[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法苑珠林](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122) › 37.21 # 法苑珠林 37.21 法苑珠林 37.21 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [37.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.37.21) 述曰。上來所引經論興置所由。其已知乎。然未識塔義是何。復有幾種。所為之人復通凡不。答曰。梵漢不同翻譯前後。致有多名文有訛正。所云塔者。或云塔婆。此云方墳。或云支提。翻為滅惡生善處。或云斗藪波。此云護讚。若人讚歎擁護歎者。西梵正音名為窣堵波。此土云廟。廟者貌也。即是靈廟也。安塔有其三意。一表人勝。二令他信。三為報恩。若是凡夫比丘有德望者亦得起塔。餘者不合。若立支提有其四種。一生處。二得道處。三轉法輪處。四涅槃處。諸佛生處及得道處。此二定有支提。生必在阿輸柯樹下。此云無憂樹。此是夫人生太子之處。即號此樹為生處支提。如來得道在於菩提樹下。即呼此樹下為得道支提。如來轉法輪及涅槃處。此二無定。初轉法輪為五比丘在於鹿苑。縱廣各二十五尋。一尋八尺。古人身大故。一尋八尺合二十丈。今天竺人處處多立轉法輪。取一好處而依此量。竪三柱安三輪。表佛昔日三轉法輪相。即名此處為轉法輪支提。如來入涅槃處安置舍利。即名此處為涅槃支提。現今立寺名涅槃寺。此則為定。若據舍利處處起塔。則為不定。此四亦名窣堵波。 > The commentary says: As for the reasons for erecting and establishing \[stupas and caityas\] cited from the sūtras and treatises above, are they not already known? Yet we do not yet know what the meaning of a stupa is, how many kinds there are, and whether the persons for whom they are made include ordinary people. The answer is: Sanskrit and Chinese are different, and translations took place earlier and later, resulting in many names and variation between corrupt and correct texts. What is called a \*ta\* (stupa) is sometimes called a \*tapo\*, translated here as "square tomb"; sometimes called a \*caitya\*, translated as "place of destroying evil and giving rise to good"; and sometimes called a \*dousoupo\*, translated here as "protective praise," meaning that if people praise it, it protects those who praise it. In the correct phonetic Sanskrit of the West, it is called \*stūpa\*. In this land, it is called a shrine (miao). "Shrine" (miao) means "image" (miao); that is, a numinous shrine. Setting up a stupa has three purposes: first, to manifest the person's superiority; second, to inspire faith in others; third, to repay kindness. If an ordinary bhikṣu possesses virtue and prestige, he may also have a stupa erected; for the rest, it is not fitting. If caityas are erected, there are four kinds: first, the place of birth; second, the place of attaining the Way; third, the place of turning the wheel of the Dharma; fourth, the place of nirvāṇa. The places where Buddhas are born and where they attain the Way definitely have caityas. The birth must take place under an aśoka tree, translated here as "sorrowless tree." This was the place where the lady gave birth to the prince; hence this tree is called the caitya of the birth place. The Tathāgata attained the Way under the bodhi tree; hence the place under this tree is called the caitya of attaining the Way. As for the places where the Tathāgata turned the wheel of the Dharma and entered nirvāṇa, these two are unfixed. The first turning of the wheel of the Dharma was for the five bhikṣus in the Deer Park. It measured twenty-five fathoms (xun) in length and breadth. One fathom was eight feet. Because the ancients had large bodies, one fathom of eight feet equals twenty Chinese feet (zhang). Nowadays, people in India erect \[monuments to the\] turning of the wheel of the Dharma in many places: they choose a fine place and follow this measure, erecting three pillars and placing three wheels on them to represent the mark of the Buddha's three turnings of the wheel of the Dharma in ancient times, and call this place the caitya of the turning of the wheel of the Dharma. The place where the Tathāgata entered nirvāṇa and his relics were enshrined is called the nirvāṇa caitya. Currently, a monastery has been established there named the Nirvāṇa Monastery. This one is fixed. But if stupas are erected everywhere based on relics, they are unfixed. These four are also called stūpas. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 37.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.37.20) - [Next: 37.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.37.22) - [Up: 37](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.37) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122~en-mt.37.21) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.37.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.37.21) · Pramāṇa