貞元新定釋教目錄 10.28

English (machine translation) 10.28

Language: English

10.28.1

Karmavibhaṅga-sūtra, one fascicle (translated in the third month of the second year of Kaihuang; [Fei Chang]fang states that this is the second translation and is largely the same as the Zuiye baoying jing with slight differences, but this is entirely wrong; see Changfang's Catalogue and the Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks).
The above one work in one fascicle is currently extant.
The upāsaka Dharmaprajñā—in Sui called Fazhi—was surnamed Gautama. He was the eldest son of Prajñāruci of the Northern Wei. Originally a native of Vārāṇasī in Central India, of the brāhmaṇa caste, he drifted and lingered in the eastern lands and eventually settled into Chinese customs. Father and son succeeded one another, carrying on the ancestral tradition of translation. In the final years of the Northern Qi, he served as Metropolitan Director of the Office of Buddhist Clergy (Zhaoxuan du). Once the Qi state was subjugated, the Buddha-Dharma was simultaneously destroyed. Due to his monastic office, Fazhi transitioned to a secular official post and was appointed Governor of Yangchuan Commandery. When the Sui accepted the abdication of the Zhou, Sanskrit documents immediately arrived. An imperial edict summoned Fazhi back to put him in charge of translation. As Fazhi was already profoundly adept in both the Sui and Indic languages, he held the original text and translated it himself without relying on interpreters. In the second year of Kaihuang (renyin), he translated one work, the Karmavibhaṅga-sūtra. Śramaṇa Shi Zhixuan of Chengdu took down the translation, giving order to the prose and setting forth the doctrinal substance. Śramaṇa Shi Yancong of Zhaojun composed the preface. (The catalogues of Changfang and others all say) that he translated the Karmavibhaṅga-sūtra at Xingshan Monastery. This is not so today. This sūtra was translated in the third month of the second year, whereas it was only in the sixth month that an imperial decree ordered the move to Daxing. Stating that it was translated at Xingshan Monastery was made without careful scrutiny.
Mahāyāna-vaipulya-dhāraṇī-sūtra, one fascicle (sometimes without the word Mahāyāna; translated in the seventh month of the second year of Kaihuang; the second translation, sharing the same original text with the Ji zhufangdeng xue jing translated by Dharmarakṣa of the Western Jin; see Changfang's Catalogue).
Gayaśīrṣa-sūtra, one fascicle (translated in the second month of the second year of Kaihuang; the third translation, sharing the same original text with the Wenshushili wen puti jing and others translated by Kumārajīva; see Changfang's Catalogue).
The above two works in two fascicles are both extant.
Śramaṇa Vinītaruci—in Sui translated as Miexi (Extinguishing Delight)—was a native of the country of Uḍḍiyāna in North India. Spurning not a distance of five hundred yojanas, he shook his staff and toured through districts, coming to behold the flourishing transformation. As soon as he arrived, he was summoned to translate sūtras. In the second year of Kaihuang (renyin) under Emperor Wen, he translated two works, including the Vaipulya-dhāraṇī-sūtra. Vice Director Li Daobao and Tanpi, the second son of Prajñāruci, both served as interpreters. Śramaṇa Shi Fazuan of Chang'an took down the translation into the language of Sui and edited the phrasing and meaning. Śramaṇa Yancong composed prefaces for both. (Changfang's Catalogue also says that they were produced at Xingshan Monastery; this too is incorrect, the error being as described before).
Mahāvaipulya-mahāsaṃnipāta-sūryagarbha-sūtra, ten fascicles (also in twelve or fifteen fascicles; titled Mahāyāna-vaipulya-sūryagarbha Section; from the same original as the Mahāsaṃnipāta secret section; this is the fourth translation; translation began in the fifth month of the fourth year of Kaihuang and finished in the second month of the fifth year; took down by śramaṇa Zhixuan and Fei Changfang).
Mahāmegha-cakra-varṣādhikāra-sūtra, two fascicles (translated in the first month of the fifth year of Kaihuang; took down by śramaṇa Huixian; this is the sixty-fourth chapter of the Mahāmegha-sūtra; the second translation, sharing the same original text with the Dayun qingyu jing of Jñānayaśas of the Zhou era and the Fangdeng qingyu jing of [Jñāna]gupta of the Sui).
Mahāvyūha-dharmaparyāya-sūtra, two fascicles (also called the Mañjuśrī-ṛddhiprātihārya-sūtra, also called the Suvarṇapuṣpa-vimalaguṇa-dārikā-sūtra; translated in the first month of the third year of Kaihuang; the third translation, sharing the same original text with the Dajing famen jing and others translated by Dharmarakṣa; took down by śramaṇa Zhixuan).
Śrīgupta-śreṣṭhī-sūtra, two fascicles (also called the Śirīgupta-gṛhapati-sūtra; translated in the sixth month of the third year of Kaihuang; took down by śramaṇa Sengkun; the fourth translation, sharing the same original text with the Yueguang tongzi jing and others translated by Dharmarakṣa).
Śatanāma-buddha-sūtra, one fascicle (translated in the twelfth month of the second year of Kaihuang; took down by śramaṇa Huixian; the second translation).
Balavyūha-samādhi-sūtra, one fascicle (translated in the tenth month of the fifth year of Kaihuang; took down by Fei Changfang).
Padmamukha-sūtra, two fascicles (translated in the third month of the fourth year of Kaihuang; took down by śramaṇa Huixian).
Dṛḍhā-sūtra, one fascicle (translated in the twelfth month of the second year of Kaihuang; took down by śramaṇa Huixian; also titled Laogu nü; the above eight works all appear in Changfang's Catalogue).
The above eight works in twenty-three fascicles are all extant.
Śramaṇa Narendrayaśas—in Sui translated as Zuncheng (Venerable Renown)—was a native of the country of Uḍḍiyāna in North India. He had previously served as Director-in-Chief of the Office of Buddhist Clergy (Zhaoxuan tong) in the Northern Qi state. Together with śramaṇa Fazhi, Metropolitan Director of the Office of Buddhist Clergy, he translated seven works of scriptures, which are all recorded in the Qi catalogue. In the final years of Jiande, Emperor Wu of Zhou conquered Qi. Buddhism and the state were utterly destroyed at the same time. Yaśas outwardly adopted secular dress while inwardly wearing the three monastic robes. Seeking refuge hither and thither, he had no leisure to rest. The five assemblies of disciples were destitute and distressed, with nowhere to take refuge. To those starving in ravines he gave by reducing his own rations; the elderly and sickly he assisted according to circumstances. Though his resources and physical strength were scarce, he persisted against all dissuasion, his spirit resolute and preaching without weariness. He struggled under heavy burdens and difficulties for four years. When the Sui held the imperial realm, they re-elevated the Three Jewels. At the beginning of Kaihuang, Indic texts responded from afar, whereupon an imperial decree was issued requesting his arrival to propagate translations. In the seventh month of the second year, his disciple Daomi and others escorted him to the capital, where he took up residence at Daxingshan Monastery. In the final month of that winter, the translation work was initiated. An imperial order directed śramaṇa Danyan, Director-in-Chief of the Office of Buddhist Clergy, along with over thirty others, to verify the translation. The sovereign's polite inquiries were abundant and his offerings munificent. Although old and decrepit in years, [Narendrayaśas's] practice grew ever more diligent. He had once engaged in practice based entirely on the Śāriputra-dhāraṇī, and in a dream attained a vision that he would personally attain buddhahood; such auspicious portents were numerous and not singular. Later he relocated to Guangji Monastery (Emperor Yang's personal name was Guang, so it was renamed Hongji; now to observe the current taboo it has been renamed Chongji) to serve as foreign monastic supervisor. Courteous and comforting to travelers from afar, he won people's hearts wonderfully. One morning he suddenly told his disciples: 'I am old and my strength is failing; I will soon depart this world. While my mind remains clear today, I admonish you, my disciples: the Buddha-Dharma is difficult to encounter, so you should diligently study and practice it; a human body is difficult to obtain, so take care not to pass your life in vain.' After speaking, he leaned against his pillow and suddenly passed away, having reached the age of one hundred, on the twenty-ninth day of the eighth month of the ninth year of Kaihuang. Earlier, Yaśas had met a skilled physiognomist who said: 'You are certain to live to one hundred, and are also destined to ascend to transcendence.' Dying at the century mark, the words proved true; regarding ascending to transcendence, such esoteric matters remain difficult to fathom. Yet his physical appearance was extraordinary: his usṇīṣa resembled fleshy curls; his ears were long and elevated; and his eyes were positioned squarely in the center. Differing from the ordinary crowd, he bore a truly exceptional appearance. Truly he was a great and virtuous master who transmitted the Dharma. When the Lord of Dharma passed away, monastics and laypeople grieved in shock, and the enterprise of propagating the teachings gradually waned. In all, during the Sui dynasty he translated eight works of sūtras, which are precisely the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūryagarbha, Mahāmegha-cakra, Mahāvyūha-dharmaparyāya, and other sūtras. Śramaṇas Sengchen and Mingfen, Vice Director Li Daobao, and Scholar Yunpi—four monastic and lay persons—took turns interpreting the language. Śramaṇas Zhixuan, Daosui, Huixian, and Sengkun, Court Attendant Yu Zhi, and Scholar Fei Changfang and others took down the translation. Śramaṇa Danyan, Director-in-Chief of the Office of Buddhist Clergy, and Śramaṇa Lingzang, Abbot of Daxingshan Monastery and Metropolitan Director of the Office of Buddhist Clergy, along with over twenty other virtuous masters, supervised and protected the undertaking from beginning to end.

