[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [貞元新定釋教目錄](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2157) › 6.10.4 # 貞元新定釋教目錄 6.10.4 貞元新定釋教目錄 6.10.4 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [6.10.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2157.6.10.4) 之道利彼亡軀。若必使大化流傳洗悟曚俗。 雖復身當鑪鑊苦而無恨。於是留住龜茲止 王新寺。得大品經始就讀。魔來蔽文唯見空 牒。什知魔所為誓心逾固。魔去字顯仍習誦 之。後於雀梨大寺讀大乘經。忽聞空中語曰。 汝是智人何以讀此。什曰汝是小魔宜時速 去。我心如地不可轉也。停住三年廣誦大乘 經論洞其祕奧。龜茲王為造金師子座。以大 秦錦褥鋪之令什坐而說法。後往罽賓為 其師槃頭達多具說一乘妙義。師感悟心服 即禮什為師。言我是和上小乘師。和上是我 大乘師矣。西域諸國服什神俊咸共嵩仰。每 至講說諸王長跪座側令什踐而登焉。其見 重如此。什道震西域聲被東國。苻氏建元十 三年歲次丁丑正月太史奏。有星見外國分 野。當有大德智人入輔中國。堅素聞什名。乃 悟曰。朕聞西域有鳩摩羅什。將非此耶。十九 年堅遣驍騎將軍呂光等。率兵七萬西伐龜 茲及焉耆諸國。臨發謂光曰。聞彼有鳩摩羅 什。深解法相善閑陰陽為彼學之宗。朕其思 之。若剋龜茲即馳驛送什。光軍未至什謂其 王白純曰。國運衰矣當有勍敵。日下人從東 方來。宜恭承之勿抗其鋒。純不從而戰光遂 破龜茲殺純獲什。光性疎慢未測什智量。見 其年尚少乃凡人戲之。什被逼既至遂虧其 節。或令騎牛及乘惡馬欲使墮落。什常懷忍 辱曾無異色。光慚愧而止。光還中路置軍於 山下。將士已休。什曰。不可在此必見狼狽。宜 徙軍隴上。光不納至夜果雨洪潦暴起。水深 數丈死者數千。光甚加敬異。什謂光曰。此凶 亡之地不宜淹留。推數揆運應速言歸。中路 必有福地可居。光從之至涼州聞符堅已死。 遂割據涼土制命一隅焉。什停凉積年。數言 未然後皆如說。呂光父子既不弘道。故蘊其 經法無所宣化。符堅已亡竟不相見。姚萇聞 其高名虛心要請。諸呂以什智計多解。恐為 姚謀不許東入。萇卒子興諡為文祖皇帝襲 位。復遣敦請。弘始三年歲次辛丑三月。有 樹連理生于廟庭。逍遙一園葱變為\[卄/(〡\*臣)\]。以為 美瑞謂智人應入。其年十二月二十日什至 常安。興待以國師之禮甚見優寵。悟言相對 則淹留終日。研微造盡則窮年忘勌。自大法 東被始於漢明。歷涉魏晉經論漸多。而支竺 所出多滯文格義。興少崇三寶銳志講集。什 既至止。仍請入西明閣及逍遙園譯出眾經。 什率多暗誦無不究達。轉解秦言音譯流利。 既覽舊經義多乖謬。皆由先譯失旨不與梵 本相應。興使沙門僧肇僧䂮僧邈僧叡等八 百餘人諮受什旨。更令出大品。什持梵本興 執舊經以相讎校。其新文異舊者義皆圓通。 眾皆愜服莫不欣讚焉。興以佛道冲邃其行 惟善。信出苦之梁津仰世之洪則。故託意九 經遊心十二。乃著通三世論以勗示因果。王 公已下並欽贊厥風興宗室常山公顯。安成 侯嵩。並篤信緣業。屢請什於常安大寺講說 新經。什以弘始四年壬寅。至十四年壬子。 譯大品小品金剛等經七十四部三百八十餘 卷。並暢顯神源發揮幽致。于時四方義學沙 門不遠萬里名德秀拔者才暢二公乃至道恒 僧標慧叡僧敦僧弼僧肇等三千餘僧。稟訪 精研務窮幽旨。廬山慧遠道業冲粹。乃遣使 循問。龍光道士慧解洞微。亦入關諮稟。盛業 久大至今仰則焉。初沙門慧叡才識高明常 隨什傳寫。什每為叡論西方辭體商略同異 云。天竺國俗甚重文藻。其宮商體韻以入絃 為善。凡覲國王必有讚德。見佛之儀以歌歎 為尊。經中偈頌皆其式也。但改梵為秦失其 藻蔚。雖得大意殊隔文體。有似嚼飯與人。非 徒失味乃令人歐噦也。什當作頌贈沙門 法和云。心山育德薰。流芳萬由延。哀鸞鳴孤 桐。清響徹九天。凡為十偈。辭喻皆爾。什雅 好大乘志存敷演。甞歎曰。吾若著筆作大乘 阿毘曇非迦旃延子比也。今在秦地深識者 寡。折翮於此將何所論。乃悽然而止。唯為姚 興著實相論二卷。出言成章無所刪改。辭喻 > …way in order to benefit others and sacrifice oneself. If this can indeed cause the great transformation to spread, cleansing and awakening the unenlightened worldly people, though my own body should suffer the torments of the caldron and furnace, I shall have no regret." Thereupon he remained in Kucha, residing at the Wangxin Monastery. Having obtained the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra, he began to read it. Māra came to obscure the text, so that he saw only blank tablets. Kumārajīva knew it was the work of Māra, and his resolve grew even firmer. Māra departed, the characters reappeared, and he continued to study and recite it. Later, while reading Mahāyāna sūtras at Quele Great Monastery, he suddenly heard a voice in the air saying: "You are a man of wisdom; why do you read this?" Kumārajīva said: "You are a petty māra; you should depart at once! My mind is like the earth, immovable." He stayed for three years, extensively reciting Mahāyāna sūtras and śāstras and thoroughly penetrating their secret profundities. The King of Kucha made a golden lion throne for him, covered it with a brocade cushion of Da Qin, and had Kumārajīva sit on it to expound the Dharma. Later, he went to Kashmīr and expounded in full the wondrous doctrine of the One Vehicle to his teacher Bandhudatta. His teacher was awakened and convinced in heart, and immediately bowed to Kumārajīva as his teacher, saying: "I was your master in the Hīnayāna, but you are my master in the Mahāyāna." The kingdoms of the Western Regions admired Kumārajīva's extraordinary talent and all looked up to him with reverence. Whenever he came to give lectures, the kings would kneel beside the throne, having Kumārajīva step on their knees to ascend it. Such was the reverence shown to him. Kumārajīva's reputation shook the Western Regions and his fame reached the Eastern Land. In the first month of the thirteenth year of the Jianyuan era of the Fu clan, a dingchou year, the Grand Astrologer memorialized: "A star has appeared in the sector of foreign kingdoms. A person of great virtue and wisdom is destined to enter and assist the Central Kingdom." Fu Jian had long heard of Kumārajīva's name, and realizing it, said: "We have heard that in the Western Regions there is Kumārajīva; could it not be he?" In the nineteenth year, Fu Jian dispatched General of Agile Cavalry Lü Guang and others, leading seventy thousand troops westward to attack Kucha, Karasahr, and other kingdoms. On the eve of departure, he said to Lü Guang: "We hear that they have Kumārajīva, who profoundly understands the marks of dharmas and is well versed in yin and yang, being the foremost authority of their