寺沙門玄奘上表記 1.86

1.86

沙門玄奘言。竊尋。佛法大乘。般若為本。陶鈞妙相。罔不具該。先代帝王。福有優劣。感通正法。未盡梵文。然大般若經惣廿萬偈。西域以為鎮國重寶。多祕不傳。伏惟皇帝陛下。化洽無幽。聖教潛被。致斯奧典絕域來臻。玄奘往恃國威。遐方問道。備歷艱險。搜求遺法。獲歸中國。十有九年。翻譯梵文千三百餘卷。但玄奘年垂七十。勞疹屢嬰。恐先朝露。無酬天造。是以力此衰弊。光燭纏宵。祗奉詔恩。夙夜翻譯。以顯慶五年正月一日起首。譯大般若經。至今龍朔三年十月廿三日絕筆。合成六百卷。願斯妙善。仰資國祚。上延七廟。咸登萬福。皇帝皇后。重暉日月。合德乾坤。永御金輪。獨昌沙界。皇儲隆盤石之固。諸王茂本枝之榮。冥慶所覃。遐休靡際。功福既大。不敢緘默。望請御製序文。皇太子敕述聖記。庶使萬方昧俗。覩天藻而悟至真。九㝢生靈。觀寶乘而知帝力。玄門益峻。緇徒增躍。塵劫有涯。妙善無盡。玄奘奉詔玉華翻譯。不獲詣闕。謹遣弟子窺奉表以聞。輕黷宸嚴。伏增悚灼。謹言。

The śramaṇa Xuanzang says: On reflection, within the Great Vehicle of the Buddha's Dharma, prajñā is the root. It molds and fashions the marvelous marks, fully encompassing everything without exception. The emperors and kings of past generations possessed varying degrees of merit; when they brought about the advent of the true Dharma, they did not exhaust the Sanskrit texts. The Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra comprises a total of two hundred thousand verses; in the Western Regions it is considered a state-guarding treasure, and is mostly kept secret and not transmitted. Prostrating, I reflect that Your Majesty's transformative influence extends everywhere without obscurity, and the sacred teaching secretly spreads, causing this profound scripture to arrive from distant realms. In the past, relying on the imperial prestige, Xuanzang inquired after the Way in remote lands, experiencing every hardship and danger to search for and obtain the bequeathed teachings, and succeeded in returning to the Middle Kingdom nineteen years ago, having translated over one thousand three hundred fascicles of Sanskrit texts. / However, Xuanzang is now nearing the age of seventy, repeatedly afflicted by fatigue and illness. Fearing that I may perish before the morning dew without repaying the celestial creation, I exerted myself in this declining state, burning the candle through the night, reverently upholding the imperial decree, and translating night and day. Beginning on the first day of the first month of the fifth year of the Xianqing era to translate the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra, I have brought the brush to a close on the twenty-third day of the tenth month of the third year of the Longshuo era, completing a total of six hundred fascicles. / I pray that this marvelous good may support the fortune of the realm, extend backward to the seven ancestral temples to bring them all ten thousand blessings, and that the Emperor and Empress may shine with the doubled brilliance of the sun and moon, match the virtue of heaven and earth, long govern as golden wheel-turning kings, and uniquely prosper throughout worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges; may the Crown Prince have the firm security of a foundation stone, and may the various princes flourish with the prosperity of royal branches. The dark blessings that are extended and the far-reaching happiness will be boundless. / Since this merit and blessing are so great, I dare not keep silent. I look up and request an imperial preface, and that the Crown Prince be commanded to compose an account of the sacred teaching, so that the confused commoners of the myriad realms may behold the celestial composition and awaken to the ultimate truth, and the living beings of the nine regions may gaze upon the precious vehicle and recognize the sovereign's power. Thus the profound gate will become loftier, the monastic community will rejoice all the more, and while dust-kalpas have an end, this marvelous good will be endless. Since Xuanzang is translating at Yuhua by imperial decree and cannot come to the palace in person, I respectfully send my disciple Kui to present this memorial for Your consideration. Offending the imperial majesty, I am deeply terrified. Respectfully stated.