開元釋教錄 8.6

English (machine translation) 8.6

Language: English

8.6.1

Ratnatārā-dhāraṇī-sūtra, ten fascicles (or eight fascicles; recorded in the Neidian Lu; translated at Xingshan Temple starting in the third month of the third year of Zhenguan and completed in the fourth month of the fourth year; preface composed by the śramaṇa Falin; the Buddha preached this sūtra again during a great assembly; it is the Ratnaketu section of the Mahāsaṃnipāta, and is not a retranslation).
Prajñāpradīpa-śāstra-ṭīkā, fifteen fascicles (root text by the Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna, commentary by the Bodhisattva Bhāviveka; recorded in the Neidian Lu; translated at Shengguang Temple beginning in the sixth month of the fourth year of Zhenguan and completed on the seventeenth day of the tenth month of the sixth year; preface composed by the śramaṇa Huize).
Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra-śāstra, thirteen fascicles (or fifteen fascicles; composed by the Bodhisattva Asaṅga; recorded in the Neidian Lu; translated at Shengguang Temple simultaneously with the Prajñāpradīpa in the summer of the fourth year of Zhenguan, and completed in the spring of the seventh year; by imperial order Li Baiyao, Right Mentor to the Crown Prince, composed the preface).
The above three works in thirty-eight fascicles are all extant.
The śramaṇa Prabhākaramitra, translated into Tang [Chinese] as "Zuoming Zhishi" (Light-maker Friend), abbreviated as "Pengyou" (Friend); also called Bopo, translated into Tang [Chinese] as "Guangzhi" (Luminous Wisdom); was a native of Central India. He was originally of kṣatriya royal stock, with the surname Kṣatriya. At the age of ten, he left home and studied following his master, reciting one lakṣa (roughly one hundred thousand verses) of Mahāyāna sūtras. After receiving full ordination, he immediately studied the Vinayapiṭaka. Having mastered the net of precepts, his mind delighted in dhyāna contemplation. Furthermore, following eminent and virtuous masters, he practiced the discipline of samādhi, continuing without abandonment for twelve years. Later, he traveled south to Nālandā Temple in Magadha, where he met the treatise master Śīlabhadra vigorously propagating the Treatise on the Seventeen Stages [the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra], and consequently listened to and learned it. Because this treatise also illuminates the Hīnayāna teachings, he additionally recited one lakṣa of verses from various Hīnayāna treatises. Bopo's intellect and discernment were penetrating and agile, and his capacity profound. He was thoroughly versed in both inner and outer disciplines, investigating the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna exhaustively. Transmitting the lamp and providing instruction, he was esteemed by his peers. Disciple followers receiving his transformation, such as Prajñāindravarman and others, excelled in their studies, established merits, and deeply comprehended the essential principles; they successively led followings to guide and convert people in their native land, and were revered by the king and ministers there. However, as an ordained disciple of the Śākya, he would not linger in one place, moving every six months and letting conditions follow their course without fixity. Hearing that the northern barbarians were greedy and fierce, not yet knowing moral principles, and that the Dharma relies upon people to be propagated, he boldly wished to travel and convert them. Thereupon, together with ten monks and laymen, he journeyed by stages to the north, arriving at the court of the Western Qaghan, the Yabghu. He instructed and admonished them with the Dharma. In less than ten days, the barbarian ruler came to revere and submit to him deeply, providing daily provisions for twenty people and attending on him morning and evening. His companions, both monastic and lay, all received rare favor, generating merit and increasing their respect daily to twice what it was before. In the ninth year of Wude, the Prince of Gaoping was sent as an envoy into barbarian territories and met him there; hearing of this influence and transformation, he planned to return east with him, but the Yabghu and his ministers were reluctant to let him go. The Prince immediately memorialized the throne, and an imperial decree summoned him to enter [the capital]. He thus came together with Gaoping to have an audience with the Emperor. On the twentieth day of the eleventh month of the first year of Zhenguan, the year Dinghai, he arrived at the capital, and an imperial decree ordered him to reside at Xingshan Temple. The eminent and accomplished of the Buddhist order all came to pay their respects. Whenever there were ancient teachings transmitted whose phrasing and import were not yet understood, he thoroughly analyzed their lineages, gathered their agreements and differences, and dispelled inner convictions and external attachments as clearly as pointing to his own palm. In fielding inquiries and answering, his explanations were free of obstruction. A memorial was presented to the throne, and he was granted an audience in the inner palace; presenting the principles of the Dharma in person, his responses matched the occasion without flaw. He was bestowed forty bolts of colored silk and one newly tailored robe from the palace, while the five monks he had brought were granted extra provisions. He was repeatedly comforted and inquired after, receiving extraordinary receptions. In the third month of the third year, the Emperor, considering that all existence is without joy and that self and phenomena are both empty, remarked that the true essentials do not surpass the Buddhist scriptures, and that in bringing them to full circulation, what could be better than translating them? He issued an edict ordering the relevant authorities to seek out and recommend nineteen eminent masters who were versed in the Three Teachings and fully qualified in the ten disciplines, to inaugurate translations at the Great Xingshan Temple. The śramaṇas Xuanmo, Saṅgha, and others translated the words, and the Tripiṭaka master's fellow-student, Vinaya Master Guptā, verified the translations. The śramaṇas Falin, Huiming, Huize, Huijing, and others recorded them with the brush; respectfully receiving the instructions, they meticulously reviewed them, verifying the names and meanings, and completing the text with full comprehension of the sense. The śramaṇas Huicheng, Fachang, Huilang, Tancang, Zhijie, Zhishou, Sengbian, Sengzhen, Daoyue, Lingjia, Wenshun, and