Dharma School Origin Private Record (法宗原私記)

Dharma Origin Private Record, Volume 1

Composed by the Monk Longqian of Mount Zhi

**Chapter Explanation: Six Sections**

**1. Preliminary Practices** I will record the preparatory rituals for this commentary as I have previously done.

**2. Reason for Composing This Chapter** The Four Āgama Sūtras are extensive in meaning and profound. The *Jñānaprasthāna* and the *Six Pādas* are concise but obscure. The *Mahāvibhāṣā* is vast and deep. The *Abhidharmakośa*, *Nyāyānusāra*, and *Abhidharmadīpa* are extensive, firm, subtle, and difficult for beginners. Therefore, the seventy-five *dharmas* (phenomena) and their names and characteristics are explained through various categories to serve as a gateway to the great theories of the Sarvāstivāda school. As the text says: "For the time being, I will briefly point out the path for beginners; detailed distinctions are found elsewhere."

**3. Transmission of this Chapter** First, the transmission of the Sarvāstivāda school to China. Second, the transmission of this text to this land.

**First: Sarvāstivāda in China** Śākyamuni Buddha was born in the Jambudvīpa, in Kapilavastu, as the son of King Śuddhodana (tradition says the ninth *kalpa*... various dates exist for his birth, renunciation, and enlightenment). He taught the Four Āgamas at Sarnath, turning the wheel of the Dharma. After his *parinirvāṇa*, Mahākāśyapa, Ānanda, and others compiled these sūtras for propagation.

From the 116th year after the Buddha's passing, schisms occurred, starting with the Mahāsāṃghika and Sthavira schools. By the 300th year, further divisions arose from the Sthaviras. By the end of the 200th year, Kātyāyanīputra and others composed the *Jñānaprasthāna* and *Six Pādas* to explain the sūtras and sustain the Dharma. By the 400th year, 500 arhats compiled the *Mahāvibhāṣā* to illuminate the *Jñānaprasthāna*. By the 900th year, Vasubandhu composed the *Abhidharmakośa* and other works.

The translator of the older *Vibhāṣā* was Kaśmīra Saṅgha. Paramārtha translated the *Kośa*. Later, Master Xuanzang traveled to the West (departing in the third year of Zhenguan of the Tang dynasty, spending 17 years in India, returning in the 19th year). In Kaśmīra, he met the Dharma Master Saṅghayasas (meaning "Multitude of Excellence"), who specialized in Sarvāstivāda, logic (*hetuvidyā*), and prosody. Saṅghayasas taught him the *Kośa* in the morning, the *Nyāyānusāra* in the afternoon, and logic and sound theory in the evening. Xuanzang also studied the *Nyāyānusāra* under the Master Śīlabhadra. After 17 years mastering Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, he returned, translating the *Jñānaprasthāna*, *Saṃgītiparyāya*, *Dharmaskandha*, *Vijñānakāya*, *Prakaraṇapāda*, *Dhātukāya*, *Kośa*, *Nyāyānusāra*, *Dīpa*, the *Yogācārabhūmi*, and other works, both great and small.

**Second: Transmission of This Text to China** This concerns the transmission of the Dharmalakṣaṇa school (tradition: first Daoxuan, second Zhitong, third Silla's Jipyung, Jìluán, Zhìxióng, fourth Xuǎnfāng). At that time, this text was transmitted eastward.

The Venerable Gomyō (a tradition from Silla Master Jipyung's tradition) established that conditioned phenomena have a cause that is impermanent. My former teacher (the Southern Temple tradition) established that conditioned phenomena possess a substance that is impermanent (substance and function both impermanent). These details are found in the Transmission Records.

**4. Sūtras and Śāstras Upon Which This Work is Based** Generally, the Four Āgamas, the *Jñānaprasthāna*, the *Six Pādas*, and the *Mahāvibhāṣā*. Specifically, the *Abhidharmakośa* is the primary source.

**5. Explanation of the Chapter Title and Author Attribution** (This section has two parts: First, explaining the title. Second, explaining the author.)

**First: The Title** In Western lands (India), the Sanskrit titles of sūtras and śāstras are placed at the end of the text, not the beginning. The Chinese custom places them at the beginning. This text follows the Chinese custom, placing the title first. As the *Ten Abodes Heart Treatise* and others state: "In Indian sūtras, the title is placed at the end; in China, the name is placed at the beginning of a scroll." Master Dao'an (Jin dynasty) gave four reasons for placing the title first: (1) so people see the title and know the type of teaching; (2) so the wise can grasp the meaning; (3) to distinguish it from other texts; (4) so even those in a hurry can gain merit by seeing the title.

The word "Dharma" (*dharma*) has two meanings: (1) to maintain inherent nature (each phenomenon preserves its own characteristics); (2) a standard (like impermanence, which produces the understanding of impermanence). In Sanskrit, *dharma* means "to uphold." The nature of dharmas refers to the seventy-five conditioned and unconditioned phenomena.

The word "Origin" means the root. "The Origin of the Dharma's Essential Doctrine" can be understood as a compound: either "the essence of the Dharma and its origin" (*karmadhāraya*) or "the essence that is the origin" (*tatpuruṣa*).

**Second: The Author Attribution** (Here it discusses whether the author placed his name, or later masters placed it. This author's name, "Great Vehicle First" or "Great Vehicle," likely was placed by later masters. "Great" has seven meanings, surpassing the Small Vehicle. "Vehicle" means to carry, transporting practitioners. The name distinguishes it from the Small Vehicle. The *Mahāyāna-saṃgraha* and *Twelve Gate Treatise* explain "Mahāyāna" as great because it surpasses the two vehicles, reaches the highest Buddhas, eliminates great suffering, gives great benefit, is used by Mahāsattvas, and comprehends the ultimate nature of all dharmas.)

**6. Explanation of the Text Commentary**

"Guang" is also known as "Puguang" or "Dasheng Guang." According to the *Song Biographies of Eminent Monks*, Chapter Four, the monk Puguang's place of origin is unknown. His nature was sharp and intelligent. When he chose his root text, he asked to serve under the Tripitaka Master Xuanzang. His diligence and reverence were unmatched among his peers. Regarding his wisdom and understanding, he could master [teachings] like a revolving cycle—hearing little but verifying much. Xuanzang nodded in approval. Eventually, he joined the translation team, where his skills stood out prominently. He assisted the Tripitaka Master on both left and right, and made considerable contributions in the translation of the scriptures.

Initially, Xuanzang was dissatisfied with the old translation of the *Abhidharmakośa*, as it contained many omissions. Xuanzang himself obtained a Sanskrit manuscript and retranslated the true text. He then secretly entrusted it to Guang, who thereby memorized the oral explanations of the Sarvāstivādin teachers from the West. Guang subsequently wrote a commentary, making a complete explanation. By the time of Yuanhui, it was condensed into ten scrolls—similar to how Chinese has its "Jue" (a specialized commentary distinguishing streams of teachings).

Guang also accompanied Xuanzang to the Jade Flower Palace to translate the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra*. His contributions surpassed those of ordinary copyists and assistants. Thus he was called "Dasheng Guang" (Mahāyāna Guang).

Observing: Xuanzang began his translation work in the nineteenth year of the Zhenguan era (645 CE) and continued until the first year of the Linde era (664 CE) at the Jade Flower Palace—a span of twenty years. In total, he produced seventy-five scriptures and treatises of both Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, amounting to 1,335 scrolls. Of these, seven or eight out of ten were transcribed by Guang. Some refer to him as "Jiaguang" or "Puguang." If we check historical records of his participation in the translation team, it is clear that he was Puguang.