眾經目錄 1.3

1.3

The transmission of the Buddha's Dharma to the east has been of long standing. Sanskrit scriptures arrived from the west and were increasingly circulated. Canonical texts from of old were all produced through translation. Recently, during times of disorder, their origins were largely lost. Earlier transcriptions and later translations differed in plainness and refinement; of a single scripture there were several versions, differing also in additions and omissions. This allowed ordinary persons to falsely fabricate [texts]: some privately selected essential matters and established separate titles, while others rashly concocted extraneous words yet adopted genuine titles; or treatises were called scriptures, and commentaries were titled treatises. Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna were intermingled, and right and wrong were confounded together. Errors proliferated without redress, and following precedent left matters unsettled. Fearing that the sacred teachings would decline and faith would be shaken and destroyed, failing the duty of succession and contradicting the entrusted mission, the Emperor, deeply revering the Three Jewels and thoroughly discerning the five vehicles, issued an imperial decree to the competent authorities to invite the venerable elders of Daxingshan Monastery, together with translation śramaṇas and scholars, to examine the Dharma storehouse and critically determine a catalogue of scriptures. Distinguishing them by category, they divided it into five sections in all: single translations, first; retranslations, second; extracted scriptures, third; collections and biographies of sages and saints, fourth; spurious and apocryphal texts, fifth. Extracted scriptures and spurious and apocryphal texts need not be copied out. The remaining three sections are entered into the canon and recorded in the catalogue. As for works such as the Fabao ji and the Jingzhuzi, like brief excerpts they are classified under extracted scriptures. Aside from these, works such as the Biographies of Eminent Monks, whose language partakes of secular historiography and whose style is not purely canonical, though their events may be investigated, have no reason to be included in the catalogue. Furthermore, collating ancient catalogues revealed that there are still missing texts: in the past, when the realm was not yet pacified, texts were left scattered in various places; now that all under Heaven is unified, we request that they all be sought out and collected. It is our hope that the Renshou era may long endure, the dharma teachings may be complete, all living beings may be fortunate, and the benefits may be boundless. Compiled into five fascicles, they are set forth below.