續古今譯經圖紀 1.4

1.4

The śramaṇa Shi Zhitong: His vinaya practice was refined and rigorous, and he was also well-versed in sūtras and treatises. He paid particular attention to the dhāraṇī gate. Tong left household life during the Daye era of the Sui, residing at Da Zongchi Monastery in the capital. Having the aspiration to travel abroad, he subsequently studied Sanskrit script and language at the Translation Institute in the eastern capital of Luoyang, early on penetrating their subtleties. In the Zhenguan era of the Tang, a monk from North India came bearing a Sanskrit text of the Thousand Arms and Thousand Eyes Sūtra and presented it to the throne. Emperor Taizong decreed that Tong, together with the Indian monk, should translate it together. It was titled the Qianyan qianbi Guanshiyin pusa tuoluoni shenzhou jing (two fascicles, forming one work). Later, in the fourth year (kuichou) of Yonghui [653] under Heavenly Emperor [Gaozong], he also translated at Zongchi Monastery: the Qianzhuai tuoluoni Guanshiyin pusa zhou jing (one fascicle); the Guanzizai pusa suixin zhou jing (one fascicle); and the Qingjing Guanshiyin Puxian tuoluoni jing (one fascicle). In total there were four works comprising five fascicles.