Link EarliestChineseAccount 1961

The Earliest Chinese Account of the Compilation of the Tripiṭaka (I)
Author(s): Arthur E. Link

Source: Journal of the American Oriental Society , Apr. - Jun., 1961, Vol. 81, No. 2
(Apr. - Jun., 1961), pp. 87-103
Published by: American Oriental Society
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/595048
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THE EARLIEST C1RINESE ACCOUNT OF T1RE COMPILATION OF T1RE
TRIPITAEA (I )
ARTHUR E. LINK
UNIVERSITY OF WIICHIGAN
IT IS, OF COURSE, a widely known fact that there important to include in such an account. And it
has never been one universally accepted body of must be remembered that in thus merely quoting
seriptures that can be called, strietly speaking, a from his sourees, he is following time-honored
"eanon" in use among the various schools and Chinese historiographical precedent. Moreover,
diverse languages of Buddhism. Instead, there the value of Seng-yu's sketch is enhanced by his
are more or less "complete collections" of Bud- having appended to it an essay on problems en-
dhist texts comprising the Tripitaka, the tradi- countered in translating Buddhist texts into Chi-
tional tripartite division of the Buddhist sacred nese, and by a table of technical terms in their
texts. From all that we know, or can reasonably " ancient " and " modern " versions. An annotated
assume, even this classification refTects the passage translation of this chapter follows. It is hoped,
of a considerable period of time, during which in Seng-yu's words, that these notes will " add
there came into existence a large body of tradi- two handfuls of earth to help form Mount T'ai";
tional accounts. These were transmitted at first that is, that they will have made a small contribu-
by mouth; later, in writing. tion to an eventual history of Buddhist writings
When Buddhism reached China (probably about not only in India and Serindia but in China as
the middle of the first century of our era), the well.2
early Chinese converts seemed to have eagerly

accepted any of the Indic, or Serindic, texts An Account of the Compilation of the Tripitaka
brought to them by the Buddhist missionaries as frorn the Ta-chih-tu tun
the sacred word of the Buddha (Buddhasacana). The following selection is largely quoted, or
Tet considering the diverse origins of these tests, adapted, from chuan two of the Ta-chih-tqb lun
it is interesting to see how an early Chinese Bud- (the Mahaprajnaparamita-[sutra] sastra, a gi-
dhist may have regarded the question of the com- gantic commentarSy on the Pancastrnsatisahasrika-
pilation of the Chinese Buddhist " canon," the prajnzi-paramitzi-sutra.3 This commentary, as-
Ta-tsang chtng. Fortunately, we have surviving
in the earliest Chinese Buddhist bibliography still 2 Undoubtedly still the best and most detailed discus-
estant the Liang Dynasty monk Seng-yu's Ch'u sion of the later printed editions of the Chinese Buddhist
canon is P. Demieville's "Les ATersions chinoises du
san-{sang c7ti-cht ( Co1,lection of Records On the
dIilindapanha," appendix 1, BEFEO, XXIAT ( 1924),
Translated TapfakGl) 1 an introductory chapter 180-218. Prof. Demieville also discusses earlier versions
which purports to give an answer to this question. in the introductory section of this monograph. A very
This chapter is probably the earliest general native useful, although rather uncritical, study of the entire
Chinese canon has been made by P. C. Bagehi, Le Canon
Chinese account of the genesis of the Trapitaka
bouddhique en Chine (2 vols., Paris, 1927-1938 ) . On
in India, and of its subsequent history in China the history of the canon two detailed Japanese lvorks
up to Seng-yu's day. Although this relation is may be consulted with profit. These are Eayashiya
very sketchy, the author having made no attempt Tomojiro's Kyoroku-kenkyu (Tokyo, 1941, 1343 pp.),
and Tokiwa Daijo's Gokan yori So Sei xi itaru yakkyo
to integrate the facts in order to present a clear-cut
soroku (Tokyo, 1938). Hayashiya has also published a
summary, it nevertheless does show what a highly Japanese " translation " of the Ch'u-san tsan,g-c77i-chi,
literate 13uddhist scholar of that time thought the Shutsusantokishi in the Kokuyakuissaikyo series;
this work must be used with extreme caution, however,
1 On Seng-yu and his Collection of Records, see my as it contains many errors.
article entitled ;; Shih Seng-yu and His Writings," s Older versions of tlle Prajn&paramita scriptures such
JAOSn LXXX (1960), 17-43. For abbreviations used in as the Fang-kuang ching and the Tao-hsing ching fell
tlle present article, see ibid., p. 17 n. 1. For Chinese into disuse when Kumarajlva put out new versions of
characters see glossary at the end of Part II of this the Astasahasrika-p°p° (T. no. 227; er. 408 A.D.), and
article. of the Pancavtmsatisahasrik&-p°p° (T. no. 224; tr. 403-
87

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88 LINK: The Earliest Chinese Account of the Compilation of the "Tripitaka" (I)
cribed by Chinese tradition to Nagarjuna ( 2nd The Ta-chih tv tun actually it has been called
century (A.D.?),4 was translated by S:umarajlva (though perhaps with some exaggeration) a
during the early fifth century.5 ts'ung-shu of Indic civilization6- is undoubtedly
the most important source for the interpretation
404 A.D.), together with the eommentary on the latter
of the early Prajnaparamita literature.7 And it
(T. no. 1509; tr. 402-405 s. D.) . For the history and
filiation of this "twenty-five thousand Sloka " version
see E. Zureher, The Buddhist Conquest of China, the exact date when the Ta-chih-tu lun was eompleted.
Spread and Adaptation of Buddhism in Early Medieval Aeeording to some it seems to have been translated after
China ( Leiden, 1959 ), pp. 61-65; and espeeially 339, the translation of the " twenty-five thousand" version
n. 182. that is, in early May, 404 ( Seng-jui, Preface to Kumara-
The enormous popularity of this kind of literature ean jlva's version of the Pancavimsatika; T. 55. CST. 8. 52c-
be estimated from the number of Chinese translations. 53b); aeeording to others, the two texts were translated
Moreover, although it is only a eoineidenee, it is in- eonjointly. This latter is the view of the anonymous
teresting to observe in passing that the first reeorded eolophon to the Ta-chih-t¢ l¢n preserved in asT (T. 55.
instanee of a Chinese leaving his eountry in quest of CST. 10. 75b-e), whieh reads as follows: "The [Tripi-
Buddhist texts is that of Chu Shih-hsing, and that this taka]-dharmacarya Kumarajlva on the 20th day of the
seareh was for a Prajnaparamita work. Chu Shih-hsing, 12th month under the eyelieal sign IIsin-ch'ox of the
having beeome diseontented with the hardly intelligible third year of II¢ng-shih of the Ch'in [Dynasty] (= Dee.
state of the earlier so-ealled "smaller version" of the 20th, 401 A. D. ) arrived in Ch'ang-an. In the summer
Astasahasrika-p°p° (Tao-hsing ching, tr. in 10 chuan by of the 4th year (= 18th May-14th August) above the
Shuo-fo [Ksamabuddha? or :Ksemabuddha?] and by the West Gate, within the Esiao-yao Garden, he [began] the
Indoseythian Luo-ehia-eh'an [Lokaksama?]; 179 A. D.; translation of this ¢pedeSa-sastra for Yao, monareh by
T. 8. 425-478; Chih Ch'ien's polished version of this, the heaven['s deeree]. It was eompleted on the 12th month
Ta-ming-tqz ching, T. 8. 475-508, seems to have been and 27th day of the 7th year [of this reign-title] (Feb.
unknown to him), and having heard of a larger text in 1, 406). Seriptures translated at this same time were
ninety ehapters supposedly in existenee in the Western the Ch'an-ching ( the Tso-ch'an san-mei ching, T. no.
614), the Chieh-liz (T. no. 1436?), the Pai-lxn (Rata[ka]-
Regions, went to Khotan in (or about) 260 A. D. with
the express purpose of obtaining this " larger version." sastra, T. no. 1569), and the Cr'an fa-yao chieh ( T.
There, after some rather legendary adventures, he sue- no. 616 ) eoming up to some 500,000 words. Taken
eeeded in obtaining this text-the version in twenty-five together with this Upadesa-sastra, these amount to
thousand stanzas. This seripture was later earried to 1,500,000 words. The first parivarta of the sastra eon-
China by a diseiple of Chu Shih-hsing, Fu-ju-t'an sists of thirty-four chuan, and elueidates and explains
( Pun. n. adharma ?, Pun. yadhana ? ), and finally translated [only] a single parivarta [of the Sutra]. From the
in Ts'ang-yuan (N.W. of modern K'aifeng, Eonan) by seeond parivarta on down of the text of the eomplete
Wu-eh'a-lo (Moksala?) in 291 A. D. The deseription of Sastra, the Dharmacarya [Kumarajlva] abbreviated it
the eireumstanees eonneeted with the seareh for this by seleeting only the essentials whieh were deemed suffi-
seripture (see Zureher, pp. 63-65) ean be taken almost eient to set forth and explain the sense of the text [of
as a typieal example of sueh trips by many later Chinese the seripture]. By thus not eompleting the full explana-
Buddhists. tion, we have obtained these hundred chuan [of the
4 Apart from the question of the attributed authorship Chinese translation ] . If he had translated all of it,
of the Ta-chih-tu lun, it is beeoming more elear that [the Chinese version] would have eome up to ten times
there must have been at least two early Buddhist this [present version; i.e., 1,000 ehuan]."
authors by the name of Nagarjuna: the author of the Although it was a eommon eustom both among Bud-
Madhyamika-karika and a Tantrie Nagarjuna. Never- dhists and Taoists to exaggerate the dimensions of the
theless, it must be remembered that in this early period " Ur-texts " of their scriptures, one ean see that the
of the flourishing of the Prajœapararnita doetrines the treatment of the sutra explieation has, indeed, been very
name of Nagarjuna must have exerted the irresistible much eurtailed from the beginning of the seeond pari-
pull of a magnet on iron filings. That is, he would have varta ( chuaœ 35 on ) . See Demieville, p. 389; on this
been, as the great systematizer of these diffuse and question of dating, see also p. 383.
amorphous works, an ideal figure to attract anonymous 6 So Tsumaki Naoyoshi in Toyo-gak¢ho (Oct., 1911, p.
works to pass under his name. This is a problem that 358 ), as eited by Demieville, Jornat asiatiq¢e,
requires serupulous investigation on chronological, his- CCXXXVIII (1950), 377, n. 4.
torical, doetrinal, and stylistie grounds. The problem is

7 Zurcher ( pp. 225-227) points out, e. g., the im-
rendered doubly diffieult since, as is usually the case portance of the Ta-chth-t¢ lun in setting forth the
with the great Indian Buddhist authors, Nagarjuna's so- doctrine of the d harmnakaya and the Buddhology con-
called biography is hardly more than an accretion of nected with it; this led to a series of eighteen letters
ill-assorted legends. See M. Walleser, " The Life of chiefly concerned with this problem between Tao-an's
Nagarjuna from Tibetan and Chinese Sources," Asia (312-385) great disciple, Hui-yuan (334-417 A.O.), and
Jlajor, Hirth Anniversary Volume (Leipzig, 1923), pp. Kumarajlva. (The translation into a western language
1 -37 . of this extremely important correspondence, of whieh
5 Contemporary sources are not very elear as to the a new Japanese translation is early scheduled to appear,

