T2053 A Biography of the Tripiṭaka Master of the Great Ci’en Monastery…

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compassion no good deeds are unattainable, and that by the influence of wonderfifl edification no evil conditions cannot be cut off. It unties the headrope to open the net of the Dharma in order to publicize the right teaching of the Six Paramitas, and it saves all living beings from misery and suffering and opens the secret gate of he Tripitaka. Therefore its name flies far though it has no wings; and the Way, although without root, is steadfast for ever. The Way and its name transmit happiness to the future, and they always have done so since remote and ancient ages. The Buddha' body that moved in response to the needs of living beings will not decay for as many kalpas as an enormous number of atoms. The sound of he bell in the morning and the voice of hanting hymns in the evening mingled on Vulture Peak; the Sun of Wisdom and the Stream of the Dharma turned the Twin Wheels in the Deer Park. The precious canopy that stretched in the air fluttered with the fleeing cloud, and the exuberant grass in the wild forest in springtime added its color to the heavenly flowers.

I humbly consider that His Majesty, the Emperor, having been blessed by Heaven, governs the empire within the eight quarters without taking any action. He covers the people with his virtue, and, dressing himself properly, he meets (envoys) from all countries. His grace is extended to the dead whose bones are rotten, and in stone chambers he stores palm-leaf texts. His kindness benefits even insects, and Sanskrit stanzas are kept in golden caskets for circulation. Thus the water of navatapta Lake is connected with the eight rivers in the Divine Land, and Grdhrakuta Mountain is linked with the green peaks of the Song and Hua Mountains.

In my humble opinion, the nature of the Dharma is immutable and quiet, and no mind that turns toward it will not comprehend it. The stage of wisdom is mysterious and abstruse, but when moved by sincerity it will become manifest. Shall we say that it is like a torch of isdom shining in

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a night of darkness and ignorance and like the rain of the Dharma pouring upon the house on fire? Thus a hundred rivers flow separately, but they all meet in the sea; a myriad of distinctive meanings aggregate to constitute reality. How can King Chengtang and King Wu compare with His Majesty as superiors or inferiors? How can Emperor Yao and Emperor Shun compete with him in holiness and virtue? Master Xuanzang is a person who has possessed intelligence and goodness since his early days and resolved to be plain and simple. He has been sober-minded since he was a child, and he has pulled himself out of the world of vanity and ostentation. He concentrated his mentality in a chamber of meditation and lived in seclusion on a peaceful rocky mountain. He dwells in the third range of Dhyana (contemplation) and roams about the Ten Stages of Bodhisattvahood. He surpassed the sphere of the Six Defilements and went alone to Kapilavastu, where he grasped the gist of the Unique Vehicle and instructed others according to circumstances. As there was nowhere to make inquiries in China, he went to India to search for true texts. He travelled far to the Ganges and obtained Mahayana scriptures at last; he repeatedly climbed the Snow Mountains and also acquired Hinayana texts. He spent seventeen years on his way there and back and thoroughly mastered the Buddhist texts with a mind to benefit all living beings.

On the sixth day of he second month in the nineteenth year of henguan (645), he was ordered by imperial edict to translate at Hongfu Monastery the important texts of the Holy Teaching, amounting to 657 books. The current of the great sea of the Dharma is diverted, without being exhausted, to wash away defilements, and the lasting flame of the Lamp of Wisdom is transmitted to dispel darkness with constant brightness. If he had not cultivated superior conditions a long time ago, how could he have revealed and propagated such Teachings? That is why it is said that the Dharma nature is eternal and as bright as the light of the 205

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Three Luminaries, and that our Emperor' blessedness is as solid as Heaven and earth. Now I have the honor to read the preface written by the Throne to the various scriptures and commentaries, shining upon ancient times and illuminating the present age. Its reasoning is expressed by exquisite phrases with the melody of music, and its literary style is polished by wind and clouds. I, [Li] Zhi, ventured to add an atom of dust to supplement the big mountain, and let fall a drop of dew to replenish the flowing river in citing the outlines of he preface in this statement.

The Master submitted a letter of hanks as follows: I, Xuanzang, have heard that the Seven Luminaries emit light and depend upon the high sky to cast shadows, and that the nine rivers spread moisture and flow unobstructed because the earth is thick. From this we may know the beauty of interdependence. Such being the case in natural phenomena, it is also true in the propagation of he Dharma, which has to depend upon men. There is no doubt about this reasoning. Your Highness the Crown Prince has given full play to your literary talent in repeating the Heavenly Composition to commend the Mahayana doctrine and glorify the theory of reality. It is written in a fluent style, like rolling pearls and polished jade, as splendid as the evening glow and unfolded brocade, shining brilliantly like the light of he sun and moon, and rhyming with the melodies of he ancient music of xian and shao. I, Xuanzang, being a humble person but very fortunate, bathing in special privilege, beg to submit this letter of hanks to express my deep gratitude. It was then ordered that a reply be sent to the Master, which reads as follows:

I, [Li] Zhi, have always been a man with little talent and learning, nor am I bright and intelligent by nature. I have not read any Buddhist texts, and in the statement I wrote about the preface there must be many vulgar and awkward 206

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expressions. I have just received your unexpected letter in which you praise and eulogize me. After introspection, I feel both ashamed and uneasy. Your Reverence and other teachers took the trouble to reach faraway lands, which makes me feel deeply abashed [at my own inability].

Shi Yancong' annotation: Since the publication of the two holy prefaces, the princes and dukes, the vassals and religious and lay persons, as well as the common people danced with delight in praise of he Voice of irtue. Both inside and outside the palace, the people praised the two compositions, and in less than twelve days they were widely nown throughout the empire. The cloud of compassion cast its shade again, and the Sun of Wisdom shone brightly once more. Those who came to embrace Buddhism rushed in like waves and mist that had accumulated together. Is this why it is said that the edification of nferiors by superiors is like wind bending the grass growing beneath it? It was for just this reason that the Tathagata entrusted the Dharma to kings. At that time Abbot Yuanding of ongfu Monastery and some other monks in the capital asked permission to inscribe the two prefaces on metal vessels and stone slabs to be preserved in the monastic buildings, and the Emperor granted permission. Later, the monk Huairen and some others of he monastery collected the characters from among the calligraphies of ang Xizhi, General of he Right Army of he Jin dynasty, and had them engraved on slabs. On the first day (of the seventh month), the Crown Prince, whose mother, the late majestic Empress Wende, had relinquished her people and died early in life, wished to repay his mothers kindness by performing posthumous religious ceremonies as good deeds for the benefit of he departed. He ordered Gao Jifu, a Great Officer of the Middle Class and Acting Director of the Crown Prince' Right Palace, to make the following announcement: I, a man of little virtue, am unfortunate in that my evil deeds caused trouble to the person on whom my feelings were concentrated, for when I was at the age of innocence, 207

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my loving mother left me behind in lifelong distress, which pierced painfully into my heart; and my sorrow at being unable to be filial to my deceased parent hurt me deep in my bones. On each anniversary of the demise of the late Empress, I expressed my grief and cherished a feeling of affection for my mother in vain, simply increasing the sorrow of emembering her in my mind. Although I kept myself away from the amusement of music, I could no longer sustain my mother in a filial way. My desire to repay her kindness, which is as great as Heaven, could not be fulfilled, and now I can no longer express my filial sentiment in the way a young crow feeds its mother.