10.28.2

By the winter of the fifth year [of Kaihuang], the collations and examinations were both completed. For all of them, the śramaṇa Yancong composed prefaces. When considering [Narendrayaśas's] travels over more than forty years, [he traversed] more than fifty kingdoms and one hundred and fifty thousand [li]. Auspicious sights, sacred traces, superior monasteries, eminent monks, swift waters, deep forests, mountain spirits, and sea beasts—there were none that did not pay him homage, and all presented omens and signs of submission. Since these matters were extensive and all-encompassing, there is no leisure to relate them here; the śramaṇa Yancong wrote an original biography for him, which circulates completely in the world.

Huguo pusa jing (Protection of the Realm Bodhisattva Sūtra), two fascicles (found in the Neidian lu; now compiled into the Ratnakūṭa as the eighteenth assembly).

Yishi jing (Transference of Consciousness Sūtra), two fascicles (now compiled into the Ratnakūṭa as the thirty-ninth assembly under the altered title of the Bhadrapāla the Elder Assembly; first translation, sharing the same text with the Tang translation of the Xianshi jing; completed on the … day of the tenth month of Kaihuang 11; the scholar Fei Changfang took down the text; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Fajue jingxin jing (Arousing the Pure Mind Sūtra), two fascicles (first translation, sharing the same text with the Assembly on Generating the Sublime Aspiration in the Ratnakūṭa; translation begun in the ninth month of Kaihuang 15 and completed in the tenth month; the śramaṇa Sengkun and others took down the text; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Xukongyun pusa jing (Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva Sūtra), two fascicles (part 16 of the Mahāsaṃnipāta; fourth translation, sharing the same text with the Xukongzang jing and the Xukongzang shenzhou, etc.; translation begun in the first month of Kaihuang 7 and completed in the third month; the śramaṇa Sengtan took down the text, and Yancong composed the preface; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Dafangdeng daji xianhu jing (Mahāvaipulya Mahāsaṃnipāta Bhadrapāla Sūtra), five fascicles (or six fascicles; the title reads Mahāvaipulya Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra, Bhadrapāla Section, also called Bhadrapāla Bodhisattva; seventh translation, sharing the same text with the Pratyutpannasamādhi-sūtra, etc.; translation begun in the second month of Kaihuang 14 and completed in the second month of the fifteenth year; the śramaṇa Mingfen and others took down the text).