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LINK: The Earliest Chinese Account of the Compilation of the "Tripi,taka" (1) 89
is one of the most baffling works as regards its oughly versed in the AbSidharmna literature of the
textual history. It stands out like an enormous Sarvastivadin School, and he appears also to have
isolated promontory of exegesis almost without been converted to the Madhyamika doctrine. More-
parallel in Chinese Buddhist literature. Appar- over, Prof. lfikata would go further; he believes
ently never quoted or cited in Indian Buddhist that there is, as Chinese tradition affirms, an
works, it remained unknown in Tibet until rela- ancient nucleus in the Ta-chih-tu lun which can
tively recent times when it became known only as safely be ascribed to Nargarjuna.12 This core of
a Chinese source, though other works ascribed to authentic material has, however, became confused
Nagarjuna are well-known there.8 No Sanskrit with later accretions, many of which would appear
fragments of it have ever been found in Central to stem from the explanations of the translator
Asia or elsewhere, and it exists in only one Chinese himself.
version that of :Kllmarajlva. All of these points Chiian two of the Ta-chih-tu lun, which is here
have led some scholars to doubt whether the work cited by Shih Seng-yu, is devoted to an explication
ever existed in Sanskrit. Others have not gone of the traditional phrase commencing all Buddhist
that far, but have questioned the traditional view
12 Prof. Eikata would analyse the text as consisting
that the work as it stands is from the hands of
of three groups of material: ( a ) clearly not Nagar-
Nagarjuna. These questions have aroused awak- juna's but almost certainly consisting of Kumarajlva's
ened interest since the appearance of a meticu- comments (made as explanatory asides for the benefit of
lously annotated French translation of about one- his Chinese audience); (b) clearly acceptable as Nagar-
fourth of the Chinese text (Chs. I-XVIII) by the juna's, but not acceptable as by anyone else; (c) mate-
rial which cannot be assigned to the above two cate-
renowned Belgian scholar of Buddhism, E.
gories, but which Eikata would tend (following Chinese
Lamotte.9 Thus, P. Demieville in 1950 in his tradition) to ascribe as presumably steming ultianately
review of the second volume of Lamotte's transla- from Nagarjuna.
tion 10 has made a careful study of these and other As examples of class ( a ) above, Eikata cites two
Jataka tales (the "Lion" and the "Bird") which are
problems (largely on the basis of the new Tun-
known only from the Ta-chih-tu lun. Furthermore,
huang manuscript materials). Still more recently, these tales are found frequently as subjects of wall
Hikata Ryusho in the introduction to his edition paintings in cave-temples surrounding the Kuccha area,
of the Suvikrclntavikrami-pariprcc7wa ( Fukuoka, which, as is well known, was Kumarajlva's homeland.
These are absolutely unknown in South India, the pre-
1958) has devoted a special section to a recon-
sumed land of origin of Nagarjuna.
sideration of the vexed question of the authorship As regards class ( b ), Eikata cites the extensive
of the Ta-chih-tu lun.ll After the careful investi- detailed information on the Vaisesika and Sarnkhya
gations of these scholars so much is clear: the schools. This information he feels is far too detailed to
author whoever he may have been was thor- represent mere hearsay by a non-Indian; the person who
wrote it must have known, and been intimately involved
in, logical controversy a controversy, moreover, which
is a sine qua non for an evaluation of the evolution of would reflect exactly the intellectual climate of South
the d harmakaya doctrines in China during the fourth India during the time that Nagarjuna is thought to
century.) On the Indian side, we find that the Ta-chih- have lived there. Even more striking, is the fact that
t¢ lun elucidates, for the purpose of criticising or re- the views presented of the VaiKesika School are " just
futing them, such important non-Buddhistic logical faithfully those of VaiKesika-sqxtra, and none of those
schools as the Vaisesika and Sarnkhya ( T. 25 TCTL. which had undergone the later developments." These
10. 133b; 15. 17lb; 19.200b-c; 23.230; 6. 102c; 12. 147c). views, according to Prof Eikata, represent an earlier
See R. Eikata, St4vikrdtavikraqni-pariprecha-prajna-para- stage than those which are criticized by Earivarman
mita- sqitra (Fukuoka, 1958), p. lxiv. (ca. 250-350 A. D.) in his Satyasiddhi-Sastra (known
8 It was denied as a work of Nagarjuna by the Ti- only from the Chinese; tr. by Kumarajlva; T. 32. 239 f. )
betans during the time of the Yuan; see Demieville, or by Asanga and Vasubandhu (ca. 400-480 A.D. in his
Joqzrnal asiatiqqze, CCXXXVIII (1950), 380; his source opinion ) . In fact, the exposition of Vaifiesika views
is the Chih-yt4an-1M4, ch. VII. can be considered to represent primitive concepts of the
9 Le Traite de la Grande Vert¢ de Sapesse de Napar- VaiKesika-sqxtra itself. Ee therefore concludes that the
jqzna (2 vols., Louvain, 1944-49). It is to be hoped that author of the to him authentic portions of the Ta-
Father Lamotte will have the opportunity to continue chih-tqx Iqxn seems to have lived after the VaiKesika-sqxtra
this magnificent work, the copious annotation of which and before the Nyaya-sqxtra, and that from what is
rivals that of his author! known of Nagarjuna's probable dates the person best
0 Cited above in note six. fitted to fill this position is no other than Nagarjuna.
See chap. V of the introductory essay. See IIikata, pp. lii-lxxxiii.

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90 LINK: The Earliest Chinese Account of the Compilation of the "Tripitaka" (I)
scriptures, and which seals them as the true word The Buddha in ::EZusinagaral9 between the two
of the Buddha (Budd71,avacana), viz., E¢vam rnaya sala 20 trees attained to complete Nirsclna. When
srmstam ekasmtn samaye . . ., Ju-shih wo wen he lay on a bed with his head to the north,21 heaven
i-shih . . . , " Thus have I heard on one occa- and earth quaked and shook, the lions and the
sion ....' In the course of explaining this hundred beasts22 all roared loudly; gods (deva)
venerable phrase a recital of the compilation of the and men (n&n¢sa) cried out, and mountains,
Buddhist Tripitaka according to the Ma71,ayana forests, and trees were broken and split apart
traditions is given, and it is this section which Goddesses and maidens, innumerable in their
Seng-yu here quotes with certain minor changes hundreds of thousands, sobbed confusedly, and
and omissions. their tears mingling, they were unable to master
themselves All the men of the three [grades] of
Translation of the Ch'u san-tsang chi-chi study (sai7ca) 23 were entirely disquieted, and
all men in the [stage] of no [further] study
[Table of Contents]
(asatksa) 24 meditated on [the truth that] all
1. Historical Records of the Compilation of the
Tripita7ca.l3
19 Chv-i-na-chieh kuo, the site of the Buddha's parinir-
2. A Record of the Issuing of the Tripitaka by vana.
the Five :Hundred Arhat [extracted from 20 Sa-lo, possibly the Vatica robusta, a valuable timber
tree.
the Preface to the] Sarvastivada-vinaya.14
21 Seng-yu adds here a passage describing the effects
3. A Record of the Issuing of the Eight Pita1Wa of the parinirvana, more or less quoted out of eontext
[as related in] the Sutra of the Incarnation from the Ta-chih-tu lun, which is very much like the
description of these events as given in the Mahapari-
of the Bodhtsattva.l5
nirvama-syutra. The cosmological stage on which the
4. A Record of Similarities and Diferences of transcendental acts of the Buddha's career took place
utterances, Meanings, and Script in the as presented in the vaipulya texts appealed to the
Translations of the Serindian (Hu) Lan- Chinese of this time. Since Sakyamuni was for Chinese
Buddhists the sage par e$cellence, his deeds were con-
guages into Chinese.16
ceived by them as affecting the entire universe. One
5. A Record of Differences in the TransTated recognizes in this, of course, the age-old sinitic concept
Sutra from Former to Later Times.17 of mankind ( as represented by the sage ) being paral-
leled with heaven (t'ien) and earth (ti). A good ex-
(1). Htstorical Records of the Comptlation of ample of this kind of thinking is found in a quotation
the Tripitaka (TsIken fronz the Ta-chih-tu from the Chou-shu -chi. ( On this work see Zurcher,
1 u n , M a h a p r a j n a p a r a m i t a - [ S u t r a ] - s a s t pp.
r a ) 273
1 8 and 286-287, and my article entitled "Various
Traditions Concerning the Entry of Buddhism into
13 ahi san-tsang yuan-chi. China," in Phi Theta Annual: Papers of the Oriental
14 Shih-sung 1i wu-pai lo-han ch'u san-tsang chi. Language Monor Society of the University of California,
16 P'u-sa ch'au-t'at ching ch'au pa-tsang chi. IV [June, 1953], 31-93.) In this apocryphal work
18 ¢U han i-ching wen-tzu yin-i t'ung-i cht. (supposedly relating events which occurred during the
Ch'ien-hou ch'u-ching i-chi. Chou Dynasty ) we find the following description of
l8This sectioll has previously beell translated by the effects of the parinirvana, which ill part reads:
Stienne Lamotte in his partial translation of the Ta- " When it came to the 13th year . . . at dawn a
chih-tu lun, Le Traite de La Grande Vertu, I, 84-106. violent wind suddenly arose tearing up and destroying
I have benefited greatly from his translation alld, in the houses of the people, injuring and snapping apart
particular, from his restoration of Sanskrit words the trees. Eills, rivers, the great earth all quaked. In
and phrases. However, since in a few instances my the afternoon the heavens became dark and eloudy black;
understanding of the Chinese text differs from his, in the west there was a white rainbow with twelve
with a consequent difference in translation, and since bands which extended to the north and the south, even
this quoted selection forms an integral part of Seng-yu's in the night not vanishing. King Mu asked the Grand
first chapter, I have retained it. On the other hand, I Astrologer, Eu To, ' What is this portentous omen ? '
have kept annotatioll to a minimum for this selection Eu To answered, 'In the Western Regions there is a
since Lamotte's masterly detailed commentary to his sage who now has attained nirvana; this is llOW but
OWll translatioll rellders such work superfluous. I have, the sign of his extinction . . .'" (T. 52.478b).
22 All animals.
however, noted where my translation differs from his.
Lamotte's translation will hereafter be referred to as 23 In M1nayana the first three stages of the holy life,
namely, srota-apanna, sakrdagamin, anagamin.
Traite. For the original Chinese of this passage see
24 Arhat.
T. 25. Ta-chih-tu lun. 2. 66b-70a.