I humbly consider that the Way of enlightenment is great and compassionate and may give blessedness to the deceased. With the hope of xpressing the affection of child for his parents, I take refuge in the Way. The authorities should be ordered to select a suitable site at some disused temple in the capital for constructing a monastery in the name of the late majestic Empress Wende. When the construction is completed a number of monks will be specially ordained for the occasion. Trees should be planted and fountains made amidst the monastic buildings so as to render it a place with perfect scenery. I look up to imitate the perfection of he Trayastrimsa Heaven (where the Buddha went up to preach the Dharma for his mother), so that I may fulfill my wish to repay the unlimited kindness of y mother. Thus the authorities carefully chose a superior location at the Jinchang residential quarter to the south of he palace city, facing Qu Lake. There a monastery was constructed at the site of the former Jingjue Temple. After the stars were observed and the land measured, it was built to resemble the imperial palace and imitate the Jetavana Park, with ingenious workmanship like that of the famous craftsmen Lu Ban and Chui of ancient times and the best timber from the Heng and Huo Mountains. In the woods there were plenty of rocks of fine grain, catalpa and cassia trees, and 208

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camphor and palm trees, and for decoration, pearls and jade, cinnabar and blue earth, ochre and chalk, and gold and jadeite were provided. There were more than ten courtyards, comprising storeyed buildings and complex halls, together with deep chambers and pavilions that towered to the clouds, and a total number of ,897 rooms, fully furnished with beds, quilts, utensils, and other articles.

His Majesty Emperor Wenwu also read the Bodhisattvapitaka Sutra submitted by the Master and praised it. Thus he ordered the Crown Prince to write a postscript to the scripture, which was written in the following words:

It is said that the essence of he abstrusity of mperor Fuxi is preserved in the script carved on tortoise shells, and that the correct profundity of the truth of Emperor Xuanyuan that probes into what is hidden and unrevealed is fully explained in the zhuan script in the shapes of birds. If one wished to verify the Red Book by examining obscure sayings, one would be ignorant of the origin of reality. If one consulted the literature written in green ink to do research into what is subtle and mystic, that would not be the way of permanence and joy. Yet their activities still enlarged and glorified the contents of literature and history and aroused the southeast wind blowing to the eight points of the compass. Their virtue benefited living beings, and they stirred up the waves of heir influence so that it rolled forward to a myriad of generations.

I humbly consider that His Majesty the Emperor, ruling over the empire with ease as a Cakravartin King, extended his edification as far as the Kukkuta Garden (Kukkutarama), and that although he is residing in his superior palace, wearing his crown in an august manner, he is in spiritual communication with Vulture Peak. [The Buddha] with the title of the General Guide of Men is beyond the squinting perception of ntelligent men, and the words of he Emperor sum up the teaching of prajna, which is not comparable to 209

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the theories of he Great Treatise and the Symbolism in the Book of Changes. Thus the teaching extended far beyond boundary markers and conveyed the voice of the Eight Emancipations, and its inculcation benefitted the whole empire comprehensively so that all people could proceed along the track of the Four Dhyanas. Thereupon the three thousand Dharma worlds could be expected to cherish all living beings, and a hundred kotis of Sumeru Mountains might enter the fiefs of he feudal lords to be prominent land guardians in them. The water of virtue of the Nairanjana River is near the Blue Lake at the Imperial Residence, and the Amravana Garden in Sravasti is connected with the exuberant wood of hangling Grove. Although the nature of the Dharma is void and tranquil, it does respond to individual requests through spiritual communication; and the vehicle of truth, being deep and wonderful, is able to shed light upon all that is dark. This is why it is said that the great power that is on the Throne may deepen the Stream of he Dharma to the utmost, and that its competent benevolence holds sway over the movement of the sun and the moon and wipes the stones of stupas without end. His body is so well-proportioned and possesses such a good shape that it is beyond conception and description, and if one compares it with the beauty of former monarchs, they certainly cannot be mentioned in the same breath.

At the time when Heaven was separated from earth, the land was limited at the drifting desert, while Cathay was not bright and the divine language was hidden and undeveloped. Through spiritual inspiration, Emperor [Ming] of the Han dynasty had a dream on a dark night; and the remarkable sincerity of mpress Jin caused Buddhist scriptures to be brought to the White Horse Monastery. But it was merely like measuring the water in the sea with a ladle; one could not reach the edges of the Four Seas by only doing this. It may also be compared to peeping through a pipe; how could one perceive the abstrusity of the seven stars through it? 210

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When the imperial spirit spread far, its prestige reached the outside of the Iron Enclosing Mountains. When the Most Sacred One was clearly elucidated, his virtue extended to the edges of the Diamond Ranges. In as many countries as the grains of sand in the Ganges, the people wear clothes and caps properly in a civilized manner, and the Gate of Emancipation is open so that they can tread on the Path of Reality. The stanzas in Sanskrit preserved in the Dragon Palace are surely collected on the Terrace of Purity, and the Lion' Roar of the Buddha as inscribed on palm leaves is stored in the Imperial Library. This Sweet Dew is sprinkled to moisten all sprouts and stalks universally, and this cloud of wisdom is lowered to benefit all birds and beasts. Is this not a manifestation of the superior deed of taking refuge [in the Triple Gem] and the spiritual inspiration of His Majesty' sagacious administration?

