大唐西域記敘
Preface to the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions
尚書左僕射燕國公張說製
若夫玉毫流照，甘露灑于大千；金鏡揚暉，薰風被于有截。故知示現三界，粵稱天下之尊；光宅四表，式標域中之大。是以慧日淪影，像化之跡東歸；帝猷宏闡，大章之步西極。
The Jade Beam scatters its light, and sweet dew rains upon the vast cosmos; the Golden Mirror shines its radiance, and a fragrant breeze spreads across all realms. Thus it is known: by manifesting in the triple world, he is hailed as the honored one of all realms; by illuminating the four corners, he sets the standard for greatness throughout the land. Therefore, when the sun of wisdom sets, the traces of his teachings journey eastward; when the imperial path is broadly proclaimed, the great footsteps reach the western extremes.
有慈恩道場三藏法師，諱玄奘，俗姓陳氏，其先頴川人也。帝軒提象，控華渚而開源；大舜賓門，基歷山而聳構。三恪照于姬載，六奇光于漢祀。書奏而承朗月，遊道而聚德星。縱壑駢鱗，培風齊翼。世濟之美，欝為景胄。法師籍慶誕生，含和降德，結根深而䓲茂，道源浚而靈長。奇開之歲，霞軒月舉；聚沙之年，蘭薰桂馥。洎乎成立，藝殫墳素。九皐載響，五府交辟。以夫早悟真假，夙照慈慧，鏡真筌而延佇，顧生涯而永息。而朱紱紫纓，誠有界之徽網；寶車丹枕，寔出世之津途。由是擯落塵滓，言歸閑曠。令兄長捷法師，釋門之棟[榦-木+禾]者也。擅龍象于身世，挺鶖鷺于當年。朝野挹其風猷，中外羨其聲彩。既而情深友愛，道睦天倫。法師服勤請益，分陰靡棄。業光上首，擢秀檀林；德契中庸，騰芬蘭室。抗策平道，包九部而吞夢；鼓枻玄津，俯四韋而小魯。自茲遍遊談肆，載移涼燠。功既成矣，能亦畢矣。至于泰初日月，燭曜靈臺；子雲鞶悅，發揮神府。于是金文暫啟，佇秋駕而雲趨；玉柄纔撝，披霧市而波屬。若會斵輪之旨，猶知拜瑟之微。以瀉瓶之多聞，泛虛舟而獨遠。迺于轘轅之地，先摧鍱腹之誇；并絡之鄉，遽表浮桮之異。遠邇宗挹，為之語曰：「昔聞荀氏八龍，今見陳門雙驥。」汝、頴多奇士，誠哉此言。
At the Compassion and Wisdom Monastery, there dwelt a Dharma Master of the Tripitaka, named Xuanzang, whose secular surname was Chen. His ancestors hailed from Yingchuan. From the time of the Yellow Emperor, who orchestrated the cosmos and opened the way over the vast waters, to the era of Great Shun, who welcomed guests at his gate and built his foundations at Mount Li—their lineage was noble. The three honored families shone in the Zhou dynasty; the six extraordinary strategies illuminated the Han court. Their memorials to the throne were as clear as the bright moon, and they gathered virtuous stars along their path. Like scales and fins growing in number, or wings trained to ride the wind together, generation after generation of beauty in virtue shone forth as a glorious progeny.
The Master was born into this legacy of blessings, embodying harmony and bestowing virtue. His roots ran deep, and his branches flourished; the source of his path was profound, and its flow was far-reaching. In his childhood years, he soared like clouds and moon; in his youth, he was as fragrant as orchids and osmanthus. Once he came of age, he mastered the classics and histories to perfection. His fame echoed through the nine folds of the land, and the five departments of government vied to recruit him. Having awakened early to the nature of truth and falsehood, and seen clearly the light of compassion and wisdom, he gazed upon the mirror of truth and lingered, then reflecting on the fleeting life, he sought eternal rest. Yet scarlet robes and purple sashes were but fine nets of the mundane world; the jeweled chariot and crimson cushion were truly the path to liberation. Therefore, he cast aside worldly dust and returned to tranquil openness.
