續古今譯經圖紀 1.21

1.21

The śramaṇa Bodhiruci, originally named Dharmaruci, which in Chinese means 'Desiring the Dharma'. The Empress changed it to Bodhiruci, which in Chinese means 'Loving Awakening'. A native of South India, of the brāhmaṇa caste, his surname was Kāśyapa. Unsurpassed in intelligence and keen discernment, his bearing was extraordinary. At the age of twelve, he renounced household life under a non-Buddhist teacher. Studying under Parāśara, he mastered the latter's sūtras and arts. Consequently, he thoroughly understood the linguistic sciences (śabdavidyā) and was especially skilled in Sāṃkhya philosophy. Yin-yang, astrology and calendars, geography, astronomy, incantations, and medicine were all familiar to him as the palm of his hand. When he reached sixty, he considered himself peerless; he challenged monks to debates, offering to serve them in person if defeated. At that time, there was a Tripiṭaka master of the Mahāyāna Theravāda tradition named Yaśoghoṣa. Recognizing that his faculties were ripe, he entered into debate with him. Before few points were passed, both his arguments and logic were refuted. Only then did he realize that the brilliance of the Buddha's sun cannot be rivaled by the illumination of a firefly, and that how could a tiny trickle of water match the vast depth of the Dharma ocean? Thereupon, giving his whole life to reverence and service, he dedicated himself to studying the Buddhist vehicle. He observed the precepts without fault, his determination lofty and stern. Exalting wisdom, his understanding and learning were expansive and profound. In less than five years, he thoroughly mastered the Tripiṭaka. Emperor Gaozong heard of his fine reputation from afar and dispatched an envoy to invite him. But before the envoy returned, the Emperor suddenly rode the white clouds [passed away]. When the Empress ascended the throne, he at last set out for the imperial capital. In the second year of Changshou, a guisi year (693), he first arrived at the capital. In that very year, at Foshouji Monastery, he translated the Baoyu jing (Precious Rain Sūtra) in one work (10 fascicles). The Central Indian royal envoy, the śramaṇa Brahma, co-proclaimed the Sanskrit text. Furthermore, at Da Zhou Dong Monastery and Foshouji Monastery, he translated: the Wenshushili suoshuo busiyi fo jingjie jing (1 work, 2 fascicles), the Shixiang boreboluomi jing (1 fascicle), the Dacheng jingang jizhu pusa xiuxing fen (1 fascicle), the Dacheng Jiayashan ding jing (1 fascicle), the Liuzi shenzhou jing (1 fascicle), the Huming famen shenzhou jing (1 fascicle), the Youdenü suowen dacheng jing (1 fascicle), the Boreboluomiduo na jing (1 fascicle), the Miaohui tongnü suowen jing (1 fascicle), the Bukong juansuo zhouxin jing (1 fascicle), the Miaode poluomennü wen fo zhuan he falun jing (1 fascicle), the Zhimeng zhangzhe wen jing (1 fascicle), the Fo ru Piyeli chu yiqie guibing jing (1 fascicle), the Naye jing (1 fascicle), the Da tuoluoni jing (1 fascicle), the Wenshushili zhoufazang jing (1 fascicle), the Yizi zhouwang jing (1 fascicle), the Wujialüeye pusa zao guangda moni mimi shanzhu jing (1 fascicle), and the Shi bore liuzi sanju lun (1 fascicle). The above twenty works comprise thirty fascicles. The śramaṇa Xinggan and others assisted in the translation; the śramaṇa Zhantuopo and the brāhmaṇa Li Wuchan served as interpreters; the śramaṇa Huizhi certified the interpreted language; the śramaṇa Chuyi and others served as scribes; the śramaṇa Sixuan and others edited the text; the śramaṇas Yuance, Shenying, and others certified the meaning; and the vice director of the Court of Dependencies Sun Bi supervised the translation. Later, in the second year of Shenlong of Emperor Zhongzong's accession, a bingwu year (706), he accompanied the imperial entourage back to the capital. An imperial decree ordered him to reside at West Chongfu Monastery to translate the Mahāratnakūṭa-sūtra in one work (120 fascicles). This sūtra contains forty-nine assemblies in all (among which twenty-six assemblies, comprising thirty-nine fascicles, were newly translated by Bodhiruci; the remainder were older