Daji piyuwang jing (Mahāsaṃnipāta Parable King Sūtra), two fascicles (some without the word Daji; this is a separate chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta; translation begun in the fifth month of Kaihuang 15 and completed in the sixth month; the śramaṇa Daomi and others took down the text; both this and the preceding Xianhu jing are found in Changfang's catalogue).

Fo huayan ru rulai dezhi busiyiyi jingjie jing (Avataṃsaka Sūtra on Entering the Inconceivable Realm of the Tathāgata's Virtues and Wisdom), two fascicles (second translation, sharing the same text with the Duzhufo jingjie zhiguangyan jing, etc.; found in the Neidian lu).

Si tongzi sanmei jing (Four Youths Samādhi Sūtra), three fascicles (or simply titled Si tongzi jing; second translation, sharing the same text with Dharmarakṣa's Fangdeng niwan; translation begun in the fifth month of Kaihuang 13 and completed in the seventh month; the śramaṇa Sengkun took down the text; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Miaofa lianhua jing tianpin (Supplemented Chapters of the Lotus Sūtra), seven fascicles (or eight fascicles; twenty-seven chapters, uniting the Precious Stūpa and Devadatta [chapters] as one, hence twenty-seven; in Renshou 1, at the request of the śramaṇa Shangxing of Puyao Monastery, the two Dharma Masters Jñānagupta and Dharmagupta re-examined the Indic text and added what was lacking, as detailed in the preface before the sūtra).

Shansi tongzi jing (Sucinti the Youth Sūtra), two fascicles (fourth translation, sharing the same text with the Dafangdeng dingwang jing and the Dasheng dingwang jing, etc.; translation begun in the seventh month of Kaihuang 11 and completed in the ninth month; the scholar Fei Changfang took down the text, and the śramaṇa Yancong composed the preface; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Jinguangming jing yinzhu tuoluoni pin, zhulei pin (Silver Lord Dhāraṇī and Entrustment Chapters of the Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra), one fascicle (Dharmakṣema produced four fascicles, Paramārtha seven fascicles, and Jñānagupta in the Zhou period five fascicles, none of which had these two chapters; upon examining the Indic text, they were found and subsequently translated; found in Changfang's catalogue; later, in the seventeenth year, the śramaṇa Baogui combined the earlier and later translations into eight fascicles, so this is not preserved separately).

Dafangdeng dayun qingyu jing (Mahāvaipulya Great Cloud Rain-Praying Sūtra), one fascicle (the inner title reads Mahāvaipulya Great Cloud Rain-Praying Chapter, sixty-fourth; third translation, a different translation sharing the same text with the Dayun qingyu jing and the Dayunlun qingyu jing; found in the Neidian lu).

Zufa benwu jing (Fundamental Non-Existence of All Phenomena Sūtra), three fascicles (third translation, sharing the same text with the Zufa wuxing jing, etc.; translation begun in the sixth month of Kaihuang 15 and completed in the seventh month; the scholar Liu Ping and others took down the text; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Daweitengguang xianren wenyi jing (Sūtra of the Rṣi Mahāprabhāvadīpa Inquiring into Doubts), one fascicle (second translation, sharing the same text with the Diyiyi fasheng jing; translation begun in the first month of Kaihuang 6 and completed in the second month; the śramaṇa Daosui took down the text, and the śramaṇa Yancong composed the preface; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Rufajie tixing jing (Sūtra on Entering the Intrinsic Nature of the Dharmadhātu), one fascicle (some without the word tixing; second translation, sharing the same text with the Ratnakūṭa Samādhi Mañjuśrī's Inquiry on the Dharmakāya Sūtra; translation begun in the seventh month of Kaihuang 15 and completed in the eighth month; the śramaṇa Daomi and others took down the text; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Xiyou xiyou jiaoliang gongde jing (Rare, Rare Sūtra on Appraising Merit), one fascicle (or titled Xiyou jiaoliang gongde jing; first translation, sharing the same text with the Tang translation Zuikewubi jing; translation begun in the sixth month of Kaihuang 6 and completed within that month; the śramaṇa Sengtan took down the text, and the śramaṇa Yancong composed the preface).

