The Life of Hiuen-Tsiang

Samuel Beal

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9781136376368
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Ethnic Studies
• Index: Social Sciences

This is Volume I of sixteen on Buddhism. Originally published in 1911, it looks at the Life of Hiuen-Tsiang, by the Shaman Hwui Li. Centuries before biography became a business, before the peccadilloes of Royal mistresses and forgotten courtesans obtained a market value, the writing of the Master's life by some cherished disciple was both an act of love and piety in the Far East. In this spirit, then, the man of compassionate feeling (such is the rendering of the Sanscrit Shama), the Shaman IIwui-li, took up his tablets and wrote the life of Hiuen Tsiang.

BOOK II.

Commencing with O-ki-ni, and ending with Kie-jo-kio-she (Kanauj).

FROM this, going westward, he came to the kingdom of O-ki-ni ;¹ here is the fountain of A-fu² the Master. The fountain is situated to the south of the road on a sandy hillock. The hillock is several chang in height, and the water comes from the hill half way up.

The tradition says : There was formerly a band of merchantmen, several hundred in number, who found their supply of water exhausted on their mid-journey. Arriving at this point exhausted and worn out, they knew not what to do. At this time there was a priest in their company, who had brought no provisions for the journey, but relied on the alms of the rest for his support. The others considering the case, said : “This priest serves Buddha : on this account we, as a company, give him our offerings. Although he has travelled ten thousand li, he has had no provision of his own—and now, whilst we are full of anxiety, he is unmoved by any care : we ought to ask him about it.”

The priest, in reply to their question, said : “You, sirs, who are anxious to get a supply of water, ought each one of you to adore Buddha, and receive the three Refuges and take on you the five moral obligations. Then I will, for your sakes, ascend yonder hill and cause a supply of water to proceed from it.”

The entire company, having arrived at such a condition of distress, agreed to his order, and received the rules of moral obligation; after which the priest instructed them thus: “After I have gone up the hill you must cry out ‘A-fu-sse ! cause water to flow down for our use ! enough to sustain us’” With these words he left them. After a little while the company called out and requested, as he had instructed them. In a moment the water began to descend in supplies sufficient for their necessity.

The whole congregation were filled with joy and gratitude ; but as the Master did not return they went in a body up the hill to see what had happened, and found that he was dead (become extinct). And now having wept and lamented, they burnt his body according to the rules of the Western world; on the place where they found him they collected stones and made a tower, which still exists. Moreover, the water has not ceased to flow, but, according to the number of the travellers who pass by this place, it flows down for their use, in small or large supply. If there is no one there, the fountain dries up (is a mere secretion).

The Master of the Law, with the rest, passed the night near the fountain. At sunrise he went on and crossed the “Silver Mountain.” This mountain is very high and extensive. It is from this place that the silver is dug which supplies the Western countries with their silver currency.

On the west of the mountain he encountered a band of robbers ; after giving them what they demanded, they departed.

After a little they came to the place of the site of the royal city, and passed the night by the side of a stream. At this time some foreign merchants in their company, to the number of several tens, coveting an early sale of their merchandise, privately went forward in the middle of the night. Scarcely had they gone ten li when they met a band of robbers who murdered every one of them. And so, when the Master of the Law and the others came to the place, they found their dead bodies there, but all their riches gone; they passed on, deeply affected with the sight, and shortly afterwards they saw the royal city before them.

The king of O-ki-ni (with his ministers) coming forth to meet (the Master of the Law), conducted him, and invited him to enter (the Palace) as his guest. This country formerly was subjected to attacks from brigands belonging to Kau-chang, and as there was still ill feeling (between the two countries, the king) was not willing to provide an escort.¹

The Master of the Law, stopping one night, went forwards and crossed a great river. To the west he traversed a level valley, and after going several hundred li he arrived at the borders of the kingdom of K’iu-chi [formerly written Kwi-tzu, but incorrectly]. As he approached the capital, the king, accompanied by his ministers and a celebrated priest called Mo-cha-kiu-to (Mokshagupta, or Mokshakûta) came forth to meet him ; other priests, to the number of several thousands, had remained at the eastern gate of the city, outside which they had erected a wide floating pavilion (pointed like a tent), and having brought the images (of Buddha) in procession, with sounds of music, had placed them there.

