法苑珠林 29.5

29.5

the August Tang. The governance has flowed through successive dynasties for nearly six hundred years. Light carriages have followed one another continuously, thoroughly observing all regions. More than a thousand realms have all submitted to the transforming influence of the court; none has failed to scale mountains to pay tribute or gaze toward the sun to pay court. Yet earlier and later transmissions and records vary and conflict with one another; their traces are seldom fully grasped and their appellations cause much confusion. Although people have been moistened by the remaining moisture, the profound purports have not been complete. The barbarian and Chinese languages have different sounds, though the text and meaning are quite complete. To investigate the sacred traces exhaustively is difficult to achieve; therefore, the monks of this land each harboured feelings of melancholy. At that time, there was