others verified the meaning. An imperial edict also commissioned the Grand Pillar of State, Vice-Director of the Left of the Department of State Affairs, and Duke of Xingguo, Fang Xuanling; the Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary and Supervisor of the Crown Prince's Household, Du Zhenglun; and the Minister of Rites and Prince of Zhaojun, Li Xiaogong, to assist in evaluating and determining [the text]. Xiao Jing, Grand Master for Splendid Happiness on the Right, Chamberlain for the National Treasury, and Baron of Lanling, held general oversight as monitor. The various offices supplied the four requisites in abundance and magnificence. In the fourth month of the fourth year, the translation of the Ratnatārā-sūtra was completed. Later, moving to Shengguang Temple, he further translated the Prajñāpradīpa-śāstra and the Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra-śāstra. By the spring of the seventh year, the collation was complete and the copying was finished. The authorities read it in detail and presented a memorial to the throne. An imperial edict commanded that ten copies of each be transcribed and disseminated throughout the realm, and Bopo was granted one hundred bolts of silk, with varying bundles of silk awarded to the remaining translating monks. Bopo's intention lay solely in propagating the Dharma, with no other concern in mind. Yet contemporaries did not inquire closely, and some raised dissenting opinions, claiming: "Bopo seeks present fame through good fortune and aims to make a name for the future; therefore he gathers famous and eminent figures, abandoning the lecturing on sūtras and śāstras; this is not the way to propagate widely." At that time, there was a śramaṇa named Lingjia, outstanding and extraordinary, who possessed wonderful insight into opportune moments. Before the imperial supervisor-commissioner, he fully recounted the circumstances and rationale, saying: "Bopo has cast himself far into the eastern realm, his mind removed from fame and profit. He wishes to make the Dao flow for a thousand years, making its fame echo that of antiquity. In the past, during the two dynasties of Fu and Yao, the scholars translating scriptures numbered as many as three thousand. Now, the translators of the Great Tang do not exceed twenty. The aim is for illustrious virtues to testify jointly, ensuring that it is not mere empty talk, so that future generations will revere it with clear understanding and harbor no doubts as they do today." Those of discernment all agreed with this opinion, and the objections subsequently ceased. At that time, the Crown Prince fell ill, and various treatments proved ineffective. An imperial edict invited Bopo into the palace for more than one hundred days; his direct responses to royal inquiries did not fail the Emperor's expectations. Once the illness gradually subsided, he took his leave and departed back to his home temple, being bestowed sixty bolts of damask and silk along with ten sets of seasonal clothing. Bopo had vowed to transmit the Dharma transformation, fearless of hardships and perils. Crossing the Pamir River from afar, he arrived in China, traveling a journey extending over forty thousand li. Bearing Sanskrit texts in person, he hoped to translate them all. He had not anticipated that eminent scholars would fall short of the imperial decree; his great aspiration collapsed, and his refined feelings could find no vent. He consequently fell ill, and knowing he could not recover, he distributed his robes and funds to perform various pure deeds; sitting upright, contemplating the Buddha, he submitted a final memorial offering his body. An imperial edict specially granted permission. Soon thereafter, he died at Shengguang Temple at the age of sixty-nine. The Crown Prince's palace issued an order assigning twenty people to carry his corpse in a seated posture, conveying it to the mountain site. After the cremation was completed, the śramaṇa Xuanmo collected the remaining relics and erected a stūpa for him at Shengguang Temple, east of Master Cheng's stūpa, which took place on the sixth day of the fourth month of the seventh year of Zhenguan. Those of discernment lamented together: the wheel of the Dharma had halted its chariot, and living beings were left without a guide—how truly sorrowful! (The Neidian Lu states: At this time, the Sanskrit text of the Mahāsaṃnipāta was about to be broadly transmitted to nourish future generations; yet it is regrettable that, because the language was transformed into Tang [Chinese], the great masters did not proceed, with the result that the Sanskrit treasures had no way of being distributed. Thus, through ten years of translation, only three works showed merit—truly deeply lamentable! Now

8.6.2

Checking the dates of translation in the prefaces, [it is found that] the translation began in the third month of the third year and the meritorious work was completed and presented in the spring of the seventh year; the Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks states that it was finished in the sixth year. Both biography and catalogue were compiled by [Dao]xuan, yet their dates contradict each other).
Po xie lun (Treatise on Refuting the Heterodox), two fascicles (or one fascicle, see the Neidian lu).
Bian zheng lun (Treatise on Discerning the Orthodox), eight fascicles (see the Neidian lu).
The above two works in ten fascicles are both extant.
Śramaṇa Shi Falin had the secular surname Chen and was a native of Yingchuan. His remote ancestors followed official postings to reside in Xiangyang. In his youth he left household life, read widely in Confucianism and Buddhism, and synthesized literary elegance and profound meaning. Traversing Jinling and Chu-Ying, he sought the Way and inquired about its paths; from the forest of literary scholars, there was none he did not visit. Yet his mind was set on the essential principles, and he did not cultivate superficial ornament. He lived in the wilds and ate forest fruits on Mount Qingxi and elsewhere; by day he received instruction in Buddhist sūtras, and by night he chanted and perused secular classics. Thus, regarding the inner and outer expressions and purport, the classical and apocryphal texts, he thoroughly mastered their conclusions and fully gave vent to his aspirations. His demeanor was graceful and refined, and he veiled his virtue and hid his form; only when his spirit soared and his brilliance shone did he reveal his marvelous strategies.
