法苑珠林 100.7

100.7

竊觀上代有經已來。賢德筆受。每至度語。無不稱云譯胡為漢。且東夏九州名西域為天竺者。是總名也。或云身毒。如梵稱此方為脂那。或云真丹。或作震旦。此蓋承聲有楚夏耳。若當稱漢。漢止劉氏兩代一號。已後禪讓魏晉不同。須依帝王稱謂甄別。今為此錄悉改正之。又胡之雜戎。乃是西方邊俗。類此方有羌蠻夷之屬。何得經書乃云胡語。佛生天竺。彼土士族婆羅門者。總稱為梵。梵者清淨也。承裔光音色天。其光音天。梵世最為下。劫初來此食地肥者。身重不去。因即為人。仍其本名。故稱為梵。語言及書既象於天。是以彼云梵書梵語。如舊日僧悉稱俗姓。云釋迦者。起自秦代。有沙門釋道安。獨拔當時。居然超悟。乃云。既存剃染紹繼釋迦。子雖異父而姓無殊。今者出家宜悉稱釋。及翻四含。果云四姓出家同一釋種。眾咸歎服。其四姓者。一剎帝利。此是王種。二婆羅門。是高行人。三名毘舍。如此土民。四名首陀。最為卑下。如此土皂隷。而安正當晉秦之時。刊定目錄。刪注群經。自號彌天。揩摸季葉。猶言譯胡為秦。此亦崑山之一礫。未盡美焉。但上來有胡言處。並以梵字替之。庶後哲善談得其正真者也。

I observe that ever since scriptures existed in former ages, whenever virtuous and worthy figures received them by brush and came to the translation of the language, they never failed to say that they 'translated the Hu language into Han.' Now, in the nine provinces of the Eastern Xia, designating the Western Regions as 'Tianzhu' is a general name. Or it is called Shendu, just as in Sanskrit this land is called Cīna, or Zhendan, or Zhidan. These are merely variations in pronunciation due to regional dialects. If one should say 'Han,' 'Han' was merely the single title for the two reigns of the Liu family; thereafter, the abdications and successions in the Wei and Jin were not the same, so one must differentiate them according to the designations of the rulers. Now, for this catalogue, I have corrected them all. Furthermore, the Hu and mixed Rong are the customs of the western frontiers, similar to the Qiang, Man, and Yi barbarians in this land; how could it be said that the scriptures are in the 'Hu language'? The Buddha was born in India; the noble clans and brāhmaṇas of that land are collectively called Brahmā. 'Brahmā' means pure. They descend from the Ābhāsvara Heaven in the form realm. Among the realms of Brahmā, the Ābhāsvara Heaven is the lowest. At the beginning of the kalpa, those who came here and ate the fat of the earth became heavy in body and could not leave; thus they became humans, yet retained their original name, and hence are called Brahmā. Since their speech and script emulate heaven, that is why they speak of Brahmā script and Brahmā language. Formerly, all monks used their secular surnames. The practice of using 'Śākya' began in the Qin dynasty. There was the śramaṇa Shi Dao'an, who stood alone and preeminent in his time, possessing exceptional and transcendent awakening. He said: 'Since we have undergone shaving and dyeing to succeed Śākyamuni, although sons may have different fathers, their surname should not differ. Now those who go forth should all be called Śākya.' When the four Āgamas were translated, they indeed stated that the four castes who leave the household all share the same Śākya lineage. Everyone was filled with admiration. The four castes are: first, kṣatriyas, who are of the royal lineage; second, brāhmaṇas, who are practitioners of exalted conduct; third, vaiśyas, who are like the common people of this land; fourth, śūdras, who are the lowest, like the bondservants and slaves of this land. Dao'an lived precisely during the Jin and Qin eras; he edited and fixed catalogues, and abridged and annotated the various scriptures. He styled himself 'Mitian' (Filling Heaven), and was a model for subsequent generations; yet he still spoke of 'translating Hu into Qin.' This is also merely a pebble from Mount Kunlun, not yet achieving complete perfection. Wherever 'Hu words' appeared above, I have replaced them all with the word 'Brahmā' (Sanskrit), in the hope that future wise masters of discourse may attain what is orthodox and true.