一切經音義 5.17

5.17

Sinews and vessels (筋脉): The first character is read with the fanqie 居 + 銀. The Zhouli says: 'The physician uses acrid flavours to nourish the sinews.' The Shuowen says: 'The power of flesh. It derives from 肉 (flesh) and 竹 (bamboo)—bamboo being a thing with abundant fibres—and from 力 (strength), 力 depicting the sinews.' Those written with 草 as 莇 or with 角 as 䈥 are both incorrect. The Liji says: 'The elderly do not consider sinew and strength as their capability'; this is it. The second character is read with the fanqie 麻 + 伯. The Zhouli says: 'Salt is used to nourish the vessels.' The Shuowen says: 'The divisions of blood lines coursing through the body are called 脉. It derives from 血 (blood) and 𠂢 (read with the fanqie 普 + 賣)'—written as 衇, or as 𧖴, or also as 脈; all are standard forms. Now, those written in the sūtra text with 月 and 永 as 脉 are not standard character forms, but merely vulgar variants.