Toward the end of the Sui, facing disorder, he entered the passes to observe its cultural transformation, drifting along the Eight Rivers and strolling across the Three Qin. He constantly heard the Daoists of Huaili debate name and reality with [Buddhism]. Formerly, when in Jingchu, he had only grasped the broad outlines of their texts, while their secret rites and extraordinary scriptures remained unplumbed. Concluding that unless he took on their appearance and clothing, mingling his outward inclinations with theirs, he could not comprehend their ancestral masters or calm these confused knots, he temporarily laid aside the monastic robes and let his hair grow for many years. Outwardly he took command of Confucian studies; inwardly he aspired to the arts of Laozi. Thus, in the first year of Yining, he assumed a cloth cap and coarse robes, joining their lodges. Falin was already conversant with Zhuangzi and Laozi, and his conversation was clear and remarkable; the Daoist companions admired his brilliance and bowed down to follow him in his travels. Their rapport was singular, and together they pledged deep friendship. Therefore, all their restricted writings and expressions were submitted to Falin for final determination, so that the scriptures of the Li clan that exalted the Buddha were all brought forward and fully unfolded, and the spurious tales of Zhang [Daoling] and Ge [Hong] were appraised and catalogued.
At the beginning of the Wude era, he returned to the Buddhist school, embracing the texts, extending the light, and diligently seeking the Way. Considering that within the imperial realm all revered moral instruction, so that the improper music of Zheng and Wei could easily be corrected, he took up residence at Jifa Temple in the capital. By the fourth year of Wude, the Grand Astrologer Fu Yi—who had previously been a Daoist and deeply resented the Buddhadharma—submitted an eleven-article memorial urging the abolition of the Buddhadharma, claiming: "The Buddhist scriptures are fantastical and absurd, their language is demonic, and their matters are obscure; they harm the state and ruin families, with no heard-of benefit to the world. We request that the barbarian Buddha's heterodox teachings be returned to India, and that all śramaṇas be sent back to their native places; then the family and the state will prosper, and the teachings of Laozi and Confucius will prevail." Emperor Gaozu tolerated his minor eloquence, and the court ministers were unable to counter him. At that time, it was feared that following his heterodox path would lead to the total abolition of the great avenue, and everyone was terrified.
The Emperor then issued an imperial edict questioning: "Renouncing the hair and beard given by parents, and casting off the ceremonial robes of lord and minister: within what bounds lies the benefit, and beyond what sentiments lies the advantage? As between loss and benefit, please explain the precise truth." Falin, indignant at Fu's words, listened intently to the clear decree. Learning of this inquiry, he immediately submitted a response, saying: "Falin has heard that the supreme Way transcends words—how could the nine schools debate it? The Dharma-body has no image—it cannot be expounded by the Ten Wings. Yet the four destinies are vast and drift drowned in the sea of desire; the three realms teem and tumble down the mountain of heterodoxy. The children are deluded and burn themselves; ordinary mortals sink and cannot emerge. For their sake the Great Sage appeared in the world, and the Perfected One descended in spirit. He thereupon opened the gate of liberation and revealed the path of peace. Thus in Central India the royal families severed affectionate love to leave household life, and in the Eastern Xia the nobles, weary of glory, entered the Way. They vow to transcend the two kinds of birth and death, and aspire to seek the one wondrous nirvāṇa; they propagate the good to repay the four kindnesses, and establish virtue to support the beings of the three realms. This is their benefit. They alter their appearance to fulfill their resolve, and thus cast off the beard, hair, and handsome adornment; they transform worldly customs to accord with the Way, and thus discard the splendid garments of lords and ministers. Although in form they fail to serve their parents, inwardly they cherish filial piety; though in ritual they depart from serving their ruler, in their hearts they harbor gratitude. Their grace extends to enemies and kin alike, achieving great compliance; their blessing reaches the seen and the unseen—how could it be constrained by small transgressions? For persons of superior wisdom, relying on the Buddha's words brings benefit; for ordinary beings of inferior capacity, transgressing the sacred teachings brings harm. Chastising evil leads wrongdoers to reform themselves; advancing good inspires discerning people to transformation. Such is the broad outline."
Yet although the memorial submitted by Fu [Yi] was not yet implemented by the authorities, Yi made numerous copies of his memorial and publicly distributed them far and wide. Throughout the lanes and alleys of the capital, the mockery of 'bald-headed knaves' was spread; in boisterous talk at wine banquets, rumors of 'barbarian ghosts' were loudly voiced. The sun of the Buddha was eclipsed and lost its light; monks and nuns were thwarted and had no influence. At that time, many among the discerning clergy and laity picked up their brushes and composed treatises, each explaining Buddhist principles and citing Sanskrit texts at length, giving detailed accounts of karmic retributions and distinguishing heterodoxy from orthodoxy. However, these were all things that Yi rejected; how could citing what he rejected serve to prove anything? Though claiming to refute the heterodox, in the end they fell prey to the heterodox themselves. Falin’s nature possessed profound insight, an awakening unmatched in a thousand years; his capacity was heaven-bestowed, possessing innate and broad comprehension. Seeing that the other authors had achieved nothing, and believing in the validity of skillful means, he composed the Po xie lun in two fascicles, designed to counter Fu's text, running to over thirty sheets. Once Falin's polished prose was composed, it surpassed all other writings; no worthy remained hidden in the wilds, and no scholar was overlooked at court. Every household kept a copy, reciting it by heart. It was indeed the finest of literary anthologies, the crowning glory of all compositions. His illustrious fame spread widely, and deluded minds were thereby awakened.
