Tang · by 義淨撰
12,329 · about 41 min
The *Sanskrit Thousand Character Primer* composed by the eminent Tang Dynasty monk Yijing is a significant Buddhist language-learning text that employs Chinese characters to phonetically transcribe Sanskrit. The work collects nearly a thousand commonly used Sanskrit terms, arranged in a rhythmic four-character-per-line verse format to aid memorization. Compiled during the flourishing period of Buddhism in the Tang Dynasty, it aimed to assist Chinese monks in accurately learning Sanskrit and deepening their understanding of original Buddhist scriptures. Not only does it reflect the vibrant cultural exchange between China and foreign lands during the Tang era, but it also provided an essential tool for the translation and study of Buddhist sutras, holding an irreplaceable position in the history of Buddhist linguistics and dissemination.