Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.33

v1.c7.33

During this period, the number of Indian monks who came to China also peaked. The Indian monks Damo Bore (Dharmaprajñā) and Naliantili Yeshe (Narendrayaśas) received a courteous reception from the court. Piniduo Liuzhi (Vinītaruci) received instruction from the monk Sengcan, the third patriarch of the Chan school in China. Damo Jiduo (Dharmagupta) and Shena Jueduo (Jñānagupta) presided over the Translation Hall during the Sui. Boluopo Jialuomidouluo (Prabhākaramitra), Adi Quduo (Atikūṭa/Atigupta), Fachang and Anan Lümucha, Jiaye (Kāśyapa) and others brought letters from the Indian monks, Zhiguang (Jñānaprabhā) and Huitian (Prajñādeva), paying respect to Xuanzang. They received gifts from Xuanzang. Nati, Naluo Ersuopo, and Lujia Yiduo prepared a “long life medicine” for the Tang emperor. Dipo Heluo (Divākara), Huizhi (Prajñājñāna), Fotuo Boli (Buddhāpāla), Ani Zhenna, Puti Liuzhi (Bodhiruci), Sengqie Fandamo, Mouni Shili (*Muniśrī*), Shiluo Batuoluo (*Śīlabhadra*), Puti Xian (*Bodhirṣi*), the *śramaṇa* Jin Juzha and others came to China and translated scriptural texts. They also introduced the belief in Guanyin (*Avalokiteśvara*) and Wenshu (*Mañjuśrī*) to China. Building “Indian style temples” and bringing latest esoteric texts of Indian Buddhism, they advanced knowledge of India and attracted great attention from Chinese Buddhists. Moreover, the Indian monk Damo Zhannieluo (Dharmacandra) was good at medical prescription. In Chang’an, he offered books about medical prescriptions, Indian medicine and herbs. He translated some volumes of the *Yifang ben cao* (*Herbal Prescriptions*), the *Pubian zhizang bore xin jing* (*Scriptural Text about the Heart of Prajñā, of Samantajñānagarbha*). Bore (Prajñā) and the Persian monk Jingjing (Adam), together translated scriptural texts and also represented the court as envoys to northern India and Kashmir in search of Sanskrit texts. Jueduo (Gupta) went to study under Huineng, the sixth patriarch of the Chan school and he offered the Sanskrit text of the *Huayan jing, Puxian xing yuan pin* (*Avataṃsakasūtra, Chapter about Samantabhadra's Practice*) to the Tang Court, copied in his own hand by the king of the country of Wucha (Uḍa) in southern India. Eight people, *śramaṇas* from the Da Puti (Mahābodhi) Temple in Central India and two craftsmen came to China during the years of Zhenguan and they transmited the technique of making sugar. They made rock-honey with sugarcane from Yuezhou (present Shaoxing in Zhejiang). Because of their remarkable success, many were commended by the Court and were given the purple robe and called *Sanzang* (*Tripiṭaka*). The “three great beings of Kaiyuan”, persons who came to China and who transmitted Indian esotericism during the years of Kaiyuan of the Tang, Shan Wuwei (*Śubhākara*), Jingang Zhi (*Vajrabodhi*), and Bukong (*Amoghavajra*), were the monks whose influence was greatest among many Indian monks. They arrived in Guangzhou by ship and went north to Chang’an to transmit the newest wave of Indian Buddhism. The Court thought highly of them and both commoners and elites respected them. Bukong was specially famous as Tripiṭaka and *dharma* master, propagated esotericism and was renamed at court. He performed initiation (*abhiṣeka*) for the emperor. His position was prominent. He also went by decree to the five regions of India and to Sri Lanka in search of esoteric scriptures. Promoted by the three great beings, Buddhist esotericism in China prospered. An esoteric school was established and Bukong himself gained a special reputation. The court granted him the title of noble doctor and promoted him to treasurer, ceremonially at the level of the three supervisors. It installed him as a duke, with revenue of 3,000 households. After his death, he was given the title of minister of works, of Tripiṭaka with wide knowledge and abundant eloquence.