Furthermore, as this treatise was newly produced and Falin's intention was to propagate it broadly—for unless his sentiments were widely disclosed, ordinary people would not turn their attention to this path—he submitted it to the Crown Prince, the various princes, and the court ministers and nobles. Its style and reasoning were so sweeping that all the officials praised its extensive reach. Consequently, Fu's memorial was shelved, and the gate of Buddhism was reopened; this was truly Falin's achievement. Yu Shinan, Vice Mentor to the Crown Prince, examined Falin's treatise and composed a preface for it. Yet Fu [Yi] remained dissatisfied and again engaged in covert slander, inciting the Daoists to form a faction. The Daoist Li Zhongqing submitted the Shi yi jiu mi lun (Treatise on Ten Differences and Nine Delusions), and the Daoist Liu Jinxi submitted the Xian zheng lun (Treatise on Manifesting the Orthodox), both belittling and criticizing the Buddha and the sages, defiling the Buddhist tradition, blinding living beings, and misleading both court and commoners. As the fragrant and the foul were thus mixed, the times were filled with doubt.
In the spring of the ninth year of Wude, an imperial edict decreed that only three monasteries be maintained in the capital, supporting only one thousand monks, and that the rest be returned to their native places. Once the stern edict was issued, none dared speak out. The five assemblies cried out in grief along the official roads; the four classes of people looked on and sighed in the marketplaces. At that time, clergy and laity were bewildered and had nowhere to turn, until from the eastern direction the Emperor arose and the pestilential mists were swept clear. Accustomed to what he had heard, he investigated the essentials, and immediately upon ascending the throne granted a general amnesty, restoring the monks to their sacred dwellings. That the sun of the Buddha shone brightly once more during the Tang was again due to Falin. Falin, having repeatedly faced demotions and promotions, vowed to preserve the teachings; seeing that the Way was thwarted by worldly sentiments, he relied on his profound learning. He then explored the scriptures, extracted the profound mysteries, and compiled the Bian zheng lun in eight fascicles. Chen Ziliang of Yingchuan annotated it and composed a preface. Ziliang’s literary standing was preeminent, and the host of scholars looked up to him; his encouragement was such that...

8.6.3

followers gathered like clouds. At the beginning of the Zhenguan era, Emperor Taizong gave up the former Dahe Palace on Mount Zhongnan to establish Longtian Temple. By nature Lin delighted in seclusion and quiet, so he went there to reside. Recommended and praised by the community, he was elected to oversee the affairs of the temple. In unhurried ease in his mountain robes, he chanted and sang in the forests and wilds. In the third year, an imperial decree ordered the Tripiṭaka master Prabhākaramitra to translate the Bao xing jing (Ratnatārā-dhāraṇī-sūtra) as well as the Prajñāpradīpa-śāstra and other treatises, summoning Lin to serve as scribe receiving the meaning and to critically verify terms and doctrines. By the winter of the thirteenth year, there was a Daoist yellow-turban named Qin Shiying, who used occult arts to seek glory and thereby displayed his talents before the Crown Prince. Having long harboured enmity toward the Śākya lineage, he covertly submitted Lin’s treatise, asserting that it slandered the imperial lineage and that his crime constituted deceiving the sovereign. The Emperor, enraged, issued an edict to purge the monks and nuns, directing that the existing monastic assembly should abide by the posthumous teachings, and furthermore commanded that Lin himself be sought out and interrogated according to the law. Clenching his fists in vigorous resolve, Lin did not wait to be summoned, but went alone to the official court, holding his life lightly in sacrifice for the truth. He was then bound in fetters. An imperial decree was issued demanding:
“In the ancestral alliances of the Zhou, those of different surnames came second; revering ancestors and honouring kin indeed stem from antiquity. Why have you pursued shortcomings, wavering between both ends, extensively quoting superficial words, and fully setting forth disrespectful analogies, defaming my ancestors and reviling my forebears? Seeking favour from the sovereign in this manner is a crime that cannot be pardoned.”
Lin replied:
“King Wen was a great sage, and the Duke of Zhou a great worthy; in revering ancestors and performing funeral rites with caution, even August Heaven could not match their devotion. When filial piety and fraternal affection reach their utmost, they communicate with the spiritual luminaries. Although there was the ancestral Zhou, in righteousness they did not contend for seniority. Why so? August Heaven has no favourites; ultimately it only aids virtue. The ancients were partial to principle, not to kin; they did not start from what preceded them, nor from what succeeded them. Though a relative commits a crime, they must be punished; though an unrelated person has merit, they must be rewarded. When rewards and punishments are principled and just, the realm is at peace.
Laozi cultivated instructions and made the Dao the ancestral source; his teaching of virtue extended to the common people; he showed tolerance toward others, kept his light humble, and his benevolent breeze served as a model for the four seas. Furthermore, he said: ‘My teacher is named the Buddha; the Buddha is one who awakens all people. The ancient sovereign of Tianzhu ascended to the west and departed.’ If one examines the teachings of Laozi, their beginning and end can be traced. In the Scripture Handed Down by the Sun, he instructed his disciples, saying: ‘My teacher has entered well into nirvāṇa, ceaselessly and constantly enduring; I now depart.’ Nowadays, what is expounded by Liu and Li slanders and destroys the master of Master Lao, yet the world cannot recognize it. I composed this Bianzheng lun (Treatise on Discerning the Correct) in eight fascicles, summarily answering the Daoists in over sixty items, all citing the prior words of the historical records; it was truly not meant to slander the imperial family.”
