眾經目錄 7.2

7.2

大興善寺翻經眾沙門法經等敬白皇帝大檀越。去五月十日。太常卿牛弘奉勅須撰眾經目錄。經等謹即修撰。總計眾經合有二千二百五十七部。五千三百一十卷凡為七卷。別錄六卷。總錄一卷。繕寫始竟。謹用進呈。經等又敬白。仰惟無上法寶道洽無窮。像運中途預被茲土。昔方朔覩昆明下灰。令問西域取決。劉向校書。天閣錄載。已見佛經方知前漢之世正法久至。非為後漢始流此地矣。但自道淡情華真偽玄隔人尠宗敬。雖有若亡。又致明帝夢感金容現者。當是聖道憑籍皇王。大啟弘奉之端耳。於是發使西域專求佛經。緣此摩騰法蘭創出四十二章。世高支讖廣譯諸餘經部。是後通道之士相尋而至。爰暨魏晉京洛之日。雖有支謙康會驟宣於金陵。竺護蘭炬飛譯於雍洛。然而信敬尚簡奉行固微。比逮東晉二秦之時經律粗備。但法假人弘賢明日廣。於是道安法師創條諸經目錄。銓品譯材的明時代。求遺索缺備成錄體。自爾達今二百年間。製經錄者十有數家。或以數求或用名取。或憑時代或寄譯人。各紀一隅務存所見。獨有楊州律師僧祐。撰三藏記錄頗近可觀。然猶小大雷同三藏雜糅。抄集參正傳記亂經。考始括終莫能該備。自外諸錄胡可勝言。僧眾既未獲盡見三國經本校驗異同。今唯且據諸家目錄。刪簡可否總摽綱紀。位為九錄區別品類。有四十二分九初六錄三十六分。略示經律三藏大小之殊。粗顯傳譯是非真偽之別。後之三錄集傳記注。前三分者並是西域聖賢所撰。以非三藏正經故為別錄。後之三分並是此方名德所修。雖不類西域所製。莫非毘贊正經。發明宗教。光輝前緒。開進後學。故兼載焉。又法經等更復竊思。諸家經錄多是前代賢哲修撰。敬度前賢靡不皆號一時稽古。而所修撰不至詳審者。非彼諸賢才不足而學不周。直是所遇之日。天下分崩九牧無主。名州大郡各號帝畿。疆場艱關並為戰國。經出所在悉不相知。學者遙聞終身莫覩。故彼前哲雖有材能。若不逢時亦無所申述也。當今經等識學誠不及古。而宿緣多幸運屬休辰。四海為家六合清泰。殊方異俗宛若目前。正朔所班書軌無外。又皇帝大檀越。雖復親綜萬機。而耽道終日興復三寶為法輪王。永關四趣之門。大啟天人之路。在域群生莫不蒙賴。而況經等。夫何復論所恨識慧無長猥參嘉運。不能盡獲三國經本及遺文逸法。造次修撰多有罔昧。進思退省慚慨良深。敬白開皇十四年七月十四日大興善寺翻經眾沙門法經等。

