--- title: "宋高僧傳 · 唐京兆大薦福寺義淨傳" description: "宋高僧传由北宋赞宁等人奉敕编撰于太平兴国七年，是继唐高僧传后重要的佛教传记文献。全书三十卷收录南朝至宋初十宗共五百三十三位高僧事迹，分译经义解习禅明律护法感通遗身读诵兴福杂科十科。该书系统记载中古佛教传承脉络与宗派发展，史料翔实文体典雅，为研究中国佛教史社会史及文化史的核心典籍，与梁唐明高僧传并称四朝高僧传，在佛教文献学中具有承前启后的权威地位。" url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmd005etj02lml704s2yek8hr" --- ### 唐京兆大薦福寺義淨傳 釋義淨字文明，姓張氏，范陽人也。髫齓之時，辭親落髮，遍詢名匠，廣探群籍，內外閑習，今古博通。年十有五，便萌其志，欲遊西域，仰法顯之雅操，慕玄奘之高風。加以勤無棄時，手不釋卷，弱冠登具，愈堅貞志。 > The monk Yijing, whose secular surname was Zhang, was a native of Fanyang. From his childhood, he left his family and shaved his head, seeking out renowned masters and extensively studying various scriptures. He became well-versed in both Buddhist and secular texts, mastering ancient and contemporary knowledge. At the age of fifteen, he conceived the aspiration to journey to the Western Regions, admiring the noble conduct of Faxian and the lofty spirit of Xuanzang. Diligent and never wasting time, he never set aside his books. Upon receiving full ordination at the age of twenty, his resolve grew even firmer. 咸亨二年，年三十有七，方遂發足。初至番禺，得同志數十人，及將登舶，餘皆退罷。淨奮勵孤行，備歷艱險。所至之境，皆洞言音。凡遇酋長，俱加禮重。鷲峯、雞足，咸遂周遊；鹿苑、祇林，並皆瞻矚。諸有聖迹，畢得追尋。經二十五年，歷三十餘國，以天后證聖元年乙未仲夏，還至河洛。得梵本經律論近四百部，合五十萬頌，金剛座真容一鋪、舍利三百粒。天后親迎于上東門外，諸寺緇伍具幡蓋歌樂前導，勅於佛授記寺安置焉。 > In the second year of the Xianheng era, at the age of thirty-seven, he finally set out on his journey. Arriving first at Panyu, he gathered several dozen like-minded companions. Yet, when it was time to board the ship, all the others withdrew and gave up. Yijing, however, stirred with determination, journeyed on alone, enduring every hardship and peril along the way. In every land he reached, he thoroughly mastered the local speech. Whenever he met with tribal chiefs, they all treated him with respect and honor. He traveled extensively to Vulture Peak and Kukkutapada, and paid his respects at the Deer Park and Jetavana Grove. Every sacred site he sought, he was able to visit and explore. After twenty-five years, having passed through more than thirty countries, in the mid-summer of the Yiyi year, the first year of the Zhengsheng era under Empress Wu, he returned to Heluo. He brought back nearly four hundred volumes of Sanskrit sutras, vinaya, and shastras, amounting to five hundred thousand verses, along with one image of the True Form from the Vajrasana and three hundred relics. Empress Wu personally welcomed him outside the Shangdong Gate. Monks from various temples, bearing banners, canopies, and accompanied by music and song, led the procession. By imperial decree, he was settled at the Fo Shouji Temple. 初與于闐三藏實叉難陀飜《華嚴經》。久視之後乃自專譯。起庚子歲至長安癸卯，於福先寺及雍京西明寺譯《金光明最勝王》、《能斷金剛般若》、《彌勒成佛》、《一字呪王》、《莊嚴王陀羅尼》、《長爪梵志》等經，《根本一切有部毘柰耶》、《尼陀那目得迦》、《百一羯磨》、《攝》等，《掌中》、《取因假設》、《六門教授》等論、及《龍樹勸誡頌》，凡二十部。北印度沙門阿儞真那證梵文義，沙門波崙、復禮、慧表、智積等筆受證文，沙門法寶、法藏、德感、勝莊、神英、仁亮、大儀、慈訓等證義，成均太學助教許觀監護，繕寫進呈。天后製《聖教序》，令標經首。 > He first collaborated with the Khotan Tripitaka Master Śikṣānanda on the translation of the \*Avataṃsaka Sūtra\*. After the Jiushi era, he began translating independently. Starting from the Gengzi year until the Guimao year in Chang'an, at Fuxian Temple and Ximing Temple in Yongjing, he translated scriptures such as the \*Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra\*, the \*Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra\*, the \*Maitreya's Attainment of Buddhahood Sūtra\*, the \*One-Syllable Mantra King Sūtra\*, the \*Ārya Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra\*, and the \*Dīrghanakha Sūtra\*, as well as texts like the \*Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya\*, the \*Nidāna-mātṛkā\*, the \*Ekottarakarmaśataka\*, the \*Saṃgraha\*, the \*Hastavālaprakaraṇa\*, the \*Hetupratyaya Sūtra\*, the \*Ṣaḍdvāra Śāstra\*, and Nāgārjuna's \*Suhrllekha\*, totaling twenty works. The North Indian monk Āryajñāna verified the Sanskrit meaning, while monks Bolun, Fuli, Huibiao, and Zhiji served as scribes and verified the texts. Monks Fabao, Fazang, Degen, Shengzhuang, Shenying, Renliang, Dayi, and Cixun verified the meanings. Xu Guan, an assistant instructor at the Imperial Academy, supervised the transcription and presentation of the translations. Empress Wu Zetian composed the "Sacred Teaching Preface" and ordered it to be placed at the beginning of the sutras. 暨和帝神龍元年乙巳，於東洛內道場譯《孔雀王經》，又於大福先寺出《勝光天子》、《香王菩薩呪》、《一切莊嚴王經》四部，沙門盤度讀梵文，沙門玄傘筆受，沙門大儀證文，沙門勝莊、利貞證義，兵部侍郎崔湜、給事中盧粲潤文正字，祕書監駙馬都尉楊慎交監護。帝深崇釋典，特抽叡思，製《大唐龍興三藏聖教序》。又御洛陽西門，宣示群官新飜之經。 > In the first year of the Shenlong era of Emperor He (705 CE), at the Inner Daochang Temple in the eastern capital Luoyang, he translated the \*Peacock King Sutra\*. Additionally, at the Dafuxian Temple, he produced four scriptures: \*The Sutra of the Victorious Light Son of Heaven\*, \*The Dharani of the Fragrant King Bodhisattva\*, and \*The Sutra of the King of All Adornments\*. The monk Pandu recited the Sanskrit texts, the monk Xuan San transcribed them, and the monk Da Yi verified the wording. The monks Sheng Zhuang and Li Zhen verified the meanings. Cui Shi, the Vice Minister of War, and Lu Can, the Imperial Secretary, polished the language and corrected the characters. Yang Shenjiao, the Imperial Secretary and Imperial Son-in-Law, oversaw the project. The emperor held Buddhist scriptures in deep reverence and, with exceptional wisdom, personally composed the \*Preface to the Tripitaka of the Great Tang's Dragon Rising\*. He also personally appeared at the western gate of Luoyang to present the newly translated scriptures to the assembled officials. 二年，淨隨駕歸雍京，置飜經院於大薦福寺，居之。三年，詔入內與同飜經沙門九旬坐夏。帝以昔居房部，幽厄無歸，祈念藥師，遂蒙降祉，荷茲往澤，重闡鴻猷。因命法徒更重傳譯於大佛光殿，二卷成文，曰《藥師瑠璃光佛本願功德經》。帝御法筵，手自筆受。 > In the second year, Jing accompanied the imperial carriage back to Yongjing and established the Translation Institute at the Dajianfu Temple, where he resided. In the third year, he was summoned to the palace to spend the summer retreat of ninety days with fellow monks engaged in translation work. The Emperor, recalling the time when he was confined in the Fang Department, isolated and without refuge, had prayed to the Medicine Buddha and received divine blessings. Grateful for this past grace, he sought to further propagate the profound teachings. Thus, he ordered the monastic community to retranslate the scripture in the Great Buddha Light Hall, resulting in a two-fascicle text titled \*The Sutra of the Original Vows and Meritorious Virtues of the Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Radiance Tathagata\*. The Emperor personally attended the Dharma assembly and transcribed the text with his own hand. 睿宗唐隆元年庚戌，於大薦福寺出《浴像功德經》、《毘柰耶雜事》、二眾《戒經》、《唯識寶生》、《所緣釋》等二十部。