharma Master expounding in the central hall. Having seen this, they awoke in joy and amazement, and went together to visit the Dharma Master to tell him what they had dreamed. The Dharma Master said, "Now we are translating precisely this chapter. The bodhisattvas must certainly be making offerings. Master and others having seen this, one can believe it is truly so!" At that time, a pair of plum trees beside the hall suddenly blossomed repeatedly out of season. The blossoms each had six petals, fresh and glorious in red and white, exceptionally lovely. The assembly at that time evaluated and discussed it, saying, "This is an omen of the opening and exposition of prajñā. Furthermore, having six petals signifies the six perfections." Only on the twenty-third day of the tenth month in the winter of the third year of Longshuo was the brush finally laid down, forming six hundred rolls in total, entitled the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra. Joining his palms in joy, he told his disciples, "That this had affinity with this place, that Xuanzang came to this Yuhua, was by the power of the sūtra."