sūtras collated and incorporated). Translators of previous ages had extracted individual assemblies and translated them separately without completing the entire collection. Formerly, in the first year of Linde (664), after the Dharma master Xuanzang finished translating the Mahāprajñāpāramitā at Yuhua Monastery, the venerable ones earnestly requested him to translate the Ratnakūṭa. Pressed incessantly, he opened the folios to translate it. Having managed only a few lines, he sighed and said: 'This sūtra lacks karmic affinity with the living beings of this land. My energy is failing; I cannot accomplish it.' Thereupon he stopped. Emperor Zhongzong ordered Bodhiruci to continue Xuanzang's unfinished task. He then examined the previously translated sūtras and collated the newly arrived folios. Where translations of previous eras matched, they were retained; what had never been produced before was translated fully according to the manuscripts. Moreover, where the older readings were obscure or confused, the texts were carefully examined and retranslated. Not until the second year of Xiantian under Emperor Ruizong, a guichou year (713), was the translation seat at last concluded. On the day the title was first opened in the Foguang Hall of the Imperial Palace, Emperor Zhongzong personally presided over the Dharma assembly and took down the meaning of the scripture with his own brush, while the hundred officials attended in session and the empress and consorts observed together. In seeking such deeds among the ancients, nothing could surpass it. When Ruizong succeeded to the throne, he again opened assembly sections in the White Lotus Pavilion of the North Park and the Ganlu and other halls of the Imperial Palace, also taking down the text with his own brush. The śramaṇa Sizhong, the Eastern Indian great chieftain Iśvara, and the Imperial Secretariat Drafter Duxuoju and others translated the Sanskrit text. The North Indian śramaṇa Dharma and the South Indian śramaṇa Prajñāgupta certified the Sanskrit meaning. The śramaṇas Huijue, Zongyi, Pujing, Lüfang, and others served as scribes. The śramaṇas Shengzhuang, Fazang, Chenwai, Wuzhuo, and others certified the meaning. The śramaṇas Chengli, Shenjian, Yunguan, Daoben, and others arranged the text. Xu Jian, Supervisor of the Household of the Crown Prince and Duke of Donghai Commandery; Lu Can, Preceptor of the Prince of Bin and Count of Gu'an; Lu Cangyong, Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and Baron of Donghai; Su Ting, Imperial Secretariat Drafter and Baron of Yewang; Peng Jing, Director of the Ministry of Rites; Wang Han, Rectifier of Omissions on the Left and Baron of Qi County; Yan Wenzhi, Assistant Director of the Court of the National Granaries; and He Zhizhang, Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, polished the literary style. Lu Xiangxian, Vice Director of the Secretariat and Marquis of Pingyu, and Wei Zhigu, Director of the Chancellery and Duke of Julu, supervised the translation. Xue Chongyin, former Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and Yang Zhongsi, Gentleman of the Department of Intercourse and Baron of Hongnong, supervised and guarded. When the transcription was complete, the text was presented to the inner palace. Ruling the myriad realms without and honoring the Three Jewels within, Ruizong personally brushed a preface and had it inscribed at the head of the sūtra. During this period, he also translated: the Bukong juansuo shenbian zhenyan jing in one work (30 fascicles), the Yizi foding lunwang jing in one work (5 fascicles), the Guangda baolouge shanzhu mimi tuoluoni jing in one work (3 fascicles), the Qianshou qianyan guanshiyin pusa mu tuoluoni shen jing (1 fascicle), the Ruyilun tuoluoni jing (1 fascicle), the Wenshushili baozang tuoluoni jing (1 fascicle), and the Jingang guangyan zhi fengyu tuoluoni jing (1 fascicle). For the above seven works, his disciple Prajñāgupta assisted in proclaiming the Sanskrit texts, and the śramaṇa Yunguan and others served as scribes. Altogether, before and after, he translated twenty-eight works in one hundred and ninety-two fascicles.