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LINK: The Earliest Chinese Account of the Cornpilatson of the "Tripitaka) (I) 91
elements (dharma) are altogether impermanent strength to consider the Way (1narga). [EI:aving
(anitya). Only Ananda,25 because of his close gone to] where the Buddha was lying on a bed, he
love, had not yet estirpated, had not left aside asked the Buddha about these things.
desires (raga), and his heart was overwhelmed in The Buddha addressed Ananda as follows:
the sea of sorrow from which he was unable to When I am present, or after I have gone to extinction,
extricate himself. you will be yourself your refuge ( atmasarana ) ,s2 the
At that time Arliruddha 26 said to Ananda, Law will be your refuge ( dharmaNarana) vS3 and you will
not have any other refuge (ananyaNarana).34 How, O
You keep the #torehouse of the Buddha-law ( bud- Bhiksu, will you have yourself and the Law for refuge
d had harmapitaka ); you ought not, like an ordinary and not have any other refuge? 36 You will regard your
person (prthagjana),27 yourself be overwhelmed in the own proper body ( kayarn anupasyati ) 36 and there
sea of sorrow. All created and conditioned telements] always concentrating all your attention ( ekacitta ) ,3q
(samskrta[dharma]) 28 are of an impermanent char- your wisdom ( pra jna ) ,38 zeal ( pratyatna ) ,39 and energy
acter ( anitylaksana ) .29 Moreover, the Buddha ha# ( v1rya ) ,40 you will reject worldly cravings and the
commissioned and entrusted the Law (dharma) to you. suffering twhich results from them] ( loke'bhidhya-
In your present sorrow and depression you have lost daurqnanasya).4l You will regard in this way the body
the instructions which you have received. You ought of others, tthen, at the same time] your own body and
to ask the Buddha, " After the Nirvana of the Buddha, that of others; 42 moreover, also in this way you will
how are we to practice the Way (rnarga) ? Who will contemplate as the focus of mindfulness ( smrtyupa-
act as our teacher (acarya) ? As for ta Bhiksu like] sthana ) your own proper sensation ( ved ana ), thought
Can.daka who speaks evil, how are we to abide together (citta), and elements (dharma).43 This is called taking
with him? 30 At the beginning of the Buddhist scrip- the Dharma as a refuge by oneself and not taking
tures what words ought be written first? All kinds of anything else as a refuge.44 Henceforth, the Pr&ti-
things not yet come (anagatavast1X) s1 such as these moksa-sutra tSutra of the Precepts for lJiberation] 46
tI have mentioned] you ought to ask." will be your great teacher ( mahacarya ) . As is set
forth in the Pratimoksa-sutra, in that way ought you to
When Ananda heard these things, his depressed
practice corporal acts ( kayakarman ) ,46 and vocal acts
spirits were slightly aroused, and he found the (vakkarqnan).4q As for tsuch as] the Bhiksu Candaka,
tafter my Nirvana] you ought to deal with him accord-
25 A-nan, the " Saint John " of the Buddha's im- ing to the law of Brahma (brahnzadanda). If such a
mediate disciples. person's heart is yielding and submissive, he ought to
28 A-ni-lyu-tou, usually given as A-nan-lqb. Aniruddha, be instructed in the Samthak&tyayana-sutra; he will
one of the ten great disciples, was noted as the first for then be able to obtain the Way (marga).48 As for the
his "divine eye" (divyacaksus) by means of which he
was able to see how according to their deeds all beings 32 Tzu-i-chih.
are born and die. As Lamotte notes, the questions which 33 I emend the text on the basis of the Ta-chih-tu lun
Aniruddha here prompts Ananda to ask the Buddha, and to read f a-i-chih, d harma-sasrana, rather than f a- pqb-i-
the Blessed One's replies, are the yultirna verba of the chih-yu, and have translated accordingly.
word of the Buddha (Buddhavacana). 34 Reading with Ta-chih-tu lun, pu-yu i-chih.
27 Fan- jen, the profane. 36 Again I follow here the Ta-chih-tyu lun.
28I-ch'ieh yu-wei-tfa], sarva-samskrta-tdharqna], that 38 Nei-kuan shen.
is, all phenomenal things. Ta-chih-tu lun adds the word 37 I-hsin
fa. 38 Chih-hui, prajna; delete with Ta-chih-tu lun the
29 Wu-ch'ang-hsiang, all dharma are considered to be words hsien-ch'ien.
conditioned, hence, impermanent. Eowever, the Sar- 39 Ch'in-hsiqh.
vastivadin School maintained that space ( ak&sa ) and 40 Ching-chin.
two types of extinction, viz., pratisamkhyanirodha and 41 ah; shih-chien t'an-yqh.
apratisamkhya-nirodha were eternal. 42 Wai-shen nei-wai-shen i jqh-shih kuan.
so The Chinese here reads O-k'oqb ch'e-ni yun-ho kqbng- 43 These are the four smrtyqzpasthana (nien-ch'qx,
chqb. Lamotte (Traite, p. 85) translates this as " [Qui " fields " or " focuses of mindfulness " ), namely, kaya,
sera notre mattre (4cdrya) ], notre censeur et notre 6hen, " body "; vedena, shoqx, " sensation "; citta, hsin,
conducteur (Chondaka) ? Quelle sera notre retraite " thought "; dharma, fa, " elements."
(tbposatha) ? " I believe that this is incorrect, and that 41 The CST differs slightly here from the Ta-chih-tqb
the passage should be understood and translated as lqbn.
given above. Candaka was the Bodhisattva's equerry 45 Chieh-t'o chieh ching. For a version of the Vi41a-
on the famous departure from the palace and renuncia- sarvastivada-pratimoksa-si4tra see T. no. 1454.
tion of secular life. Unfortunately, he was of a hard 46 Shen-yeh.
and stubborn nature and became noted for his wicked 47 K'oqb-yeh.
speech and bad ways. Only after some time was he 48 Lamotte, Traite, p. 86, translates the preceeding
able to conform to the holy life. See below, n. 48. passage, of which the Chinese reads, Ch'e-ni pi-ch'iqb jqb
31 Wei-lai chih-shih. fan-fa chih jo hsin jqban-fqb-che ying chiao na-t'o-chia-

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92 LIN: The Earliest Chinese Account of the Contpilation of the "Tripitaka" (I)
precious storehouse of the Law ( d harmaratnapitaka ),

every case were mindful in their hearts of these
which was compiled by me during three incalculable
words:
periods ( asamkhyeyakalpa ) ,49 at the beginning one
ought to write these words: " Thus have I heard on one Sinee the sun of the Buddha has set and the lumi-
occasion: the Buddha was staying in a certain region, naries of the diseiples, who [have attained through]
in the land of a certain country, in a certain location meditation ( dhyana), and mental stabilization ( sa-
and grove." And for what reason Since the sqbtra of mc6dhi ) ,58 liberation ( viarnoksa ) ,69 have also been ex-
all the Buddhas of the past (atttabqxddha) and of the tinguished and erossed over ( parsntrvana ) ,ao all the
future (anagatabqxddha) 60 at the beginning also pro- multitudes of beings will be afflieted by the maladies of
claim these words. A11 the Buddhas of the present the kleSa: desire ( raga), tdetestation, dvesa],61 and
(pratyqbtpannabqxddha) 51 at the moment of their ap- stupidity (moha). As these masters of the medieine of
proaching parinirvana also teach and proclaim words the Law ( dharma-bhaisajyacarya) now hasten to nir-
such as these. After I have now gone to parinirvana, qvana, who will take it upon himself to eure them ?
the scriptures at the beginning will also proclaim, The diseiples who [like] lotus (pqbndartka) have sprung
"Thus have I heard . . . (evam maya srqbtam . . .)." up from within the immeasurable vast sea of wisdom
(mahapramanaprajnasamqxdra) now also wilt and wither
The Buddha then attained parinirvaSna.52
away; the tree of the Law (dharmavrksa) is broken and
The great Arhat severally, according to their splintered; the eloud of the Law ( d harmamepha ) is
wishes, in the mountains and in the forests, by the seattered and vanished; the king of the elephants
(gajc6pati) of great sagaeity (mahajnana) has already
streams and the springs, in the clefts and gorges,
departed, and the little ones of the elephant (gajapota)
in place after place, renounced their bodies
have, moreover, followed after him; the merehanX of
(*adhyaStqna-tyaga) 53 and entered into parinirvana. the Law (dharmavanij) 63 have left; from whom ean
Others there were who, soaring up into the empty one seek the Jewel of the Law (dharrnaratna) ? Let us
skng (akasa), flew off like wild geese (hamsa). severally gather together in a group tT. 55. CST. 1. 2a]
and go to visit Mahakafiyapa.
They manifested all kinds of miraculous trans-
formations (vtkurvana) 54 that they might make Eaving performed reverence, they recited a
the multitude of people obtain purity of faith stanza (gatha) in praise; having praised him, they
( srad d havisud d hz ) 755 and [afterwards ] 5 6 they
thenen-
said: " O Venerable and Compassionate One
tered nirvana. (bhadanta), do you know that the boat of the Law
At that time the :Deva of the sis [worlds] of (dharrnanagara) is about to collapse, that the sea
desire (kamadhatu), on up to the Dleva of the of the Law (dharnzadhara) is about to become es-
worlds of form (rz4pa-dhatu) which are wholly hausted, the banner of the Law (dharqBapataka!
pure (sqlbhakrtsna)757 beholding these things, in is about to be overturned, the lamp of the Law
(dharnzapradtpa) about to beextinguished? Those
chan-yen ching chi k'o te tao, " Votre conducteur
who practice the Way (marga) gradually will
( chandaka ), 6, Bhikstb, apres mon Nirvana, sera le
chatiment selon la loi de Brahma (brahmadanda).-Si
become few; the strength of the wicked, on the
quel-qu'un a l'esprit frappe . . . il faudra lui enseigner contrary, will flourish. You ought in your great
le . . . sutra; alors il pourra obtenir le Chemin.d} compassion (rnahakaruna) to establish firmly
Because of his evil nature (see above, n. 30) the Buddha
(avasthapayati) the Law of the Buddha." 63
told Ananda, as described here, that the brahmadanda,
or chastisement according to the law of Brahma, should
68 Ch'an-ting.
be pronounced against Candaka. It is said that after-
wards he attained the fruit of Arhatship. See BD. 9 ahteh tso.
2172c, and Lamotte, Traite, p. 86, n. 1. 6° The parinirvana of the Arhat mentioned earlier and
49 A-seng-chth-chieh. An asamkhyeyakalpa is defined the discomfiture of the Deva are mentioned in several
in the Ta-chih-tx lxn; it is said to be more than ten other sources. For example, it is stated that eightzr
followed by twenty-seven zeroes. thousand Bhiksq4 died when sariputra did, seventzr
60Xqbo-ch' wer-lai ch"-fo, atttanangatabqzddha. thousand when Maudgalyayana passed away, and eight-
61 HSte?$-tsas chq-fo een thousand at the parinirvana of the Buddha.
2 Here a section is left unquoted in the CSt account; 61 Add with Ta-chih-tlb Iqxn, dvesa. On these three
Ta-chth-t¢ aun is again quoted beginning with the words, kleSa, see L. De La VallVe Poussin, LvAbSidharmakosa
;' The great Arhat ...." de Vasubandh?s (5 vols., Paris, 1923-1931), V, 87-88.
6SShe-shen; "abandoned their bodies." 62 For an interesting applieation of this theme of mer-
64 Shen-pten. ehants who seareh for the jewel of the Law, see Demie-
66 Z[stn-hsin ch'ing-ching. ville, c; La Yogacarabhums de Sangharaksa," B]3FtPJO,
66 (; Afterwards " added by Ta-chih-tqx 1t4n. XLIV (1954), 352, n. 1.
67 Concerning these various heavens and gods, see 63 Lamotte, Trattd, p. 89, n. 1, says that also in the
Traite, pp. 19-520. Chta-yeh chzeh chrng (T. no. 2027; traditionally claimed

