貞元新定釋教目錄 7.28.5

7.28.5

"What the Dharma Master says can truly be called enlightened, profound, and far-reaching; one could discuss with him the boundary between heaven and humanity." Thereupon, [the Emperor] decreed that he reside at Zhihuan Monastery, where provisions were supplied in abundance. Princes, nobles, and illustrious talents all revered and followed him. Soon afterwards, he began lecturing on the Lotus Sūtra and the Daśabhūmika at the monastery. On the days of his Dharma assemblies, canopied carriages filled the thoroughfares; onlookers came and went, shoulder to shoulder and heel to toe. Varman's spiritual capacity was natural, and his wondrous eloquence was divinely extraordinary. At times, relying on an interpreter, his questions and answers showed immediate comprehension. Varman then translated ten works, including the Bodhisattva-śīla-sūtra, at Zhihuan Monastery. (Regarding the Shan jie jing [Bodhisattvabhūmi-śīla-parivarta], catalogues such as Fei Changfang's all state that it had twenty scrolls, with a note saying that later his disciples produced two more chapters at Dinglin Monastery, bringing it to thirty scrolls; this is incorrect. It is now only nine scrolls, or, as some say, ten scrolls. This was a copyist's error that added the character "twenty" [er]. Sengyou's catalogue only mentions ten scrolls, so we know that the other catalogues contain copyists' errors. Furthermore, according to the Gaoseng zhuan: Huiyi of Zhihuan Monastery requested the translation of the Bodhisattva-śīla-sūtra, and at first only twenty-eight chapters were obtained; later, his disciples translated two chapters on his behalf, bringing it to thirty chapters. Changfang and others stating that it was continued to form thirty scrolls is a grave error. Moreover, the catalogues of Changfang and others also state that Varman translated the Za apitan xin [Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya] in thirteen scrolls. Now, [as] Īśvara had translated ten scrolls, and Varman later supplemented it to twelve scrolls, this does not mean that Varman made a separate translation. Recording it in both places is also not correct. This has now been deleted here and recorded in the preceding catalogue.) Both the text and the meaning were detailed and accurate, with no discrepancies between the Indic and the Song [Chinese]. At that time, the nuns Huiguo, Jingyin, and others of Yingfu Monastery jointly petitioned Varman, saying: "Six years ago, eight nuns from the Lion Country [Siṃhala] arrived in the capital and said: 'The land of the Song has never previously had nuns. How could ordination have been received from both assemblies? We fear the precepts are not complete.'" Varman said: "The transmission of the precept ritual fundamentally arises from the assembly of great monks [mahābhikṣu]. Even if the origin did not follow [all standard procedures], this does not hinder the attainment of the precepts, just like the case of Mahāprajāpatī Gautami." The nuns still feared that their years and months [of ordination] were insufficient, and bitterly wished to receive them again. Varman commended them, saying: "Excellent! If you wish to augment their clarity, I greatly rejoice in this. However, the nuns from the Western Country have not yet attained sufficient standing [in years of ordination], and there are not ten of them. For the time being, let them learn the Song language. Separately, through a lay Buddhist of the Western Regions, we shall further invite foreign nuns to come and make up the full number of ten." In the summer of that year, he spent the rainy season retreat at the Lower Dinglin Monastery. At that time, a faithful devotee picked flowers and spread them upon the seats; only the flowers upon which Varman sat became even fresher in their coloration. The assembly all revered him with the rites accorded to a sage. When the retreat ended, he returned to Zhihuan Monastery. On the twenty-eighth day of the ninth month of that year, before his midday meal was finished, he stood up first and returned to his chamber. When his disciples arrived, he had suddenly passed away. His age was sixty-five. Before his passing, he had composed in advance a testamentary verse of thirty-six lines. Speaking of his own karmic causes and conditions, he stated that he had already attained the second fruit [of sakṛdāgāmin]. He sealed it with his own hand and gave it to his disciple Aṣāla, saying: "After my demise, you may take this text and show it to the monks of India; you may also show it to the monks of this land." After his demise, he was immediately supported sitting upright on a rope-bed; his countenance was unchanged, as though he had entered samādhi. More than a thousand clerics and laypeople rushed to attend, all smelling an intense fragrance. Everyone saw an object shaped like a dragon or snake, about one foot in length, rise up beside the corpse and shoot straight up into the sky; no one could name it. Thereupon, in front of the precept platform of Nanlin Monastery, he was cremated according to foreign custom. The fourfold assembly gathered like fish scales; fragrant firewood was piled into a pyre, and fragrant oil was poured over it to burn his physical remains. Five-coloured flames arose, and fragrant smoke wafted beautifully across the sky. At that time, the heavens were clear and serene; clerics and laypeople lamented and sighed. A white stūpa