出三藏記集 15.18

15.18

Shi Baoyun's family name is not known. Traditions concerning his clan state that he was a native of Liangzhou. He left household life in his youth, and was energetic, assiduous, and distinguished for his learning and conduct. His aspirations and nature were unyielding and pure, not compromising with the world; hence in his youth he was renowned for his uprightness, rectitude, simplicity, and plainness. In seeking the Dharma, he was earnest and impassioned, forgetting his own person to give himself for the Way. He vowed to witness the holy sites in person and to search widely for all the scriptures. Thus, at the beginning of the Long'an era of the Jin dynasty, he traveled far into the Western Regions, following in succession with Faxian and Zhiyan. He traversed shifting sands and climbed over snow-capped peaks, not considering exhaustion, bitter suffering, hardships, or dangers as difficult. He went on to pass through Khotan and the various realms of Tianzhu, witnessing miraculous wonders everywhere. He crossed the wilderness of rākṣasas and heard the sounds of celestial drums; of Śākyamuni's shadow and footprints, he paid homage to many. Abroad, Baoyun comprehensively studied Hu writing, becoming thoroughly versed in the pronunciations, graphs, glosses, and teachings of the various Tianzhu realms. Later he returned to Chang'an, following the meditation master Buddhabhadra to receive instruction, cultivate the Way, practice meditation, and chant texts, ever diligent and untiring. Soon afterward, the meditation master was unjustly expelled by the Qin monks. His disciples all shared in his blame, and Baoyun also fled and dispersed. It happened that Shi Huiyuan of Mount Lu resolved the matter of his expulsion, and they together returned to the capital, staying at Daoxiang Monastery. Because Baoyun's determination and strength were staunch and bold, having propagated the Way through distant regions, the assembly of monks all opened their hearts to seek instruction from him, revering and cherishing him. Baoyun translated the new Wuliangshou [jing]. Most of the scriptures translated in later times were Baoyun's translations. He would hold the Hu manuscripts in his hands and proclaim them orally in the Jin language. Fluent in both Chinese and barbarian tongues, his phonology and explanations were accurate and proper. The assembly all trusted and deferred to Baoyun's determinations. Earlier, the śramaṇa Zhu Fonian of Guanzhong was skilled in proclamation and translation, bringing forth and translating many scriptures during the reign eras of Fu [Jian] and Yao [Xing]. South of the Yangtze, no one surpassed Baoyun in mastery of Fan. Thus, during the Jin and Song dynasties, he broadly propagated the Dharma treasury. The śramaṇa Huiguan and others all befriended him and held him in high regard. Baoyun by nature loved seclusion to preserve quiet retirement; he consequently went to Liuhe Mountain Monastery, where he translated the Buddhacarita (Fo suoxing zan jing). The mountain had many rough frontiersmen whose custom was to indulge in brigandage; Baoyun's teaching and guidance caused many to reform their evil ways, and eight out of ten households came to pay reverence and provide offerings. After a while, when Huiguan of Daoxiang Monastery was on the verge of death, he requested Baoyun to return to the capital to take overall charge of the monastery's affairs. Baoyun could not avoid it and returned. Having dwelt there for a little over a year, he again returned to Liuhe. He died in the twenty-sixth year of the Yuanjia era, at the age of seventy-odd years. His foreign journeys are recorded separately in an account, for which the recluse Lei Cizong of Yuzhang composed a preface.