The Master of the Law having arrived, the priests rising to meet him, addressed him in affectionate language, and then each one returned to his seat. They then caused a priest to offer to the Master of the Law a bouquet of flowers freshly gathered. The Master of the Law having accepted it, advanced before the image of Buddha, scattering the flowers and offering worship. After this Mokshagupta took his seat beside him. The two being seated, the priests again formed a procession with flowers (in their hands), after which they offered grape juice as they passed. Having thus accepted flowers and grape juice in the first temple, he next received the same in the other temples, and thus going the round, the day began to decline, and the priests and their attendants gradually dispersed.

There were several decades of men belonging to Kau-chang who had become monks in K’iu-chi ; they dwelt apart in one particular temple ; this temple was to the south-east of the city. As the Master of the Law came from their native country, they were the first to invite him to stop the night with them. Because he accepted this invitation the king and the priests returned each to his own abode. The next day the king invited him to pass over to his palace to receive every kind of religious offerings and the three pure aliments.¹ The Master of the Law would not accept them, at which the king was very vexed; the Master of the Law replied, “This is the license granted by the ‘gradual’ system of the Law; but the Great Vehicle in which Hiuen-Tsiang has been instructed, does not admit of it. I will accept the other reserved food.”

Having finished his repast, he proceeded in a northwest direction from the city to the temple called ’O-she li-ni² where the priest Mokshagupta resided. Gupta by his rare ability and intelligence had acquired the respect of all the different schools of religion. He had travelled in India for twenty years and more, learning (the Sacred Boohs). Although he had gone through all the Sûtras, yet he excelled in the knowledge of the Shing-ming (Śâbdavidyâ Sûtra). The king and the people of the kingdom were all affected by the utmost respect for him, and had named him Tuh-po (without equal). When he saw the Master of the Law come to his abode, he received him with the politeness due to a guest, not knowing as yet his advanced acquaintance with religion.

Addressing the Master of the Law, he said : “In this land we have the Tsa-sin,¹ the Kiu-she,² the Pi-sha,³ and other Sûtras ; you can gain sufficient knowledge by studying these here, without troubling yourself to voyage to the West, encountering all sorts of dangers.”

The Master of the Law replied : “And have you here the Yoga-Śâstra or not ?”

He answered : “What need ask about such an heretical book as that? The true disciple of Buddha does not study such a work !”

The Master of the Law was at first filled with reverence for the person (of Mokshagupta), but hearing this reply he regarded him as dirt, and answering, said : “In our country too we have long had the Vibhâshâ and Kôsha ; but I have been sorry to observe their logic superficial and their language weak : they do not speak of the highest perfection.⁴ On this account I have come so far as this, desiring to be instructed in the Yoga Śâstra belonging to the Great Vehicle. And the Yôga, what is it but the revelation of Maitrêya, the Bôdhisattva next to become Buddha (lit., the last personal Bodhi-sattva), and to call such a book heretical, how is it you are not afraid of the bottomless pit ?”

The other replied : “You have not yet understood the Vibhâshâ and the other Sûtras, how can you say they do not contain the deep principles of religion ?”

The Master replied : “Do you, sir, at present understand them ?” He answered, “I have a complete knowledge of them.”

The Master then cited the beginning of the Kôsha, and asked him to continue. Forthwith he began to blunder, and as he came at last to a dead stop, he changed colour, and said with perturbation : “You may question me on some other portion of the work.”

Then he referred to another passage, but neither could he recite this, but said : “The Sâstra has no such passage as the one you name.” Now at this time the king’s uncle, called Chi-Yueh, had become a monk and was well acquainted with Sûtras and Śâstras; he was on this occasion seated by the side (of Hmen-Tsiang). Forthwith, he testified (to the correctness of the quotation), in these words: “This passage is really taken from the Sâstra ;” and then, taking the original, he read it out.

Mokshagupta on this was exceedingly abashed and said : “I am getting old and forgetful.”

He was questioned also regarding the other Sûtras, but could give no correct explanation.

And now, as the snow-passes of Mount Ling were not yet open, the Master could not advance, but was obliged to remain, for sixty days or so, detained by this circumstance. On going out to observe the condition of the roads, if they happened to meet together and speak (i.e. the Master and Mokshagupta), he did not sit down, but spoke either standing, or as if anxious to pass on. And in a private way he addressed the people and said : “This monk of China is not an easy man to discuss with ; if he goes to India the younger class of disciples will be unwilling to present themselves (i.e. for discussion or examination).

So much was the Master feared by him and admired.

The day of his departure having come, the king gave ...

Table of contents

• COVER PAGE
• TITLE PAGE
• COPYRIGHT PAGE
• PREFACE
• CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• BOOK I
• BOOK II
• BOOK III
• BOOK IV
• BOOK V
• CONCLUSION