The Bodhisattvapitaka Sutra contains the gist of the teachings of Mahabodhi (great enlightenment). It was by practising this Way that the Buddha realized the wisdom of non-rebirth, and all Bodhisattvas who accept it and hold onto it will attain to the stage of on-retrogression. It is the key to the achievement of the Six Paramitas and provides the roots and potencies of he Four Unlimited Mental States. It is indeed a ford to cross to the yonder shore and a guide to the attainment of erfect enlightenment. In the middle of the Zhpngnan period (627-49), Sindhu came under the political influence of the Emperor, who extended the use of his calendar by which the first day of each month was fixed across the hot slope; and treasures were transported over the suspension bridge. Since the language is similar and carriages are built with axles of he same length so that they can travel along common tracks, there was no obstacle on the way. Sramana Xuanzang, holding his religious staff, journeyed out of Yumen Pass to seek the truth. Proceeding straight to the park at Varanasi he reached Kusinagara in the land of he Hindus, where he obtained this sutra. After 211

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bringing it back home he offered it to the Emperor, by whose order the text has been translated into Chinese. The task is now completed. After paying my respects to the Emperor, I spent my leisure time in studying the precious teachings of the wonderftd Dharma with a pure heart. I have the honor to relate the Emperor' edict just to express my praise in a small way. Thus I ordered the authorities to write it down and attach it to the end of the text.

After that the Emperor' faith and friendly feeling increased day by day, and he made comments on the doctrines of he Dharma. He never stopped saying things about the Field of Blessedness and merits, and he did not leave the Master even for a single moment. Orders were issued to provide more supplies to the Master, and his seasonal payments and beddings were changed for new ones from time to time.

After the conclusion of he summer retreat on the seventeenth day of the seventh month in the autumn, a religious robe worth a hundred gold coins was presented as alms to the Master. It was so dexterously made that the stitches left no trace of sewing. In the palace storehouse there were many religious robes made at previous times, but none of them were good enough. So the Emperor ordered the ladies in the harem to make this one to his satisfaction, and several years were spent completing the needlework. Wherever the Emperor went in his carriage on inspection tours to the four quarters, he always brought [the Master] along with him. In the twenty-second year (648) the Emperor favored Luoyang Palace with his presence. There then were the Ven. Daogong of Suzhou and the Ven. Huixuan of Changzhou, both persons of high character and learned in both Buddhist and worldly lore, who had won the praise of the court as well as of the common people. The Emperor summoned them, and after their arrival they were ushered in to take seats and exchanged greetings. Each of he two monks was wearing a religious robe presented by Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty to their teachers. They had inherited the robes as treasures. As they came to visit the Emperor, they took them out 212

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and wore them. Smiling at the poor quality of the robes, the Emperor produced the robe [made for the Master] and showed it to the two monks, asking them to write poems in praise of it. The Ven. Daogong' poem reads:

The Field of Blessedness provides a symbol of irtue; The seeds of he Holy Teaching are deeply perfumed. No gold is used as thread for sewing,

But colors are employed to form patterns.

Crimson and blue are mixed together;

Emerald green gleams with the hue of silk. The separate stripes and pieces

Resemble the patches of ice fields.

The last two lines of en. Huixuan' verse are as follows: If I may put it on for a moment,

A Field of Blessedness it is to my content. By this verse he indicated that he wished to have the robe, but the Emperor gave it to neither of them. However, he presented fifty rolls of silk to each of them. This was the robe mentioned above, and considering its exquisiteness, it was not for an ordinary person to wear, except for the Master, whose high virtue qualified him to use it. A razor was also presented to him at the same time. The Master expressed his thanks in the following letter to the Emperor:

I, Sramana Xuanzang, have respectfully received the gifts of a religious robe and a razor granted by Your Majesty. Special favors have been bestowed on me repeatedly and the good graces I have received from Your Majesty are great and conspicuous. Facing this kindness with sense of awe and uneasiness, I feel as if were walking over ice in springtime. I am fortunate to have met with peaceful edification and joined the company of onks at an early age. But my three activities have not been brought under control, and the benefits I received from the four sources have not been requited. I do not deserve the kind consideration of Your 213

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Majesty, and I unduly enjoy your beneficence. In this robe of endurance the colors resemble the glow of sunset, and the knife of wisdom is sharp enough to cut jade. I shall protect myself with this robe against the evil spirit of defilement and carry the razor to break the entanglement of rouble in the mundane world. I am afraid I shall arouse more sneers from other people, and I fear that my shallowness of earning is unworthy of the glory that I venture to enjoy. I feel ashamed that I rushed about from place to place without any achievement. I hasten forward to bow with respect, and while I cultivate my mind with an uneasy feeling, my spirit soars high. With a feeling of reat trepidation and gratitude, I am writing this letter of thanks to Your Majesty while I crouch and tremble with fear lest it disturb your serene mind.

The Emperor had toiled at military affairs since his youth. After succeeding to the Throne in accordance with the order of Heaven he always kept in mind the welfare of his myriads of subjects. During his punitive expedition to Liaodong, he suffered from the vile weather, the rain and frost. After he returned with his troops, his strength became much less vigorous than before; thus he worried about his life. When he met the Master he paid attention to the Eightfold Path and protected the Five Vehicles, and then he recuperated and regained his health. So the Emperor asked the Master, 'We intend to perform meritorious deeds, but which is most beneficial?" The Master said in reply, "Living beings lie in delusion, and without wisdom they cannot be enlightened. If you would foster the sprout of isdom, the Dharma is conducive to its growth. As the propagation of he Dharma depends upon men, the most beneficial deed is the ordination of onks." he Emperor was thus highly pleased.

On the first day of the ninth month in the autumn, a decree was issued, saying:

When the former Sui dynasty lost its power of governance, the empire was shattered to pieces. The people within the 214

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Four Seas suffered great misery, with all the eight quarters in turmoil and confusion like a seething cauldron. It befitted us to suppress the turbulence, and we had to go in person with our troops. We were frequently attacked by wind and frost and spent the night on horseback. In spite of taking medicine, we were not completely cured of illness. Only recently have we recovered health. Is it not a symbol of ood fortune effected by good and beneficial deeds? Each of the monasteries in the capital and the various states of the empire should ordain five monks, with the exception of Hongfu Monastery, which should ordain fifty.

There were altogether 3,716 monasteries in the whole empire, and a total number of ver 18,500 monks and nuns were ordained. Before then the monasteries in the empire had suffered destruction during the Sui dynasty and Buddhist monks had become almost extinct. After ordination was performed once again, Buddhist disciples were multiplied. How splendid that gentlemen of virtue should attach importance to right sayings!