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LINK: The Earliest Chinese Account of the Cornpilation of the "lpitaka" (I) 93
At that time Easyapa's mind, vast and like the The sound of the gandi conveyed the instructions
sea in its clarity and purity, was unmoved (acala). of Mahakasyapa everywhere to the trichiliomega-
After quite a while, however, he replied, "As for chiliocosmos ( trisahasramahasahasralokadhat?X) n65
what you have said, truly, it is as you have said it. and they all came to know about it. Those of the
The world and the things in it will in no long time disciples who had gained miraculous powers
be without knowledge (jnana) and be blinded in (rddhibala) 66 all came together to the meeting
darkness." Thereupon, Mahakasyapa in silence where Mahakasyapa was.
received their request. The gods (deva), having At that time Rasyapa addressed the congrega-
offered reverence, suddenly were no longer visible, tion:
each returning by his own way. The Buddha's Law is about to beeome extinet. The
At that time Rasyapa reflected, "IIow can I Buddha sinee the time of three inealeulable periods
make this Law of the Buddha, which is so hard to tasamkheyakalpa) has praetieed all kinds of austerities,
and has been mereiful in eompassion (anukampa)
come by in the course of three incalculable periods
toward the multitude of beings, and by study he has
(asatnkheyakalpa), last in the world for a long gained this Law. Now that the Buddha has already
time ? " Having made this reflection, [he then entered Nirvana, those among the diseiples who know
thought], the Law ( dharmajnana,67 maintain the Law ( dharma-
dhara),68 and reeite the Law (dharmabhanaka),69 also
I know that if it is to be possible for this Law to last
in every ease follow him to parinirvana. The Law now
in the world for a long time we ought to gather together
is on the point of beeoming extinet. The beings who
the Sutra, the Abhidharma, and the Vinaya, comprising
are to eome ean well be pitied: having lost the eye of
the three storehouses of the Law. In this way it will be
wisdom ( prajna-caksus ) ,70 in their foolishness and
possible for the Buddha's Law to last for a long time,
stupidity they will be blinded in darkness. The Buddha
and the men of future generations will be able to receive
in his great love and eompassion (mahamaitrtkarun6) 71
and practice it. Why is this ? The Buddha in age
had suffered for the many beings. We ought respeetfully
after age was diligent in austerities and merciful in
to eontinue and to eonform to the Buddha's doetrine.
compassion for the beings; by study he gained this Law,
We must wait until we have finished eolleeting and eom-
and for the sake of others he elucidated and preached it.
piling the tripitaka; then, aeeording to our desires we
We, also, ought, having received and applied this doc-
may enter Ntrv&na.72
trine of the Buddha, to make it known and open up a
Way for the conversion [of others].
All who had come to this congregation received
Basyapa, having pronounced these words, stayed this counsel to relnain.
on the summit of Sumeru. He struck the gandz At the time Mahakasyapa selected some
(" gong ") of bronze 64 and pronounced this stanza: thousand men.73 Excepting Ananda, all were
Disciples of Buddha ! 66 San-ch'ien-ta-chsien shih-chieh, a system eontaining

If you are mindful of the Buddha, one thousand million worlds, roughly eorresponding to
You ought to requite the mercy of Buddha our " galaetie system "; see De La Vallee Poussin,
Do not enter Nirvana! L'Abhidharmakosa, IV, 170.
66 Shen-li.
to be a translation of An Shih-kao although this is ff7 Chih-fa.
highly doubtful; see Otani Seishin, " An Seiko no yakkyo 68 Ch'ih-fa.
ni tsuite," Toyopokuho, XIII [1924], 546-583; also J. 69 Sung-fa.
Przyluski, Le Concile de Rajaprha: Introduction a 7° Chih-hui yen.
l']listoire des Canons et des Sectes Bouddhiques [Paris, 71 Ta-tz'u pei-min.
1926], p. 4 [this work will henceforth be referred to as 72Lamotte (Traite, p. 92, n. 1) observes that also in
Przyluski, C7oncileJ ) and in the legend of Asoka ( i. e., the legend of Asoka (Przyluski, C7oncile, p. 32), Kasyapa
the A-yt6 wang ching and the A-yu unang chuan; for forbids the Arhat to enter nirvana prior to having eom-
these see Przyluski, C7oncile, pp. 2 1 -22; Przyluski's tr. piled the Tripttoka.
Of the 2nd appears in his La legende de l'hEmpereur 7S Lamotte (Traite, p. 92, n. 2) states that according
AQoka (Agoka-avadana) dans les tewts indiens et chinois to the majority of the sources, this first council consisted
[Paris, 1923J, pp. 311-326; also Przyluski, Concile, p. of five hundred participants. The Tzinaya of the SI a-
28), the Deva, and notably, sakra and the four Devaraja, hasamphika ( Przyluski, Concile, p. 204) and Hsuan-
invite Kasyapa to be mindful of the Law. tsang's SIsi-yu chi ( tr. by Beal, Buddhist Records of
64In the legend of Asoka (Przyluski, Conctle, p. 28), the Westerrn World [2 vols., London, 1884], II, 161; also
Kasyapa is also said to have called the assembly by by Th. Watters, On Yuan Chwang's travels in India
striking a gand* which resounds through Jambudslpa [2 vols., London, 1904-05], II, 160) give the figure one
and the Trichiliocosmos. Lamotte (Traite, p. 91, n. 2) thousand. The Ta-chth-tu aun gives both figures; here
also lists other sources for this incident. it speaks of a thousand, but further on ( 69c ) of five

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94 LINE: The Earliest Chinese Account of the Compilation of the "Tripitakan' (I)
Arhat,74 having acquired the six superknowledges (abEijn,a) ,75 being possessed of the three clair-
voyances (vidya),t6 and of mastery in samadhi
hundred. Lamotte agrees with Przyluski that its (samcidhivasita), they were able to go out from,
account is, therefore, not homogeneous but reflects the
and to enter in, in an inverse or direct manner
divergences of its sources.
(pratilomanulomatah-[samadhi]); they could leap
74The sources are not in agreement as to whether
Ananda attained Arhatship before or after the recital of over, and surmount [obstacles] (avyaghata); 77
the sutrapitaka, or as to whether he was accused of
certain faults before or after this rehearsal. In the recital is in Chinese verse of five characters; see Przy-
Chia-yeh chieh ching (see above, n. 63) it is said that luski, Concile, pp. 89-111) Ananda is said to be a
he became an Arhat after having been accused of these srotra-apanna (Przyluski, Concile, p. 97). The Dharma-
crimes and after having been instructed by the Bhiksu gupta Vinaya agrees, on the whole, with the Ta-chih-tu
Vrjiputra. Then, later, having " obtained the illumina- lun account. After having been shown by Vrjiputra
tion of a Buddha," he recited the Sutra ( Przyluski, that he still was subject to desire (here differing from
Concite, p. 18) . This account does not, however, give Ta-chih-tu lun), Ananda retires to a solitary place and,
any details as does the Ta-chih-tu aun. As we have seen having become tired from his striving during the night,
above, the Ta-chth-tu aun states specifically that the ex- attains to insight in the dawn just as his head ap-
pulsion and criticism of Ananda was in order that he proaches the pillow. Later he recites the Sutra. In the
could achieve Arhatship and then recite the scriptures. Mulasarvastivadin Ananda is accused of faults before his
The next account of this is contained in two early recitation of the Sutra (Przyluski, C7oncile, p. 277). In
sources, the ptO pan-ni-yvan chtng (T. 1.160b-175c), in the P'u-sa ch'u-t'ai ching ( see below ) Ananda having
two chtian, tr. by Po Yuan, otherwise known as Po been accused of faults, and having left and returned to
Fa-tzu (on whom see Zurcher, p. 76) during the period the assembly, attains Arhatship in the presence of the
290-306 A. D., and the Pan-ni-yiian ching, also in two assembly. All this is placed prior to his recital (Przy-
chian ( T. 1.176-191a), by an anonymous translator. luski, Concite, p. 127) . In the Pali CutEavaypa (eleventh
As concerns this latter work, T'ang Yung-t'ung believed section ) matters are quite different. Ananda finishes
that it could be established as originally having con- reciting the five rwikaya. Then Kassapa questions about
sisted of one chiuarL, and that it was translated sometime certain minor precepts that the Blessed One said might
between 436-468 A.D. by Gunabhadra (lived at the Tao- be observed or disregarded at the discretion of the order.
ch'ang Monastery in Chien-k'ang ca. 415 until his death At this point, although presumably Ananda is already
in 429) . Recently Kenneth Ch'en, in his article " The an Arhat, he is accused of the faults (Przuluski, Concite,
Mahaparinirvana-sutra and the First Council " (BJAS, pp. 148-149) . Ananda is also accused after his recital
XXI [1958], 128-133), has pointed out that T'ang is of the Sutra in the Slahtsasaka Vinaya, in the legend
here in error. Ch'en shows clearly tllat since the of Asoka (Przyluski, Concite, pp. 277, 21) (Przyluski's
Pan-}1i-yJuan ching is quoted by Hsi Ch'ao (336-377) in tr. of the second of these appears in his La lepende de
the latter's Feng fa-yao ( tr. by Zurcher, pp. 164-167, l'E7mpereur Aacoka [Aacoka-avadana] darLs les teactes
who also noticed the quotations from the Parw-ni-yuan indiens et chinois [Paris, 1923], pp. 311-315), in the
ching), the terminus ad quem for its appearance would Vinaya of the Mahasamphika ( Przyluski, Concite, pp.
have to be 377 A. D. Jean Przyluski ( Concile, pp. 202, 214-215), and in the P'i-ni-mu aun. ( This apparently is
286) has demonstrated that both the Pto pan-ni-yuan a matrka of a Vinaya of the Haimavata schooz; it was
ching and the Pan-ni-yi4arL ching reveal certain affinities put out by an anonymous tr. between 385-431 A. D.;
+vith the Mahasamphika Vinaya (e.g., the classification Przyluski, Concile, p. 169.) There, ho+vever, we are told
of three sthavira with Kasyapa at the head ) . They that Ananda still had not rid himself of the bonds and
may, indeed, represent two versions of one original, asrava ( Przyluski, Concite, p. 171) .
though there are differences (e. g., in the Pto pan-ni-yitan 76 On these supernormal powers, which are ubiquitous
ching the order of the three sthavira are: Kasyapa, in the sources, see E. Lamotte, Traite, p. 329, n. 1,
Aniruddha, and Katyayana; in the Pan-ni-yiuan ching: where a bibliography is given of Chinese and western
Kasyapa, Aniruddha, and Ananda; in the one Ananda sources. Among the more important western works are
is said to be without fear, in the other he is said to be the following: P. Demieville, " La memoire des eso-
frightened, etc.). In the Pto pan-ni-yuan ching Ananda istences anterieures," BEPwEO, XXVII (1927), 283-298;
is said not yet even to have received ordination ! Sigurd Lindquist, Siddhi und abEirLna, eine Studie uber
( " Ananda est un ' habit-blanc,' " Concile, p. 79) . In die klassischen Wunder des Yoya ( Uppsala, 1935 ); L.
the Pan-ni-yiuan ching he is said " not yet to have gained De La Vallee Poussin, " Le Bouddha et les abhijna,"
the Way . . ." ("'ait pas encore trouve la Vofe . . . ," Museon ( 1931), 335-342. In the Mahayanasamgraha of
T. 1.191a; Concile, p. 79). In the Ch?4an-chi san-tsang Asanga the six abEijna are briefly explained. See E.
chs tsa-tsang chuarL ( T. no. 2026; translator unknown, Lamotte, La Somme du Grande Vehicule d'Asanya, 2,
but the translation seems to have appeared during the fasc. 2 (Louvain, 1939), ch. X, pp. 15, 294-295.
Eastern Chin [317-420 A. D.]. The expanded title is 76 By remembrance of former existence one knows the
Relation of the Compilation of the Tripitaka and of the past; by the divine eye one knows the future; by the
Tsa-tsang by Kasyapa and Ananda, af ter the nirvan. a exhaustion of the asrava one knows the present. See
of the Buddha, in the kingdom of lJ[apadha, to the north Przyluski, Concile, p. 6, n. 1.
of the city of Seng-ch'ieh-shih [Sam. kasya]. The entire 77 Tzu-tsai ch'?X-ju ni-sh?n ch'ao-yueh.

