As a translator, Hsuan-tsang who was regarded as second only
to Kumarajiva, had great influence on later Buddhist thought and
development. He translated more scriptures than any of the other
translators.
Unlike many other great translators, Hsuan-tsang was a local
Chinese. He was born in a family of scholars near Loyang. His
grandfather had been a National Preceptor. His father was an officer
in government, who was reluctant to work for the new king, thus
resigned and retired. Then his family became poor.
Hsuan-tsang’s elder brother left home to become a monk, who was
popular for his lectures on the sutras. Hsuan-tsang was also brought
to the temple to receive ordination in order to secure a living
basically.
However, Hsuan-tsang became interested in the sutras and by the
age of 11, he was able to read Vimalakirti Sutra, the Lotus Sutra,
etc. easily. He was very diligent in studying sutras. By the age
of 15, he was well known beyond Loyang.
Because of the famine, Hsuan-tsang and his brother moved to Szechuan
Province, where he studied the philosophical theories of Hinayana
Buddhism. When he learned all he could, he had a strong desire
to search for new teachers of advanced level.
By the age of 21, he left to visit several cities in China. He
took 10 months in Chao-chou to study the theory of non-substantiality
with Tao-shen, the great master in Cheng-shih sect. Then, he spent
8 months in Yeh to study the doctrines of Hinayana and Mahayana
with another great master Hui-hsiu.
When there had no more teachers he could seek in China, he decided
to go to India for the first hand study in order to comprehend
the essence of Buddhism. However the Emperor ordered him to be
the abbess of Chuang-yen Temple (莊嚴寺)
in Chang-an. He refused, and repeatedly requested the Emperor’s
permission to go to India.
In 629, because of the famine again, Hsuan-tsang was able to
join with the hungry refugees, and set out for the west "illegally",
i.e. without the permission from the Emperor. Hsuan-tsang had
to travel through hot desserts and snowy mountains in hunger and
thirst , which was definitely a great challenge to the enthusiastic
seeker of the true Buddhism.
Fortunately, when Hsuan-tsang met the King in Turfan, he was
requested to settle there and offered to be the preceptor. He
expressed his desire to go to India. He finally convinced the
King, and they swore to be brothers. The King gave him treasures
and guards to ensure his safety. Finally, he arrived at India
in 633 A.D.
For
16 years he left China, Hsuan-tsang implored the Emperor Tang
Tai-tsung (唐太宗)
for permission to bring back with him, many sutras (up to 657
works) images and pictures of the Buddha and 150 relics. The Emperor
welcomed him like a victorious general in Chang-an in 645 A.D.
Amongst all the offers made by the Emperor, Hsuan-tsang was given
the Hung Fu Monastery (弘福寺),
where he earnestly took charge in translating the sutras he had
brought from India. He also wrote "Record of the Western
Regions" in 646-648 A.D. which recorded all his experience
during his travel, and later his biography. These have proved
very useful to historians and academic scholars.
Later, the new Emperor Kao-tsung (高宗)
gave him Tsu En Monastery (慈恩寺)
in 653 A.D., with which Hsuan-tsang was ever after associated.
The Mere-consciousness Sect or Dharmalakshana Sect or Yogachara
Sect was also known as Tsu En Sect, because this sect was originated
from Tsu En Monastery. The founder was, of course, the great Master
Hsuan-tsang.
A few years later, he moved to Yu Hua Kung (玉華宮),
where he converted the palace to a monastery. He died in 664 A.D.
at the age of 65. In India, he received the title of Mahayanadeva
and Moksadeva. In China, he was respected to be Tripitaka teacher
of Dharma.