The Emperor again inquired, "The Vajracchedikaprajnaparamita Sutra is the source from which all Buddhas are bom. The merit of earing it without calumniation surpasses that of urrendering one' body in almsgiving and cannot be overtaken by offering as many gems and jewels as the grains of sand in the Ganges. Moreover, as its teaching is subtle and its wording concise, most virtuous and prominent gentlemen love to hold onto it. We are not sure whether the meaning of he previously translated text is fully expressed or not." The Master said in reply, "The merit of this sutra is really as Your Majesty has remarked. All the people in the West hold it dear and respect it. Now I see that in the old translation of his sutra there are a few omissions. The full title of he text in Sanskrit is Vajracchedikdprajndpdramita Sutra, but the old version simply entitled it the Vajraprajnd Sutra. It is intended to explain that for a Bodhisattva discrimination is regarded as affliction, and the delusion of discrimination is as strong as diamond. Only by the wisdom of ondiscrimination that is explained in this 215

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sutra can it be cut off; thus it is known as the Vajracchedikaprajndparamita Sutra. From this we may know that the component part cchedika (able to cut) has been omitted from the title of the old translation. And in the ensuing text one of he three inquiries and also one of the two verses are missing. Out of the nine parables three are wanting, etc. The teacher Kumarajiva' translation of sravasti and Bodhiruci' translation of bhagavat are more or less acceptable." The Emperor said, "Since the teacher is in possession of the Sanskrit text, we entrust Your Reverence with producing a new version, so that living beings may read a full text." Since what is valuable in a scripture is its teaching, it is unnecessary to use polished language in contradiction to its doctrine. Thus the new version of the Vajracchedikaprajhaparamita Sutra was translated according to the Sanskrit text. It was presented to the Emperor, who was very much pleased with it. In the tenth month in the winter, the Imperial Carriage returned to the capital, and the Master also returned with it. The Emperor had previously ordered the authorities to construct a separate house known as Hongfa-yuan (House for the Propagation of the Dharma) to the west of Ziwei Hall in the northern part of the imperial palace. After his arrival, the Master was lodged in it. In the daytime the Emperor invited him to stay to engage in conversation with him, and at night he went back to his house to translate scriptures. He translated Asvabhava Bodhisattva' Exposition of the Mahayanasamgraha Sastra in ten fascicles and Vasubandhu' Exposition of he same work in ten fascicles, as well as the Pratityasamutpada Sutra and the Satadharmavidyanikaya Sastra, each in one fascicle.

On the first day (of the tenth month) the Crown Prince again announced an imperial decree, saying:

The construction of he Ci' n Monastery is nearly completed with all its lofty splendor, but there are no monks to live in it. An imperial edict has been issued to ordain three hundred monks and invite a separate group of fifty monks of great virtue to live and practise the Way at the divine abode. 216

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This newly built monastery should be named the Great Ci'en Monastery, and a separate house for the translation of scriptures should be constructed. The beams and ceilings should be painted in colors with decorative patterns of cloud, and the plinths made of ady stone. The steps of bronze, as well as the golden knockers in the shape of animal heads with rings in their mouths, should all be made especially resplendent. The Master is required to move into it to do his translation work and at the same time take charge of the monastic affairs.

Upon receiving the decree, ordering him to be the Chief Monk of the monastery, the Master wrote a letter to the Emperor to decline the appointment:

I, Sramana Xuanzang, beg to submit the following statement: I have respectfully received the imperial edict ordering me to be the Chief Monk of the Ci'en Monastery. Upon hearing this honorable order with a feeling of eference, my mind is so upset that I walked to and fro and held my reath, trembling with deep fear. My learning of he art of he Way is unsystematic, and my moral activities are scanty and unsubstantial. I ventured to take the vow to give up all I had in the hope that I might gain the Great Assistance. It was depending upon the spirituality of the Emperor that I travelled far to seek the Way, and what scriptures and commentaries I have obtained are to be translated under imperial order in the sincere hope that the Stream of the Dharma will gradually bring in moisture able to benefit the Throne, and that the Holy Teaching will continue to spread and glorify history.

Formerly, when I was undertaking the dangerous journey, I was suffering from a rash for a long time, rendering me as weak and exhausted as a lame jade. I feared that I would not be able to fulfill my task, would fail to live up to the goodness shown to me by my country, and would be punished without pardon. The order that I should take 217

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charge of he monastic affairs would put me in a position of incurring reprimand, just as when fish and birds changed their nature and the flying and submerging ones lost their way. I humbly consider that His Highness the Crown Prince is kind and filial with talents endowed by Heaven. His love and respect come from his mind of intimacy. He is grieved at the loss of his mother and suffers from the sorrow of remembering his deceased parent. He has constructed a monastery to increase the Great Blessedness. To help and take care of the monks an able man must be appointed. If the wrong man is employed, things would become topsyturvy. I humbly wish that the farsighted wisdom of Your Majesty will attend to the blessed cause of spreading the Dharma, and that Your Majesty will be kind enough to stoop to consider my foolish but loyal sincerity, so that this monk of he Dharma will not have to repent the fault of declining the appointment, and the fish and birds may each enjoy their own pleasures of flying or sinking under water. With utmost loyalty and sincerity, I am submitting this letter to express my circumstances while feeling a sense of shame, increased awe, and trepidation.

On the twenty-second day of the twelfth month, an imperial edict was issued that [Li] Daozong, the Prince of Jiangxia and Director of Ceremonies, should command the nine palace bands, and that Song ingzhi, the Magistrate of annian, and Pei Fangyan, the Magistrate of Chang'an, should lead the musicians of their respective prefectures as well as the religious banners and canopies of arious monasteries, which should be arranged in an extremely grand and solemn manner. On the morning of he twenty-third day they assembled at the street of the Anfii Gate to welcome the Buddha' images and send the monks to the Great Ci'en Monastery. The procession was then arrayed in the thoroughfare. It consisted of over fifteen hundred carriages with handrails decorated with variegated silk and more than three hundred curtains and canopies, as well as magicians performing jugglery amidst 218

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pendent streamers. On the previous day more than two hundred pieces of embroidery and paintings of the Buddha' image, two golden and silver statues of he Buddha, and five hundred banners made of satin and silk gauze sewn with gold thread were brought out from the palace and sent to Hongfu Monastery for the night. The scriptures, images, and relics of the Buddha that the Master had brought back from the western countries were then taken out of Hongfu Monastery and placed on curtained seats in various carriages that proceeded in the middle of the procession. On both sides in front of the images there were big carts moving along on which were erected long poles hanging banners. Behind the banners were the Divine King of Lions, etc., set as vanguards of the procession. There were also fifty precious carriages to carry various monks of reat virtue, while the other monks in the capital, holding incense and flowers and chanting praise, followed behind. Next came the civil and military officials accompanied by their attendants and bodyguards arranged in rows. The nine bands of the Board of Ceremonies flanked both sides, and the musicians of the two prefectures followed behind them. The pendent streamers and banners and the bells and drums presented a riot of color in the air that dazzled the eye and produced loud noise resounding throughout the capital. When one looked as far as the eye could see, one could find neither the beginning nor the end of he procession. The Crown Prince dispatched his chief Guard Yuchi Shaozong and Deputy Chief Guard Wang Wenxun to command more than one thousand bodyguards to act as carriers. The Emperor also ordered Li Qianyou, the Imperial Inspector, to be Grand Astrologer and assist the Marquis of Wu in supervising the procession. The Emperor, attended by the Crown Prince and the ladies of the harem, stayed on the tower-arch of the Anfu Gate with a thurible in his hand, watching the procession passing by him with great delight. Tens of thousands of people on the street looked on the procession. When the scriptures and the Buddha images reached the gate of he monastery, the Duke of Zhao and the Duke of ing, together with Chu Suiliang, Chief f he Imperial Secretariat, were ordered by the Emperor to receive and place them in the main hall 219