吐火羅沙門達磨末磨、中印度沙門拔弩證梵義，罽賓沙門達磨難陀證梵文，居士東印度首領伊舍羅證梵本，沙門慧積、居士中印度李釋迦、度頗多讀梵本，沙門文綱、慧沼、利貞、勝莊、愛同、思恒證義，玄傘、智積筆受，居士東印度瞿曇金剛、迦濕彌羅國王子阿順證譯，修文館大學士李嶠、兵部尚書韋嗣立、中書侍郎趙彥昭、吏部侍郎盧藏用、兵部侍郎張說、中書舍人李乂二十餘人次文潤色，左僕射韋巨源、右僕射蘇瓌監護，祕書大監嗣虢王邕同監護。 > In the first year of the Tanglong era under Emperor Ruizong of Tang, in the year Gengxu, at Dajianfu Temple, twenty sutras were translated, including "The Sutra on the Merits of Bathing the Buddha Image," "Vinaya Kṣudraka-vastu," the "Pratimokṣa Sutra" for both monastic assemblies, "Vijñapti-mātratā-siddhi," and "Ālambana-parīkṣā." The Tokharian monk Dharmamarma and the Central Indian monk Bhanu verified the Sanskrit meaning; the Kashmiri monk Dharmananda verified the Sanskrit text; the layman and East Indian chieftain Iśvara verified the Sanskrit manuscripts. The monk Huiji, the layman and Central Indian Li Shijia, and the monk Duppata recited the Sanskrit manuscripts. The monks Wengang, Huizhao, Lizhen, Shengzhuang, Aitong, and Siheng verified the meaning. Xuansan and Zhiji served as scribes. The layman and East Indian Gautama Vajra, along with Prince Ashun of Kashmir, verified the translation. Over twenty officials, including the Grand Academician of the Xiuwen Pavilion Li Qiao, the Minister of War Wei Sili, the Vice Director of the Secretariat Zhao Yanzhao, the Vice Minister of Personnel Lu Zangyong, the Vice Minister of War Zhang Yue, and the Secretariat Drafter Li Yi, polished the literary style. The Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs Wei Juyuan and the Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs Su Gui supervised the project, with the Grand Supervisor of the Palace Library and Prince of Guo, Li Yong, jointly overseeing the work. 景雲二年辛亥，復於大薦福寺譯《稱讚如來功德神呪》等經，太常卿薛崇嗣監護。自天后久視迄睿宗景雲，都飜出五十六部，二百三十卷。又別撰《大唐西域求法高僧傳》、《南海寄歸內法傳》、《別說罪要行法》、《受用三法水要法》、《護命放生軌儀》，凡五部，九卷。又出《說一切有部跋窣堵》，即諸律中犍度、跋渠之類，蓋梵音有楚、夏耳，約七十八卷。淨雖遍飜三藏，而偏攻律部，譯綴之暇，曲授學徒。凡所行事皆尚急護。漉囊滌穢，特異常倫。學侶傳行，遍于京洛。美哉！亦遺法之盛事也。 > In the second year of the Jingyun era, during the Xinhai year, he translated scriptures such as the "Praise of the Tathagata's Merits and Divine Mantra" at the Great Jianfu Temple, under the supervision of Xue Chongsi, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. From Empress Wu Zetian's Jiushi era to Emperor Ruizong's Jingyun era, he translated a total of fifty-six works, comprising two hundred and thirty volumes. Additionally, he separately compiled five works in nine volumes: "Biographies of Eminent Monks Who Sought the Dharma in the Western Regions of the Great Tang," "Records of the Inner Dharma Sent from the Southern Seas," "Methods for Confessing and Correcting Transgressions," "Essential Methods for Using the Three Dharma Waters," and "Rituals for Protecting Life and Releasing Living Beings." He also produced "The Vinaya of the Sarvāstivāda School," which includes categories such as Khandhaka and Varga in the various Vinaya texts, reflecting differences in Sanskrit pronunciation, totaling approximately seventy-eight volumes. Although Yijing translated extensively across the Tripitaka, he specialized in the Vinaya. In his spare time from translation and compilation, he diligently taught his disciples. In all his actions, he emphasized urgency and protection. His practice of filtering water and purifying impurities was particularly exceptional. His teachings spread among his disciples and were widely practiced in the capital and Luoyang. How splendid! This was indeed a grand event for the preservation of the Dharma. 