出三藏記集 13.24

13.24

曇摩難提。兜佉勒人也。齠歲出家聰慧夙成。研諷經典以專精致業。遍觀三藏。闇誦增一中阿鋡經。博識洽聞靡所不練。是以國內遠近咸共推服。少而觀方遍涉諸國常謂弘法之體宜宣布未聞。故遠冒流沙。懷寶東遊。以符堅建元二十年。至于長安。先是中土群經未有四鋡。堅侍臣武威太守趙政。志深法藏。乃與安公共請出經。是時慕容冲已叛起兵擊堅。關中騷動。政於長安城內集義學僧寫出兩經。佛念傳譯。慧嵩筆受。自夏迄春。綿歷二年方訖。具二阿鋡凡一百卷。自經流東夏迄于符世。卷數之繁唯此為廣。難提學業既優。道聲甚盛。堅屢禮請厚致供施。在秦積載。後不知所終。竺佛念。涼州人也。志行弘美辭才辯贍。博見多聞備識風俗。家世河西通習方語。故能交譯戎華宣法關渭。符姚二代常參傳經。二鋡之具。蓋其功也。

Dharmanandin was a man of Tukhāra. Leaving home in his childhood, his intelligence was precociously formed. He studied and recited the scriptures, establishing his achievements through undivided concentration. Widely perusing the tripiṭaka, he recited the Ekottarika-āgama and Madhyama-āgama from memory; his extensive knowledge and broad learning were such that there was nothing in which he was not practiced. For this reason, all near and far within his realm deferred to and admired him. In his youth, he observed the regions and traveled through various countries, always maintaining that the essence of propagating the Dharma lay in proclaiming what had not yet been heard. Therefore, braving the flowing sands from afar and carrying treasures, he traveled eastward. In the twentieth year of Fu Jian's Jianyuan era, he arrived at Chang'an. Prior to this, the four Āgamas were missing from among the various scriptures in the central lands. Fu Jian's attendant minister and Grand Protector of Wuwei, Zhao Zheng, deeply devoted his aspiration to the treasury of the Dharma, and thus together with Master Dao'an requested the translation of the scriptures. At that time, Murong Chong had already rebelled and raised troops to attack Fu Jian, throwing the Guanzhong region into turmoil. Within the city of Chang'an, Zhao Zheng assembled doctrinal monks to copy out and translate the two scriptures. Fonian translated orally, and Huisong served as scribal recorder. From summer to spring, spanning two years, it was finally completed. The two complete Āgamas comprised a total of one hundred fascicles. From the time the scriptures flowed into the Eastern Xia down to the Fu era, in terms of sheer number of fascicles, this was the most extensive. Nandin's learning was superior and his reputation for the Dao flourished. Fu Jian repeatedly invited him with ceremony and provided generous offerings. He remained in Qin for many years; later, his end was unknown. Zhu Fonian was a man of Liangzhou. His aspirations and conduct were grand and noble, and his eloquence and literary talent were rich. Widely read and extensively informed, he was thoroughly acquainted with local customs. His family had resided in Hexi for generations, and he was fluent in regional dialects; thus, he could interpret back and forth between barbarian and Chinese tongues, proclaiming the Dharma in the Guan and Wei regions. In the two dynasties of Fu and Yao, he constantly took part in transmitting the scriptures. That the two Āgamas were fully produced was entirely due to his merit.