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while holding censers in their hands. The nine bands played music, and dancers performed the Dance of riumph and other acrobatic feats in the courtyard. When this was over they returned home. On the twenty-sixth day (of the twelfth month), the ceremony for the ordination of monks was ready to be performed. On the twenty-fifth day the Crown Prince left his palace and spent the night at his old residence. On the morning of the following day he came from south of he monastery with his guard of onor lined up in rows, holding flags decorated with feathers fixed on poles. When he reached the gate he alighted from his carriage and walked into the monastery with all his officials following him in attendance. After worshipping the Buddha' image, he had an interview with fifty monks of great virtue, to whom he related his purpose in building the monastery, with sobs as he spoke, and his sentiment affected those who were beside him. None of the attending ministers and monks did not shed tears of sympathy. Considering his emotion of filial piety he might be regarded as an Emperor Shun of is time.

Having finished his talk with the monks, he ascended the eastern pavilion of the main hall and ordered Zhang Xingcheng, Deputy Manager of General Affairs to the Crown Prince, to proclaim an imperial decree of amnesty to all prisoners then confined in the capital, and he had [the new monks'] hair shaved. Then he watched them having their midday meal. After presenting gifts of rolls of ilk to the princes and dukes and those below them in rank, the Crown Prince had the people cleared away and descended from the pavilion to worship the Buddha image. He then went to have a look through the buildings of the monastery with his wife and others. When he came to the chamber of the Master, he composed a poem with five characters to a line and pasted it on the door, 260a reading:

Halting my carriage to see the Hall of Bliss,

I looked at the imperial capital in the far distance. Around the sun the Dharma Wheel is turning;

Touching the clouds, the gorgeous canopy is fluttering. 220

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The emerald mist renders the splendid pavilion fragrant; Red sunset shines upon my precious raiment.

The colors of he rainbow on the banners are mixed far away,

Beyond space the hues stay separately.

To the Tenth Stage I have serenely attained,

As in myself he Triple Gem I comprehend.

After visiting the monastery, the Crown Prince returned to his palace. Both the monks and the laymen of the time felt glad and happy and congratulated one another. All of hem sang his praises, saying that the abstruse Way was revived, that the Buddha' bequeathed Dharma would prosper again, and that such an affair had never happened in ancient days or in recent times. On that day an imperial decree was issued asking the Master to return to the northern palace.

In the fourth month of the summer in the twenty-third year (649) the Emperor favored the Cuiwei Palace with his presence, and both the Crown Prince and the Master accompanied him. After his arrival, the Emperor, besides attending to state affairs, only discussed metaphysics and the Way with the Master. He asked him about the law of causation and retribution, as well as about the holy traces left by former sages in the Western Region. The Master answered all the questions with quotations from scriptures, which the Emperor accepted with deep faith; he often pushed up his sleeves and remarked with a sigh, "We met the teacher too late, so that we did not perform Buddhist affairs more extensively." When the Emperor left the capital he was, though slightly indisposed, still filled with divine dignity and wise discernment as usual. On the twenty-sixth day of the fifth month, he suffered a slight headache and kept the Master to spend the night in the palace. On the twenty-seventh day he died at Hanfeng Hall, but his demise was kept a secret and was not announced until his remains were brought back to the capital, where his coffin was laid at the Taiji Hall. On that day the ascension of he Crown Prince to the Throne took place beside the coffin; his reign title was changed 221

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260b to Yonghui in the following year. The people in the whole empire wailed grievously as if heir parents were dead. The Master returned to Ci'en Monastery and engaged exclusively in his translation work without wasting a single moment. He made a timetable for himself; and if he did not complete his work because of the interference of some business or other in the daytime, he would finish it at night. He put down his pen only after the second watch. When he had laid aside the scriptures, he would worship the Buddha' image as a means of ractising the Way until the third watch and then go to sleep for some time. In the fifth watch he would get up to read the Sanskrit texts and mark out with red ink the paragraphs he would translate the following day. After the midday meal and for two divisions of ime in the evening every day, he would lecture on the newly translated scriptures and commentaries. The student monks and others from arious regions always came at this time to solve their doubts and ask for elucidation. Since he was abbot of the monastery, monastic affairs were also brought up for his attention. Palace envoys were sent to perform meritorious deeds. They made altogether ten complete sets of all scriptures, as well as producing more than two hundred images of the Buddha made of double ramie and decorated with gems. In the performance of all these works, they solicited the Master' advice. When the sun had set in the evenings, more than a hundred disciples in the monastery would all flock into the corridors and side rooms to seek his admonitions. He would answer their questions and handle their dubious points without missing a single person. Although he had to attend to the various duties that were focused on him, he coped with them in a leisurely manner without confusion. He also talked with the virtuous monks about the theories established by the saints and sages of the West and about the heterodox views of different schools as well as how he attended lectures at various learning centers in the capital when he was young. He was so unusually energetic and full of vigor that he often talked eloquently in high spirits without feeling tired. Several princes and ministers often came to worship the Buddha and repented of their faults. Through the reception and 222

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inducement of the Master, they cherished the mind to attain enlightenment. They all gave up their supercilious and ostentatious manners and praised the Master with reverence. On the eighth day of he first month in the spring of he second year (651), Jia Dunze, the governor of Yingzhou; Li Daoyu, the governor of Puzhou; Du Shenglun, the governor of Cuzhou; and Xiao Rui, the governor of Hengzhou, who were in the capital to attend a court assembly, made an appointment to visit the Master when they were free from public affairs and asked to receive the Bodhisattva Precepts. The Master granted their request accordingly. He explained to them in detail the practices of Bodhisattva, and exhorted them to serve their monarch with loyalty and treat those below them with love and kindness. The governors took leave of the Master and went away. They offered their well-earned money and dispatched a messenger to take a letter to the Master to express their gratitude for having received the Bodhisattva Precepts. The letter reads:

