Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c8.s3.t2.1

v1.c8.s3.t2.1

Huilin (慧琳737-820 CE) was a Buddhist monk and linguist of the Tang Dynasty. His family name was Pei (裴) and belonged to a place called 'Shu-le' ( 疏勒) of the Western Regions (Kashgar, Xinjiang at present). All the deeds and achievements of his life have been described in the fifth volume of *Biographies of Eminent Monks of the Song Dynasty* and in *Biography of Hui Lin of the Xi-ming Temple of the Tang (dynasty)* capital. Huilin took his lessons on classical studies from An-xi (安西) scholars in his childhood and adopted a monastic life at the age of 20. Further, he also studied Buddhist classics with the Tripitaka Master Amoghavajra, an eminent esoteric monk. He 'learned esoteric treasures internally and studied Confucianism externally', read sutras extensively and was proficient in Indian *Shabda-vidya* (linguistics) and Chinese exegesis. He compiled 100 volumes of the *Sound and Meaning of the Tripitaka* during the period from the fourth year of Zhen-yuan (788 CE) to the fifth year of Yuan-he (810 CE). In the preface to the book written by Jing