was subsequently erected on that spot. The nuns who had wished to receive the ordination again wept bitterly, their hopes shattered, unable to control their grief. Initially, when Varman arrived in the Song, Emperor Wen wished to receive the bodhisattva precepts from him, but before he could request them, [Varman] suddenly passed away. Because his original intention was unfulfilled, his grief and regret were all the deeper. He therefore commanded the assembly of monks to translate his testamentary verse (as the testamentary verse is recorded in the biographies, it is omitted here to avoid prolixity). Vinayamātṛkā, in ten scrolls (the first scroll states that the Sarvāstivāda Vinayamātṛkā was produced in the first month of the twelfth year of Yuanjia, an yihai year, at Pingle Monastery in Moling, and was completed on the twentieth day of the ninth month; see Daohui's Song-Qi Catalogue and Sengyou's catalogue). Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya-śāstra, in eleven scrolls (sometimes without the word śāstra, or also called Saṃyuktābhidharma-sūtra; Changfang calls it Saṃyuktābhidharma-vibhāṣā; sometimes in fourteen scrolls; the fourth translation, produced in the ninth month of the eleventh year of Yuanjia, a jiaxu year, at Changgan Monastery, and completed after a full year; see Sengyou's catalogue and the preface to the sūtra). Essential Gāthās to Admonish Kings, in one scroll (composed by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna; the second translation; see Sengyou's catalogue and the Biographies of Eminent Monks). A Brief Collection on the Distinctions of Karmic Retribution, in one scroll (composed by Bodhisattva Dàyǒng [Mahāvīra?]; sometimes called Bodhisattva Dàyǒng's Brief Collection on the Distinctions of Karmic Retribution; see Sengyou's catalogue and the Biographies of Eminent Monks). Text for Inviting Holy Monks to Bathe, in one scroll (see Sengyou's catalogue and the Biographies of Eminent Monks). The above five works comprise twenty-four scrolls (the former four works in twenty-three scrolls are extant; the latter one work in one scroll is missing). Śramaṇa Saṅghavarman, called Zhongkai in the Song, was an Indian. In his youth, he renounced secular life; he was pure, lofty, and endowed with the virtue of precepts. He thoroughly understood the Vinaya Piṭaka and was especially adept in the Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya. In the tenth year of Yuanjia, a guiyou year, he journeyed on foot across the flowing sands and arrived in Jianye. His demeanour was vast and solemn; clerics and laypeople revered him with awe. All honoured and served him, addressing him as Tripiṭaka Dharma Master. Formerly, in the first year of Jingping, Xu Sang, the magistrate of Pinglu, gave up his residence to establish a monastery, which was consequently named Pinglu Monastery. Later, Huiguan of Daochang Monastery, seeing that Varman's practice of the Way was complete and consummate, invited him to reside at this monastery, increasing offerings to him to manifest his virtue. Varman, together with [Hui]guan, added three storeys to the stūpa; practices of the Way, chanting, and reciting continued day and night without cessation. The monastic assembly gathered, and the teachings of the Way spread abroad. Previously, the Tripiṭaka Dharma Master [Guṇavarman] was deeply knowledgeable about the grades of precepts, and was about to re-administer the full ordination to the nun Huiguo and others of Yingfu Monastery. At that time, the two assemblies were not yet complete, and the Tripiṭaka Master passed away. Soon after, the bhikṣuṇī Tessarā and others arrived from the Lion Country. The assembly then jointly invited [Saṅgha]varman to be their master, carrying on the tradition of the Tripiṭaka Master. Huiyi of Zhihuan Monastery, who was prominent throughout the capital of Yang, considered this to be anomalous; holding a different view, he personally engaged Varman in rigorous debate, back and forth. Varman set forth the tenets and illuminated the Dharma; his reasoning was proven to be clear and appropriate. Huiyi then relinquished his rigid obstinacy and bowed in deference and admiration. He then led his disciples to follow his guidance and receive the precepts. Several hundred monks and nuns received them. Prince Yikang of Pengcheng of the Song elevated his model of discipline and extensively provided vegetarian feasts. The fourfold assembly flourished, moving the entire capital. Soon afterwards, the senior monk of celebrated virtue Huiguan and others, considering that Varman had a wondrous understanding of the Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya and recited it with complete fluency—and that although the late Tripiṭaka Master had translated it, it had not yet been copied out—in the ninth month of the eleventh year, gathered scholars at Changgan Monastery and requested that he translate it again. Baoyun translated the spoken words, and [Hui]guan personally recorded them in writing. They collated and examined it with great precision, completing it after a full year. He successively translated the Vinayamātṛkā and other texts, five works in total. Varman took wandering and conversion as his aim, not lingering in any single place. Once his work of transmitting the scriptures was completed, he was about to return to his homeland. The assembly all made earnest supplications, but none could detain him.