We presume that it was not to satisfy his physical desire for food that the Tathagata accepted the meal offered by Cunda, and that the Dharma was in need of othing but was taught by Vimalakirti at the request of Manjusri. These things were done for the purpose of showing the immutable constancy of ultimate truth and manifesting the identity of ordinary and saintly persons. They were also done for the sake of receiving the people according to their capacity of understanding, and propagating the Way by means of phenomena. The one who does the deed expresses his sincere respect for the Dharma, and the one who receives the deed gains the blessedness of ractising almsgiving. How can we say that their mind is attached to this or that, or that their intention is stained by [the desire for] fame and profit? We respectfully believe that you have planted the root of irtue in the past not merely at the time of one, two, or three Buddhas, and that you deeply understand the aspects of he Dharma, being learned in the scriptures of the Twelve 223

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260c

Divisions. You realized the true teaching by yourself and travelled far to look for holy sites, visiting the pure land of Grdhrakuta Mountain and bathing in the limpid water of the Ganges. You went deep into the world of he Dharma to seek good advisors, collected the most excellent texts to be handed down for a hundred generations in the future, and also probed into the abstruse doctrine that was advocated a thousand years ago. You received officials of all grades, disregarding whether they were brilliant or unintelligent, and treated them all equally without giving priority to anyone. As we are unaware of he two categories of oidness, we are submerged through our own deeds in the three spheres of the world, just like a silkworm bound by its own silk, or the winch over a well that keeps on turning without cease. However, we have faith in the teaching of which we have acquired comprehension and understanding, take refuge in it with homage, and adhere to the theory expounded by the Four Propositions. We engage ourselves in meditation at secluded places, while abhorring suffering and seeking permanent happiness. But we were obstructed by ignorance for a long time in the past; and at the present time we are in the dark about the ultimate truth, not knowing that the Buddha nature is within ourselves and that external environments are but the reflection of onsciousness. Our minds are not free from grasping at theories concerning existence and nonexistence. It is impossible to enter the Eightfold Noble Path by going through the Eight Erroneous Practices or to reach the Way of the Buddha by travelling on the wrong path. We are like [people] wishing to cross the sea without a boat, or facing a wall that obstructs our sight. Yesterday, as we had some spare time, we were able to pay you a visit, and you condescended to receive us and granted us the Bodhisattva Precepts. You gave us the Dharma that we had never heard before and aroused in us the supreme mind of the Way. One thought may break through the infinite, and the four boundless mental states will pass into the future. 224

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The seed of Bodhi arises from passions, and a lotus flower growing out of fire is inadequate to compare to it. Thus we begin to know that the nature of he Tathagata is none other than that of he world, and that nirvana is not different from birth-and-death. The practice of prajna (wisdom) is the nonpractice of it, and the attainment of Bodhi is on the contrary non-attainment. Being persons of little intelligence, we have heard the Great Teaching all of a sudden, accepted it reverentially, and pondered on it with unlimited delight. The action of dana (almsgiving) has six meanings, of hich the dana of the Dharma excels all the others. There are three positions of honor, and the teacher occupies one of them. With great compassion he benefits all living beings, but he does so like the sun and moon shedding fight upon all without intention. We turn up to the fight with a feeling of gratitude, resembling the sunflower and the bishop-wort that are sensitive to sunlight. Once when the Bodhisattva heard the Dharma, he sacrificed his body; we can never hope to do this. At the sight of the Buddha the young prince [Asoka] offered him a handful of earth; this is an example we may venture to follow. We are sending you a small gift, as stated separately, to express our minds of respect. We hope that in accordance with our sincerity, this will produce a good result in the Field of Blessedness. After accepting this small gift you may spend it as you wish, just as a drop of dew added to the sea may deepen the Bohai Sea, and flying dust may accumulate into a mountain as lasting and strong as Mount Sumeru is durable and enlargeable. That will be very, very fortunate indeed! As it is still rather cold in the spring season, we hope you will take proper care of yourself. We are submitting this letter to you to express our respect and for no other reason. With homage from Jia Dunze and others.

He was adored like this by the worthy personages at the Imperial Court.

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In the third month in the spring of the third year (652) the Master intended to build a stone pagoda south of he main gate of the monastery, because he feared that as human affairs were inconstant the scriptures might be lost in the course of successive changes, and also as a means for preventing fire disaster. The pagoda was designed to be thirty zhang in height, with the intention of showing the magnificent foundation of the great country and in imitation of he ancient sites of Sakyamuni Buddha. When the construction was about to start, a report was submitted to the Emperor, who ordered Li Yifu, an imperial secretary, to inform the Master:

The pagoda to be built is such a great undertaking that we are afraid it cannot be completed in a short time, so it should be constructed with bricks. As we also do not wish the Master to labor for it, we have ordered the contribution of all the garments and other properties left by the deceased members of the imperial household, including the Eastern Palace, the harem, and other chambers, seven in all, in the palace, toward the construction of the pagoda. That will be sufficient to defray the cost of he completion of he work. Thus bricks were used for the construction, and the site was shifted to the west courtyard of the monastery. Each side of the base of the pagoda was 140 feet in length after the style of the Western Region, not following the old Chinese fashion. The pagoda had five storeys, and including the Wheel Sign and the Dew Basin it was 180 feet in height. At the center of each storey there were relic bones, as many as a thousand or two thousand, amounting to more than ten thousand grains. On the top storey was a stone chamber with two slabs on the southern side, one inscribed with the Preface to the Holy Teachings of he Tripitaka composed by the late Emperor, and the other one with the Postscript written by the reigning Emperor. The inscriptions were engraved in the calligraphy of ight Premier Chu Suiliang, the Duke of enan. On the day of laying the foundation stone of the pagoda, the Master related his own sincere wishes briefly as follows: 226

