Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s4.t2.40

v1.c7.s4.t2.40

Kumārajīva had a clear understanding of classic translation itself. He never thought that translation could fully convey the original canon, so he said, “translating Sanskrit into Chinese would lose its exquisite diction. Though the essential meaning is conveyed, the language style is different. It is like to chew food and give it to others; not only the flavour is lost, but it makes people throw up.” As for his work, he was very modest and proclaimed, “I incorrectly serve as the translator with my equivocal interpretation”. But for transferring the essence of the classics, he was confident. Before his death, Kumārajīva once swore before the crowd, “If my transferring is infallible, my tongue will not be burned after the burning of my body.” His body was incinerated the Indian way outside Xiaoyao Garden. It is said that as was expected “the fire went out and the body vanished. Only the tongue was not turned into ashes”. Not long later, a foreign śramana came to China, and said Kumārajīva’s translation was not as much as one-tenth of the classics he had a firm grasp on. It was a matter of regret that could not be made up for.