貞元新定釋教目錄 14.3.2

14.3.2

Huizhi certified the linguistic expressions; the śramaṇa Chuyi and others took down the text by brush; the śramaṇa Sixuan and others edited the style; the śramaṇa Yuance, Shenying, and others verified the meaning; and Sun Pi, Vice Director of the Court of Dependencies, supervised and safeguarded [the work]. Later, at the Great Zhou East Monastery, he translated the Real Mark Prajñā, Vajraśikhā, Mahāyāna Gayāśīrṣa, Guṇavatyā-dārikā, Mañjuśrī's Inconceivable Realm, the Questions of the Girl Kalyāṇaguṇā to the Buddha, and other sūtras. Furthermore, at Foshouji Monastery, he translated the Life-Protecting Dharma-Gate, Six-Syllable Divine Dhāraṇī, Prajñāmitrāṇa, Amoghapāśa Dhāraṇī-hṛdaya, Inquiries of Elder Matimat, Great Dhāraṇī for Eradicating Demon-Caused Disease, Mañjuśrī's Dhāraṇī-kalpa-piṭaka One-Syllable Sovereign, Mani, Secret Good Abiding, and other sūtras, as well as the Prajñā-ṣaḍakṣara-tripadā-śāstra. The above nineteen works in twenty fascicles were co-translated with the śramaṇa Xinggan and others. Later, when
Emperor Zhongzong arose like a dragon, in the second year of the Shenlong era (bingwu) [706 CE], [Bodhiruci] followed the imperial retinue back to the capital [Chang'an]. By imperial order, he was accommodated at West Chongfu Monastery. Thereupon he translated the Vast Gem-Storehouse, Divine Transformation of Amoghapāśa, One-Syllable Uṣṇīṣa, Thousand Hands and Eyes Mother Dhāraṇī, Cintāmaṇicakra, Mañjuśrī's Jewel Treasury, Vajra Flame, and other sūtras, as well as the Mahāratnakūṭa. This sūtra contains forty-nine assemblies in all. Translators of previous eras had selected assemblies and translated them separately without completing the entire collection of scrolls. Formerly, during the Zhenguan era, Dharma Master Xuanzang traveled to India and brought back the Sanskrit text, translating it at Hongfu Monastery; the Great Bodhisattva-piṭaka Sūtra was indeed the twelfth assembly of the Ratnakūṭa. Later, when he completed translating the Mahāprajñāpāramitā at Yuhua Palace Monastery, the venerable ones earnestly requested him to translate the Ratnakūṭa. Dharma Master Xuanzang said: 'The labor of translating the Ratnakūṭa is no less than that of the Prajñā. My span of life is already exhausted, and I fear I will not see the matter through to the end.' When they persistently implored him without ceasing, he finally opened the scripture folders and translated it. Having produced merely a few lines, he sighed and said: 'This scripture does not yet have karmic affinity with the living beings of this land. My physical strength is depleted and waning; I cannot accomplish it.' Thereupon he desisted. When [Bodhi]ruci arrived later, he brought the Sanskrit text with him. Emperor Zhongzong ordered [Bodhi]ruci to continue [Xuan]zang's unfinished task. Thereupon he extensively assembled eminent virtues and renowned scholars, unravelling the previously translated scriptures and collating the newly arrived scripture folders. Where translators of previous generations matched [the Sanskrit text], he incorporated them; what had never been rendered before, he translated in full according to the source; and where previous translations had obstructed meanings or confusing phrasing, he retranslated them. He began opening the translation bureau in the second year of the Shenlong era (bingwu) [706 CE], and concluded the assembly in the second year of the Xiantian era of
Emperor Ruizong (guichou) [713 CE]. Among them, twenty-six assemblies in thirty-nine fascicles were newly translated by [Bodhi]ruci: namely, the Assembly on the Threefold Moral Discipline, Assembly on Boundless Adornment, Assembly on the Tathāgata Amitāyus, Assembly on the Tathāgata Akṣobhya, Assembly on the Armor-Clad Adornment, Assembly on the Universal Gate of Mañjuśrī, Assembly on the Manifestation of Light, Assembly on the Buddha's Exposition of Womb-Dwelling to Ānanda, Assembly on Inexhaustible Hidden Treasures, Assembly on Conferring the Prediction to Bhadra the Magician, Assembly on the Great Divine Transformation, Assembly on Upāli, Assembly on Generating Superior Zeal and Joy, Assembly on Bodhisattva Shanxun, Assembly on the Elder Jñānadatta, Assembly on King Udayana, Assembly on the Maiden Vimala-dārikā, Assembly on the Upāsikā of the Gaṅgā River, Assembly on Bodhisattva Guṇaratnapuṣpāvatāra, Assembly on the Deva-putra Suvarta, Assembly on the Prince Ajātaśatru, Assembly on the Faith-Pure Maiden, Assembly on the Questions of Maitreya Bodhisattva, Assembly on Akṣayamati Bodhisattva, Assembly on Queen Śrīmālā, and Assembly on the Sage Vipula. On the day the title was inaugurated, inside the Foguang Hall, Emperor Zhongzong personally presided over the Dharma assembly and took down the scripture's tenets by brush, while the civil officials sat in attendance and the empress and consorts observed together—in search of this among the ancients, nothing could surpass it. When Emperor Ruizong succeeded to the throne, he opened another assembly session at the White Lotus