出三藏記集 8.38

8.38

The correct Indian sound of this scripture is named Pixisha Zhenti (Viśeṣacintā), which is the name of the bodhisattva of extraordinary and wondrous thought from a Brahmā heaven of another world. Listening carefully to Master Kumārajīva's translation of its name, as it turned back and forth, the meaning seemed not fully captured, truly because he was not yet fully versed in the nuances of name and reality in the Qin language. Examining the intent of the words and matching the purport of the name, it should be 'Holding the Mind' (Chiyi), not 'Thought Benefit' (Siyi). Simply because he had not understood the meaning of 'holding' (chi), he subsequently used 'benefit' (yi). 'Benefit' is a term for surpassing, distinct, wondrous, and outstanding excellence; 'thought' is a name for advancing in practice, high preeminence, and unceasing self-striving. The old name Chixin (Holding the Mind) best captures its reality. Furthermore, in its doctrinal purport, it was previously named Equal Control of All Dharmas. The Brahmā god leveled its ford; the World-Honoured One illuminated what it makes clear; Samantapuṣpa commended its non-mind; Mañjuśrī resolved it through non-arising. So eminent and lofty, it can truly be called the turning of the wheel of Dharma once again in Jambudvīpa, the sounding of the Dharma drum once again within the world, the flow of nectar in the decadent age, and the moistening of spiritual fluid in distant realms! However, the former translation by Gongming [Zhu Fahu] was quite ornate in diction yet obscured its purport, causing the grand aim to deviate through faulty phrasing, and the supreme taste to become cloying through florid elegance. Even though studied and searched for many years, its hidden purport could not be unlocked. Fortunately, we met Dharma Master Kumārajīva west of the pass; having obtained a retranslation of the Fan sounds, the text was corrected upon bamboo and silk, and we received his uncovering and explanation of the profound purport, understanding the grand culmination beneath each line. At that time, more than two thousand monks inquired and awakened, an assembly that greatly equaled the Dharma gathering of old, rejoicing in the rare celebration of such an encounter. Never has there been an equal since lectures began in recent times! At that time, Daoheng and I unworthily undertook the responsibility of scribal transmission; we immediately noted down his words and recorded these events to hand down to worthy people of later times. How could we expect our diction to surpass all, or our expression to fully exhaust the meaning? We merely hope that through the recorded words, one may roughly glimpse his mind. If worthy people of different times wish to see the purport expounded from the high seat, it has been fully recorded in writing without our adding our own opinions.