續古今譯經圖紀 1.25

1.25

沙門戍婆揭羅僧（仙蒸反）訶。唐音正翻云淨師子。以義譯之名善無畏。中印度摩伽陀國人。住王舍城那爛陀寺。姓剎帝利。貴族出家神氣清虛道業恢著。精通禪慧妙達總持。三藏教門一心遊入。五天諸國久播芳名。大悲利生有緣東漸。塗至北印度境響震摩訶支那。我皇搜集賢良發使迎接。以開元四年景辰大齎梵本來屆長安。初於興福寺南院安置。次後有勅令住西明。至五年丁巳於菩提院。譯虛空藏菩薩能滿諸願最勝心陀羅尼求聞持法（一卷）。沙門悉達譯語。沙門無著綴文筆受。其無畏所將梵本有勅並令進內。緣此未得廣譯諸經。曩時沙門無行西遊天竺學畢東歸。迴至北天不幸而卒。所將梵本有勅迎還。比在西京華嚴寺收掌。無畏與沙門一行於彼簡得數本梵經。並總持妙門先未曾譯。至十二年隨駕入洛。於大福先寺安置。遂為沙門一行譯大毘盧遮那成佛神變加持經一部（七卷）。其經具足梵文有十萬頌。今所出者撮其要耳。又譯蘇婆呼童子經一部（三卷）。蘇悉地羯羅經一部（三卷）。沙門寶月譯語。沙門一行筆受承旨兼刪綴詞理。文質相半妙諧深趣。前後總出四部一十四卷。無畏性愛恬簡靜慮怡神時開禪觀獎勸初學。慈悲作念接誘無虧。人或問疑剖析無滯。

The śramaṇa Śubhakarasiṃha, properly translated into Tang sounds as 'Pure Lion', and rendered by its meaning as Shanwuwei ('Good Fearless'). A native of Magadha in Central India, he resided at Nālandā Monastery in Rājagṛha. Of kṣatriya caste and noble birth, he renounced household life; his spirit was serene and clear, and his achievements in the Way were vast and illustrious. He thoroughly mastered dhyāna and wisdom, and was wonderfully adept in dhāraṇīs. He wholeheartedly penetrated the teachings of the Tripiṭaka. Across the kingdoms of the Five Indias, his fragrant reputation had long spread. With great compassion to benefit living beings, and possessing affinities to move gradually eastward, he traveled to the borders of North India, where his renown resounded in Mahācīna. Our Emperor, gathering worthy and good men, dispatched envoys to welcome him. In the fourth year of Kaiyuan, a bingchen year (716), carrying a large number of Sanskrit texts, he arrived in Chang'an. At first, he was accommodated in the South Cloister of Xingfu Monastery; later, an imperial decree ordered him to reside at Ximing Monastery. In the fifth year, a dingsi year (717), at the Bodhi Cloister, he translated the Xukongzang pusa nengman zhu yuan zuisheng xin tuoluoni qiuwenchi fa (1 fascicle). The śramaṇa Siddhā served as interpreter, and the śramaṇa Wuzhuo edited the text and served as scribe. By imperial decree, the Sanskrit texts that Shanwuwei brought were all ordered to be submitted to the inner palace; for this reason, he was not able to translate scriptures extensively. In former times, the śramaṇa Wuxing journeyed west to India; after completing his studies, he set out to return east, but upon reaching North India, he unfortunately passed away. By imperial decree, the Sanskrit texts he had gathered were welcomed back, and recently they had been kept at Huayan Monastery in the Western Capital. There Shanwuwei and the śramaṇa Yixing selected several Sanskrit scriptures, all subtle gateways of dhāraṇī that had never been translated before. In the twelfth year (724), he accompanied the imperial cortege to Luoyang and was accommodated at Dafuxian Monastery. Thereupon, for the sake of the śramaṇa Yixing, he translated the Mahāvairocanābhisaṃbodhi-vikurvitādhiṣṭhāna-sūtra in one work (7 fascicles). In its full Sanskrit text, this scripture comprises one hundred thousand verses; the present translation merely extracts its essentials. He also translated the Subāhuparipṛcchā in one work (3 fascicles) and the Susiddhikara-sūtra in one work (3 fascicles). The śramaṇa Baoyue served as interpreter, and the śramaṇa Yixing took down the text, received the purport, and both abridged and edited the expressions and principles. Blending literary style and substance equally, it wonderfully harmonized with the deep purport. Before and after, he produced four works in fourteen fascicles in all. By nature, Shanwuwei loved quiet simplicity, calming his thoughts to cheer his spirit; from time to time, he opened dhyāna contemplation to instruct and encourage beginners. Generating compassion, he guided and received others without neglect. Whenever someone asked about doubts, he analyzed them without hindrance.