Thereafter he debated more than twenty items, and a memorial was fully submitted according to Lin’s statements. An imperial decree stated:
“In the chapter ‘Mutual Retribution of Faith and Slander’ of your Bianzheng lun, it says: ‘One who is mindful of Avalokiteśvara will not be harmed when facing the blade.’ We now grant you a reprieve of seven days to let yourself be mindful [of him], and shall test whether you can remain unharmed when the execution arrives.”
Lin was fettered in bonds without and pressed by the date of execution within. Tormented by fire and water in his heart, he had no way to appeal upwards. He therefore brought to mind the scriptures and teachings he had heard in his lifetime and the sacred names of the Three Sages, inscribing and reciting them in the chamber of his heart, aiming for a manifest response. When the time limit expired, suddenly his mental thoughts surged with swift boldness and overflowed in his breast. Joy and celebration followed one another; he abruptly forgot the fear of death, standing and waiting to be questioned. Before long the decree arrived, stating:
“Now the reprieve has ended and the execution is at hand. What have you been mindful of? Has your mindfulness had efficacy?”
Lin took up his brush and replied:
“Since the turmoil of the late Sui, the four seas have seethed. Calamity and poison spread abroad; shields and spears arose in contention. Armies were mobilized to attack one another, each presuming military might. Ministers were flattery-ridden and sovereigns profligate, failing to govern correctly; they severed the royal roads and obstinately held their own corners. Since the August Sovereign waged righteous punitive campaigns, he has cleansed the lands and seas; this was truly the power of Avalokiteśvara, and all relied on the grace of Mahāsthāmaprāpta. Matching virtues and following in their footsteps, your Way equals the highest sages; you save people from untimely death in the imperial court, and spare them from excessive punishments in the metropolis. During the past seven days, I have not been mindful of Avalokiteśvara; I have only been mindful of Your Majesty.”
An imperial decree directed the Attendant Censor of the Department of Justice Wei Cong to question Lin:
“There was an imperial edict ordering you to be mindful of Avalokiteśvara. Why were you not mindful of him, but instead say you were only mindful of His Majesty?”
Lin replied:
“I humbly understand that Avalokiteśvara’s holy discernment manifests worldly forms throughout the six destinies; above the heavens and below the earth, he is a model teacher to all. Now the Great Tang illuminates the four seas, and the nine barbarian tribes submit to their duties; punishments are clear across the eight quarters, the sovereign is sage and ministers are worthy, without committing injustice. Today Your Majesty nurtures the ordinary beings as children, which according to the scriptures is indeed Avalokiteśvara. Since the spiritual discernment corresponds, I was therefore only mindful of Your Majesty. Furthermore, the Bianzheng lun I composed is of the same category as the historical records; if a single phrase is erroneous, I submit to the axe. If Your Majesty accords with loyalty and righteousness, Lin will not lose a single hair; if Your Majesty metes out punishments recklessly to the innocent, Lin will suffer the grief of a fallen corpse.”
The matter was reported in full, and in the end no punishment was inflicted. There was an imperial edict exiling him to a Buddhist monastery in Yizhou. When he reached Bodhi Temple at Bailao Pass, he died of illness, aged sixty-nine. The śramaṇa Huixu took care of his suffering; their bond of feeling was as sharp as severing gold. Morning and night sharing a blanket, he comforted and attended to him. When Lin’s life was about to end, his head rested on Xu’s lap. Xu wept bitterly in grief, his tears falling like driving rain. He then summoned the clergy and laity from beside the pass and buried him on the summit of the eastern mountain, erecting a tall white stūpa and carving an inscription to commemorate him. Wayfarers who looked upon it and knew of him shed tears. The poetic works, rhapsodies, petitions, eulogies, steles, memorials, compositions, and dirges of the Mahāyāna teaching, together with various treatises, records, and biographies composed by Lin, total more than thirty fascicles. All strike a resonance like metal and stone; rich brocade adorns his literary imagination, which is flowing, elegant, facile, blazing, and deeply tranquil. Furthermore, he was skilled at preaching according to the occasion, improvising his words on the spot; his language matched musical tones and his meanings conformed with profound texts. Qin Shiying was eventually executed for wicked madness; both the public and officials wondered why his death had come so late. Liu, Li, and Fu successively passed away in turn. Thus Lin’s surviving writings and past conduct may serve as an axle-pin for ten thousand generations.
Da boreboluomiduo jing (Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra), six hundred fascicles (found in the Fan jing tu; preached by the Buddha in four locations across sixteen assemblies; translated starting on the first day of the first month of the fifth year of Xianqing at Yuhuadian in Yuhuagong Temple, and completed on the twentieth day of the tenth month of the third year of Longshuo; śramaṇas Dacheng Guang, Dacheng Qin, Jiashang, and others took down the text by brush).
Nengduan jingang boreboluomiduo jing (Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra), one fascicle (found in the Nei dian lu; the fourth translation, the same text as that translated by Kumārajīva of the Yao Qin and others; translated on the first day of the tenth month of the twenty-second year of Zhenguan at Hongfatai in Yuhua Palace, Yijun County, Fangzhou; Du Xingyi, Collator in the Secretariat, took down the text by brush).