Shanjing jing (Good Reverence Sūtra), one fascicle (also titled Shan gongjing jing, or Shan gongjing shi jing; second translation, sharing the same text with the Zheng gongjing jing; translation begun in the seventh month of Kaihuang 6 and completed in the eighth month; the śramaṇa Sengtan and others took down the text, and Yancong composed the preface; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Wenshushili xing jing (Mañjuśrī's Conduct Sūtra), one fascicle (second translation, sharing the same text with the Wenshu xunxing jing; translation begun in the third month of Kaihuang 6 and completed in the fourth month; the śramaṇa Sengtan took down the text, and the śramaṇa Yancong composed the preface; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Bafominghao jing (Names of the Eight Buddhas Sūtra), one fascicle (fifth translation, sharing the same text with the Ba jixiang shenzhou jing and the Bayang shenzhou jing, etc.; translation begun in the fifth month of Kaihuang 6 and completed in the sixth month; the śramaṇa Daosui and others took down the text, and Yancong composed the preface; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Bukong juansuo zhou jing (Amoghapāśa Spell Sūtra), one fascicle (also titled Bukong juansuo guanshiyin xinzhou jing; first translation, sharing the same text with the Tang translation Bukong juansuo shenzhou xin jing, etc.; translation begun in the fourth month of Kaihuang 7 and completed in the fifth month; Sengtan and others took down the text, and Yancong composed the preface; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Shi'er foming shenzhou jing (Divine Spells of the Twelve Buddhas' Names Sūtra), one fascicle (which is called the Twelve Buddhas' Names Divine Spell for Appraising Merit, Eradicating Obstacles, and Eliminating Sins Sūtra; first translation, sharing the same text with the Tang translation Chenzan rulai gongde shenzhou jing; translation begun in the fifth month of Kaihuang 7 and completed within that month; Sengkun and others took down the text, and Yancong composed the preface; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Yixiang chusheng pusa jing (Bodhisattva of Single-Minded Origin Sūtra), one fascicle (tenth translation, sharing the same text with the Wuliangmen weimi dengchi; translation begun in the eleventh month of Kaihuang 5 and completed in the twelfth month; the śramaṇa Sengtan and others took down the text, and the śramaṇa Yancong composed the preface; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Jingang tuoluoni jing (Vajradhāraṇī-sūtra), one fascicle (second translation, sharing the same text with the Jingang shangwei tuoluoni jing; translation begun in the sixth month of Kaihuang 7 and completed in the eighth month; the śramaṇa Sengkun and others took down the text, and the śramaṇa Yancong composed the preface; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Rulai fangbianqiao zhou jing (Tathāgata's Skillful Means Spell Sūtra), one fascicle (second translation, sharing the same text with the Xukongzang pusa wen fo jing; translation begun in the first month of Kaihuang 7 and completed in the second month; the śramaṇa Sengtan took down the text, and the śramaṇa Yancong composed the preface; found in Changfang's catalogue).

Dongfang zuisheng dengwang rulai jing (Eastern Most Victorious Lamp King Tathāgata Sūtra), one fascicle (the title reads Sūtra on the Eastern Most Victorious Lamp King Tathāgata Sending Two Bodhisattvas to Deliver a Spell to Present to Śākyamuni Tathāgata to Aid and Protect the World; fourth translation, sharing the same text with the Chiju shenzhou jing; found in the Neidian lu).

Da faju tuoluoni jing (Great Dharma Torch Dhāraṇī Sūtra), twenty fascicles (translation begun in the fourth month of Kaihuang 12 and completed in the sixth month of the fourteenth year; the śramaṇa Daosui and others took down the text; found in Changfang's catalogue).

