Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c8.s3.t1.6

v1.c8.s3.t1.6

Master Xuanying of Tang Dynasty, '*Sound and Meaning of All Sutras* (*Yiqiejing yinyi*)', Yuan Dynasty edition *Sound and Meaning* in the 5th year of Yong-hui (654 CE). This book consisting of 25 volumes was also named *Sound and Meaning of Buddhist Sutras* and *Sound and Meaning of All Sutras*,etc. It may be reckoned as the earliest extant work explaining sounds and meanings of Buddhist sutras, and provided paradigms and solid foundations for the later generations to work on 'sounds and meanings of Buddhist *sutras*' by Chinese scholars. The concerned work, thus, with a large collection of Buddhist *sutra* is also to be found in the form of Japanese transcript and in multiple fragments in Duanhuang and Tulufan areas. According to statistics, Xuanying's *Sounds and Meanings* has a collection of over 9,400 entries in which over 850 entries are Sanskrit transliterated words. Xuanying not only explained pronunciations and meanings of words but also paid attention to the connotations of those words in the context of multiple aspects of Indian culture and in actual practice of Indian customs, convention and religion. For example, the entry of 'red pillow' in volume six of Xuanying's *Sounds and Meanings* pointed out that India didn't have wooden pillows. Instead, they used red leather and cotton cloth for pillows in which Dou-luo cotton and feathers were put. They could be used as pillows as well as back cushions, and the colour was mostly vermilion. Similar explanations of various words provided basic information for readers to understand Indian Buddhism and secular culture. This work of *Sounds and Meanings of All Sutras* of Xuanying is rated as one of the famous works in the field of study of 'sounds and meanings of Buddhist sutras'.