Boreboluomiduo xin jing (Prajñāpāramitā-hṛdaya-sūtra), one fascicle (found in the Nei dian lu; the second translation, the same text as the Mohe bore damingzhou jing and others; translated on the twenty-fourth day of the fifth month of the twenty-third year of Zhenguan at Cuiwei Palace on Mount Zhongnan; śramaṇa Zhiren took down the text by brush).
Da pusa zang jing (Mahā-bodhisattvapiṭaka-sūtra), twenty fascicles (found in the Nei dian lu; now compiled into the Ratnakūṭa as the twelfth assembly; translated starting on the second day of the fifth month of the nineteenth year of Zhenguan in the Translation Hall of Hongfu Temple in the Western Capital, and completed on the second day of the ninth month; śramaṇa Zhizheng took down the text by brush, Daoxuan certified the text).
Da cheng da ji dizang shi lun jing (Mahāyāna Mahāsaṃnipāta Kṣitigarbha-daśacakra-sūtra), ten fascicles (found in the Nei dian lu; the thirteenth division of the Mahāsaṃnipāta, identical to the old Fangguang shi lun...

8.6.4

[This] text began translation on the twenty-third day of the first month in the second year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple in the Western Capital, and was completed on the twenty-ninth day of the sixth month; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang and others recorded it.)
Sūtra on the Merits of the Manifestation of Boundless Buddha Lands, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; a different translation of the "Life Span Chapter" of the Avataṃsaka-sūtra; translated on the twenty-eighth day of the ninth month in the fifth year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Yun recorded it).
Vimalakīrtinirdeśa-sūtra (Shuo wugoucheng jing), six fascicles (recorded in the Neidian lu; the seventh translation, of the same original as Kumārajīva's Vimalakīrti-sūtra, etc.; began translation on the eighth day of the second month in the first year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple, and was completed on the first day of the eighth month; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra, five fascicles (recorded in the Neidian lu; the second translation of the complete text, of the same original as the Shenmi jietuo, Jie jie xiangxu jietuo, etc.; began translation on the eighteenth day of the fifth month in the twenty-first year of Zhenguan at Hongfu Temple, and was completed on the thirteenth day of the seventh month; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Sūtra on the Initial and Superior Dharma-Gate of Distinguishing Dependent Origination, two fascicles (recorded in the Neidian lu; the second translation, of the same original as the Yuansheng jing translated by [Jñāna]gupta under the Sui; began translation on the third day of the second month in the first year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple, and was completed on the eighth day; śramaṇa Dacheng Xun recorded it).
Sūtra on the Fundamental Vows and Merits of the Tathāgata Bhaiṣajyaguruvaiḍūryaprabha, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; the second translation, of the same original as that produced by [Dharma]gupta and others under the Sui; translated on the fifth day of the fifth month in the first year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Huili recorded it).
Sūtra in Praise of the Pure Land and the Protection of the Buddhas, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; the third translation, of the same original as Kumārajīva's Amitābha-sūtra, etc.; translated on the first day of the first month in the first year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Extremely Rare Sūtra (Shen xiyou jing), one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; the third translation, of the same original as the Weicengyou jing, etc.; translated on the eighteenth day of the fifth month in the twenty-third year of Zhenguan at Cuiwei Palace on Mount Zhongnan; śramaṇa Dacheng Qin recorded it).
Most Incomparable Sūtra (Zui wubi jing), one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; the second translation, of the same original as the Xiyou jiaoliang gongde jing translated under the Sui; translated on the nineteenth day of the seventh month in the twenty-third year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Sūtra in Praise of the Merits of the Mahāyāna, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; first translation, of the same original as the Jueding yezhang jing; translated on the fifth day of the sixth month in the fifth year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Sūtra on the Tathāgata's Instructions to King Jitasena (Prasenajit), one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; the second translation, of the same original as the Jianwang jing, etc.; translated on the sixth day of the second month in the twenty-third year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Sūtra on the Noble Path of Dependent Origination, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; the sixth translation, of the same original as the Beiduoshu xia jing, etc.; translated on the first day of the first month in the twenty-third year of Zhenguan at the Hongfa Court to the right of Ziwei Hall inside the Northern Palace Gate of the Western Capital; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Heart-Dhāraṇī of Amoghapāśa Sūtra, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; the second translation, of the same original as that produced by [Jñāna]gupta and others under the Sui; translated on the nineteenth day of the fourth month in the fourth year of Xianqing in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Eleven-Faced [Avalokiteśvara] Heart-Dhāraṇī Sūtra, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; the second translation, of the same original as that produced by Yaśogupta and others under the Northern Zhou; translated on the twenty-eighth day of the third month in the first year of Xianqing in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Xuanze recorded it).
Sūtra of the Five Incantations, one fascicle (recorded in the Fanjing tu; translated on the first day of the first month in the first year of Linde at Yuhua Hall in Yuhua Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Dhāraṇī Sūtra of the Banner-Peak Arm-Seal, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; first translation, of the same original as the Miaobi yin zhuang tuoluoni; translated on the twenty-ninth day of the ninth month in the fifth year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Yun recorded it).
Dhāraṇī Sūtra of the Mind of All Buddhas, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; translated on the twenty-sixth day of the ninth month in the first year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Yun recorded it).
Dhāraṇī Sūtra for Delivering and Relieving Suffering and Distress, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; translated on the tenth day of the ninth month in the fifth year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Eight-Names Universal-Secret Dhāraṇī Sūtra, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; translated on the twenty-seventh day of the ninth month in the fifth year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Yun recorded it).