10.28.3

Dawei de tuoluoni jing (Mahābalavān-dhāraṇī-sūtra), twenty fascicles (produced from the seventh month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang through the twelfth month of the sixteenth year; scribed by śramaṇa Sengkun and others; recorded in Changfang lu);
Wuqian wubai fo ming jing (Names of Five Thousand Five Hundred Buddhas Sūtra), eight fascicles (produced from the eighth month of the thirteenth year of Kaihuang through the ninth month of the fourteenth year; scribed by śramaṇa Sengtan and others; recorded in Changfang lu);
Guancha zhufa xing jing (Sūtra on Contemplating the Practices of All Dharmas), four fascicles (produced from the twenty-fourth day of the fourth month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang through the twenty-fifth day of the fifth month; scribed by Scholar Fei Changfang and others; recorded in Changfang lu);
Wusuoyou pusa jing (Ākiñcanyabodhisattva-sūtra), four fascicles (recorded in Neidian lu);
Yueshangnü jing (Candrottarādārikā-sūtra), two fascicles (produced from the fourth month of the eleventh year of Kaihuang through the sixth month; scribed by Scholar Liu Ping; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong; recorded in Changfang lu);
Chusheng putixin jing (Sūtra on the Generation of the Bodhicitta) [one fascicle] (produced in the tenth month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang, finished that month; scribed by Scholar Liu Ping; recorded in Changfang lu);
Shangzhu tianzi suowen jing (Sūtra of the Questions of Deva Merchant Master), one fascicle (sometimes without the words suowen; produced from the eighth month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang through the ninth month; scribed by Scholar Fei Changfang and others; recorded in Changfang lu);
Zhufa zuishang wang jing (Sūtra on All Dharmas as Supreme King), one fascicle (produced from the fifth month of the third year of Kaihuang through the seventh month; scribed by śramaṇa Mingfen and others; recorded in Changfang lu);
Dasheng sanju chanhui jing (Mahāyāna Repentance Sūtra of the Three Heaps), one fascicle (recorded in Neidian lu);
Qishi jing (Sūtra on the Arising of the World), one fascicle (fifth translation, an alternative translation of the Shiji jing in the Dīrghāgama; the title note states it was produced jointly by the two Dharma masters Guptā and Gupta; newly entered);
Fo benxing ji jing (Compilation of the Past Deeds of the Buddha Sūtra), sixty fascicles (produced from the seventh month of the seventh year of Kaihuang through the second month of the eleventh year; scribed by śramaṇa Sengtan, Scholar Fei Changfang, Liu Ping, and others; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong; recorded in Changfang lu);
Sheng shanzhuyi tianzi suowen jing (Sūtra of the Questions of Deva Suviśuddhamati), four fascicles (sixth translation, same original as the Rujuan sanmei jing and the Suviśuddhamati Assembly of the Baoji jing, etc.; produced in the fourth month of the fifteenth year of Kaihuang; scribed by śramaṇa Daosui and others; recorded in Changfang lu);
Zhufuo hunian jing (Sūtra on the Protection and Mindfulness of All Buddhas), ten fascicles (produced from the tenth month of the fourteenth year of Kaihuang through the twelfth month; scribed by śramaṇa Sengtan and others; recorded in Changfang lu).
The thirty-nine works above, in one hundred and ninety-two fascicles (the thirty-seven works above the Benxing ji, in one hundred and seventy-eight fascicles, are extant; the two works below Sheng shanzhu, in fourteen fascicles, are missing texts).
Śramaṇa Jñānagupta, in Sui called Zhide, was a native of Northern Xiandou (Xiandou is properly Indravardhana, which means “the place reached,” meaning protected by Śakra devānām indra; the sound Xiandou is a corrupted abbreviation in that country; Shendu and Tianzhu are corrupted designations in this land; the people of that country collectively call it Xiandou and demarcate it into five regions. The Tang Xiyu ji says: “The correct sound is Indu; translated into Tang it means the moon. There are multiple names; this is one of them. It means that sentient beings transmigrate unceasingly; in the long night of ignorance, none acts as the herald of dawn. It is just as when the white sun has set, the night torch succeeds it; though there is the shining of starlight, how can it equal the brightness of the radiant moon? Due to this circumstance it is likened to the moon. Indeed, because in that land sages and saints succeed one another, guiding the ordinary and governing beings as the moon illuminates from above, on account of this meaning it is called Indu. Within Indu the lineages and clans are divided into various classes, and the Brahmans are especially pure and noble; following their designation it has become custom, and without distinguishing borders it is collectively called the Brahman Country”)—Gandhāra (Sui says “Fragrance Travel Country”). He resided in the city of Puruṣapura (Sui says “Palace of the Valiant Man”), and was of the Kṣatriya caste, with the surname Jinbu (fan pronounced with ju; Sui says “Crest,” meaning like the crest of a peacock, regarded as a noble clan in that country). His father’s name was Vajrasāra (Sui says “Vajra Firmness”), who from youth harboured far-reaching capacity and as he grew up left behind a pure model; holding the office of Prime Minister, his governance was well ordered. Gupta had five brothers and was the youngest among them.
Having planted virtuous roots in past lives, he gave rise to the aspiration for bodhi early on. When he was just in his childhood, he sought renunciation. Seeing his discernment and capacity, both parents gave him their support and approval. He then entered the Mahāvana saṅghārāma, where he received deliverance. His upādhyāya (Sui says “the one always drawn near to and retained”; what is now called heshang is a corrupted abbreviation from Khotan; Dharma Master Xuanzang says the nearby sound of Central India is upādhyāya, which in Tang is rendered as “personal teacher” or “one upon whom one depends for study”) was named Jinayaśas (Sui says “Victorious Fame”), who devoted himself to quiet meditation and thoroughly mastered the practice of samādhi. His ācārya (Sui says “transmitter” or “proper conduct,” which is the so-called ācārya, also a corrupted abbreviation from neighbouring countries; Dharma Master Xuanzang says ācārya, which in Tang is rendered as “exemplar” or “instructor”) was named Jñānabhadra (Sui says “Wisdom and Virtue”), who was thoroughly conversant in the three trainings and especially clear on the vinayapiṭaka. After renouncing household life, Gupta was devoted and sincere in filial reverence and respect. Instructed for many years, he comprehended all doctrines.
Because the holy precincts and miraculous traces still remained in Xiandou, he followed his original teacher and was fully able to behold and venerate them. At that time he was twenty-seven years of age, having observed three summer retreats since receiving the precepts. Master and disciples resolved to travel to other lands to propagate the Dharma. Initially, ten people pledged to depart the borders together. Their route went through the Kingdom of Kapiśa, where they lingered for years. The king earnestly invited his master, revering him as the Dharma Lord; his beneficial labours were quite comprehensive.
As they were about to set out on their travels, they crossed the western foot of the Great Snow Mountains, which is truly the utmost extremity of natural hazards. Arriving in the Hephtalite kingdom, upon their first arrival the plains were vast and the inhabitants sparse; no one prepared the food and drink they required. Gupta then relinquished the full precepts and exhausted his strength in serving and waiting upon his master. Several times he encountered the hardships of the era, but protected by the unseen spirits, he fortunately escaped disaster and tragedy. They also passed through the kingdoms of Qabhanda and Khotan, etc., repeatedly encountering summer rains and cold snows, briefly halting. As there was no opportunity to propagate, their stays were not long. They further reached the kingdom of the Tuyuhun and gradually arrived at Shan Prefecture. At that time, it was the first year of the Latter Wei. Though having endured dangers and hardships, his mind grew ever more resolute.
Three years had elapsed from their initial departure and travels. Of the ten companions, only four remained. In the Wucheng era of King Ming of the Zhou, they first arrived in Chang'an and resided at Caotang Monastery. Master and disciples having fulfilled their initial aspiration in travelling and transforming, he ascended the pure altar once again and received the full ordination a second time. His diligence in pursuing the Way was even greater than before. Residing in the capital, he gradually became proficient in the Sui language; his reputation spread gradually further and he was admired by his peers. An imperial edict summoned him into the rear imperial gardens to discuss the Buddhadharma together, and special courtesies and exceptional offerings filled the palace precincts. Longing to disseminate the Dharma yet unable to do so on his own, he submitted a full report in a memorial to the throne.
He was immediately granted a special imperial decree to construct the Sitianwang Monastery for him, permitting him to reside there. From then on, he translated new sūtras and completed earlier omissions; yet as this was not a grand and liberal period, he merely lived under loose imperial control. It happened that Yuwen Jian, the Prince of Qiao, was assigned to govern Shu, and he again requested [Gupta] to accompany him. For three years there he constantly served as the Head of the Saṅgha of Yizhou, residing at Longyuan Monastery. In the Jiande era, as fortunes declined, the image teaching was not propagated, and the five assemblies of the saṅgha temporarily donned secular robes. Emperor Wu issued an imperial decree recalling him to the capital, heavily bestowing titles and stipends upon him and pressing him to follow Confucian etiquette. He remained steadfast in his conduct, resolute unto death without fear. The Emperor pitied