The śramaṇas of the translation assembly at Daxingshan Temple, Fajing and others, respectfully submit to the Emperor, the Great Dānapati: On the tenth day of the fifth month past, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices Niu Hong received an imperial decree that a catalogue of the scriptures was to be compiled. Fajing and the others respectfully and promptly undertook the compilation. In total, the scriptures amount to two thousand two hundred and fifty-seven works in five thousand three hundred and ten fascicles, divided into seven fascicles [of this catalogue]: six fascicles for the detailed catalogue and one fascicle for the general catalogue. The fair copying has just been completed, and it is respectfully presented to Your Majesty. Fajing and the others further respectfully state: We contemplate with reverence that the unsurpassed jewel of the Dharma extends its influence boundlessly, and that its semblance dispensation midway reached this land early on. In ancient times, when [Dong]fang Shuo saw the ash beneath the Kunming [Lake], he instructed that it be referred to the Western Regions for resolution; when Liu Xiang collated books and recorded them in the register of the Heavenly Pavilion, he had already seen Buddhist scriptures. From this one knows that in the Former Han period the True Dharma had already long arrived, and that it was not under the Later Han that it first flowed to this land. Yet, because the Way was subtle and mundane sentiments were ostentatious, truth and falsehood were vastly separated, and people rarely paid honor and veneration; though it was present, it was as if non-existent. Furthermore, that which caused Emperor Ming [of the Han] to be moved in a dream to behold the golden countenance was surely that the sagely Way relied upon the august sovereign to widely open the gateway of propagating and venerating it. Thereupon he dispatched envoys to the Western Regions specifically to seek Buddhist scriptures. Because of this, [Kāśyapa] Mātaṅga and Dharmaratna first produced the Scripture in Forty-two Sections, and [An] Shigao and Lokakṣema extensively translated the various other scriptural texts. Thenceforth, those who penetrated the Way arrived in succession. Coming down to the days of the capitals [of the dynasties of] Wei and Jin at Luoyang, though Zhi Qian and Kang Senghui repeatedly proclaimed it in Jinling, and Dharmarakṣa and Bo Yuan swiftly translated in Yong and Luo, nevertheless faith and reverence were still simple, and practical observance remained slight. By the time of the Eastern Jin and the two Qin, the scriptures and vinaya were roughly complete. But the Dharma relies on people for its propagation, and the worthy and enlightened daily increased. Thereupon Master Dao'an first systematized the catalogue of scriptures, evaluated the works and translator materials, clearly identified the eras, sought out what was left behind, and inquired into what was missing, fully establishing the form of a catalogue. From that time until now, in the span of two hundred years, those who have produced scriptural catalogues number more than ten masters. Some sought by number, some selected by title, some relied on era, or some entrusted it to the translator, each recording a single corner and striving to preserve only what they had seen. Only the Vinaya Master Sengyou of Yangzhou compiled the Record of the Tripiṭaka, which was rather close to being admirable. Yet Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna were still indiscriminately grouped together, the Tripiṭaka was intermingled, excerpts and compilations were mixed with standard texts, and biographies and records threw the scriptures into disorder; in investigating the beginnings and summarizing the ends, none was able to be comprehensive. Beyond these, how can the other catalogues be fully described? Since the monastic assembly has not yet been able to examine all the scriptural texts of the Three Kingdoms to verify similarities and differences, we have now only relied upon the catalogues of the various masters, pruned the acceptable and unacceptable, and generally marked out the principal guidelines. We have established nine catalogues to distinguish the categories, consisting of forty-two sections: the first six catalogues comprising thirty-six sections broadly show the differences between the Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna of the scriptural, vinaya, and abhidharma Piṭakas, and roughly reveal the distinction between what is correct and incorrect, genuine and spurious, in the transmissions and translations. The latter three catalogues bring together compilations, biographies, and treatises. Of these, the first three sections are all works compiled by holy ones and sages of the Western Regions; because they are not canonical scriptures of the Tripiṭaka, they are made into separate catalogues. The latter three sections are all works composed by renowned and virtuous figures of this land; although they are not of the type produced in the Western Regions, every one of them assists and supports the canonical scriptures, illuminates the teaching and doctrine, sheds lustre upon former traditions, and guides and advances later students; hence they are recorded together. Furthermore, Fajing and the others have privately reflected: the scriptural catalogues of the various masters were mostly compiled by former sages and philosophers. Respectfully assessing the former worthies, there was none who was not heralded as an antiquarian of his age. That their compilations did not attain thorough precision was not because those worthies lacked talent or had incomplete learning; it was simply due to the times they encountered: the realm was fractured and the Nine Provinces lacked a single sovereign; celebrated prefectures and great commanderies each styled themselves imperial capitals; borders and passes were difficult, all being warring states; where scriptures were produced was entirely unknown [to others]; and scholars heard of them from afar without ever beholding them in their entire lives. Therefore, although those former philosophers had talent and ability, if they did not meet with the right time, they also had no way to express it. At present, the knowledge and learning of Fajing and the others are truly not equal to the ancients, but by past karmic causes we are most fortunate that our fortune falls in an auspicious era. The four seas are one home, the six directions are peaceful and secure, and distant regions and different customs seem to be right before our eyes. Where the calendar is promulgated, writing and tracks leave nothing outside. Furthermore, the Emperor, the Great Dānapati, though personally managing the myriad affairs of state, devotes himself to the Way throughout the day, revives the Three Jewels, and serves as a Wheel-turning King of the Dharma, forever closing the gates of the four miserable realms and grandly opening the path to gods and humans. Among the living beings within the realm, none fails to rely on your grace; how much more so for Fajing and the others? What more can be said! What we regret is that our knowledge and wisdom have no excellence, yet we improperly take part in this auspicious fortune; we have not been able to obtain all the scriptural texts and surviving writings and lost teachings of the Three Kingdoms, so that in hastily compiling this work there is much darkness and obscurity. Stepping forward to reflect and stepping back to examine ourselves, our shame and regret are exceedingly deep. Respectfully submitted on the fourteenth day of the seventh month of the fourteenth year of Kaihuang by the śramaṇas of the translation assembly at Daxingshan Temple, Fajing and others.