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they knew the esoteric (Buddhist) (adhyatmika), thousand men went to the city of RajagTha, to the
and exoteric (non-Buddhist) (bakya) scriptures.78 Grdhrakuta peak.83 13:e said to lliing Ajatasatru,
As for the eighteen kinds of great St4tra of the "Give us food to be sent to us daily; now we are
heretical sects (ttrthika), these, also, they had read compiling the storehouse of the Law, and are
well and knew. In all cases they were able by unable to engage in other activities."
discussing these doctrines to defeat and humble When on the fifteenth day [of the third
heterodoxy ( pa$anda) .79 month] 84 they were going to recite the Vinaya,
Formerly when King Bimbasara found the Way Mahakasyapa entered into samadhz, and with his
(marga), some eighty-four thousand dignitaries, divine eye (divyacaksus) he glanced about, [say-
also, each obtained the Way.80 At the time the ing], " Now in this congregation whosoever has
king issued instructions in an order to his officers passions (klesa) shouldhencedepart;" Therewas
who served within the palace that they should only one person, Ananda, who had not exhausted
regularly give rice and food as an offering to [the klesa].85 Mahakasyapa, having arisen from
support the thousand men. Wing Ajatasatru 81 samadhz, immediately with his hand led Ananda
did not continue this rule. At that time Mahaka- out from the congregation, saying, " Now this
syapa reflected and said, "If we always beg our pure congregation is going to compile the store-
food, there will be heretics (t1,rthika) who will house of the Law. Since in your case the bonds
come and, by raising objections, abolish and [of attachment] (bandhana) 86 are not yet ex-
nullify this matter of law (vidhi). Now in the hausted, you may not remain here." At this time
city of Rajagrha they always set up rice and food Ananda, ashamed, sorrowful, and silently weeping,
offerings to support a thousand men. Among reflected by himself in these words, "For twenty-
these may dwell those who compile the storehouse five years I accompanied and served the World
of the Law. It is just for this reason that they Eonored One (bhagavat) ;87 I offered my services
selected a thousand men and these were not able
83 Although this council is said to have been held in
to be many." 82 Rajagrha, the sources are not in agreement as to exactly
At this time Mahakasyapa together with the where in Rajagrha the proceedings took place; for a
list of these, see Lamotte, Traite, p. 93, n. 3.
78 Nei-wai ching-shu; according to Przyluski, these 84 The words in brackets are added by Ta-chih-tu lun,
might refer to canonical and non-canonical writings. In 68a. 3.
general, the works referred to by these terms would in 86 Ta-chih-tu lgqw adds, " As for the other nine hundred
Indic sources be the various Brahmanical writings; in and ninety-nine men, the flux [of impurity] had all been
China, Taoist and/or Confucian classics. exhausted, and they were purified and without defile-
79I-hsiueh; CST here omits a sentence; see T. 25. 67c. ment." See also above, n. 74.
17. On the 18 great sutra mentioned previously, see 86 Chieh. There are various lists of these; for a brief
BD. 941b. description see A. Link, " Shyh Daw-an's Preface to
80 Bimbasara met Cakyamuni on two occasions. He Sangharaksa's Yoyacarabhumi-sutra and the Problem of
encountered him the first time in Rajagrha close to Buddho-Taoist Terminology in Early Chinese Bud-
Pan. davapabbata prior to his Enlightenment. On the dhism," JAOS, LXXVII (1957), 6, n. 28.
second occasion, after the Buddha's Enlightenment, 87 Ananda was attached to the Buddha as an upastha-
Bimbasara and all his people were converted. For yaka in the Blessed One's fiftieth year. Ananda sup-
sources on these events, see Lamotte, Traite, p. 30, n. 1. posedly accepted this charge with the following condi-
P'in-fou-p'o-lo wang, or Bimbasara, the famous monarch tions: that he never make use of the food or garments
of Magadha, was later imprisoned by his son, Ajatasatru, of the Buddha; that he would not accompany him on
and died. His capital of Rajagrha, and the Venuvana visits among the laity; that he would always have access
Park, which he had given to Cakyamuni, were intimately to him. It has always appeared singularly incongruous
associated with the Buddha's preaching. Buddha is said that Ananda should have been subjected to such criti-
to have spent the first, third, fourth, seventeenth, and cism and public humiliation at this time. One explana-
twentieth varsa of his ministry there ( Buddhavamsa tion was that Ananda was brought by this psychological
Commentary, p. 3). crisis to realize Arhatship. But according to other
81 A-she-shih wang. Though at first inimical to the sources, Ananda had already attained that state. Thus,
Buddha and to his teachings, Ajatasatru later was we read in a Pali source: " Lord, this venerable one,
converted and became noted for his liberal gifts to the Ananda, although he has not yet attained to nirvana,
order. yet he is incapable of falling into error through parti-
82This is in reply to a question, not quoted by the ality or malice or stupidity or fear, and thoroughly
asT earlier, as to why just one thousand were selected have the Dhamma and Vinaya been learnt by him from
to compile the Tripitaka. the Blessed One himself." ( Vinaya Teacts, 3. 372 ) . That

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96 LINE: The Earliest Chinese Account of the Compilation of the "Tripitaka" (I)
right and left, and previously never once did I who are Arhat may not offer their services right
obtain suffering as this. The Buddha truly was and left, nor be subject to [others'] orders. :Hence,
venerable, compassionate, and patient." Eaving it is just for this reason that there remains a
made this reflection, he said, " If I were capable of remnant of the bonds (bandhana), and that they
the power, long ago I could have obtained the are not utterly cut of35."
Way. However, in the Law of the Buddhas those [Mahakasyapa] spoke again, "You all the more
are at fault (apatti).88 It was the Buddha's
Kasyapa humiliates Ananda in order to arouse him to
become an Arhat is impossible, since the dogma of an 88 In the accounts of this council Kasyapa reproaches
Arhat who is infallible and perfect is foreign to primi- Ananda for certain faults. As concerns them, the fol-
tive Buddhism; cf. I. P. Minayeff, Recherches sur le lowing sources, which have been translated and studied
Bo?4ddhisme ( 1887 ), tr. from the Russian into French
by Przyluski (Conctle), have been brought together and
by R. H. Assier de Pompignan as vol. 4 (Paris, 1894) the information derived from them set side by side; they
of the Bibl. d'Studes dt4 SI?4see Guimet; see pp. 216-217. are: (a) the Pten-pieh k?ng-te Iwn (T. no. 1507; a com-
Kenneth Ch'en, in reinvestigating the account of the mentary on the first ch. of the Ekottarapama; the tr.
First Council as set forth in the Pan-ni-yuan ching, has is unknown but the work is said to have been translated
offered the explanation that the members of the Sanyha during the Later Han 25-220 A.D.); (b) the Chuan-chi
were afraid that Ananda would not tell all that he san-tsang chi tsa-tsang ch?an; (c) the Cullavaypa of the
knew unless he was intimidated by them, hence, they Pali Vinaya; ( d ) Mahtsasaka; ( e ) ViSnaya of the
humiliated him. (Kenneth Ch'en, " The Mahapari- Sarvastivadirw; ( f ) the legend of Asoka ( this includes
nirvansutra and the First Council," GJAS, XXI [1958], the A-yqb wang ching and the A-yqb wang chuan); (g)
128-133. Ch'en seems unaware of the previous transla- the Vinaya of the Dharmayupta; ( h ) the Vinaya of
tion of this, as well as the Pto pan-ni-yiuaœ ching, in the Mahasamghika; (i) the Chia-yeh chieh ching; (j)
Przyluski, Concile, pp. 76-88 ) . Neither of these explana- the Parinirvana-s?itra (i. e., the Pwo pan-ni-yiuan ching
tions to my mind offers a solution. Far better is the and the Pan-ni-y?iarL chirLg; ( k ) the Ta-chih-tu lurw;
hypothesis presented by Przyluski. ( 1 ) the P'u-sa ch'u-t'ai chirLg.
Przyluski has raised the question as to whether the For the sake of convenience I have arbitrarily given
expulsion of Ananda may not reflect a more primitive numbers to the various faults listed in the above sources.
form of the rite of accusation called pravarana found These are: (1) Urging the Buddha to allow +somen to
in early Buddhism. In this ritual ( which took place enter the holy life. Ananda is said to have persuaded
seven or eight days before the end of the summer retreat, the Blessed One, though much against his will, to allow
varsa ), after the chanting of the scriptures, a formal Mahamaya Gautaml, the Buddha's aunt and foster
invitation was extended to the Sanyha to participate in mother, to found the order of nuns. In some sources
a criticism of faults. The order of precedence followed this is said to have caused the Buddhist Law to endure
was from the eldest to the most junior. If the nucleus in its true aspect for only five hundred or a thousand
of presumed fact in back of this indictment of Ananda years. It is interesting that at least in one source
does correspond to this ceremony, then it should have Ananda defends himself on the grounds of his kinship
taken place after the rehearsal of the scriptures. How- with the Buddha's aunt. Usually, however, his defense
ever, it is difflcult to establish the age of these legends. is the scholastic one that under all previous Enlightened
Moreover, as seen above, the sources themselves disagree Ones there were the four groups of the Buddhist order,
as to when the chastisement of Ananda happened. Przy- and that it would be unthinkable that sakyamuni Bud-
luski, therefore, concludes that " Nous etions donc dha should not have his full complement of followers.
fondles a supposer . . . que les rites orthodoxes de purifi- (Throughout this account one senses the hand of musty
cation, tels qu'ils sont decrits dans les Vinaya, different monasticism. ) ( 2 ) Ananda allowed novices to be taught
de la ceremonie primitive. Aux premiers temps de Boud- without having first tested them for a period of four
dhisme, une sorte d'excommunication prononcee a la months as to their sincerity and fitness to hear and
cloture du varsa permettait sans doute d'expulser le mal understand the Law. It is said that as a result of this
et de purifier la communaute tout entiere au seuil de improper procedure, out of sixty disciples, Ananda lost
l'annee nouvelle. Cette cerlemonie, qui prolongeait un thirty by their returning to lay life. (3 ) Ananda is told
etat de choses legute par les siecles barbares, finit par by the Buddha that, as regards certain minor precepts
choquer la conscience des religieux. Un changement for the order, after the latter's demise the monlis could
'opere dans les esprits, l'un des plus grands parmi ceux retain or disregard them as they desired. Unfortu-
qui ont transformle l'humanite. A la notion de responsa- nately, Ananda forgot to ask the Buddha to clarify
bilite collective se substitue celle de culpabilite indi- which rules he so designated. It is obvious that great
viduelle: chacun doit s'accuser de ses propres fautes et stress is laid upon this fault, and that it must have
n'aura plus a repondre de celles d'autrui. La confession caused grave concern to the more conservative literal-
devant les moines assembles, qui marque la c-elebration minded church fathers. ( 4 ) Ananda is blamed for
de chaque q4posatha, maintient le Sam pha en etat de having stepped on the Buddha's samphatl. Since nine
grace et, des lors, la pravarana annuelle perd a peu sources mention this event it must have been considered
pres toute importance et toute signification." ( Przy- a great offense by certain of the clergy. Just what
luski (:Joncile, pp. 277-278). happened ( if anything ) has been lost in the cult-