Vasudhārā-dhāraṇī Sūtra (Chishi tuoluoni jing), one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; translated on the tenth day of the tenth month in the fifth year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Shencha recorded it).
Six-Gates Dhāraṇī Sūtra, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; translated on the fourteenth day of the seventh month in the nineteenth year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Hongfu Temple; śramaṇa Bianji recorded it).
Buddhabhūmi-sūtra (Fodi jing), one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; translated on the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the nineteenth year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Hongfu Temple; śramaṇa Bianji recorded it).
Sūtra on the Merits Produced by Upholding the Names of the Seven Buddhas, one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; translated on the ninth day of the first month in the second year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Sūtra on the Duration of the Dharma Prophesied by the Buddha at His Impending Nirvāṇa, one fascicle (recorded in the Fanjing tu; translated on the fourth day of the fourth month in the third year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Sūtra of the Samādhi of Silent Illumination and Supernatural Transformations, one fascicle (recorded in the Fanjing tu; translated on the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month in the third year of Longshuo at Yuhua Hall in Yuhua Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Bodhisattva-prātimokṣa (Pusa jie ben), one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; the third translation, extracted from the Bodhisattvabhūmi in the Maulībhūmi portion of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra; of the same original as that produced by Dharmakṣema and others; translated on the twenty-first day of the seventh month in the twenty-third year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Ritual Text for the Bodhisattva Precepts (Pusa jie jiemo wen), one fascicle (recorded in the Neidian lu; extracted from the Bodhisattvabhūmi in the Maulībhūmi portion of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra; translated on the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the twenty-third year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Commentary on the Buddhabhūmi-sūtra (Fodi jing lun), seven fascicles (recorded in the Neidian lu; composed by Bodhisattva Bandhuprabha and others; began translation on the third day of the tenth month in the twenty-third year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Dacien Temple, and was completed on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month; śramaṇa Dacheng Guang recorded it).
Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, one hundred fascicles (recorded in the Neidian lu; spoken by the Bodhisattva Maitreya; began translation on the fifteenth day of the fifth month in the twentieth year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Hongfu Temple, and was completed on the fifteenth day of the fifth month in the twenty-second year; śramaṇa Linghui, Langzhen, and others recorded it).
Prakaraṇāryavācā-śāstra (Xianyang shengjiao lun), twenty fascicles (recorded in the Neidian lu; composed by the Bodhisattva Asaṅga; translated on the first day of the tenth month in the nineteenth year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Hongfu Temple

8.6.5

… completed on the fifteenth day of the first month of the twentieth year [of Zhenguan]; the śramaṇa Zhizheng and others recorded the text.)
*Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra-vyākhyā*, one fascicle (Found in the *Fanjing tu*; composed by Bodhisattva Jinaputra and others; translated on the first day of the second month of the first year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Daci'en Temple; the śramaṇa Dachenghui recorded the text.)
*Prakaraṇāryavācā-śāstra-kārikā*, one fascicle (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Asaṅga; translated on the tenth day of the sixth month of the nineteenth year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Hongfu Temple; the śramaṇa Bianji recorded the text.)
*Rājadharma-nyāya-śāstra*, one fascicle (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Maitreya; translated on the eighteenth day of the seventh month of the twenty-third year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Daci'en Temple; the śramaṇa Dachenglin recorded the text.)
*Mahāyānābhidharma-samuccaya*, seven fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Asaṅga; translated beginning on the sixteenth day of the first month of the third year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Daci'en Temple, completed on the twenty-eighth day of the third month; the śramaṇas Dachengguang, Dachengyun, and others recorded the text.)
*Mahāyānābhidharma-samuccaya-vyākhyā*, sixteen fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; compiled by Bodhisattva Sthiramati; translated beginning on the seventeenth day of the first month of the twentieth year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Hongfu Temple, completed on the twenty-ninth day of the intercalary third month; the śramaṇa Xuanze and others recorded the text.)
*Śata-śāstra-vaipulya-mūla*, one fascicle (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Āryadeva; translated on the tenth day of the sixth month of the first year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Daci'en Temple; the śramaṇa Dachengshen recorded the text.)
*Mahāyāna-śata-śāstra-vaipulya-vyākhyā*, ten fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; commentary by Bodhisattva Dharmapāla; translated beginning on the twenty-seventh day of the sixth month of the first year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Daci'en Temple, completed on the twenty-third day of the twelfth month; the śramaṇa Jingming and others recorded the text.)
*Mahāyānasaṃgraha-mūla*, three fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Asaṅga; third translation; translated beginning on the twenty-sixth day of the intercalary twelfth month of the twenty-second year of Zhenguan at the Hongfayuan to the west of the Ziwei Hall in the Northern Palace, completed on the seventeenth day of the sixth month of the twenty-third year at Ci'en Temple; Dachengwei recorded the text.)
*Vasubandhu's Commentary on the Mahāyānasaṃgraha*, ten fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; third translation, belonging to the same original text as those produced by Paramārtha under the Chen and Dharmagupta under the Sui; translated beginning on the eighth day of the twelfth month of the twenty-second year of Zhenguan at the Hongfayuan of the Northern Palace, completed on the seventeenth day of the sixth month of the twenty-third year at Ci'en Temple; Dachengwei and others recorded the text.)
*Asabhāva's Commentary on the Mahāyānasaṃgraha*, ten fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; translated beginning on the first day of the third month of the twenty-first year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Hongfu Temple, completed on the seventeenth day of the sixth month of the twenty-third year in the Translation Cloister of Daci'en Temple; the śramaṇas Dachengwei, Dachenglin, and others recorded the text.)