先天二年卒，春秋七十九，法臘五十九，葬事官供。所出《跋窣堵》唯存真本，未暇覆疏，而逼泥曰。然其傳度經律，與奘師抗衡。比其著述，淨多文性，傳密呪，最盡其妙，二三合聲，爾時方曉矣。今塔在洛京龍門北之高岡焉。 > He passed away in the second year of the Xiantian era, at the age of seventy-nine, having been ordained for fifty-nine years. His funeral was arranged and provided by the state. Of his translation of the \*Bāsuṭu\* (Vastu), only the original manuscript remains, as there was no time for revision before his passing. However, in the transmission of sutras and vinaya, he was considered equal to Master Xuanzang. In terms of literary works, he produced many texts rich in literary quality. He transmitted esoteric mantras with utmost mastery, and his understanding of the fusion of two or three sounds was only fully realized in his time. His stupa now stands on the high ridge north of Longmen in the eastern capital, Luoyang. 系曰：「譯」之言「易」也，謂以所有易所無也。譬諸枳橘焉，由易土而殖，橘化為枳。枳橘之呼雖殊，而辛芳𠏉葉無異。又如西域尼拘律陀樹，即東夏之楊柳，名雖不同，樹體是一。自漢至今皇宋，飜譯之人多矣。晉、魏之際，唯西竺人來，止稱「尼拘」耳。此方參譯之士，因西僧指楊柳，始體言意。其後東僧往彼，識尼拘是東夏之柳。兩土方言，一時洞了焉。唯西唯東，二類之人未為盡善。東僧往西，學盡梵書，解盡佛意，始可稱善。傳譯者，宋、齊已還，不無去彼迴者，若入境觀風必聞其政者，奘師、淨師為得其實。此二師者兩全通達，其猶見璽文知是天子之書，可信也。《周禮》象胥氏通夷狄之言，淨之才智，可謂釋門之象胥也歟！ > The Preface states: "Translation" means "exchange"—it is the act of replacing what one lacks with what one has. Take the trifoliate orange and the mandarin orange, for example: when transplanted to different soil, the mandarin turns into the trifoliate. Though their names differ, their pungency, fragrance, and leaves remain the same. Another example is the Nyagrodha tree of the Western Regions, which is the willow tree of the Eastern Lands. Though their names are not the same, they are the same kind of tree. From the Han dynasty to the present Great Song dynasty, there have been many translators. During the Jin and Wei periods, only monks from Western India came, and they simply called it "Nyagrodha." The scholars of this land who participated in the translation, upon seeing the Western monks point to a willow tree, finally grasped the meaning of the term. Later, when Eastern monks traveled to the West, they recognized that the Nyagrodha was the willow tree of the Eastern Lands. Thus, the dialects of both lands were suddenly understood. However, relying solely on either Western or Eastern people is not entirely satisfactory. Only when Eastern monks go to the West, master the Sanskrit texts, and fully comprehend the Buddha's meaning can they be considered truly capable. As for translators, since the Song and Qi dynasties, there have been those who traveled there and returned. Those who truly entered the region, observed its customs, and understood its ways—like Master Xuanzang and Master Yijing—achieved genuine understanding. These two masters were fully proficient in both languages. It is like recognizing an imperial seal and knowing it is the document of the Son of Heaven—it can be trusted. The \*Rites of Zhou\* mentions the "Xiangxu" officials who were versed in the languages of barbarian tribes. With his talent and wisdom, Master Yijing could indeed be called the "Xiangxu" of the Buddhist community.