10.28.4

[Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou] pitied his steadfastness and uprightness, and released him to return [home]. His route passed through Ganzhou and went north through the Turks. There he met Taspar Qaghan, who earnestly invited him to stay, speaking back and forth to him: "The Zhou rises and falls, fatiguing you with coming and going, Master. Here there is neither decline nor flourishing; may it please you to dwell peacefully. Provisions and offerings shall be provided to your heart's content." He therefore remained there for more than ten years. His ācārya Zhixian returned west and passed into nirvāṇa. Not long after, his upādhyāya also passed away. A lone shadow living in isolation, he knew not where to rest his mind. Relying on the northern barbarians' ruler and people to widely promote meritorious deeds, he thus drifted and resided there, benefiting beings according to circumstance. Ten Qi monks, including Baoxian, Daosui, Zhizhou, Sengwei, Fabao, Sengtan, Zhizhao, and Senglü, had bound themselves in fellowship in the sixth year of Wuping to travel to the Western Regions in search of scriptures. They spent seven years journeying back and forth, and were about to head east to return. Having obtained a total of 260 Indic texts, they returned as far as the Turks. Hearing that the Zhou had destroyed the Qi and also suppressed the Buddhadharma, they could neither retreat nor advance, having nowhere to return. Lingerering in that region, they then encountered Zhide [Jñānagupta]. Like finding a drink when thirsty, or encountering light in darkness, they lodged with him, discussing the Way and delighting together. They repeatedly examined the new scriptures they had brought and requested him to translate their titles. Comparing them with the older catalogues, they increasingly perceived his skill and facility to surpass those of earlier men. Lü and the others privately rejoiced from the depths of their hearts: having obtained treasures and encountered a master craftsman, their journey had not been in vain. Together they burned incense and took a vow, pledging to disseminate the teachings. When the great Sui received the abdication, the Buddhadharma immediately flourished. Xian and the others, bringing the scriptures, arrived early to meet this fortunate turn of events. They reached the capital in the final month of winter in the first year of Kaihuang. An imperial decree committed the texts to the responsible bureau to search for persons to translate them. In the second month of spring in the second year, the translation work commenced. In the final month of summer, an edict declared: "The five relocations of the Yin were because of fears that the people would perish. This is to determine whether life will be long or short by means of propitious or baleful lands. Planning the new and abandoning the old is like a farmer looking forward to autumn. The mountains, streams, and plains of Mount Longshou are exquisite and beautiful, and its grasses and trees flourish. It is appropriate to construct a metropolis and establish the foundation of the state cauldrons. The enterprise of everlasting and boundless stability lies here. The city may be named Daxing; the palace hall and the gate shall be called Daxing; the county shall be called Daxing; and the parks, ponds, and marshlands shall all share this name. The monastery shall be called Daxingshan." The Dharma texts were translated and transmitted in this monastery. At that time, Gupta was still residing among the northern barbarians. In the fourth year of Kaihuang, more than thirty monks of Daxingshan Monastery, including Tanyan, finding that when undertaking translation themselves the sounds and meanings diverged and conflicted, and learning that Gupta was in the north, submitted a memorial requesting his recall to the capital. The Emperor then issued a special imperial order summoning him back. Gupta's path to return west had already been cut off, and he had been stranded for ten years. Yearning deeply for an enlightened era to re-encounter the Three Jewels, he suddenly received this summons from afar, and joy and longing mingled within him. He immediately accompanied the envoys to enter the state. At that time, Emperor Wen was on an imperial progress to Luoyang, where Gupta had an audience with him. The Son of Heaven was greatly pleased and showered him with frequent inquiries and gifts. Before returning to the capital, an imperial decree soon ordered him to set about translating. The newly arrived Indic texts comprised very numerous works, some sūtras and some non-canonical writings, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist. For all that was translated, Gupta was invariably made the primary translator. All agreed that because Gupta understood foreign languages and was versed in the diverse regional scripts, he could expound and express them spontaneously without relying on interpreters. His understanding matched the doctrinal principles, and his phrasing was complete in form and style. Once the literal meaning was roughly settled, the translated version was completed. Those who took down the brush did not waste their effort. If tested against earlier masters, he was truly their successor. In the fifth year, an imperial decree ordered Gupta, together with the Brahmin monk Jñānagupta, Kaifu Gao Gong, his son Area Commander Tiannu, Heren, and the Brahmin Viśākhadatta, six in all of both clerical and lay status, to translate ancient Indic texts, astrological treatises, and the like in the Inner Secretariat and the Palace Secretariat. At that time, only Yaśas was translating sūtras at Guangji Monastery, so a separate imperial decree ordered Gupta to concurrently translate scriptures. Going back and forth between the two locations until the twelfth year, he completed the translation and recorded more than two hundred fascicles, presenting them to the throne. By that time, Yaśas had already passed away. An imperial decree again directed Gupta to oversee translations exclusively, moving the Dharma assembly to Daxingshan Monastery. Furthermore, the Brahmin monk Dharmagupta was summoned, and the brothers Gao Tiannu and Gao Heren were ordered to assist together in translating the Indic language. Additionally, ten eminent śramaṇas—Sengxiu, Facan, Fajing, Huizang, Hongzun, Huiyuan, Fazuan, Senghui, Mingmu, and Tancian—were installed to supervise the translation work and determine the central doctrines. The śramaṇas Mingmu and Yancong re-examined the Indic texts, reviewing and verifying them again to rectify the phrasing and meaning. Gupta once related: More than two thousand li southeast of Khotan, there is the country of Cakkuka. Its king is pure in faith and reveres the Mahāyāna. In his palace are the three great scriptures: the Mahāprajñā[pāramitā], the Mahāsaṃnipāta, and the Avataṃsaka, each comprising one hundred thousand gāthās. The king personally upholds them and personally holds the keys. When chanting them, he opens them and makes offerings of incense and flowers. Furthermore, within the sanctuary are diverse adornments, attracting minor kings to enter and pay homage. More than twenty li southeast of this country, the mountains are extremely precipitous, and there is a deep, pure cavern. Deposited within are the Mahāsaṃnipāta, Avataṃsaka, Vaipulya, Ratnakūṭa, Laṅkāvatāra, Fangguang, Śāriputra, Huaju, the two dhāraṇīs, the Dusalazang, Mahāprajñā, eight Prajñā texts, and the Dayun jing, twelve scriptures in all, each comprising one hundred thousand gāthās. By state law, they are guarded and preserved from generation to generation. Furthermore, there are three arhats who entered the absorption of cessation, practicing quiet meditation within the cave. At every half-month, the monks proceed to the mountain to shave their hair. These are the persons and teachings upholding [the world], upon which sentient beings rely. Gupta's nature in the Way was pure and generous, and his spirit was upright and unyielding. He loved virtue insatiably and sought the Dharma unflaggingly. Broadly learned in the Tripiṭaka, he deeply investigated the true doctrine; having studied all five sciences, he was also conversant with secular discourses. In walking meditation he attained the efficacy of the sanctuary, and in dhāraṇī he penetrated the principles of divine spells. Keeping three robes and one meal a day, he held fast to his sincerity to the end. In his benevolent rescue and broad guidance, he did not wait to be invited. Diligent in chanting Buddhist sūtras, he grew even more devout in old age; endowed with strong memory of ancient matters, he grew ever more profound over time. Gentry and commoners admired and honored him; clergy and laity revered him. Prince Teng of the Sui looked up to his disciplinary model and honored him as his teacher. Becoming involved in worldly matters, he was banished to Dongyue. In the Ou and Min regions, his reputation in the Way spread widely, saving both body and mind to immense benefit. In the twentieth year of Kaihuang, he passed away at the age of seventy-eight. (Only the preface to the Tiapin Fahua says: In the xinyou year, the first year of Renshou, the two Dharma masters Gupta and Dharmagupta re-examined the Indic text at Daxingshan Monastery and translated additions where it was lacking. Since he produced the Tiapin in the first year of Renshou, he could not have passed away in the twentieth year of Kaihuang. Furthermore, the Neidian lu says that at the end of Renshou Gupta was banished to Dongyue due to other matters, whereas the Sequel to the Biographies of Eminent Monks states that he died in the twentieth year of Kaihuang. The catalogue and the biography were both compiled by Xuan [Daoxuan], yet they contradict each other—why is this?) Gupta came from the Western regions to the Eastern lands, successively translating and transmitting texts. From the fifth year of Kaihuang to the end of Renshou, he produced scriptures including the Huguo jing, thirty-nine works in all, totaling 192 fascicles. All were thoroughly examined and refined, with their principles and teachings complete and penetrating. Their expressions were clear and their meanings coherent, widely circulating throughout the world. They appear in the Sui and Tang catalogues. (The Huguo pusa jing, the Fo huayan ru rulai dezhi, the Dafangdeng dayun...