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LINK: The Warliest Chinese Account of the Cornpilation of the "Tripitaka" (I) 97
intent not to allow women to go forth from their to practice the Way. Thus it is that the Buddha's
homes (pravrajita). You attentively and dili- true Law will last five hundred years and will then
gently urged and begged the Buddha to allow them decline and become slight.89 This is your fault."
Ananda said, "I had pity and compassion for
legend that has been built around this supposed slight Gautaml; 90 moreover, in the Law of the Buddhas
to the Bhapavat. ( 5 ) When the Blessed One was
of the three times (tryadEvan) in every case there
thirsty, he asked Ananda to fetch him a drink of water
were the four groups [of disciples]; 91 how should
from a nearby river ( called by one source the Ka-
kutstha) Ananda refused because he claimed that the it be that our World Honored One (Bhagavat)
water was turbid from the crossings of five hundred should be alone in not having these? "
carts. In some accounts, as in the Ta-chih-tu lun, [Mahakasyapa] also said, " When the Buddha
Kafiyapa rejects this defense by pointing to the miracu-
was about to enter AJirvana, he approached :Su-
lous powers of the Buddha. If there is a nucleus of
fact to this legend (e. g., Ananda declining to fetch sinagara. The Buddha at this time had a back-
water which has been contaminated by the passage of a ache. Four doubled upper garments (uttara-
cart) is is easy to see how the developers of the cult- sanga) 92 were spread for him to lie on. He spoke
legends would seize on this and transform a very ordi-
to you, saying, ' I am in need of water.' You did
nary human event into an occasion to preach the
Buddha's supernormal powers. (6) The soiling of the not of3Ter to give him any; this is your fault."
Buddha's body ( usually his feet ) with the tears of ;Ananda said, "At that time five hundred carts
women. (7) The disrespect shown the Buddha and the and vehicles in going across the stream had made
disregard for sentient beings evinced by Ananda in his
the water dirty and turbid; that was why I did not
ignoring an occasion on which he could have requested
fetch any."
the Bhagavat to remain in the world for a kalpa. In
source ( j ) Ananda puts in the spirited scholastic de- [Mahakasyapa] again said, " If it was just then
fense that if he had asked Cakyamuni to remain on in that the water was caused to be turbid, the Buddha,
this world for a kalpa or longer there would be danger
who possesses a great miraculous power (rddhi-
that the Buddha might be present at the same time
bala), could make a great sea of turbid water pure
that Maitreya would come into the world. This, of
course, refers to the doctrine that there cannot be two and clear; how is it that you did not give him
Buddhas present in the world at the same time. If any ? "
there were, the world would be endangered from the
Again he said,
great weight of goodness present in it. And, as if an
afterthought of the scholiast who dreamed this up, the
final argument is offered that the followers of the two sarira of the Buddha to women, hence, should probably
Enlightened Ones might quarrel. On this see T. W. be included under this category, as probably also should
Rhys Davids, The Questions of King SLilinda ( 2 vols., source (i), which blames him for showing the Buddha's
Oxford, 1890-94 ), II, 47-51. In most sources Ananda body to women, presumably for them to adore; all
remains abjectly silent. In fact, as Ch'en points out sources except only ( a ), ( b ), and ( e ) blame Ananda
(" The Mahaparinirvana-sq4tra and the First Council," for the seventh fault; sources (e), (f), (h), (k) men-
128-133 ), the Pan-ni-yXuan ching is unique in making tion the eighth fault, as does ( i ) also, where this
Ananda get the better of his interlocutors. (8) Ananda characteristic is said to have been shown to a " multi-
shows the kosapatavastipuSya to women after the Bud- tude " instead of to women; only (i) mentions the ninth
dha's death; he excuses himself with the plea that he and tenth faults; only ( j ) mentions the eleventh as a
desired to make them disgusted with their feminine separate category. Since the Fo pan-ni-yuan ching joins
forms that they might seek to be reborn as men and this with number seven, it is clear that this must have
strive for goodness in their next lives. ( 9 ) Having been the case in the original from which the translations
been blamed by the Bhapavat ( we are not told for were made.
what cause), Ananda complained to others of his treat- Concerning the probable significance of these faults,
ment and gave offence by so doing. (10) Ananda is said see above, n. 87.
to be the only one among the entire assembly still 89 It was widely believed that after five hundred
subject to three bonds; desire, anger, and ignorance. (variant: one thousand) years only the outward sem-
( 11 ) When the Buddha mentioned that Jambudslpa blance of Buddhism would remain; this is the period of
was a pleasant place to dwell, Ananda remained silent. pratirupakadharma, the " Counterfeit Law."
Comparing this material, we find that all sources 90 Ch'iu-t'an-mi; Gautaml, feminine of the patronymic
except (j) list the first fault; only (a) lists the second Gautama, was a name used for Mahaprajapatl, other-
fault; the third fault is listed by all but sources (a), wise known as Mahamaya Gautaml, the aunt and foster
( j ) , and ( k ); all sources except ( a ) and ( j ) relate mother of the Buddha.
the fourth; sources (a), (c), and (j) ignore the fifth; 91 Bhiksu, bhiksunl, upasaka, and upasaka.
as regards the sixth fault, sources ( c ), ( g ) and ( h ) 92 Ou-to-lo-seng, uttarasanya, a kind of seven-piece
mention this; source (1) blames Ananda for showing the cassock.

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98 LINE:: The Earliest Chinese Account of the Compilation of the "Tripitaka" (I)
The Buddha questioned you, " If a man is well eulti-

Mahakasyapa said, " You have si>: faults
vated in the bases of the four miraculous powers
( rddhipada ), he may abide in the world for an aeon
(duskrta).96 You ought to confess (pratidesana)
(kalpa), or less than an aeon. Of those well cultivated those trespasses in the Sangha."
in the bases of the four miraculous poa7ers, the Buddha Ananda said that he would respectfully follow
is best: shall he abide in the world for a kalpa, or less the instructions of Mahakasyapa and of the Order.
than a kalpa?"9S You were silent and did not reply.
At that time Ananda knelt at length with joined
CHe questioned you] like this up to three times, and you
still remained silent. If you had answered that, as the palms and uncovered on his side his right shoulder
Buddha was well cultivated in the bases of miraculous (ekajrnsarn uttarasangarn krtva), removed his
power, he ought to abide in the world for a kalpa or less leather sandals, and wholly confessed the si>:
than a kalpa, [he would have done soJ. Truly, it was
faults. Mahakasyapa then once more from among
because of you- you made the World Honored One
(Bhapavat) enter Nq,rvauna prematurely. This is your the Sangha led Ananda forth with his hand, saying
fault. to him, " Cut off completely your flus of impurities
(asrava),97 and afterwards come back among us.
Ananda said, " Mara darkened my mind. There-
If the remaining bonds (bandhana) are not com-
fore, I said nothing. It was not my own wicked
pletely brought to an end, you will not come."
mind that made me thus not answer the Buddha."
Having spoken thus, he himself closed the gates.
:}iasyapa again said, "You trod with your foot
At that time the Arhat consulted together say-
on the Buddha's eotton 94 sarnghatz. This is your
ing, " Who is competent to compile the storehouse
fault."
of the Law ? " Aniruddha said, " Sariputra.98 who
Ananda said, "At that tzme a great wind sud-
was the second Buddha, had a good disciple named
denly arose, and as there was no one to aid me,
Gavampati.99 Gentle, sweet, and refined, he always
when the gust of wind came it eaused my foot to
stays in a close retreat, and he has an excellent
fall down. It was not beeause I did not honor and
knowledge of the Dharmapitaka.l°° At present he
respeet [the Buddha] that I trod on the Buddha's
robe."
98 Although six are mentioned only five are listed.
[Rasyapa] also said, "After the Buddha's Nir- 97Lou>, literally, " flux." There are four of these:
vana, you showed to women the mark of the Bud- kama-, bhava-, avidy&-, and dr§ty-, respectively, " de-
dha's eoneealed privates (kosagatarastiguhya).95 sire," " [craving for] existence," " unwisdom," and
" [wrong] views."
How ean you not be ashamed about this? This is 98 She-li-fu.
your fault."
99 Chiao-fan-p'o-t'i, Gavampati, literally, " Lord of
Ananda replied, "I thought at that time that Osen," here said to have been a disciple of Cariputra,
if the women were to see the mark of the Buddha's is also mentioned as one of the four friends (the other
coneealed privates they would be ashamed of their three were Vimala, Subahu, and P1irn. a ) of Yeh-she,
Yasas ( or Yasodeva, Pali, Yasa ), another disciple of
£eminine formS and would aspire to seek a maseu-
the Buddha ( BHS, p. 445, s. v. Yasas and Yasodeva ) .
line body, and that they would plant blessed and Przyluski ( Concile, pp. 239-256; see especially p. 242 )
virtuous deeds in order to realize by cultivation has shown that there is a corresponding analogy to this
and praetiee the eharaeteristies of a Buddha. name in a title used in reference to Biva: Pasupati
( " Lord of Beasts " ) . This latter name, an ancient
Henee, I showed them. It was not beeause I was
epithet for Rudra-§iva, appears already in the Atharva
laeking in shatne that I broke a prohibition." Ved a, and it exactly matches Gavampati. Even more
striking, however, as Przyluski observes in his brilliant
93 This sentence is inadvertently left out in Lamotte's analysis of this myth, is the fact that Gavampati is
translation. found in the 71fahabharata as one of the names of siva.
94 Tieh. According to Przyluski (Concile, p. 63) this There is little doubt, therefore, that there was borrowing
signifies fine cotton or wollen cloth. From this material in the creation of this Buddhist figure. Lamotte (Traite,
the Buddha's cassock was made; see Przyluski, "Le p. 97, n. 2) remarks that this episode of Gavalnpati is
Parinirvaxa et les funerailles du Bouddha," Journat also reported in the Chia-yeh chieh ching ( Przyluski,
asiatique, 11th ser., XI (1918), 501 and 514-a18. . Sexg- conGilea pp. 6-11), in the legend of A§oka (Concile, pp.
chia-li, Samghatl, was a kind of assembly cassock of 29-32 ), the Chuan-chi san-tsang chi tsa-tsang chuan
from nine to twenty-five pieces. (Concilen pp. 96-97), the P'en-pieh kung-te lun (Concile,
96 Yin-tsaxg-hsiaxg. One of the signs of a perfected pp. 115-116) and in the Mulasarvastivadin Vinaya (W.
Buddha was the concealment of the male organ in a W. Rockhill, The Lif e of the Buddha [London, 1884],
sheath like that of the horse. On this special char- pp. 149-150).
acteristic, see Lamotte, Traite, p. 275 n. 1. 100 The Ta-chih-tuz luzrl, differs slightly here.