His elder brother, the Dharma Master Changjie, was a pillar of the Buddhist community, excelling among dragons and elephants of his time, standing out like a vulture or heron amid lesser birds. Court and country admired his style and virtues, and all within and without the borders craved his renown and brilliance. Deep in fraternal love and devotion to the Way, they honored the bonds of nature. The Master toiled in service and sought instruction, never wasting a moment of daylight. His virtue shone at the forefront, blossoming amid the forest of discipline; his character resonated with the Middle Way, diffusing fragrance in the chamber of orchids. Urging his chariot along the level path, he embraced the nine divisions of scripture, swallowing up vast knowledge; he plied his oars on the dark ford of truth, looking down upon the four Vedas as if dwarfing the State of Lu. From then on, he toured the halls of debate through changing seasons and climates. His merit was complete, and his ability exhausted its furthest reaches.
As for the light of the early dawn, it illumined his inner shrine; the embroidery of Ziyun adorned his spiritual treasury. Once the golden scriptures were opened, he stood waiting like a chariot for autumn's path, then hastened like clouds. When the jade handle was brandished, the multitude parted like mist in a market, surging like waves. He seemed to grasp the intent of the wheelwright’s craft and understood the subtleties of the lute-player’s art. With the all-pouring eloquence of a vase, he floated alone upon the empty boat into the distance. In the land of Huanyuan, he first shattered the boastful claims of the block-bellied ones; in the domain of Bingluo, he quickly revealed the marvel of floating cups. Far and near, people revered him, saying in proverbs: “In days past, we heard of the Eight Dragons of the Xun family; now we see the Twin Steeds of the Chen clan.” The people of Ru and Ying have many extraordinary men—truly this saying rings true.
法師自幼迄長，遊心玄理。名流先達，部執交馳，趨末忘本，摭華捐實，遂有南北異學，是非紛糾。永言于此，良用憮然。或恐傳譯踳駁，未能筌究，欲窮香象之文，將罄龍宮之目。以絕倫之德，屬會昌之期，杖錫拂衣，第如遐境。于是背玄㶚而延望，指葱山而矯迹。川陸綿長，備甞艱險。陋博望之非遠，嗤法顯之為局。遊踐之處，畢究方言，鐫求幽賾，妙窮津會。于是詞發雌黃，飛英天竺；文傳貝葉，聿歸振旦。
From his youth onward, the Dharma Master immersed his mind in the profound principles. Esteemed teachers and senior scholars, each upholding their own textual traditions, vied with one another. They pursued superficial details while neglecting the root, gathered ornamental petals while discarding the fruit. Thus arose differing schools of thought in the north and south, with endless disputes over right and wrong. Whenever I reflect on this, I am filled with deep regret. Fearing that the translations were inaccuracies and incomplete, unable to grasp the true essence, he sought to thoroughly investigate the scriptures—even the profound teachings symbolic of a great elephant—and to exhaust the treasures of the dragon palace.
Possessing peerless virtue, at the opportune moment of the Huichang era, he took up his staff and robes, departing for distant lands. Thus he looked back from Xuanba, gazing into the distance, and set his sights on the Congling Snowy Mountains. The journey, over rivers and land, was long and arduous, and he endured many hardships along the way. He found Zhang Qian's missions of old unremarkable and considered Faxian’s travels limited. Wherever he traveled, he thoroughly studied the local languages, skillfully delving into the hidden depths, and wonderfully mastered the crossings and fords. Thus, his words—like yellow ochre—once uttered, spread their brilliance across India; his texts, written on palm leaves, were brought back in glory to China.
太宗文皇帝金輪纂御，寶位居尊。載佇風徽，召見青蒲之上；廼睠通識，前膝黃屋之間。手詔綢繆，中使繼路。俯摛睿思，乃製《三藏聖教序》，凡七百八十言。今上昔在春闈，裁《述聖記》，凡五百七十九言。啟玄妙之津，書揄揚之旨。蓋非道映鷄林，譽光鷲嶽，豈能緬降神藻，以旌時秀。奉 詔翻譯梵本，凡六百五十七部。具覽遐方異俗，絕壤殊風，土著之宜，人備之序，正朔所暨，聲教所單，著《大唐西域記》，勒成一十二卷。編錄典奧，綜覈明審，立言不朽，其在茲焉。
大唐西域記卷第一(三十四國)
三藏法師玄奘奉 詔譯
大總持寺沙門辯機撰