Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c5.s2.t4.2

v1.c5.s2.t4.2

The word for clover (Muxu) in Chinese is actually a transliteration of a foreign word. In *Sino-Iranica*, B. Laufer adduced its origin as buksuk or buxsux in Persian, burchak in Turkic or buso in Jirachi (a Caspian dialect). However, it is not conclusive. In Chinese versions of Buddhist scriptures, various transliterations of it were listed, such as, Muxuxiang (fragrance of clover), also known as Saibeilixiang (*Murti Mandala and Incantation Sutra*), Muxuxiang, i.e. Saibilijia (Volume 7, *Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sutra* translated by Yijing), Sabilijia, also called Muxu in Persian (Volume 5, *Usnisa Vijaya Dharani Sutra*) and (Sa)bilijia, Muxuxiang (*Most Secret, Well-Established Dhāraṇī of the Vast Gem-Encrusted Tower* translated by Bodhiruci). According to the collation of the Chinese version with the original *Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sutra*, Saibeilixiang, and Sabilijia were all transliterated from ‘Sprikka’. They were the same terms used in two sutras of the Tang Dynasty; according to Li Yan’s *Miscellaneous Names in Sanskrit*, ‘Muxu, is a transliteration of svista’ and the *Chinese-Sanskrit Buddhist Dictionary* also followed the same wording. In any case, *muxu* is no doubt a foreign word regardless of its various transliterations.