*Madhyāntavibhāga-kārikā*, one fascicle (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Maitreya; translated on the first day of the fifth month of the first year of Longshuo at the Jiashou Hall of Yuhua Temple; the śramaṇa Dachengji recorded the text.)
*Madhyāntavibhāga-śāstra*, three fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Vasubandhu; second translation, belonging to the same original text as the *Zhongbian fenbie lun*; translated beginning on the tenth day of the fifth month of the first year of Longshuo at the Jiashou Hall of Yuhua Temple, completed on the thirtieth day; the śramaṇa Dachengji recorded the text.)
*Mahāyāna-karmasiddhiprakaraṇa*, one fascicle (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Vasubandhu; second translation, belonging to the same original text as the *Ye chengjiu lun*; translated on the fifth day of the intercalary ninth month of the second year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Daci'en Temple; the śramaṇa Dachengguang recorded the text.)
*Nyāyamukha-mūla*, one fascicle (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Dignāga; first translation, belonging to the same original text as that produced by Yijing; translated on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of the twenty-third year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Daci'en Temple; the śramaṇa Zhiren recorded the text.)
*Nyāyapraveśa-śāstra*, one fascicle (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Śaṅkarasvāmin; translated on the sixth day of the eighth month of the twenty-first year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Hongfu Temple; the śramaṇa Zhiren recorded the text.)
*Viṃśikā-vijñaptimātratāsiddhi*, one fascicle (Found in the *Fanjing tu*; composed by Bodhisattva Vasubandhu; third translation, belonging to the same original text as those produced by Zhixi under the Northern Wei and Paramārtha under the Chen; translated on the first day of the sixth month of the first year of Longshuo at the Qingfu Hall of Yuhua Temple; the śramaṇa Dachengji recorded the text.)
*Triṃśikā-vijñaptimātratāsiddhi*, one fascicle (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Vasubandhu; translated on the twenty-ninth day of the fifth month of the twenty-second year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Hongfu Temple; the śramaṇa Dachengguang recorded the text.)
*Cheng weishi lun* (*Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi-śāstra*), ten fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Dharmapāla and others; translated in the intercalary tenth month of the fourth year of Xianqing at the Yunguang Hall of Yuhua Temple; the śramaṇa Dachengji recorded the text.)
*Karatala-ratna*, two fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Bhaviveka; translated beginning on the eighth day of the ninth month of the twenty-third year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Daci'en Temple, completed on the thirteenth day; the śramaṇa Dachenghui recorded the text.)
*Pañcaskandhaka-śāstra*, one fascicle (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Vasubandhu; second translation, belonging to the same original text as the *Wuyin lun*; translated on the twenty-fourth day of the second month of the twenty-first year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Hongfu Temple; the śramaṇa Dachengguang and others recorded the text.)
*Ālambana-parīkṣā*, one fascicle (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Dignāga; second translation, belonging to the same original text as the *Wuxiang sichen lun*; translated on the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month of the second year of Xianqing at the Liri Hall of the Eastern Capital's Imperial Palace; the śramaṇa Dachengguang recorded the text.)
*Mahāyāna-śatadharma-prakāśamukha-śāstra*, one fascicle (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Bodhisattva Vasubandhu; translated on the seventeenth day of the eleventh month of the twenty-second year of Zhenguan at the Hongfayuan of the Northern Palace; the śramaṇa Xuanzhong recorded the text.)
*Pratītyasamutpāda-sūtra*, one fascicle (Found in the *Fanjing tu*; an alternate translation of a passage from fascicle 46 of the *Ekottarika-āgama*; translated on the ninth day of the seventh month of the first year of Longshuo at the Bagui Pavilion of Yuhua Temple; the śramaṇa Shenjiao recorded the text.)
*Itivṛttaka-sūtra*, seven fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; translated beginning on the tenth day of the ninth month of the first year of Yonghui in the Translation Cloister of Daci'en Temple, completed on the eighth day of the eleventh month; the śramaṇas Jingmai, Shenfang, and others recorded the text.)
*Devatā-paripṛcchā-sūtra*, one fascicle (Found in the *Neidian lu*; translated on the twentieth day of the third month of the twenty-second year of Zhenguan in the Translation Cloister of Hongfu Temple; the śramaṇa Bianji recorded the text.)
*Abhidharma-jñānaprasthāna-śāstra*, twenty fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Kātyāyanīputra; second translation, belonging to the same original text as the earlier *Bajiandu lun*; translated beginning on the twenty-sixth day of the first month of the second year of Xianqing at the Shunxian Pavilion of the Western Capital's Imperial Palace, completed on the seventh day of the fifth month of the fifth year at Yuhua Temple; the śramaṇa Xuanze and others recorded the text.)
*Abhidharma-dharmaskandha-pāda-śāstra*, twelve fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; composed by Mahāmaudgalyāyana; translated beginning on the twenty-seventh day of the seventh month of the fourth year of Xianqing in the Translation Cloister of Daci'en Temple, completed on the fourteenth day of the ninth month; the śramaṇa Dachengguang and others recorded the text.)
*Abhidharma-saṅgītiparyāya-pāda-śāstra*, twenty fascicles (Found in the *Neidian lu*; spoken by Śāriputra; in the eleventh [month] of the fifth year of Xianqing…

First 5 of 13 passages. Read on

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開元釋教錄 — 智昇, Classical Chinese