learning. We deeply desire him. As soon as you conquer Kucha, dispatch an express courier to send Kumārajīva." Before Lü Guang's army arrived, Kumārajīva said to his king, Bai Chun: "The state's fortune is in decline; there will be a formidable enemy. Men from beneath the sun are coming from the east. You should respectfully receive them and not resist their spearhead." Bai Chun did not listen and fought; Lü Guang subsequently destroyed Kucha, killed Bai Chun, and captured Kumārajīva. Lü Guang was coarse and arrogant by nature, and did not fathom Kumārajīva's depth of wisdom. Seeing that he was still young, he treated him like an ordinary man and mocked him. Kumārajīva was forced to the utmost, and thus compromised his discipline. At times Lü Guang ordered him to ride an ox or a wild horse, wanting to make him fall off. Kumārajīva constantly harboured forbearance and never showed any sign of resentment. Lü Guang felt ashamed and ceased. On the return journey, Lü Guang stationed his army at the foot of a mountain. When the officers and soldiers were already resting, Kumārajīva said: "You cannot stay here; you will surely face disaster. The army should be moved up onto the ridge." Lü Guang did not heed him. When night came, it indeed rained, and a flash flood surged violently; the water reached several fathoms deep, and several thousand men died. Lü Guang respected him all the more as extraordinary. Kumārajīva said to Lü Guang: "This is a place of ominous ruin; you should not linger here. Calculating the numbers and observing fortune, you should quickly return. Midway there must be an auspicious land where you can dwell." Lü Guang followed his advice, and upon arriving in Liangzhou, heard that Fu Jian was already dead. He thereupon set up an independent regime in the land of Liang and exercised authority over that corner. Kumārajīva stayed in Liangzhou for many years. Several of his prognostications were fulfilled only later, but all came to pass as he said. Since Lü Guang and his son did not promote the Way, his scriptures and teachings remained stored away, with nowhere to propagate and transform. Fu Jian was already dead, so they never met after all. Yao Chang heard of his high reputation and sincerely invited him. The Lü clan, considering Kumārajīva full of wisdom, stratagems, and profound knowledge, feared he would devise plans for Yao and would not allow him to travel east. When Yao Chang died, his son Yao Xing succeeded to the throne with the posthumous title of Emperor Wenzu. He again sent envoys to earnestly invite him. In the third year of the Hongshi era, a xinchou year, in the third month, interlocking branches grew on trees in the ancestral temple courtyard, and scallions in the Xiaoyao Garden transformed into rue. Considering these auspicious omens, they said that a wise man was due to arrive. On the twentieth day of the twelfth month of that year, Kumārajīva arrived in Chang'an. Yao Xing treated him with the courtesy due to a National Preceptor and favoured him with deep affection and honour. When conversing and realizing truth together, they would linger for the entire day; probing subtlety and exhausting principles, they would pass years forgetting fatigue. Since the great Dharma was first transmitted east under Emperor Ming of the Han, and passed through the Wei and Jin dynasties, sūtras and śāstras gradually multiplied, but the translations produced by Lokakṣema and the Dharmarakṣa lineage mostly adhered rigidly to the text and matched concepts. From his youth, Yao Xing revered the Three Jewels and was keenly devoted to lectures and assemblies. Once Kumārajīva arrived, he invited him to enter the Ximing Pavilion and Xiaoyao Garden to translate various sūtras. Kumārajīva recited most texts from memory, penetrating them without exception. He rendered them into the Qin language, and his phonetic and semantic translations were fluent. Reviewing the old scriptures, he found many of their meanings to be erroneous and deviant, all because the earlier translators missed the purports and did not correspond to the Indic texts. Yao Xing ordered more than eight hundred śramaṇas, including Sengzhao, Sengqie, Sengmiao, and Sengrui, to receive instruction from Kumārajīva's purports, and further commissioned him to retranslate the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra. Kumārajīva held the Indic text, and Yao Xing held the old translation to collate against each other. Where the new text