英語訳
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The initial ordination of fully ordained monks: from the Wushen year of Emperor Ling of Han until now, the third year of Chang'an of Great Zhou, year of Guimao, amounts to 536 years. The second re-ordination of fully ordained monks: from the Gengwu year of Jiaping 2 under Emperor Fang of Wei until now, the third year of Chang'an of Great Zhou, year of Guimao, totals 454 years. The first ordination of bhikshus: from the Gengzi year of Huangchu 1 of Former Wei to now, the third year of Chang'an of Great Zhou, year of Guimao, amounts to 484 years. The second re-ordination of bhikshunis: from the Guiyou year of Yuanjia 10 of Song until now, the third year of Chang'an of Great Zhou, year of Guimao, amounts to 271 years. In the interim, when Emperor Wu of Zhou destroyed Buddhism, ten people including Dharma Master Lingyu took refuge in General Lemoti's house. When Great Sui was founded, they barely obtained nine people to give full ordination to others.
Third is the transmission from Baekje to Japan. According to the chronological record written by Heo Jibu of Baekje: Beginning from the first year Gengsin of Emperor Tenkoukushi Hiroba Tenou who ruled from Shikishima Palace, until the thirteenth year Renshin, King Myeong of Baekje first honored Buddhism and proclaimed its merits. Minister Soga no Iname no Sukune memorialized: "According to the imperial edict, we should revere the Three Treasures." However, Oomuralji Mononobe no Moriya, Renmuraji Nakatomi no Kamako and others held heretical views and did not comply. Thereafter from Gengsin to Xinmao, totaling thirty-two years, Emperor Shikishima died. In the following Jinchen year, Emperor Nunakura-futamashi-hime ascended the throne, ruling from Osada Palace. In the fourth month of that same year, Soga no Umako no Sukune was made minister. From this year until the fourteenth year Yisi, Mononobe no Oomuraji burned Buddhist
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halls and Buddhist statues. Taking the remaining burnt Buddhist statues, he cast them away into Naniwa Horie. In the eighth month of autumn, Emperor Futamashi died. The Nihon-ki states that in the Gengyin year, temple halls and Buddhist statues were burned and floated away in Naniwa Horie. However, from Gengyin year to Yisi year, the elapsed years total sixteen, which is difficult to reconcile. Next, from Yisi year to Jiayin totaled ten years. Namely, Empress Toyomike-kashikiya-hime, consort of Emperor Osada, in the Jiayin year issued an edict to Crown Prince Kamitsumiya-umayado-toyototomimi no Miko and Minister Soga no Umako no Sukune to further promote the Three Treasures. They first built Asuka Great Temple. In this year the prince was twenty-two years old. From the beginning of the thirteenth year Renshin outside the Dharma in the first year of Emperor Shikishima's reign, to the seventh year of Tencho, year of Gengxu, within the Dharma, totaling 278 years, Buddhism flourished in Yamato country. Discussing only its periods of prosperity and decline: from the thirteenth year Renshin of Emperor Hiroba's reign to the sixth year Jiawu of Tenpyo-shoho under Emperor Takano's reign, for 110 years, the precept-dharma was not strictly maintained. Also throughout Yamato territory, there was nowhere that did not receive ordination. Gradually seeking Buddha's intent, without ordination platform grounds and without boundary demarcation grounds, the great dharma cannot be practiced. From this perspective, those who received [ordination] at that time did not follow Buddhist teachings and probably did not obtain ordination.