Pavilion in the Northern Park and in inner halls such as the Ganlu Hall, and also took down the text by brush in person. Śramaṇa Sizhong, along with the East Indian chieftain Iśvara and the Chancellery Attendant Dopoliju and others, translated the Sanskrit text. The North Indian śramaṇa Dharma and the South Indian śramaṇa Prajñāgupta and others verified the Sanskrit meaning. The śramaṇas Huijue, Zongyi, Pujing, Lüfang, and others took down the text by brush. The śramaṇas Shengyan, Fazang, Chenwai, Wuzhuo, Shenliang, Huaidi, and others verified the meaning. The śramaṇas Chengli, Shenjian, Yunguan, and others arranged the phrasing. Xu Jian, Director of the Heir Apparent's Household and Duke of Donghai Commandery; Lu Can, Mentor to the Prince of Bin and Earl of Gu'an; Lu Cangyong, Vice Director of the Right of the Department of State Affairs and Baron of Donghai; Su Jin, Grand Secretary of the Secretariat and Baron of Shuwang; Peng Jingzhi, Director of the Bureau of Rites; Wang Jin, Rectifier of Omissions of the Left and Baron of Qixian; Yan Wenzhi, Assistant Director of the Court of the National Granaries; and He Zhizhang, Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, polished the text. Lu Xiangxian, Vice Director of the Secretariat and Marquis of Pingyu, and Wei Zhigu, Director of the Chancellery and Duke of Julu, supervised the translation. Xue Chongyin, former Chief Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and Yang Zhongsi, Receiver of Edicts and Baron of Hongnong, supervised and guarded [the translation]. When the transcription was completed, the text was presented to the inner palace.
Emperor Ruizong externally governed myriad regions and internally revered the Three Jewels. With the imperial brush, he composed a preface prefixed to the head of the scripture. In total, before and after, [Bodhiruci] translated fifty-two works in one hundred and eleven fascicles. After Tripiṭaka [Bodhi]ruci finished translating the Ratnakūṭa-sūtra, he translated no more scriptures. He pacified his spirit in dhyāna contemplation and nourished his aspiration with cinnabar elixir. Although his age exceeded one hundred, his practice of the Way suffered no decline. Recitations and circumambulations continued without intermission from dawn to dusk. In the twelfth year of the Kaiyuan era [724 CE], he followed
the imperial retinue into Luoyang.
By imperial order, he was accommodated at Changshou Monastery, and an additional title 'Kaiyuan' was granted to [Bodhi]ruci's dwelling. In the ninth month of the fifteenth year [727 CE], he looked to his disciples and said: 'This phantom body of the womb is daily approaching decay and exhaustion. Even if it remains long, it will ultimately revert to annihilation. Throughout my life I have nurtured and preserved it, hoping it would be free from decrepitude. Now evening is gradually approaching; prolonging the time further would be in vain.' Thereupon, from the twentieth day, he took neither drink nor food, completely refusing medicines. Though approaching fifty days, his complexion and countenance were as usual. On the third day of the eleventh month, he asked for fragrant water to bathe and changed into clean, new robes. On the morning of the fourth day, he took the Indic texts of the various scriptures, held them in his hands, placed them upon his head, and praised each and every one of them. At the noon meal hour on the fifth day, he told all his attendants to disperse: 'I will briefly retire to the pure room; do not make any noise.' Thereupon, lying on his right side inside the pure room, he suddenly passed away.
His age was one hundred and fifty-six. Had he not accumulated and cultivated superior karma and cast off the dust of worldly labor, how could he have preserved such longevity and had total mastery over his departure and stay? Having heard of this,
the Emperor, moved with grief and yearning, lamented and sighed for a long time. He posthumously conferred upon him the title of Grand Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial and bestowed the posthumous title 'Tripiṭaka Master of Kaiyuan, All-Pervasive Knower'. He issued an edict sending Palace Attendant Du Huaijing to the eastern capital to supervise the funeral. He ordered the inner treasury to supply whatever was required for the funeral and burial, insisting that it be plentiful and abundant with no restriction on amount. Thereupon, honor guards, feathered regalia, banners, streamers, and flower canopies crowded the streets and alleys beyond counting. He was subsequently interred at Longmen, where a stūpa was erected and offerings made to him.
Five-Part Karmavācanā in one fascicle (entitled Mahīśāsaka Karmavācanā-mūla).
The above one work in one fascicle is currently extant.
Śramaṇa Shi Aitong had the secular surname Zhao and was originally from Tianshui. For generations his family wore the caps and robes of officialdom. Aitong left household life in his youth. Later he won fame through the study of Vinaya, lecturing on the Mahīśāsaka Vinaya.