differed from the old, the meaning was thoroughly lucid in all respects. The assembly was completely satisfied and convinced, and everyone rejoiced and praised it. Yao Xing, regarding the Buddha's path as profound and solitary and its practice as purely good, trusted it as a bridge and ford out of suffering, and revered it as the great model of the world. Therefore, entrusting his intentions to the Nine Classics and turning his mind to the Twelve Divisions of the Canon, he composed the Treatise on Penetrating the Three Times to encourage and explain cause and effect. From the princes and dukes down, all admired and praised his standard. Yao Xing's kinsmen Duke Xian of Changshan and Marquis Song of Ancheng, both being devout believers in karmic conditions, repeatedly invited Kumārajīva to expound the new sūtras at the Great Monastery of Chang'an. From the fourth year of the Hongshi era, a renyin year, to the fourteenth year, a renzi year, Kumārajīva translated seventy-four works in more than three hundred and eighty fascicles, including the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā, the Aṣṭasāhasrikā, and the Diamond Sūtra. All brilliantly revealed the spiritual source and unfolded the subtle mysteries. At that time, śramaṇas of doctrinal study from the four quarters did not consider ten thousand li too far; eminent and prominent figures of virtue such as the two masters Sengcai and Sengchang, along with Daoheng, Sengbiao, Huirui, Sengdun, Sengbi, Sengzhao, and more than three thousand other monks, sought instruction, investigated deeply, and made every effort to fathom the profound purport. Huiyuan of Mount Lu, whose practice of the Way was profound and pure, sent messengers to enquire of him. Master of the Way Daosheng of Longguang, whose wisdom and understanding penetrated the subtle, also entered the Pass to consult and receive instruction. This grand enterprise was enduring and great, and remains a model of veneration to this day. Earlier, śramaṇa Huirui, whose talent and insight were lofty and clear, regularly accompanied Kumārajīva in transcribing. Kumārajīva often discussed the Western styles of composition with Huirui, assessing similarities and differences, saying: "The custom of India values literary ornament very highly. Its musical tone and rhythm are considered best when fitted to string instruments. Whenever one has an audience with a king, there must be verses praising his virtues; the rite of seeing the Buddha takes singing praises as most venerable. The verses and gāthās in the sūtras are all of this pattern. But when changing Sanskrit into the Qin language, the lush elegance is lost. Although the general meaning is grasped, the literary style is entirely separated; it is like chewing food to give to someone: not only is the flavour lost, it even causes one to vomit." Kumārajīva once composed a hymn presented to śramaṇa Fahe, which said: "The mountain of the mind nurtures the fragrance of virtue, / its floating perfume extending for ten thousand yojanas. / The sorrowing luan sings in the solitary tung tree, / its clear resonance penetrating the nine heavens." In total there were ten stanzas; the diction and metaphors were all of this kind. Kumārajīva was especially fond of the Mahāyāna and aimed at propagating it. He once sighed, saying: "If I were to take up the brush to compose a Mahāyāna abhidharma, Kātyāyanīputra would be no match for me. Now, in the land of Qin, those of deep insight are few. With my wings broken here, what is there to expound?" He then sadly desisted. He only composed the two-fascicle Treatise on the True Mark for Yao Xing. His spoken words immediately formed literary compositions without any need for deletion or correction. The diction and metaphors… > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 6.10.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2157.6.10.3) - [Next: 6.10.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2157.6.10.5) - [Up: 6.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2157.6.10) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2157~en-mt.6.10.4) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [出三藏記集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2145.14.4) — 僧祐, Classical Chinese - [開元釋教錄](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2154.4.5.4) — 智昇, Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2157.6.10.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2157.6.10.4) · Pramāṇa