續古今譯經圖紀 1.12

1.12

沙門佛陀波利。唐言覺護。北印度罽賓國人。忘身徇道遍觀靈跡。聞文殊師利在清涼山。遠涉流沙躬來禮謁。以天皇儀鳳元年景子。杖錫五臺虔誠禮拜。悲泣雨淚望覩聖容。倏焉見一老翁從山中出來。作婆羅門語謂波利曰。師精誠懇惻何所求耶。波利答曰。聞文殊大士隱跡此山。從印度來欲求瞻禮。翁曰。師從彼國將佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經來不。此土眾生多造諸罪。出家之輩亦多有犯。佛頂神呪除罪祕方。若不將經徒來何益。縱見文殊何必能識。師可還西國取彼經來流傳此土。即是遍奉眾聖。廣利群生拯濟幽冥。報諸佛恩也。師取經來至此。弟子當示師文殊師利菩薩所在。波利聞此語已不勝喜躍。遂裁抑悲淚向山更禮。舉頭之頃忽不見老人。波利驚愕倍增虔敬。遂返歸本國取得經來。既達帝城便求進見。有司具狀聞奏。天皇賞其精誠崇斯祕典。遂詔鴻臚寺典客令杜行顗。及日照三藏於內共譯。譯訖儭絹三十匹。經留在內。波利因乃垂泣奏曰。委棄身命志在利人。請布流行是所誠望。帝愍其專至。遂留所譯之經。還其梵本任將流布。波利得經不勝喜躍。將向西明寺。訪得善梵語僧順貞。奏共翻譯。帝允其請。遂對翻經大德圓測共貞翻出。名佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經（一卷）波利所願已畢。持經梵本入於五臺。于今不出。莫知所之。比諸眾譯此最弘布（其經前序永昌已後有人述記校眾譯本年月參差具如開元釋教錄中所述）。

The śramaṇa Buddhāpāli (in Tang: Juehu) was a native of Kapiśa in North India. Forgetting his own person in devotion to the Way, he visited sacred traces everywhere. Hearing that Mañjuśrī resided on Qingliang Mountain, he traveled from afar across the drifting sands and came in person to pay homage. In the bingzi year, the first year of Yifeng [676] under Heavenly Emperor [Gaozong], leaning on his staff at Wutai, he bowed with devout sincerity, weeping rain-like tears, hoping to behold the holy countenance. Suddenly, he saw an old man emerging from the mountains, speaking in the language of a brāhmaṇa, who addressed Pāli, saying, 'Master, with such fervent and earnest sincerity, what are you seeking?' Pāli replied, 'Having heard that the Great Being Mañjuśrī has concealed his traces in these mountains, I have come from India desiring to behold and worship him.' The old man said, 'Master, did you bring the Uṣṇīṣavijayā-dhāraṇī-sūtra from that country? The sentient beings of this land commit many transgressions, and those who have left household life also commit many infractions. The Buddha-uṣṇīṣa divine mantra is a secret remedy for eliminating transgressions. If you have not brought the sūtra, what benefit is there in coming in vain? Even if you were to see Mañjuśrī, would you necessarily recognize him? Master, you should return to the Western countries, obtain that sūtra, and bring it to circulate in this land. That will be to make offerings universally to the multitude of sages, widely benefit all beings, rescue those in darkness, and repay the kindness of all the buddhas. When you have fetched the sūtra and arrived here, this disciple will show you the dwelling place of the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī.' Having heard these words, Pāli was overjoyed beyond measure. Restraining his weeping tears, he bowed again toward the mountain. In the moment he raised his head, the old man suddenly vanished. Astonished, Pāli redoubled his devout reverence. He thereupon returned to his native country, obtained the sūtra, and brought it back. Upon reaching the imperial city, he sought an audience. The authorities memorialized the matter in full. The Heavenly Emperor praised his sincerity and esteemed this secret canon, and thereupon ordered Du Xingyi, Director of the Foreign Visitors Bureau in the Court of Imperial Regalia, together with Tripiṭaka Master Rizhao, to translate it within the palace. After the translation was completed, he was gifted thirty bolts of silk, and the sūtra was retained inside the palace. Pāli therefore wept and memorialized, saying, 'Having abandoned my life, my aim was to benefit people; my sincere hope was to distribute and circulate it.' Pitying his singular dedication, the Emperor retained the translated sūtra but returned the Sanskrit manuscript to him, leaving him free to circulate it. Overjoyed upon receiving the sūtra, Pāli took it to Ximing Monastery, where he searched out the monk Shunchēn, who was proficient in Sanskrit, and memorialized to translate it together. The Emperor granted his request. Thereupon, before the translation master of great virtue Yuance, he and Zhen translated it, naming it the Uṣṇīṣavijayā-dhāraṇī-sūtra (one fascicle). Pāli's vow having been fulfilled, he took the Sanskrit manuscript of the sūtra into Mount Wutai and has not emerged to this day, no one knowing where he went. Compared to all other translations, this one is the most widely circulated. (The preface before this sūtra was written by someone after the Yongchang era; the dates recorded when collating various translated versions are discrepant, as fully described in the Kaiyuan Buddhist Catalogue.)