開元釋教錄 18.8.1

18.8.1

*Foming jing* (Buddha Names Sūtra), sixteen fascicles (Though the root sūtra is authentic, because it is mixed with spurious material it is compiled here; or twelve fascicles)
Regarding the one sūtra above, the common people call it the *Matou luocha foming* (Horse-Headed Rākṣasa Buddha Names). It seems to have been compiled in recent times. It took the twelve-fascicle version translated by Bodhiruci and wove it together with interpolations. Within it, it took the titles of various sūtras, took the names of pratyekabuddhas, the names of bodhisattvas, and the names of arhats from various sūtras thereafter, and made them into the sequence of the Three Jewels, with thirty-two items in all. After paying homage to the Three Jewels, there is a confession of faults in each case; below the confession of faults, it further cited the spurious *Matou luocha jing* (Horse-Headed Rākṣasa Sūtra) and placed it after them. Thus it mixed worldly, vulgar words with the sacred speech. As the scripture says: "Copying what is before and putting it behind, copying what is behind and putting it before; putting what is before and behind into the middle, putting what is in the middle into before and behind." This describes it precisely. Examining the person who compiled it, he was entirely mediocre and foolish. For instance, in the fourth fascicle, it says: "Homage to the Sūtra of Faxian's Account." Listing this account within the Jewel of the Dharma—this was the śramaṇa Faxian of Pingyang under the Eastern Jin, who traveled to Tianzhu and recorded his own itinerary; it was originally not a sūtra, so placing it within the Jewel of the Dharma is an extreme error. Furthermore, in the ninth fascicle, it says: "Homage to Pūrṇa; homage to Maitrāyaṇīputra." This is the name of one person divided into two recitations. Next, it says: "Homage to Ānanda-Rāhula." This is the names of two persons combined into one. Such errors and fabrications are truly numerous and cannot be set forth in full; they are indicated in outline as above. Multitudes of fools follow and practice it, and deviant factions transmit it together. If it is not clearly pointed out, I fear it will defile the true teaching; therefore, I have set it forth.
*Yaoxing sheshen jing* (Sūtra on the Essential Practice of Renouncing the Body), one fascicle (More than three sheets; followed by a vow for renouncing the body, totaling five sheets)
Regarding the one sūtra above, it is unknown who composed it; deviant factions circulate it widely. The initial title of the sūtra states: "Translated by Tripiṭaka Dharma Master Xuanzang." According to the Dharma Master's translations, there is no such sūtra; its spurious and erroneous nature is clearly visible. Here I set forth four points to enlighten foolish minds:
First: The spurious sūtra states at the beginning: "Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha." The name "Mount Lingjiu" (Vulture Peak) exists in old translations of sūtras; Dharma Master Xuanzang's translations all say "Jiufeng" (Gṛdhrakūṭa). Now saying "Lingjiu" is the first manifestation of spuriousness.
Second: The spurious sūtra also states at the beginning: "Beside the Śītavana of Vulture Peak." According to various records, Vulture Peak is inside the Mountain City of Magadha, fourteen or fifteen li northeast of the palace city. How could the place for abandoning corpses be situated inside the capital city? Since this is not the case, this is the second manifestation of spuriousness.
Third: The spurious sūtra also states: "The Buddha said that in the past, at the time of Dīpaṃkara Buddha, he first vowed to renounce the body." Dīpaṃkara Tathāgata was the teacher who conferred the prophecy upon Śākyamuni Buddha at the completion of his second incalculable aeon. How could it be that only upon receiving the prophecy that he would become a buddha was he able to renounce his life? This matter contradicts reason, which is the third manifestation of spuriousness.
Fourth: The spurious sūtra also states: "If someone kills sentient beings throughout the sahā world, commits the four grave offenses and the five heinous crimes, slanders the vaipulya sūtras, and steals the saṃgha's property of the permanent or present quarters—such sins warrant falling into hell; if one is able to renounce the body, the sins will surely be eradicated." Slandering sūtras and committing heinous crimes warrant falling into Avīci; if renouncing one's life can eradicate them, then there would be no heavy retribution (Just as non-Buddhists falsely surmise that bathing in the Ganges eliminates sins and defilements, lightly casting away their lives to drown themselves in order to be born in heaven and receive blessings; to say that dying and renouncing the body eliminates sins, how is it different from their false surmises?). Fools commit evil and use this to eliminate their faults. The wise should examine this carefully and not be deceived, sinking forever into the evil destinies with no time of liberation. This matter contradicts reason, which is the fourth manifestation of spuriousness. (The errors and differences are extremely numerous and cannot be recorded fully).