10.28.5

Rain-Praying Sūtra; Sūtra of the Tathāgata King of the Supreme Lamp of the East; Sūtra of the Bodhisattva Without Possessions; Mahāyāna Sūtra on the Repentance of the Three Aggregates. (The above six works are stated in the Neidian lu to have been translated by Jñānagupta. Jingmai's Jingtu states that they were produced by Dharmagupta. We now follow the Neidian lu as standard. The Mahāsaṃnipāta Parable King Sūtra, Consciousness Transfer Sūtra, and Dharma Torch Dhāraṇī Sūtra—the above three works were erroneously recorded under both the Jñānagupta and Dharmagupta catalogues in the Jingtu. Now both are recorded under Jñānagupta, and they have been removed from the Dharmagupta catalogue).

Zhongjing mulu (Catalogue of the Canon), 7 fascicles (Compiled by imperial order at the Xingshan Monastery translation site from the tenth day of the fifth month of the fourteenth year of Kaihuang to the fourteenth day of the tenth month; six fascicles of Detailed Catalogue and one fascicle of General Catalogue, making seven fascicles altogether when combining the detailed and general; see Changfang lu).

Zhongjing mulu, 5 fascicles (Compiled in the second year of Renshou by imperial order requesting the translation śramaṇas and scholars of Xingshan Monastery; see Sequel to the Biographies of Eminent Monks).

The above two works in twelve fascicles are both extant.

The śramaṇa Shi Fajing and others were all translation bhadantas of Da Xingshan Monastery. In the fourteenth year of Kaihuang (jia-yin [594 CE]), they compiled the catalogue of all scriptures. Twenty bhadantas, including Fajing, compiled and completed it. They outlined the general structure into nine catalogues and distinguished categories into forty-two divisions, comprising a total of 2,257 works in 5,310 fascicles. Śramaṇa Mingmu of Yanghua Monastery classified the sections and charted their threads; śramaṇa Yancong of Riyansi analyzed the framework and examined agreements and discrepancies; see Changfang lu. Furthermore, in the second year of Renshou [602 CE], an imperial order was issued to the officials requesting the bhadantas of Xingshan Monastery, along with the translation śramaṇas and scholars, to examine the Dharma repository and definitively finalize the catalogue of scriptures. Dividing and distinguishing according to category, it was organized into five main divisions: first, Single Translations; second, Re-translations; third, Extracts; fourth, Anthologies and Biographies of Sages and Saints; fifth, Suspect and Apocryphal; with those noted as missing counted overall. In total, there were 2,109 works in 5,058 fascicles. Aside from the extracts and suspect and apocryphal texts—which were not to be copied—the remaining three divisions were admitted into the canon as recorded in the catalogue. All were collated and decided by śramaṇa Yancong; see Sequel to the Biographies of Eminent Monks.

Combined Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra, 8 fascicles (twenty-four chapters; combined in the seventeenth year of Kaihuang as the fourth version; see Changfang lu; preface composed by śramaṇa Yancong).

The above one work in eight fascicles is currently extant.

