法苑珠林 100.7

100.7

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.