*Yuqie fajing jing* (Sūtra of the Dharma Mirror of Yoga), two fascicles (or one fascicle, along with a spurious preface)
Regarding the one sūtra above, it is the *Xiangfa jueyi jing* (Sūtra on Resolving Doubts Concerning the Semblance Dharma) from the old catalogue of spurious texts, with two chapters added before the text to form one sūtra together. The first is called "Chapter on the Buddha's Parinirvāṇa Expounding the Duration and Destruction of the Dharma for Ānanda"; this chapter took the *Fo lin niepan ji fazhu jing* (Sūtra on the Buddha's Parinirvāṇa Recording the Duration of the Dharma) translated by Dharma Master Xuanzang, altered and modified it with additions and subtractions, and placed it at the beginning. Next is the "Chapter on Bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha's Praising the Practice of Contemplating the Dharmakāya." The last is the "Chapter on Bodhisattva Nityodgata's Questions"; this chapter is the old sūtra. According to the style of the text, their sequence is not coherently connected. It was forged in the first year of the Jinglong era [707 CE] by the Sanjie monk Shili. The preface falsely states: "Translated together at Chongfu Temple by the Tripiṭaka Master Bodhiruci, the Tripiṭaka Master Baosiwei, and others." Shili claimed there were Sanskrit manuscripts, yet Bodhiruci had never seen or heard of them. Because the text had formerly been compiled into the spurious category, he refabricated it hoping to clear it from the doubtful catalogue. Adding forgery upon forgery, its errors and distortions are especially numerous; one can know this upon reading it, so there is no need to relate it at length. (The compiler notes: I once personally questioned the Tripiṭaka Master Bodhiruci about this matter. The Tripiṭaka Master said orally: "I originally had no Sanskrit manuscript here, nor did I ever translate this sūtra." The Tripiṭaka Master's disciple Prajñāgupta [?], possessing keen knowledge and discerning judgment, was fully informed about this matter. Fearing that as time goes by, this would mistakenly corrupt the authentic teachings, I clearly point it out here to admonish posterity. That monk Shili, on account of a minor dispute and lawsuit, was personally investigated by the Emperor and specifically ordered to return to secular life. Is it not that Heaven did not bless him and sent punishment upon this man? Moreover, at the time of his death, his belly swelled as large as an urn; evil omens came swiftly upon him—how could one not be terrified!)
*Mile xiasheng qian Guanshiyin Dashizhi quanhua zhongsheng she'e zuoshan shoule jing* (Sūtra on Maitreya's Descent Sending Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta to Admonish Sentient Beings to Renounce Evil, Do Good, and Enjoy Longevity), one fascicle (Also simply titled *Shoule jing*, ten sheets)
*Guangmin pusa wen rulai chushi dang yong heshi pugao jing* (Sūtra on Bodhisattva Guangmin Asking at What Time the Tathāgata Shall Appear in the World to Announce Universally), one fascicle (eight sheets)
*Suishen benguan Mile chengfo jing* (Sūtra on Maitreya Becoming a Buddha in Accordance with One's Original Office), one fascicle ("Chapter on Bodhisattva Bhadravṛkṣa's Questions to the Buddha")
*Jingang miyao lun jing* (Sūtra of the Treatise on the Secret Essentials of the Vajra), one fascicle (Also titled *Fangming wang yuanqi jing*; or without the word *lun*; also expounds Maitreya's descent; fourteen sheets)
Regarding the four sūtras above, all were forged by wicked factions. Among them, they expound matters such as Maitreya Tathāgata being on the verge of descending immediately. (Respectfully examining the orthodox sūtras, after Śākyamuni's parinirvāṇa, fifty-seven koṭis and sixty hundred-thousand years in the human realm must pass, and the lifespan of humans in Jambudvīpa must increase to eighty thousand, before Maitreya Tathāgata will first appear in the world. How could Maitreya descend when the human lifespan is decreasing below one hundred?) Using such wicked fabrications, they entice and delude ordinary fools. Shallow-minded folk mostly follow and accept them, and because of this fall into ruin—how lamentable it is! Therefore, I clearly distinguish them here, particularly hoping for careful scrutiny.
*Fo sheng Daolitian hou Anan wei zhu sibuzhong shuo lifo chizhai yishi jing* (Sūtra on Ānanda Explaining the Ritual of Worshipping the Buddha and Upholding the Poṣadha to the Fourfold Assembly After the Buddha Ascended to Trāyastriṃśa Heaven), one fascicle (Also called *Fo sheng Daolitian chizhai yishi jing*)
*Mile Monifo shuo kaiwu foxing jing* (Sūtra Spoken by Maitreya Mani Buddha on Awakening to Buddha-Nature), one fascicle (The colophon title at the end of the sūtra reads *Renshen yinyuan kaiwu foxing jing*, or simply *Kaiwu foxing jing*; nine sheets)
*Jingxing youpose jie jing* (Sūtra on the Precepts for Upāsakas of Pure Practice), one fascicle (Or called *Jingxing youpose jie jing ganying pin di shisan*; altered from the *Yijiao jing*; six sheets)
*Jiashen nian hongzai dashui jing* (Sūtra on the Great Flood and Calamity in the Jiashen Year), one fascicle (Different from the matter of the water in the jiashen year in the *Fo bo ji*; two sheets)
*Xiama jing qinggua pin* (Frog Sūtra, Chapter on the Green Croaking), one fascicle (About half a sheet)
*Zisheng jing* (Sūtra on Self-Reflection), one fascicle (two sheets)