續古今譯經圖紀 1.12

1.12

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.)