續古今譯經圖紀 1.10

1.10

The upāsaka Du Xingyi was a native of Jingzhao. During the Yifeng era, he served as Director of the Foreign Visitors Bureau in the Court of Imperial Regalia. Yi understood the Indian language and was also gifted with literary style, so in translation and transmission affairs he was exquisitely qualified. At that time, the monk Buddhāpāli from Kapiśa came to the palace gate bearing a bundle of Sanskrit sūtras and presented them to the court. Heavenly Emperor [Gaozong] issued an edict ordering Yi to translate it, naming it the Uṣṇīṣavijayā-dhāraṇī-sūtra (one fascicle). General of Ningyuan Dupa and the Tripiṭaka Master Divākara of Central India certified the translation. This was on the fifth day of the first month in the fourth year of Yifeng [679]. Because this translation by Du concealed and avoided imperial taboos and national name taboos, 'World-Honoured One' (shizun) became 'Sacred Honoured One' (shengzun), 'world' (shijie) became 'realm of birth' (shengjie), 'great power' (dashi) became 'great direction' (daqu), and 'remedying and curing' (jiuzhi) became 'saving and eliminating' (jiuchu). After the translation was completed and presented to the throne, the Retired Emperor read it, looked at Yi, and said, 'Since these are sacred words, there is no need to avoid taboos.' Du had just received the edict to correct it when, due to circumstance, the project was put aside. Later, Tripiṭaka Master Rizhao, following an edict, made a detailed translation named the Foding zuisheng tuoluoni.