出三藏記集 7.42

7.42

The Tanbo (Dharmapada) verses contain the essential doctrines of the various sūtras. Tan means dharma (fa); bo means verses/phrases (ju). The Dharmapada has several distinct recensions: some have nine hundred verses, others seven hundred, and others five hundred. Gāthās are closing verses, like poetic hymns. They were uttered by the Buddha as occasions arose, not spoken at a single time; each has its origin and context, distributed throughout the various sūtras. The Buddha was all-knowing; his nature was of great benevolence, and he took pity on all under heaven. He arose and appeared in the world to open up and reveal the meaning of the Dao so as to enlighten mankind. The essential doctrines of the twelve divisions of sūtras summarize the core, and there are additionally the four Āgamas. After his parinirvāṇa, in what Ānanda transmitted, whether the fascicles were large or small, all stated 'Thus have I heard', [recording] where the Buddha fully elaborated his teachings. Thereafter, the śramaṇas of the five schools each gathered four-line and six-line verses from the sūtras, arranged their meanings, and divided them into chapters. They culled from all the twelve divisions of sūtras, and having no other specific title for it, they named it the Dharmapada. Now, the various sūtras are Dharma sayings (fayan), and 'Dharmapada' likewise means Dharma sayings. In recent times, Mr. Ge transmitted seven hundred verses; the meaning of the verses was extremely deep, but when the translator produced it, it was rendered rather vague and rambling. Truly, the Buddha is difficult to encounter, and his words are difficult to hear. Furthermore, the various Buddhas all arise in Tianzhu. The language of Tianzhu has sounds different from Chinese; their writing is called heavenly writing and their speech heavenly speech. Since names and things are different, transmission is truly not easy. Only in the past did Master Landiao, the Marquis of An, Shigao, and the Commander Fodiao translate from Hu into Chinese, accurately capturing the substance. This made it difficult to follow in their footsteps. Though later transmitters could not be as precise, they still valued accuracy and roughly captured the main idea. In the beginning, Vighna came from Tianzhu, arriving in Wuchang in the third year of the Huangwu era (224 CE). I received this five-hundred-verse text from him and requested his companion Zhu Jiangyan to translate it. Although Jiangyan was skilled in the language of Tianzhu, he was not yet fully conversant in Chinese. In what he transmitted, he sometimes followed the Hu language or gave the sound based on meaning, bordering on the crude and straightforward. At first, I disliked its lack of elegance, but Vighna said: 'The Buddha's words should rely on their meaning without need for embellishment; taking up his Dharma does not require grandeur in its transmission. In sūtras, one should make them easy to understand without losing the meaning—that is what is good.' All those seated said: 'Laozi stated, "Pleasing words are not trustworthy; trustworthy words are not pleasing." Zhongni (Confucius) also said, "Writing cannot fully express speech; speech cannot fully express thought." This clarifies that the sage's intention is profound and boundless. In transmitting the Hu meaning now, it is indeed fitting that it be thorough.' Therefore, I exerted myself to receive it from the translator's mouth, following the original intent without adding literary embellishment. What the translator did not understand was omitted and not transmitted; thus there are omissions and much that was not produced. However, although the phrasing is plain, the meaning is deep; the text is concise, but the sense is vast. The events connect to the various sūtras; each section has its origin, and each verse has an explanatory exposition. In Tianzhu, for those who begin their studies, not to learn the Dharmapada is called transgressing the order. It is indeed the gradual progress of the beginner and the profound treasury of the advanced. It can open the eyes of the ignorant, resolve doubts, and encourage people to stand on their own. The effort required to study it is slight, but that which it encompasses is vast; it may truly be called marvelous and essential. When this was translated in the past, some parts were not produced. It happened that when Jiangyan came, I again consulted him and received these verses, obtaining thirteen additional chapters. Together with collating the past [translation], some additions and revisions were made, and the chapters were ordered into a single text of thirty-nine chapters, totaling 752 verses. It is hoped that this will be of benefit and broaden the understanding of all.