貞元新定釋教目錄 12.12

12.12

聖遺芳故迹。皆引經酬對。帝深信納。數攘袂歎曰。朕共師相逢晚。不得廣興佛事。逮高宗嗣錄素所珍敬追入優問禮殊恒祑。永徽二年請造梵本經臺。蒙　勅賜物尋得成就。又追入內於修文殿翻發智等論。降手詔飛白書慰問優洽。顯慶元年正月。為皇太子於慈恩寺設大齋。朝寮總至。黃門侍郎薛元超中書侍郎李義府曰。譯經佛法之大。未知何德可以光揚耶。奘曰。公之問常所懷矣。譯經雖位在僧。光價終憑朝貴。至如符秦時曇摩難提譯經。黃門侍郎趙文業執筆。姚秦時鳩摩羅什譯經。秦主及安成侯姚嵩筆受。元魏時菩提留支譯經。則宣武皇帝及侍中崔光錄文。齊梁周隋並皆如是。大唐貞觀初波頗翻譯。

of past sages in the Western Regions. Xuanzang replied to all by citing the scriptures, and the Emperor received his words with deep faith and acceptance. The Emperor frequently rolled up his sleeves and sighed, saying: "We met with the Master too late, and have been unable to promote Buddhist undertakings on a grand scale!" When Gaozong succeeded to the throne, he had always held Xuanzang in deep respect; he summoned him to the palace, inquiring after him with special warmth and treating him with rituals far exceeding ordinary protocol. In the second year of Yonghui, Xuanzang requested to build a scripture terrace for Indic texts; receiving an imperial donation of materials, it was soon completed. He was also summoned into the inner palace to translate the Fazhi lun (*Jñānaprasthāna) and other śāstras in the Xiuwen Hall. Imperial rescripts written in flying-white calligraphy were sent down, conveying bountiful and warm consolations. In the first month of the first year of Xianqing, a great vegetarian feast was held at Cien Monastery on behalf of the Crown Prince, and all the court officials assembled. Xue Yuanchao, Attendant Gentleman of the Yellow Gate (Vice Director of the Chancellery), and Li Yifu, Attendant Gentleman of the Secretariat, said: "The translation of scriptures is the greatest matter of the Buddhist Dharma; we do not know what virtue could glorify and promote it further?" Xuanzang said: "The honorable gentlemen's question touches upon what I have always cherished in my heart. Although the task of translating scriptures rests with the saṅgha, its glory and prestige ultimately depend on the court nobility. For instance, in the Former Qin, when Dharmanandin translated scriptures, the Attendant Gentleman of the Yellow Gate Zhao Wenye held the brush; under the Later Qin, when Kumārajīva translated scriptures, the ruler of Qin and Yao Song, the Marquis of Ancheng, took down the text in writing; under the Northern Wei, when Bodhiruci translated scriptures, Emperor Xuanwu and Palace Attendant Cui Guang recorded the text. Under the Qi, Liang, Zhou, and Sui, it was always likewise. In the early Zhenguan era of our Great Tang, when Prabhākaramitra made translations,