The śramaṇa Shi Baogui was a monk of Da Xingshan Monastery. In the seventeenth year of Kaihuang (ding-si [597 CE]), he combined one text of the Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra. Gui was the foremost disciple of Dao'an, the master of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra in the Northern Zhou. Reading through various texts, he saw that in the former Jin dynasty, śramaṇa Zhi Mindu had combined the five versions of the Śūraṅgama-sūtra by the two Zhis, the two Zhus, and one Bai into a single work of eight fascicles (now following Sengyou's catalogue and the record of the combined sūtra, four versions were combined, without Bai Yan's), and combined the three versions of the Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa by one Zhi and two Zhus into a single work of five fascicles. Furthermore, śramaṇa Sengjiu had combined the four versions of the Mahāsaṃnipāta into sixty fascicles. In all these combined sūtras, the texts and meanings were completely preserved. As these were the precedents left by earlier sages, Gui followed them as a model. He thereupon combined the sixteen-chapter version in four fascicles by Dharmakṣema of the Liang, the continued translation of two chapters on lifespan and great eloquence divided into five fascicles by Yasogupta of the Zhou dynasty, the further translation of four chapters by Paramārtha of the Liang dynasty—namely the chapters on the distinguishing of the three bodies, eradication of karmic obstacles, dhāraṇī of the purest stage, and relying on emptiness to fulfill vows, which together with the preceding eighteen made twenty-four divisions in seven fascicles—and Jñānagupta of the Sui dynasty, who further translated the chapter on the Dhāraṇī of the Silver Master and the entrustment chapter. Together, the earlier and later translations formed twenty-four divisions in eight fascicles. Śramaṇa Yancong collated and checked them again, ensuring the sections and chapters were completely fulfilled. It was from this time onward that the text was proclaimed as the 'King of Sūtras,' its meaning deemed profound and wonderful; he vowed that whether seen or unseen, it would be revered and upheld. (Furthermore, Changfang states that śramaṇa Sengjiu of Zhaoti Monastery combined the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra into sixty fascicles in the sixth year of Kaihuang; upon examining the sūtra combined by Jiu, it is difficult to rely upon, containing errors as fully described later in the Mahāyāna Catalogue and the Catalogue of Eliminated Redundancies; therefore, this catalogue preserves the individual versions and eliminates the combined compilation).

Sūtra on the Divination of the Retribution of Wholesome and Unwholesome Karma, 2 fascicles (also called Sūtra of the Six Sense-Bases Group; named Mahāyāna Sūtra of True Meaning; also named Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Sūtra; also simply called Divination Sūtra; also named Sūtra on Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's Karmic Retribution).

The above one work in two fascicles is currently extant.

The śramaṇa Bodhidāna was a foreigner. It is unknown in which dynasty he translated this single text of the Divination Sūtra. The Changfang lu states: 'This sūtra is not listed in any catalogue, yet the title at the head of the sūtra states that Bodhidāna translated it abroad. It appears to be of recent production.' Today, all canon collections copy and circulate it. Now, in Guangzhou there was a monk who practiced a pagoda repentance ritual: making two leather slips, he wrote the character 'good' on one and 'evil' on the other, instructing people to cast them; obtaining 'good' was auspicious, while obtaining 'evil' was inauspicious. He also practiced a self-prostration method of throwing oneself down to eradicate sins. In Qingzhou, a lay devotee also practiced this method. In the thirteenth year of Kaihuang, someone reported him to the Guangzhou authorities, alleging that it was sorcery. When the authorities interrogated him, he cited as evidence: 'The pagoda repentance ritual is based on the Divination Sūtra; the self-prostration method is based on various sūtras where one throws the five limbs to the ground like the collapse of Mount Tai.' Guo Yi, the Marshall of Guangzhou, came to the capital and memorialized the circumstances at Qizhou.

An imperial edict, expressing disbelief in the principles of the Divination Sūtra, ordered Li Yuancao, Vice Minister of the Secretariat, to go with Guo Yi to Baochang Monastery to question the bhadantas. Śramaṇa Fajing and others responded: 'The Divination Sūtra has no record in the catalogues and no known translation venue. The pagoda repentance ritual also differs from the scriptures; it should not be followed.' An edict decreed: 'Practices such as these are not to circulate.' We now consider this not to be the case: how could one, looking through a narrow bamboo tube, deny the existence of broadly discerning individuals? The Dharma gates number eighty-four thousand, and their principles follow many paths; had it not been spoken from the Golden Mouth, how could this abstruse doctrine have been manifested? In the first year of the Tianci Wansui era of Empress Wu of the Great Tang [695 CE], the śramaṇa Mingquan and others of Fo Shouji Monastery in the Eastern Capital were imperially ordered to emend and establish the catalogue of all scriptures, and it has already been incorporated into the authentic scriptures. Later viewers should harbour no doubts.

Kaihuang Sanbao lu (Record of the Three Jewels of the Kaihuang Era), 15 fascicles (submitted on the twenty-third day of the twelfth month of the seventeenth year of Kaihuang; inner title reads Lidai sanbao ji; see Neidian lu and Sequel to the Biographies of Eminent Monks).

The above one work in fifteen fascicles is extant.

The translation scholar Fei Changfang was a native of Chengdu. Fang originally left household life; when the Zhou proscribed the Saṅgha, he provisionally adopted Confucian garb, and when the Sui restored [the faith], he remained in lay dress. At the time, he participated in the translation assemblies, transcribing and phrasing meanings. Considering that the catalogues of past eras mostly recorded scriptures alone and provided few records concerning the Buddha and the Saṅgha, he compiled the chronicle of the Three Jewels. The imperial reigns began from King Zhuang of Zhou and Duke Zhuang of Lu down to the final years of the Kaihuang era. He placed the sexagenary cyclical years at the top and listed the various scriptures alongside them, appending the translation eras in a comprehensive synthesis, entitling it the Kaihuang Sanbao lu. Upon completion, it was presented in a memorial to the throne.

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貞元新定釋教目錄 — 圓照, Classical Chinese