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51.   Other Translators in Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty


51.   Other Translators in Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty

Here are the famous translators during Sui Dynasty [¶¦´Â] (581-618 A.D.) and Tang Dynasty [­ð´Â] (618-907 A.D.)

51.1   Jnanayasas [ìG¨º­CªÙ/´LºÙ]

    • from Magadha in North India to China at the end of the Period of Disunity, but recognised by the new Emperor Sui Wen-ti [¶¦¤å«Ò]
    • Teacher of Yasogupta and Jnanagupta
    • translated 7 scriptures in 51 fascicles, including
      • Sutra of Great Compassion [¤j´d¸g]
      • Sutra of Moon Store [¤ëÂøg]

51.2   Jnanagupta [ìG¨º±U¦h/§Ó¼w]

    • from Gandhara in North India to China at the end of the Period of Disunity, but recognised by the new Emperor, Sui Wen-ti [¶¦¤å«Ò]
    • got 260 sutras in Sanskrit,
    • supported by the emperor to translate sutras
    • translated 39 scriptures in 192 fascicles during 561-592 A.D. including:
      • Sutra of Buddha’s Fundamental Deed [¦ò¥»¦æ¸g], 60 fascicles
      • Candrottaradarikapariprccha [¤ë¤W¤k¸g] 2 fascicles


51.3   Shikshananda [¹ê¤eÃøªû/³ß¾Ç]

    • 652-710 A.D.
    • from Udyana [¤_Âõ°ê] to China
    • invited to translate his specialized Avatamsaka Sutra
    • like Kumarajiva, his tongue was intact and did not turn to ash after the incineration of his body. It implied that his accuracy and correctness in translating sutras.
    • He translated 19 sutras in 107 fascicles including:
      • Avatamsaka Sutra, i.e. Flower Adornment Sutra, [µØÄY¸g¤K¤Q¨÷] 80 fascicles in 4 years
      • Lankavatara Sutra, i.e. Sutra of the Appearance of the Good Doctrine in (Sri) Lanka [·«¦÷¸g] 7 fascicles in 700-704 A.D.
      • Mahayana Shaddhotpada Shastra, i.e. Treatise on the Awakening of Faith in Mahayana, [¤j­¼°_«H½×] 2 fascicles, in 695-704 A.D.
      • Ksitigarbhapranidhana Sutra i.e. Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra [¦aÂõÐÂÄ¥»Ä@¸g] 2 fascicles

51.4   I-Ching [¸q²b]

    • 635-713 A.D.
    • Travelled over 30 countries in 20 years collecting over 500,000 Buddhist verses
    • Translated 61 scriptures in 239 fascicles including:
      • Sarvabhava Vinaya [¤@¤Á¦³³¡¬s©`­C] 50 fascicles
      • Avadana, i.e. Stores [Ä´³ë¸g] 1 fascicle in 710 A.D.
      • Suvarnaprabhascottamaraja-sutra, i.e. Sutra of the Most Honored King [ª÷¥ú©ú³Ì³Ó¤ý¸g] 10 fascicles in 703 A.D.

51.5   Bodhiruchi [µÐ´£¬y§Ó/ı·R]

    • 572-727 A.D.
    • studied many non-Buddhist religions, but took refuge in Buddhism in the age of 60.
    • thorough understanding of all Buddhist scriptures in 5 years.
    • translated 53 scriptures in 110 fascicles in 17 years, including
      • Maharatnakuta Sutra, i.e. Sutra of the Great Accumulation of Treasures [¤jÄ_¿n¸g] 120 fascicles in 713 A.D.
      • Samdhinirochana Sutra, i.e. Sutra of Profound and Mysterious Emancipation [²`±K¸Ñ²æ¸g] 5 fascicles in 580-535 A.D.
      • died in the age of 156


51.6   Paramiti [¯ë«f±K¿Í]

    • Shramana Paramiti smuggled The Shurangama Sutra [·«ÄY¸g] from India to China in Tang Dynasty. He accomplished his works very quickly so that he could get back to India on time without punishment. After he finished his translation, he went back to India and confessed to the King, and asked to receive whatever punishment the offense incurred.
    • As the Director of Translation, he stood at the head of more than five hundred Dharma masters who had assembled to work on the translation. The work was done at Chih Chih Monastery, a large monastery in the City of Quangzhou.

51.7   Sudbhakarasimha [¿éªi­{ù/µ½µL¬È]

    • 637-735 A.D.
    • succeeded to be the King in the age of 13, but retreated to become a monk.
    • practised mantras and got much mystic experience
    • moved from Central India to Chang-an, China
    • translated for 19 years, mainly the sutras for Tantric School, such as
      • Mahavairochanna Sutra, i.e. Great Sun Sutra [¤j¤é¸g/¤j¬s¿c¾B¨º¦¨¦ò¯«ÅÜ¥[«ù¸g], 7 fascicles translated in 716-735 A.D.
      • Susiddhikara Mahatantra Sadhanopayika Patala Sutra, i.e. the Sutra of Good Accomplishment [Ĭ±x¦a½~ù¸g]

51.8   Varjabodhi [ª÷­è´¼]

    • moved from South India to China by sea in Tang Dynasty
    • Follower of Nagarjnana [Às´¼] to learn Tantric Buddhism
    • He was asked by Guan Yin to preach in China
    • translated about 30 scriptures.


51.9   Amogha/Amoghavajra [¤£ªÅ/´¼ÂÃ]

    • 705-774 A.D.
    • a northern Brahamaric descent, who lost his father when he was fifteen
    • travelled to China with his uncle in 718 A.D. and became a disciple of Varjabodhi
    • famous in Yogacara School
    • proficient in both exoteric and esoteric teachings of Buddhism
    • the preceptor of the kings in Tang Dynasty
    • translated 110 scriptures in 143 fascicles
      • Vajrashekhara Sutra, i.e. Diamond Peak Sutra [ª÷­è³»¸g] 3 fascicles in 753 A.D.
      • Adhyardhasatika Prajnaparamita Sutra [¤j¼Öª÷­è¤£ªÅ¯u¹ê¤T»ò­C¸g] 1 fascicle

51.10   Prajna [¯ë­Y¤TÂÃ]

    • 810 A.D.
    • vowed to move to China from Kabul, North India during Tang Dynasty
    • translated works including
      • Avatamsaka Sutra, i.e. Flower Adornment Sutra [µØÄY¸g] 40 fascicles, in which the most important last fascicle of the Sutra, i.e. ´¶½åµÐÂĦæÄ@«~
      • ¤j­¼²z½ì¤»ªiù±K¦h¸g 10 fascicles
      • ¤j­¼¥»¥Í¤ß¦aÆ[¸g 8 fascicles