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Mahamaudgalyayana ? 111
LINE: The Earliest Chinese Account of the Compilation of the "Tripitaka' fl) 99
is up in the heavens in the Sirtsavana.10l We tinction too quickly. The eye of the world (loka-
could send a messenger to invite h to come." cak.sus) 108 has been extinguished. Following the
Mahakasyapa said to a [Bhiksu] who was re- Buddha in turning the Wheel of the Law (dhar-
cently ordained,102 "You ought be a messenger macakra), the Great Leader,109 my Upadhyaya,1l0
iSor the Sangha to go up in the heavens to the Sariputra, now where is he?" [The Bhik.su] re-
Sirtsavana where Gavampati is dwelling. Having plied, " He has already entered into Nirvana."
arrived there, you will say to Gavampati, "Ma- Gavampati said, " As the great teachers, the
hakasyapa and the Arhat who have brought the leaders of the Law, have each severally departed,
impurities to an end (kstnasrava) 103 are all what is there for me to do ? Now where is
gathered in Jambudvtpa. The Sangha has busi-
:ness to do with the Great Law. You may make [The Bhik.su] replied, " He also has gone to
haste and come ! " Nirrana !
This Bhiks1b was delighted and, reverently con- Gavampati said, "The Law of the Buddha is
senting, received the Sangha's orders. Having about to disintegrate. The great men have de-
prostrated his head and face [to the earth] toward parted. The beings are to be pitied. The AyusmaX
the Sangha (sanghaMrn sirasabhtvandya) n104 and Ananda, what does he do now ? "
having circumambulated them three times to the [That Bhtksu] answered, " The Bhik.sqb Ananda,
right (triApradaksintkrtya),105 like a bird with plunged in sorrow and sadness, weeps bitterly, and
wings of gold (garuda), he soared aloft and left. he is unable to master himself."
IIaving arrived and prostrated [his face] at his Gavampati said, Ananda's afflictions (klesa)
feet, he said, "Mahakasyapa has said, "Now the arise from the fact that he has bonds of affection
Order has business with the Great Dharma; you (anunaya-bandhana), and that he cannot separate
may make haste and quickly come to look over the himself from the sufferings of life. How is
congregation, which is like a heap of jewels " Rahula, then ? "
(ratnakuta) . [The Bhik$u] said, " Having attained Arhat-
At that time Gavsupati harbored doubts in his ship, he, therefore, has neither sorrow nor sadness.
heart, and so he said to this Bhiksqz, " It is not that iEe merely bears in mind the fact that all elements
the Order is engaged in disputing and quarrelling (dharma) have the characteristics of impermanence
(vivadavasfu),l°6 [T. SS. CST. 1. 3a] that they call (anifyalaksana)."
me, is itt There are not schisms in the Sangha Gavampati said, "It is hard to cut ofE affection
(sanghabEeda),l07 are there ? The Sun of the even if one is able to cut it ofE." He also said, "I
Buddha has not become extinct? " have lost the Great Teacher, the World IIonored
That Bhiksu said, "Truly, it is as you have One, therefore, after all, of what use is it to remain
said. The great Teacher (mahacarya), the here ? My Upadhyaya and the great teachers also
World Honored One (Bhagavat), has gone to have already gone to estinction (Nirvana). I
extinction (Nirvana)." now am not able to go down to Jambudvtpa. Now
Gavampati said, "The Buddha has gone to ex- immediately from here I will enter partntrvana.'2
Having said this, he immediately entered
1Ol Shih-li,-sha-shu gxuan, Siri,savana. Lamotte ( Trai,te,
p. 98, n. 1 ) states that this is the Seri,sakavimana of 108 ghi^-chien gxen-
the Pali sources, a palace located in the world of the 109 Chuan-fa-lun ta-chiang, more generally, Fta-chiang,
Four Great Kings (caturmaharajaka). Cf. T. W. Rhys Dharmasena-pati, an epithet of Cariputra.
Davids and E. J. Carpenter, ed., Diphanikagxa (3 vols., Bo-shang.
Pali Text Society, London, 1890-1911), II, 356. Because
1llMo-ho-mu-chien-lien, Maudgalyayana, is the gotra-
of the merits of good deeds (karman) done in his former name and usual appelation of :Solita, who was often
lives, Gavampati was residing in calm in this Stri,sa paired with the venerable sariputra among the ten
palace.
leading disciples of Cakyamuni. According to the story
102 According to other sources, Purna or Suprabuddha. of his conversion, he was formerly an ascetic and a
Chu lou-chin-
friend of Cariputra. The two friends had agreed that
los T;ou-mien-li-seng-
the first to find the truth would reveal it to the other.
106 Yu-jao san-tsa.
sariputra, having found the Buddha, brought Maud-
lod Tou-cheng- galyayana to him. Maudgalyayana was noted especially
107 P'o-seng-che.
for his miraculous powers ( rd d hibala ) .

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100 LINE:: The Earliest Chinese Account of the Cornpilation of the "Tripitaka" (I)
samadhi and, leaping aloft into the empty air, his [Easyapa] again asked him, " WShy have you
body emitting brilliant rays of light (rasmipra- come ? "
bhasa), [he performed] all kinds of supernatural He replied, " To night I have found the end of
metamorphoses ( pratiharya) .ll2 From his body all the flux of impurity (asravak$aya) ! "
he made fire appear which then consumed his " [There is then no need] for me to open the
body. From his body water appeared which flowed gate for you. You may come in through the
in four streams. When these reached to where keyhole."
Mahakasyapa was, from within these waters a Ananda replied, " So be it." And immediately
voice spoke this stanza: by means of his miraculous power (rddhtbala)
Gavampati bows his head in salutation [T. 55. CST. 1. 3b] he entered through the keyhole
To the wonderful assllmbly, to the supreme of the gate.ll4 IIe prostrated himself before the
Sangha of venerables ! feet of the assembly and confessed [his faults].
Having heard of the Buddha's Nirvana,
Mahakasyapa said, '; Never again will you be
I follow Eim and depart,
Like the great elephant which, having left,
blamed." Mahakasyapa rubbed his head with his
is followed by the little elephants. hand, "This is why for your sake I had you seek
the Way.1l5 You ought, therefore, neither to dis-
Then the recently ordained Bhiksu, bearing the
like nor to hate me. Moreover, I likewise have
vestment and bowel, returned to the Sangha.
brought you to prove yourself. For example, when
During the interval of this time, Ananda re-
one draws with one's hand in the empty air there
flected, seeking to bring the remaining bonds to
is nothing that stains or adheres to it.ll6 The
an end. That night he had seated himself in
mind of an Arhat is also like this. Return to your
dhy2na, and had practiced diligently and zealously
original seat ! 2) 117
the search for the Way (marga). This Ananda
At this time those in the Sangha had once again
was great in wisdom (prajna), but was weak in
assembled for consultation, and they were remark-
stabilization of mind (samadhi), and he was un-
ing that as Gavampati had chosen Xirvana, who
able to gain the Way. If his samadhz and prajna
again was there competent to compile the Dharma-
had been equal, he could have obtained the Way
pitaka ? Then Aniruddha said, " There is the
quickly.
Ayusmat Ananda; among the disciples of the
Later that night, he was about to leave. His
Buddha he constantly served and was close to the
fatigue being e:streme, he lay down to rest. As
Buddha. For his ability in hearing the Siitra, and
he was reclining on the bed, and when his head was
in retaining them, the Buddha constantly es-
approaching the pillow- suddenly he gained En-
claimed in admiration and praised him. There is
lightennnent. Like a stroke of lightning cleaving
only Ananda who can compile the storehouse of
the darkness he saw the Way. Ananda in this way
the Lav."
entered the Diamond sarnddhi (vajrasaqnadh+),ll3
At this time Mahakasyapa rubbed Ananda's
and broke asunder the mountain of the afflictions
head and said, " The Buddha has commissioned
(klesa). He obtained the three clairvoyances
you repeatedly with the command that you retain
(vidya), the six superknowledges (abhi,jna)7 and
the eight deliverances (vimoksa) entirely, and be-
114 Emending fei-mess, which makes no sense, to read
came an Arhat of great power. Immediately while with the Ta-chih-tu lunn men-yao-k'ung. In the Vinaya
it was yet night, he went to the gate of the hall of the hfahasamphika ( Przyluski, Concile, p. 209 ),
where the Sangha was and, knocking at the gate, Ananda finds the door locked but does not enter through
the keyhole.
cried out. Mahakasyapa asked him, " Who is
115 Delete to accord with Ta-chih-tu lun, 69a, the re-
krloeking at the gate ? " dundant ku in the corresponding CST passage.
He answered, " I am; Ananda ! " 116 One is reminded by this example that in the archaic
period of Chinese Buddhist translation Arhat was ren-
1t2 Shen-pien. The production of water and fire from dered by unu-chu, " nTithout attachment," or " having no
the body are twin miracles (yamakapratiharya) which adherence." For the equivalence see T. 55. CST. 1. 6a. 21.
the Buddha performed on several occasions, and +rhich tt7 Lamotte ( Traite, p. 101, n. 1 ) states that in the
the saints produce frequently at the moment of their Chia-yeh-chieh ching (Przyluski, Concile, p. 16) and the
A;ir?ana. SIahasaxnghika Vinaya ( Concile, p. 209 ) KaAyaI)a also
113 Cy/qKn-kang-ting- makes excuses to Ananda.

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LINE: The Eartiest Chinese Account of the Cornpitation of the "Tripitaka" (I) 101
(dharayati) 118 the Dharrnapttaka. You should Ajnata Kaundinya t25
requite the Buddha's mercy. In what place did Was the first to gain the view of the Way (darKana-
marga); t26
the Buddha for the first time preach the Law? A multitude of eighty thousand lReva also all entered
Those of the great disciples of the Buddha who on the Traees of the Way ( srota-apanna ) ! ' 12t
were competent to guard the Dharrnaptaka have
all gone to estinction. Only you alone remain. When the thousand Arhat had heard this pro-
Now you ought, in accordance with the thought of nouncement, they then mounted up into space as
the Buddha, having pity and compassion for the high as seven {aZa trees; 128 all said, ;; The force of
many beings, to compile the storehouse of the impermanence is great (anityatabata) ! As our
Law." eyes have seen the Buddha preach the Law, now
At this time Ananda, having prostrated himself then speak and we will attend." And they then
before the Sangha, sat on the lion throne (sim- pronounced this stanza:
hasana). Then, Mahakasyapa spoke this stanza We have seen the marks of the Buddha's body,t29
(yatha): Like unto a ruddy golden hill:
The massed virtues of these marvelous marks have
The Buddha is the Holy King of Lions; been extinguished;
snanda is the Buddha's son (Buddhaputra) ! Only fame alone remains !
He overlooks the Assembly where there is no Buddha;
Likewise the Assembly of Venerables, The Ayusrnat Aniruddha then pronounced this
Deprived of the Buddha, has lost its awe-inspiring gatha:
might ( prabhava ),
As the void [of night] when deprived of the moon, Alas ! All in the world is impermanent,
Though there be the eonstellations, yet is laeking in As the [refleeted image of the] moon in the waters
splendor; or the [pithless] banana plant.t30
You () Great Man of Wisdom, speak! He whose merits and virtues filled the three worlds,
You, () Son of Buddha, ought to expound! Has been destroyed by the wind of impermanenee !
V\lhat xvas the plaee xvhere the Buddha first preaehed?
Now you ought to bring this forth, to make it mani- At that time Mahakasyapa again pronounced
fest! the following stanza:
At this time the Ayusrnat Ananda, with singular The power of impermanenee is very great !
Fools and sages, the impoverished and the noble,
mindfulness (ekacitta), joined his hands, and
Those who have found the Way, and those who have
facing the place of the Buddha's Nirvana, ad-
not found it,
dressed them as follows:
When the Buddha first preaehed the Dharma, 126 A-jo-ehiao-eh'en-ju; one of the first five Bhiksu
That time I did not see. eonverted, and the first to aehieve an understanding of
It is thus that I have heard it told in tradition the Buddha's teaching following the latter's Enlighten-
(paramparaya): 119 ment. He is said to have been a former prinee of Ma-
The Buddha was in Varanasl,120 gadha and the maternal uncle of sakyamuni.
12G ahien-tao.
There the Buddha for the sake of the five Bhiksu
127 Tao-chi, the first of the four fruits of Htnayana
First opened the Gate of Immortality (Amrtadvara).
EIe preached the Law of the Four Truths: saneity. For the equivalence, see Demieville, " La Yo-
carabSumi," p. 406, n. 1.
T1le Truth of suffering,l21 its aggregation,l22 its
128 To-lo shu, Tala, the Palmyra or Fan Palm, whose
extinction,123 and the Way124 thereto.
leaves ( pattra ) are used for writing, is deseribed as
seventy or eighty feet in height. This formula also
118 Ch'ih.
oceurs in the form " as high as eight Tala trees." The
119 Chan-chuax tsen. meaning is simply, "very high."
120 Po-lo-nai, the modern Benares, where the Buddha, 129 On these marks, see Lamotte, Traite, p. 271, and
as indicated in the text, preached his first sermon to his the bibliography listed there. A recent study is A.
former five companions. These former diseiples of Wayman, " Contributions Regarding the Thirty-two
sakyamuni had earlier deserted him when the Bodhi- Characteristics of the Great Person," Liebenthal Ftest-
sattva renounced extreme asceticism as unprofitable for schrif t, pp. 243-260.
the realization of spiritual truth. 130 Favorite Buddhist similes for the inconstaney of
121 g;ffn du7.wka.
phenomenal things. As in the ease of a banana plant
122 ahi, samudaya
which can be stripped leaf from leaf, so ean all things be
123 gieh, nirodha-
analyzed into infinitesimals of becoming (dharma) with-
124 Tao, marGa-
out involving a substanee or ego.

