開元釋教錄 11.11

11.11

(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!)