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I, Xuanzang, considered that I was unfortunate to have been bom at a time when I could not meet the Buddha. But by the effect of ome small good deed of ine, I was able to hear the teaching of Buddhism taught by symbols. Having been bom in the Final Period of he Dharma, where could I take refuge? I was happy, however, that I could become a monk while I was young, and see with my own eyes the divine image of he Buddha. I have admired the Dharma ever since I was a youth and have listened attentively to the words that conveyed the truth left behind by the Buddha. When I heard about the religious practices of the Bodhisattva, I thought of equalling him even though I am an inferior person, and when I heard about the Dharma realized by the Tathagata, I looked up to it both physically and mentally. Thus I always esteemed what my teachers taught me and made extensive inquiries of advanced scholars. It is true that envoys were sent to the West because of a dream of an Emperor of he Han dynasty, and consequently the Right Dharma was transmitted to the East. But as the road was obstmcted and long, the transmission was incomplete. Thus there arose particular controversies, most of which stuck to the theories of the two categories of permanence, causing suspicion and dissidence among different parties, contrary to the teaching of ne Taste. This made the students of later times look at one another, not knowing which way to follow. That was why the sight of Grdhrakuta Mountain made me feel all the more grieved, and as I admired Sadapralapa Bodhisattva (who wept while searching for truth), I fell into a catnap. While I secretly prayed for spiritual protection and openly depended upon the prestige of my country, I made up my mind to travel out of the land where I was born and threw myself into the regions at the risk of almost certain death. As I stayed at holy sites, I paid visits to all the spiritual spots of he Buddha, and wherever there were people who propagated the Dharma, I would go to all of them to seek the right theories. When I passed 227

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through a place I would be deeply moved to see what I had never seen before. When I came across a word I would be happy to learn it, if had not learned it previously. So I spent all my resources, saving a portion required to sustain my life, to copy texts that were missing at home. After having fulfilled my sincere wish, I returned to the court of my own country, where I was lucky enough to meet with a wise and virtuous ruler who permitted me to translate the texts into Chinese. His Majesty the late Emperor rode on the Golden Wheel to rule over his domain with the sounding of he Jade Drum. He glorified the Dharma in the Image Period and was competent to bear the responsibility for its propagation. He also had the mind to write a preface to the Tripitaka personally. Now the reigning Emperor has lectured on the Way in the Spring Palace and has also composed a postscript to the holy scriptures. These two compositions may well be regarded as the sun and moon, appearing at the same time and emitting light simultaneously with beautiful hues blended together. These compositions, shining upon the world like the Seven Luminaries, are similar to irrevocable decrees that will be handed down to posterity. The rhymes of the sentences have the effect of the nine musical variations performed with bells and drums. How can the great events of the translation of Buddhist scriptures at White Horse Monastery in the eastern capital and at Caotang Monastery in the western capital be mentioned in the same breath with the present occasion? But as living beings are shallow in fortune and have lost the one whom they venerated, it is feared that the Sanskrit texts of the Tripitaka might be scattered and sink into oblivion, and that the celestial compositions written by these two saintly Emperors might be left unknown without a record. Therefore I formed the intention of constructing this pagoda with veneration in order to store the Sanskrit texts as well as to erect steles engraved with the inscriptions of he Preface and the Postscript, so that they may stand loftily forever and all the 228

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thousand Buddhas may see them as we do. May the two sacred monuments standing high in the mist last as long and be as firm as the sun and moon!

The Master personally carried baskets or crates to fetch bricks and stones for the construction, which was completed in two years' time.

On the twenty-third day of he fifth month in the summer, the most virtuous monks Jnanaprabha and Prajnadeva of Mahabodhi Monastery in Central India sent a letter to the Master. Jnanaprabha thoroughly understood the teachings of both the Mahayana and Hinayana schools, as well as such heretical works as the Four Vedas and the treatises of he five branches of earning. Being the chief disciple of the Venerable Sllabhadra, he was held in esteem by all scholars in the five regions of India. Prajnadeva was erudite and well versed in the theories of he eighteen Hinayana sects, and he was also respected for his virtue in giving instructions as a teacher. While the Master was touring the Western Region they often exchanged views to promote learning. However he gained merits in studying Hinayana theories and did not set his mind on Vaipulya (extensive Mahayana) texts. For his obstinacy in sticking to biased views, the Master always berated and denounced him. At the religious assembly convened in the city of Kanyakubja he was completely frustrated in debate and admitted defeat with a sense of shame.

Since the Master had departed from them, [Jnanaprabha and Prajnadeva] always cherished a feeling of respect for him and never forgot about him. So they asked Dharmadirgha, a sramana in the same monastery, to send a letter together with eulogistic verses and two rolls of cotton cloth to the Master, singing his praises with minds of deep veneration. The letter said: The abbot Prajnadeva, of Mahabodhi Monastery at the Diamond Seat of he mysterious and auspicious World-honored One, surrounded by a multitude of learned monks, begs to send this letter to the Moksacarya of the country of Mahacina, who is most learned in the subtle teachings of many 229

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scriptures, disciplinary texts, and treatises, extending to him unlimited respect and wishing that he may live in good health with the least ailment and trouble. I, bhiksu Prajnadeva, have composed verses in praise of he Buddha' great supernatural powers as well as the wisdom of inference from the various scriptures and commentaries, etc., which I have handed to the bhiksu Dharmadirgha to deliver to you. The old virtuous acarya Jnanaprabha of this place, whose learning is unlimited, also sends his greetings to you ust as I said above, and the upasaka Suryalabdha also prostrates himself to pay homage to you. We are now sending you two rolls of white cotton cloth to indicate our remembrance of you. As the way is long, we hope you will not deem it a small gift but will accept it. Whatever scriptures and commentaries are needed over there, ust give us a list and we shall make copies of the same and send them to you. May the Moksacarya take notice of the above.

This shows how the Master was admired by scholars of distant lands.

In the second month of the spring of the fifth year (654) Dharmadirgha took his leave to return ome and asked the Master to write a reply. The Master wrote a reply and prepared some tokens. He made a copy of the letter and submitted it to the Emperor before he handed it to the messenger. In the letter he said:

Bhiksu Xuanzang of the great empire of Tang begs to send this letter to the presence of he Tripitaka Master enerable Jnanaprabha of he Kingdom of agadha in Central India. As time passes so quickly, it has been over ten years since I took leave of you. Being separated from you by a long distance, I have scarcely heard any news of ou. My remembrance of you often increases my prolonged concern about you. When Bhiksu Dharmadirgha arrived he conveyed your kind regards to me and informed me that you are living happily in good health. My eyes suddenly became bright at 230