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taka ? 140 They all said, " The Ayusmat Upali 141
102 LIN1i: The Earliest Chinese Account of the Compilation of the "Tripitaka" (I)
Altogether are unable to avoid it.

The Arhat again asked, "Who is competent to
Neither elever words, nor marvelous jewels,
understand fully and compile the V1/nayap-
Neither guile, wiles, nor strong dispute
[ean win over it]:
As fire eonsumes all things, is among the five hundred Arhat the first in re-
Just so are the law and eharaeteristies of im- taining the discipline (vi?wayadhara).l42 We will
permanenee '
now invite him." And they immediately invited
Mahakasyapa said to Ananda,l31 " From the him to arise and come to the lion throne. They
Dharmacakrapravartana-sibtra 132 Up to the Ma- asked him at what place did the Buddha preach
haparintrvana,l 33 the collection [of scriptures] for the first time the Vinaya and assemble the
prohibitions (stla ) .143
-
torms the Four Agama * 134 ( 1 ) Ekottaragamanl35

(2) MadAyamagama,l36 (3) Dtrghagatna,l37 and Upali, having received the order of the Sangha,
(4) Saq7tyuktugama.l38 This we call the store- and having seated hlmself on the lion throne,
house of the Law of the Sutra (Sutradharmap- [said]:
taka). 139
Thus have I heard on one occasion: The Buddha was
in Vaisall.l44 At that time, Sudinna,l45 the son (p¢tra)
131 Lamotte ( Traite, p. 103, n. 1) observes that the end of the master of the house (Xalanda),l46 for the first
of this ehapter gives an aeeount of the eompilation of time had a concupiscent desire. It was for this reason
the Buddhist texts. He further notes that the sourees and under these conditions that there was assembled for
are not in eomplete aeeord as to what works or division the first time [the list of] great faults:
of works were eompiled. Thus we find: (a) The writ- ( 1-3 ) . the explanations pertaining to the two hundred
ings are divided into two parts: Dhorma and Vinaya. and fifty prohibitions ( Panca£addvisataSttasamprayxkta-
Upali reeites the Vinaya, and Ananda sets forth the kartha ) 147 in three sections ( varpa ) ,148
Sutrapitaka (Pali Vinaya, and the Vinaya of the lWa- (4). the Seve¢ Precepts (Saptadharma),l49
htsasaka; see Przyluski, ao¢cile pp. 143-147 ) . The (o). the Eight Precepts (Astadharma),l50
Elders reeeive the Jgama from Ananda and write the ( 6 ) . the BhiksXtvinaya,l5
rules and preeepts (Concile, pp. 85-86). Ananda reeites (7). the Ekottara,
first of all the Dharrnapitaka, then Upali the Vinayapi- ( 8 ) . the Upalipariprecha,l52
taka ( Vinaya of the Mahasamphika; Concile, pp. 21 1- (9). the Rsudrakavarpa,l63
216). (b) A Slatrka, or eateehism, is added to the first (10). the :Kusalavarga; 164 thus, these eighty vargv
two pitaka. Ananda reeites the Sutrapitaka, Upali the comprise the Vinayapitaka.l66
Vinayapitaka, Ka§yapa the Matrka ( aeeording to the
legend of Asoka). It is likely that the later AbEidhar-
140 P;i-ni tsang-
rnapitaka developed from some type of primitive tnatrka.
141 yU-po-li.
( e ) The writings are divided into three pitaka, but there 142 ah'ih-lu.
is no eertainty as to their order of eomposition, or as
143 ahiehn Stla.
to who reeited them. Upali reeites the Vinaya, snanda
144 P'i-she-li, Vaifiall, translated into Chinese as kuang-
the Sutra and the AbEidharma ( Vinaya of the Sar-
yen ch'eng, " extensively adorned city." A kingdom and
vastivadin, Concile, pp. 227-231; Vinaya of the Dharma-
gupta, Concile, pp. 187-195; and the Ta-chih-tu lun). city of the Licchavis, where the second council was sup-
132 Chuan-fa-lux ching, supposedly the first sermon posedly held. It is located near Basarh, and north of
preached by the Buddha after his Enlightenment. For Patna. On this second council see M. Hofinger, Stude
sur le Concile de VaXals (Louvain, 1946).
an early Chinese tr. of this scripture ascribed to An 145 Esu lin na
Shih-kao, see T. no. 109; ef. also T. no. 99 (379), and
146 Chia-lan-t'o, Kalanda, further glossed in the text
T. no. 110.
as chang-che. Taking these as an entire name, this
133 Ta-pan-nieh-p'an, the Sutra of the Great Demise;
would be Sudinna-kalandaputra. On this sin of Sudinna
for Chinese versions of this scripture recounting the last
see for other sources, Lamotte, Traite, p. 104, n. 1.
acts and words of the Buddha's career, see T. nos. 5, 6,
147 Erh-pai-uwu-shih chieh-i.
7, 374, and 375.
148 Pu, sarva
134 A-haS.
149 ahsi fa
135 Tseng-w a-han, T. no. 125.
160 Pa-fa.
1SG Chung a-han, T. no. 26 .
l 5l Pi-ch'iu-ni p'i-ni
37 Ch'ang a-han, T. no. 1.
152 yU-po-li uwen.
138 Est,anp-yq2q a-han-
153 Tsa-pu.
139 IIsiu-tu-lu fa-tsang. Lamotte (Traite, p. 103, n. 2) 154 ,shan-pu-
says that according to some seholars ( S. L6vi, " Les seize
166Lamotte (Traite, pp. 104-105, n. 2) notes that this
Arhat," Journal asiatique, 11th ser., VIII (1916), 31-
list is none other than the table of contents of the
32; Przyluski, Concile, pp. 352-353) the order in which
Shih-sung lu, the SarvastivadinZ Vinaga. The number
the Agama are cited is of some importance. Lamotte
eighty (which should read ten) is a mistake. For an
(ibid.) lists the order of citation in the various sources.

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LINE:. The Earliest Chinese Account of the Cornpilation of the "Tripitaka" (I) 103
The Arhat again reflected together, "We will When the three storehouses of the Law had been
invite Ananda to compile the Abhidharrrapitaka," compiled, the Deva, men (rnanusa), the Naga
and they invited him in these words: " Arise, kings (nagaraja), and the like, made offerings of
approach the lion throne. Where was the Buddha divers kinds: celestial flowers (puspa), perfumes
when he first preached the AbEidharrna ? " Ananda, (gandha), banners (pataka), parasols ( chattra),
having received the command of the Sangha, said: and garments (vastra). This they did in order to
make offerings to the Law. Thereupon, they pro-
Thus have I heard on one occasion: The Buddha was
in the city of Cravastl.156 At that time the Buddha rlounced this stanza:
addressed the Bhik$u: " All those who have the five
Because of pity and compassion for the world
frightful things ( bhaya ) ,157 the five sins ( apatti ) ,168
and the five hates (vaira) n159 and who have not quenched There have been compiled the three storehouses of
the Law.
them, for this reason, in this life receive corporal and
mental sufferings that are immeasurable. Moreover, in The Omniscient who has the Ten Powers ( dasa-
their later lives they will fall into the evil ways bala): 169
(durgati).160 All those who have rid themselves of these The wisdom of his speech is a lamp which illumines
five frightful things, five sins, and five hates, for this [darkness ( avidya ) ] ! 170
reason, in their present lives receive all kinds of corporal
and mental pleasures, and in their lives they are born The abridged recital of the three storehouses is
up in the heavens (ssarga),16l or in a pleasant [abode]
ended.l7l
(sukha[vihara]).162 What are the five frightful things
that need to be put afar?
(1). murder ( pranatipata),163 statement of the Abhidharmapitaka is taken almost
( 2 ) . theft ( adattadana ) ,164 verbatim from the Vinaya of the Sarvastivadin School,
( 3 ) . illicit sexual relations ( kamamithyacara ) ,165 the Shih-sung X, T. no. 1435, cho4an sisty, 449a (tr. in
( 4 ) . f alsehood ( mrsavad a ) ,166 Przyluski, Concile, p. 231 ) . According to the Shih-
(5). drinking of intoxicants (madyapana): 167 thus, sung lMu, the Buddha preached the Abhidharma for the
these we call the AbSidharmapitaka." 168 first time at Cravastl. Actually, as Lamotte remarks,
according to the Anguttara, 3, 204-205, it was in the
explanation as to how this error came about, see La- garden of Anathapindika, the Jetavana, in Cravastl that
motte, ibid. The Vinaya of the country of Mathura, the Buddha set forth the five frightful things with which
with its Jataka and Avadana, counted eighty chapters. our text is here concerned. This Anguttara text (quoted
See Przyluski, " Fables in the VinayapitaZca of the by Lamotte) seems not to have any correspondences in
Sarvastivadin School," Indian Historical Quarterly, V the Chinese Jgama. The Pali Anguttara has incorpo-
( 1929 ), 1-5. In other sources, however, the Vinayapitaka rated a sermon into the nikaya which is considered by
is analyzed in quite a different manner. For references other schools as forming part of the Abhidharmapitaka.
see Przyluski, Concile, p. 402. 169 For a short listing of these ten powers, see Soot-
166 She-p'o-t'i ch'eng, Cravastl, usually transliterated hill and Hodous, A Dictionary of Chinese Bud d hist
simply as She-wei, the ancient city and kingdom five Terms (London, 1937), p. 46, s.v. dasabala.
hundred miles NW of Kapilavastu. Cravastl was a 170 :For the last line the Ta-chih-tu lun version reads:
favorite resort of the Buddha, the Jetavana being there. shuo chih wu-ming teng; CST gives for wu, kuang,
167 Explained in the text following. " illumines." Lamotte here follows Przyluski's earlier
168 On these five groups of sins to which monks may be rendering (Concile, p. 72), and translates this as, "La
subject, see BHS, s. v. apatti, with appropriate refer- sages se de ses paroles est la lampe qui detruit l'igno -
ences. rance." However, this rendering is impossible unless
169 J;Vu-yvan-
one takes wu in two senses, viz., as a verb, " to do away
1so Fu-tao, namely, birth as an animal, a preta, or an with," and then as the first item in the compound
infernal being. wu-ming, avidya. Although allowance must be made for
161 T'ien the fact that this is verse, still the asT version because
162 Ta-chih-tu lun adds ch'u, " abode," shang-lo ch'u. of these difficulties seems preferable. Moreover, wu and
163 sha-sheng kuang could easily be confused graphically.
164 Tao. 171 Seng-yu here concludes his quotation from the
166 H5ieh-yin- Ta-chih-tu lun with this general account of the compila-
66 Wang-yMu. tion of the Tripitaka; for the unquoted remainder of
167 Yin-chiu. this chapter, see Lamotte, Traite, pp. 106-114 ( cor-
168 Lamotte ( Traite, p. 106, n. 1 ) observes that this responding to Ta-chih-tu lun, 2. 70a-70b ) .

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The Earliest Chinese Account of the Compilation of the Tripiṭaka (I)

Author(s): Arthur E. Link

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/595048

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early Chinese converts seemed to have eagerly

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Buddhists. tion, we have obtained these hundred chuan [of the

torical, doetrinal, and stylistie grounds. The problem is

1 -37 . of this extremely important correspondence, of whieh

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precious storehouse of the Law ( d harmaratnapitaka ),

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Disciples of Buddha ! 66 San-ch'ien-ta-chsien shih-chieh, a system eontaining

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The Buddha questioned you, " If a man is well eulti-

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(dharayati) 118 the Dharrnapttaka. You should Ajnata Kaundinya t25

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Altogether are unable to avoid it.

torms the Four Agama * 134 ( 1 ) Ekottaragamanl35

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