開元釋教錄 11.11

11.11

（尋諸舊錄皆以單譯為先。今此錄中以重譯者居首。所以然者重譯諸經文義備足名相揩定所以標初也。又舊錄中直名重譯。今改名重單合譯者。以大般若經九會單本。七會重譯。大寶積經二十會單本。二十九會重譯。直云重譯攝義不周。餘經例然。故名重單合譯也。又古譯經經首皆無。譯人時代年月浸遠尋討莫知。失譯之言寔由於此。今尋諸舊錄。參定是非時代譯人具標經首。失譯之者載之於錄。庶釋尊遺教終六萬之修齡矣）。

(Upon consulting past catalogues, all of them put sole translations first. In the present catalogue, retranslations are placed at the head. Why is this so? Because in the various retranslated sūtras, the texts and doctrines are complete, and technical terms and characteristics are firmly established; hence they are marked at the beginning. Furthermore, past catalogues simply named them "retranslations"; now the designation is changed to "retranslations and sole translations combined." This is because the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra has nine assemblies that are sole translations and seven assemblies that are retranslations, and the Mahāratnakūṭa-sūtra has twenty assemblies that are sole translations and twenty-nine assemblies that are retranslations. Merely saying "retranslations" does not completely encompass their reality. Other sūtras follow this pattern; therefore, it is termed "retranslations and sole translations combined." Furthermore, anciently translated sūtras all lacked front matter at their head, and as the times, years, and months of the translators grew increasingly distant, inquiries could no longer ascertain them. The term "anonymous translation" indeed arose from this. Now, having investigated the various ancient catalogues, I have determined the correctness, fully indicating the eras and translators at the heads of the sūtras. Those whose translations remain truly lost are recorded in the catalogue. May the posthumous teachings of Śākyamuni Buddha endure through the full span of sixty thousand years!)