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this news, as if I could see your respected countenance in person, and my pleasure was beyond description by brush and ink. As the season is becoming warmer, I wonder how you are getting on since you wrote your letter. Some years back when our envoy returned home, he informed me that the great teacher of the Law, the Right Dharma Store, had passed away to verily the Principle of mpermanence. When I was told of this sad news, I could not refrain from feeling heartbroken. Alas! It may be said that the ferryboat on the sea of suffering has sunk and the eyes of heavenly beings and men are closed. The pain of is passing away befell us so soon! The Right Dharma Store had cultivated bliss long in the past and performed meritorious deeds for many kalpas; thus he was endowed with an excellent nature that engendered the qualities of simplicity and tranquillity as well as great talent that symbolized perfection and prominence. He succeeded to the virtue of ryadeva and continued the splendor of agarjuna, and he also rekindled the torch of isdom and raised once again the Banner of he Dharma. He extinguished the fire on the mountain of eterodoxy and dammed up the torrential current in the sea of uffering, and he also urged those who were fatigued to proceed on the way to the place of treasure and showed the Great Path to those who lost their way. So great and lofty, he was indeed a pillar of the Dharma Gate! He also comprehensively stored in his bosom and thoroughly understood by heart such teachings as the doctrines of oth the Great and the Lesser Vehicles of the Three Vehicles, as well as the books of the heretics advocating the theories of annihilation or permanence. He could lucidly apprehend difficult and complicated literature and clarify hidden and obscure teachings. Therefore he was followed by both Buddhists and non-Buddhists, who regarded him as a religious teacher of India. He was good at teaching his pupils by an orderly method day and night without feeling tired. His knowledge was compared to a self-replenishing wine vessel placed at a crossroad; it was 231

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inexhaustible for all who came to drink from it. When I was seeking the Way some years ago, I had the opportunity to receive his instructions; he was so kind as to enlighten me by pointing out my ignorance. Although I am a stupid ordinary person, I was benefitted by his guidance, very much as the fleabane depends upon ute to grow erect. When I was about to return home he gave me deep advice and admonitions. His solicitous words are still sounding in my ears. I hoped that he would live in good health and grow eyebrows of longevity so as to glorify the mysterious way, and I never expected that he would return to eternity so soon. It is really unbearable for me to recall what has gone forever. I humbly consider that you, having received the teacher' good instruction at an early time and being his long-standing and learned student, must have had a hard time getting rid of he emotional attachment to your teacher. We are quite at a loss as to what to do! Since this is but a phenomenal world, what can we do? I hope you will restrain your grief.

In the past, when the Great Enlightened One faded away with his brilliance, Mahakasyapa succeeded him to spread the Great Cause. When Sanakavasa passed away, Upagupta elucidated his good Way. Now that the Leader of the Dharma has returned to reality, you are the person to continue his task. I hope that your elegant language and wonderful eloquence in debate will always flow like the water in the Four Seas, and that your adornments of bliss and wisdom will last as long as the five mountains. Of the scriptures and commentaries that I have brought back, I have already translated the Yogacarabhumi Sastra and other long and short texts, making a total of over thirty works. The translation of the Abhidharmakosa Sastra and the Abhidharmanyayanusara Sastra is not yet completed, but it will be finished this year. The reigning Emperor of he Great Tang Empire is enjoying every felicity, with peace prevailing throughout his land. With the compassion of a 232

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Cakravartin King, he has spread the edification of he Buddha, composed a preface with his Divine Pen to all the Chinese translations of the scriptures and commentaries, and also ordered the authorities to copy them for circulation in the country. Thus even neighboring states also follow and study them. Although we are now at the end of he Image Period, the brilliance of he Dharma is still as genial and as glorious as when it was taught in the Jetavana Garden in Sravastl. I hope you will take note of the above information. When I was crossing the Indus [on my way back home], I lost a pack of scriptures. I am now sending you herewith a list of the lost texts, of hich I request that you send me new copies by some convenient messenger. Attached under separate cover is a small offering to you. I hope you will accept it without thinking it too little. As the way is far I could not send you anything more. With homage from Xuanzang.

And he also wrote a reply to the Venerable Prajnadeva as follows:

262a

Bhiksu Xuanzang of the Great Tang Empire begs to send this letter to the Tripitaka Master Prajnadeva of Mahabodhi Monastery. It has been a long time since we parted, and I have been thinking of you with deep respect. As no means of communication is available, I have no way to comfort myself n remembering you. When Bhiksu Dharmadirgha arrived, he conveyed to me, to my great delight, your kind letter in which you inquired after my health and welfare. Also received are two rolls of ine white cotton cloth and one folder of ulogistic verses as a token of deep friendship. Being a person of little virtue, I really do not deserve such gifts, and I am quite perplexed and uneasy. While the season is becoming warm, I do not know how your health is since you wrote me the letter. I presume that since you are well versed in the theories of a hundred schools, fix your mind in pondering the scriptures of the Nine Divisions, raise the Banner of the Right Dharma to guide those who 233

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have been converted to Buddhism, beat the drum of ictory to vanquish the boastful heretics, feel proud in the presence of kings and nobles, and associate with people of eminent talent, your life must be quite happy and pleasant. I am an ordinary person with faults and my strength is declining. Moreover as I remember the favor and benignity I have received from the Emperor, I have to work hard constantly. When I was travelling in your country for my studies, I had the chance to meet Your Reverence. In the assembly convened at Kanyakubja we held debate in the presence of various kings and hundreds and thousands of disciples to test the depth and shallowness of our arguments. One side advocated Mahayana teachings while the other side supported the incomplete Hinayana theories. In the course of argumentation, the words and tones must have been high or low. As we were determined to defend the truth, we did not care about personal feelings, often resorting to humiliating and abusive language. But as soon as the meeting was over, all resentment was cleared up in no time. Now your messenger again conveys to me your apology in connection with that event. Why do you stick so much to scruples? Your Reverence is a scholar of ich learning and clear expression with a strong will and a noble character. The water in Anavatapta Lake is not comparable to the amount of your learning, and the stainless mani pearl cannot equal your purity. Being a criterion for those who come after you, you belong to the class of high-minded men. I hope you will strive to be a good example for the propagation of he Right Dharma. As far as the perfection of ruth and the thoroughness of anguage are concerned, nothing exceeds the Mahayana teachings. The grudge I bore against you was that you did not have deep faith in them, like one taking pleasure in possessing a goat cart or a deer cart while discarding a cart drawn by a white bullock, or appreciating quartz instead of precious crystal. Why is a virtuous man of discernment like you so obstinate as to persist in your delusive views? As our 234

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body, which is as perishable as a utensil, is ephemeral and cannot last long, it befits you to awaken the great mind for enlightenment and entertain the Right View at an early date, so that you may not feel remorse on your deathbed. Now the messenger is returning home and I am asking him to convey my respect to you. Also attached is a small gift for you in token of y gratitude for your good wishes to me, quite inadequate to express my deep admiration of ou. This I hope you will note. Formerly when I was crossing the Indus on my return ourney, I lost a pack of criptures. I am writing separately a list of he lost texts, and I hope you will kindly send me new copies of the same at your convenience. As regards other matters, I am unable to relate them all in detail in this letter. Sent respectfully by Bhiksu Xuanzang. 235