Fourth, clarifying what was transmitted by Great Tang masters: there are two aspects to this. First describing the transmission of precept-dharma, then the establishment of Shotai-ji Temple. Initially describing the transmission of precept-dharma: Master Jianzhen entered the boundary and first established an ordination platform to transmit the precept-dharma. Humbly reflecting, this virtuous monk of sustained practice was from Jiangyang County, Yangzhou, Great Tang. He was a great master of Long-
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xing Temple. His lay surname was Chunyu, opening the lineage of a high official. Receiving this surname, he excelled among people. His conduct still followed the sacred dharma. His precept-jewel was pure and bright, his altruistic mind profound. Among all provinces, he alone became a transformation master. By the twenty-first year of Kaiyuan in Great Tang, the monk was thirty-six years old. He was born in the second year of Wansui Tongtian of Great Tang. Within Huainan, among those who purely maintained the precepts and vinaya, only this monk stood out without equal, and both clergy and laity turned their hearts to him. Throughout the realm's five hundred-plus provinces, he was revered as the great master of ordination. During his teaching periods, he renovated over eighty ancient temples and provided for monks of the ten directions in countless numbers. He sewed ten patched robes and two thousand cloth robes, supporting the monks of Mount Wutai. He held great unrestricted assemblies, personally prepared medicines to treat illnesses. To the hungry he gave food, to the cold he provided clothing. Wherever he traveled, none failed to receive benefit. The monk repeatedly ordained people, establishing platforms for conferring ordination in countless numbers. Each in their region transmitted dharma to the world. These matters were so numerous they cannot be fully recorded. At that time the monk was at Daming Temple in Yangzhou, lecturing on vinaya for the monks' assembly. The stone-brick pagoda he had previously built suddenly emitted light and manifested a bodhisattva with three eyes and six arms, calling itself Prajna Immortal, as spiritual verification of his teaching. Various transformations appeared; these matters were so extensive they cannot be fully described. Thereupon Tang student monks Eiei and Fusho, hearing in the capital of his spiritual powers resonating far and wide, immediately went to Daming Temple in Yangzhou and bowed at the master's feet. They fully explained their intent: "Buddhism has flowed east to Japan. Though the dharma exists there, there are no people to transmit the dharma. We pray the great master will travel east to promote transformation." Immediately the great master summoned disciple monks Shogen and others, twenty-one people, purchased a military vessel from Lingnan, barely obtaining twelve crew members. They prepared dried provisions, loaded sutras and images, and arranged various personal belongings. Clergy, lay craftsmen, sailors and others totaled eighty-five people. In the twelfth month of Tianbao 2, they raised sail and headed east. Arriving at Langou Harbor in Mingzhou territory, they encountered fierce winds and waves. The ship was smashed and people and goods were swept away. Only the great master alone remained on floating grass, sitting upright without moving. Something of five colors supported the master, gradually pulling him left and right to shore. Of those on the same ship, one third survived. The great master saw from afar and wanted to enter the water to rescue them. Suddenly a voice from the sky said "Do not enter the water." Immediately the fierce wind subsided. Over twenty people reached shore and escaped death. Next he also established a platform for ordination. By imperial edict he was granted [the right] to ordain people, and their numbers were also many. On the Renwu day, fifteenth day of the tenth month of Tianbao 12, year of Guisi, Japanese envoys including Ambassador Extraordinary Fujiwara no Ason Kiyokawa, Vice-Ambassador Chamberlain Ban no Sukune Komaro, Vice-Ambassador Secretary Supervisor Kibi no Ason Makibi, and student Coordinator Abe no Ason Nakamaro and others all came to Longxing Temple. Bowing in worship they addressed the great master: "We disciples have long known that the master intends to go to Japan to transmit precepts. Now personally meeting you face to face, we bow and rejoice. We disciples now record the master's honored name to memorialize above about going to Japan, which should not be difficult. However, His Majesty venerates Daoists and wants to send them to eastern countries to spread their teachings. But we disciples do not venerate their teachings. We will use skillful means to request suspension [of that plan] and further petition for the great master." On the twenty-ninth day of the eleventh month of Tianbao 12, at the xu hour, they departed from Longxing Temple, reached the river bank and boarded ship. They went down to Huangsipu in Suzhou. Those accompanying included Great Master Fashin of Baita Temple in Yangzhou and others, clergy and laity totaling twenty-four people. Taking Tathagata
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