Śākyavana Gazetteer (釋迦方誌)

Preface to the Records of the Buddha's Lands

Mount Zhongnan's Taiyi Mountain Buddhist Monk

Now, the Great Tang Dynasty has ruled the realm for nearly forty years. Its pure customs have spread far and wide, transforming the vulgar ways of old; its civil virtues have been cultivated, and its military might has flourished. As a result, the tribes of the Green Hills and the Cinnabar Caves have all been brought within the borders, while the regions of the Dragon Sands and the Wild Goose Pass have come under the sway of our civilizing influence. The wise and capable bow in reverence, displaying the dignity of those who pay homage to the court; they offer tribute and gifts, manifesting the great virtue of winning hearts through kindness. Now, the lands within and beyond the eight wildernesses have been fully recorded in the histories of former times, but the regions of the Five Indies have rarely been described. Is this not a matter of the times?

Although King Mu of Zhou journeyed west, he only reached Mount Kunlun. Emperor Shun and Yu the Great toured the south, but never crossed the vast seas. The First Emperor of Qin marked his territories, extending only to Lintao. Emperor Wu of Han fixed his borders, and his gates opened along the iron roads. Since then, distant expeditions have not been fully recorded. Thus, the conversation about the Way with the Master of Kongtong was confined to the region of Jiuquan, and the visit to the sage at Kunlun was only at the side of the Yumen Pass. As for the Weak Water, Dongting Lake, the Three Perils, and the Nine Mounds, the misty realms of Longle, and the sandy barriers of the Li River—these are all recorded in the Book of Xia and mapped in the province of Yong. When the Marquis of Bowang sought the source of the river, he first heard of the land of Daxia. When the Yellow Emperor dreamed of his journey, he first spoke of the land of Huaxu. When the General of Ershi attacked Dayuan, and when Dingyuan opened the Iron Gate, when You Yu came to Qin, and when Ridi served in Han, their fame resounded beyond the Congling Mountains, and imperial virtue reached to the mountains of the aged. Splendid and glorious were these envoys, and many were their deeds.

Yet, when it comes to the records of these lands—their customs, their peoples, their traditions, their mountains and rivers—even though they are set down on silk, little of substance has been noted. Is this not because the roads were long and few travelers made the journey? Even when tales were told, they came from messengers who had not seen with their own eyes. Rumor and hearsay were taken as truth. How do we know this to be so? From the rocky source of the river at Jishi, looking west to the Red Lands, and from the heavenly pillar of Kunlun, gazing east to the Divine Land, all beyond the Singing Sands was called the land of the Hu. Why scheme over distant plans and vainly transmit tales on yellowed bamboo? Thus, we know that the teachings of India came to us through repeated translation, and tales of the miraculous were, in truth, imperfect. Since the Buddhist doctrine journeyed east and its light shone upon the Han, its influence has flowed through ten dynasties, spanning nearly six hundred years. Envoys have come and gone, surveying all the lands. More than a hundred kingdoms have been transformed by its grace, all climbing mountains to offer tribute and looking to the sun to come to court. Yet the records of those who came before and after differ and conflict—the events are poorly recorded, and the names are confusing. Tracing this to its source, it rests with the translators.

In the past, during the Sui Dynasty, the monk Yancong, of the Translation Hall in the Shanglin Garden of the Eastern Capital, composed the Record of the Western Regions in one volume and ten chapters. It broadly described customs but touched only lightly on Buddhist matters. It was good for general knowledge but failed to establish reliable foundations. I believe that the eight aspects of the Buddha's manifestation reveal the Way, and the three vehicles transform all beings. Every teaching, every observance, is set forth to suit the capacities of the listeners. All adornments of merit and wisdom rest upon insight and understanding. Now, the sacred traces and auspicious signs are interwoven in the land of Huaxu, and divine light and blessed shadows fill the world. It is fitting that we illuminate these forms and stir the hearts and minds of people. During the Zhenguan era, when the scriptures were translated, I had the honor to participate. The separate records of the Western Regions are detailed elsewhere. But as paper and ink are easy to multiply, and perusing all of them is hard to complete, I have gathered the essence of the Buddha's legacy—the shared refuge of the Śākyamuni's followers—and condensed it into one volume. I leave it to the students of the future, and this preface serves as a guide.

In seeking to understand the descent of the Buddhas, one cannot grasp them through form or appearance. They manifest or withdraw according to the capacity of beings, and thus can be described in words and texts. Yet for those who study the teachings, to grasp the whole is primary. To dwell on the branches and leaves alone will not lead far. Therefore, at the beginning of this work, I point toward the essential meaning.

Records of the Land of Shakyamuni, Volume 1