開元釋教錄 11.23

11.23

大般涅槃經四十卷（或三十六卷四帙）
北涼天竺三藏曇無讖於姑臧譯（第五單重合譯）
（其涅槃經宋文帝代元嘉年中達于建業時有豫州沙門范慧嚴清河沙門崔慧觀陳郡處士謝靈運等以讖前
經品數疎簡乃依舊泥洹經加之品目文有過質頗亦改治結為三十六卷行於江左比於前經時有小異有論一
卷略釋大經又論一卷釋本有今無一偈）。
大般涅槃經後譯茶毘分二卷（亦云闍維分亦云後分）
大唐南海波凌國沙門若那跋陀羅共唐
國沙門會寧於彼國共譯（出大周錄單本）
右一經。是前大般涅槃經之餘。憍陳如品
之末。兼說滅度已後焚燒等事（義淨三藏求法傳云。益府成都
沙門會寧麟德年中往遊天竺。到南海訶凌國。遂與彼國三藏沙門若那跋陀羅。唐云智賢。於阿笈摩經抄出如來
涅槃焚燒之事。非大乘涅槃經也。遣使寄來方之天竺。今尋此經與長阿含初分遊行經少分相似而不全同。經中
復言法身常存常樂我淨。佛菩薩境界非二乘所知。與大涅槃義理相涉。經初復題陳如品末文勢相接且編於此。
後諸博識詳而定之）。
大般泥洹經六卷（或十卷）
東晉平陽沙門釋法顯共覺賢譯（第四譯）
右一經是大般涅槃經之前分盡大眾問品
同本異譯（兼茶毘分前後七譯四譯闕本）。
上二經八卷同帙。
方等般泥洹經二卷（亦名大般泥洹經或三卷）
西晉三藏竺法護譯（第一譯）
四童子三昧經三卷（或直名四童子經）
隋天竺三藏闍那崛多等譯（第二譯）
右二經同本異譯（按群錄中又有哀泣經二卷或三卷云與方等泥洹同本異譯亦不
述其翻譯所由尋其文句即是方等泥洹更無有異其方等泥洹初品名為哀泣但取此品題目以作經名比於方
等泥洹仍闕三品餘並無別既是繁重刪之不錄也）。
大悲經五卷
高齊天竺三藏那連提耶舍共法智譯（單本）
上三經十卷同帙（方等泥洹等三經涅槃支派）。

Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, forty fascicles (or thirty-six fascicles; four cases),
Translated in Guzang by the Northern Liang Tianzhu tripiṭaka [master] Dharmakṣema (fifth translation; composite translation combining single and duplicate translations).
(This Nirvāṇa-sūtra reached Jianye during the Yuanjia reign-era of Emperor Wen of the Song dynasty. At that time, the śramaṇa Fan Huiyan of Yuzhou, the śramaṇa Cui Huiguan of Qinghe, the retired scholar Xie Lingyun of Chen commandery, and others, considering that the chapter division of Dharmakṣema's earlier text was sparse and brief, added chapter titles based on the earlier Niwan jing. Where the text was excessively plain, they also revised it considerably, compiling it into thirty-six fascicles, which circulated south of the Yangzi. Compared to the earlier scripture, there were occasional slight differences. There is a śāstra in one fascicle that briefly explains the Great Scripture, and another śāstra in one fascicle that explains the single verse on "originally having, now lacking").
Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, later translated Cremation Section (Jhapita Section), two fascicles (also called the Śavita Section, also called the Latter Section),
Jointly translated in that country by the śramaṇa Jñānabhadra of the kingdom of Boling in the Southern Sea and the śramaṇa Huining of the Tang state during the Great Tang (recorded in the Great Zhou Catalogue; sole translation).
The above single scripture is the continuation of the preceding Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, following the end of the Kauṇḍinya Chapter. It additionally expounds the events of the cremation and so forth after the parinirvāṇa. (The Tripiṭaka Master Yijing's Biography of Seeking the Dharma states: "During the Linde reign-era, the śramaṇa Huining of Chengdu in Yi prefecture travelled to Tianzhu. Arriving at the kingdom of Heling in the Southern Sea, he thereupon, together with the tripiṭaka śramaṇa of that kingdom, Jñānabhadra—in Chinese, Zhixian—extracted from an Āgama-sūtra the accounts of the Tathāgata's nirvāṇa and cremation; it is not the Mahāyāna Nirvāṇa-sūtra. He dispatched an envoy to send it back, while he went on to Tianzhu." Examining this scripture now, it bears slight similarities to the Travel Chapter in the first section of the Dīrghāgama, but is not entirely identical. Moreover, the scripture speaks of the Dharmakāya being eternal, and of permanence, bliss, self, and purity, and that the realm of buddhas and bodhisattvas is not known to the two vehicles. Its doctrine is interrelated with that of the Great Nirvāṇa. Furthermore, the beginning of the scripture bears the title of the end of the Kauṇḍinya Chapter, and the textual flow is continuous, so it is temporarily compiled here. Let those of broad knowledge in later times examine and determine it).
Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, six fascicles (or ten fascicles),
Translated jointly by the Eastern Jin śramaṇa Shi Faxian of Pingyang and Jñānabhadra (fourth translation).
The above single scripture is the first portion of the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, concluding with the Chapter on the Congregation's Inquiries; it is a different translation of the same text (inclusive of the Cremation Section, there are seven translations in all, earlier and later, of which four translations are lost texts).
The above two scriptures in eight fascicles are in the same case.
Vaipulya-parinirvāṇa-sūtra, two fascicles (also called Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra; or three fascicles),
Translated by the Western Jin tripiṭaka [master] Dharmarakṣa (first translation).
Four Youths Samādhi Sūtra, three fascicles (or simply called Four Youths Sūtra),
Translated by the Sui Tianzhu tripiṭaka [master] Jñānagupta and others (second translation).
The above two scriptures are different translations of the same text. (According to the various catalogues, there is also a Weeping Sūtra in two or three fascicles, stated to be a different translation of the same text as the Vaipulya-parinirvāṇa[-sūtra], but without detailing the origin of its translation. Examining its words and sentences, it is just the Vaipulya-parinirvāṇa[-sūtra] with no difference whatsoever. The opening chapter of that Vaipulya-parinirvāṇa[-sūtra] is entitled 'Weeping'; it merely took the title of this chapter as the sūtra's name. Compared to the Vaipulya-parinirvāṇa[-sūtra], it still lacks three chapters, but the rest is no different. Since it is a redundant duplication, it was deleted and not recorded).
Mahākaruṇā-sūtra, five fascicles,
Translated jointly by the Northern Qi Tianzhu tripiṭaka [master] Narendrayaśas and Fazhi (sole translation).
The above three scriptures in ten fascicles are in the same case (the three scriptures including the Vaipulya-parinirvāṇa[-sūtra] are branch texts of the Nirvāṇa [section]).