Abstract
Abstract
There is a Tangut version of the Mañjuśirī-dhāraṇī-sūtra entitled Sūtra of Counting the Merits and Virtues of Rosaries in the Mañjuśirī-dhāraṇī preserved in the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, Russian Academy of Sciences. The paper proves by collating the nomenclatures that the Tangut text was a translation from the Chinese version of the text by Yijing rather than that of Baosiwei.
The Tangut text discussed here comes from inv. No. 6064 of the Khara-Khoto collection in the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, Russian Academy of Sciences. Its corresponding Chinese title, Manshushili Zhouzang zhong Jiaoliang Shuzhu Gongde Jing 曼殊室利咒藏中校量数珠功德经 (Sūtra of Counting the Merits and Virtues of Rosaries in the Mañjuśirī-dhāraṇī), was recorded by Nishida (1977: 32) and its modality was described in detail by Kychanov (1999: 411), 1 and then published by Eluosi Kexueyuan et al. (2016: 91), but there has not been an entire unscrambling so far. The aim of the present paper is to provide a translation with commentaries of this text, and then identify the origin of the Tangut translation.
Under the Tangut title mã śju̱ śjɨ lji ŋwə̱ ·ụkha ·jɨr tshjɨ̱tśja ·io̱w pjụka̱r lwə rejr 砙白矋稈俐入袭砋务緳萚壳腕瞲其 (Sūtra of Counting the Merits and Virtues of Rosaries in the Mañjuśirī-dhāraṇī) there is a character rjɨj 罵 (consider) marking the order in the Tangut Tripiṭaka, 2 but its exact position remains unknown as the whole set of the Tangut Tripiṭaka has not been preserved.
Following the photos taken by the Shanghai Chinese Classics Publishing House, the Chinese word-by-word decipherment, 3 English transcription, and commentaries are given below. 4 Since the Tangut original is slightly fragmentary, we use the symbol “□” for missing characters.
砙白矋稈俐入袭砋务緳萚壳腕瞲其
曼殊室利咒藏中数珠功德校量契经
Sūtra of Counting the Merits and Virtues of Rosaries in the Mañjuśirī-dhāraṇī
穔砂砙白矋稈俐矖腲竛亡舘闰吵舘菞缾礼袭嫉臀息哄, 汝蜔挞腵,
尔时曼殊室利咒法王子菩萨摩诃萨大众聚中座从△起, 衣服整理,
At that time Mañjuśirī Dhāraṇī Dharma Prince Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva stood up among the masses, tidying up his clothes,
繃薾纳蜔, 蘹稉耉籯, 緽谍禑妒 : 融构！籋罏礠蟅緛谍竲紋絅,
右肩偏袒, 掌合恭敬, 佛之言谓 : 世尊！我今诸有情△利益故,
uncovering his right shoulder, respectfully with folded palms and said to the Buddha: Lord! Now in order to benefit various sattvas,
砋赴省籱緳萚虓铜, 紐米竲紋酞壳腕晾籋. 翗镁融构焚蘝禑蚌.
数珠受持功德开宣, 福田利益异校量欲我. 唯愿世尊慈愍言许.
I want to preach the merits and virtues of holding the rosaries, to count the differences within felicities and interests. Would you lord promise with compassion?
緽砙白矋稈谍禑妒 : 苛胅苛胅! 舊碽铜萯.
佛曼殊师利△言谓 : 善哉善哉! 汝所说汝.
The Buddha told Mañjuśirī: Good indeed, good indeed! You may preach it.
砙白矋稈亡舘闰吵舘禑 : 蔲界竭竛界眛綀订竲蝡蔰, 礠矖胅萚絪氨阶晾絅,
曼殊室利菩萨摩诃萨言 : 若善男子善女人自利他护, 诸法功德即成能欲故,
Mañjuśirī Bodhisattva Mahāsattva said: If good men and good women, in order to benefit themselves and protect others, want to quickly achieve the merits and virtues of each dharma,
礠綒茸碃篎礠緽谍疥技簄务, 焊砋务矖篔蘦堡省籱籃.
诸陀罗尼及诸佛之名字念诵, 其数珠法仪是如受持当.
chanting various dhāraṇīs and the designations of various Buddhas, they should intend to hold the ritual of rosaries like this.
焊砋务搐蟨蟨篟笜. 蔲蕔嘻砋务属, 息蓭务窾氦酬紐笍.
其数珠体种种不同. 若铁以数珠作, 一遍诵则五倍福得.
The materials of various rosaries are different. If they are made of iron, five times blessing will be gained in one chanting.
蔲擅缸嘻砋务属, 息蓭务窾灯酬紐笍.蔲讲始弛拓嘻砋务属,
若铜赤以数珠作, 一遍诵则十倍福得. 若珠真等宝以数珠作,
If they are made of copper, ten times blessing will be gained in one chanting. If they are made of pearl or other treasures, 5
息蓭务窾舅酬紐笍. 蔲嘿祤驾嘻砋务属, 息蓭务窾遍酬紐笍.
一遍诵则百倍福得. 若梵语子以数珠作, 一遍诵则千倍福得.
one hundred times blessing will be gained in one chanting. If they are made of Sanskrit seeds, 6 one thousand times blessing will be gained in one chanting.
蔲嘿葾驾嘻砋务属, 息蓭属 7 务窾礝酬紐笍. 蔲綒紻臤脃嘻砋务属,
若梵莲子以数珠作, 一遍作诵则万倍福得. 若陀啰佉叉以数珠作,
If they are made of Sanskrit lotus seeds, ten thousand times blessing will be gained in one chanting. If they are made of indrākṣa,
息蓭务窾舅礝酬紐笍. 蔲篛羪胇紻臤脃嘻砋务属, 息蓭务窾舅秸酬紐笍.
一遍诵则百万倍福得. 若乌嚧陀啰佉叉以数珠作, 一遍诵则百亿倍福得;
million times blessing will be gained in one chanting. If they are made of urudharakṣa, one ten billion times blessing will be gained in one chanting.
蔲繰讲嘻砋务属, 息蓭务窾遍秸酬紐笍. 蔲亡舘驾嘻砋务属,
若水晶以数珠作, 一遍诵则千亿倍福得. 若菩萨子以数珠作,
If they are made of crystal, one hundred billion times blessing will be gained in one chanting. If they are made of Bodhisattva seeds,
息蓭务窾焊紐吞壳, 繏罗臀哗, 壳絍臀哗. 蔲礠緽葾繕镁癏晾,
一遍诵则其福无量, 数计可无, 校量可无. 若诸佛净土愿生欲,
unlimited blessing will be gained in one chanting, being innumerable, being countless. If people want to be born in the various Buddha’s Pure Land,
窾矖瞭蘦砋务省籱籃. 砙白矋稈禑 : 亡蘀驾□□□□□聜嘻莀籱,
则法依此数珠受持当. 曼殊室利言 : 菩提子□□□□□手以受持,
they should accordingly hold the rosaries. Mañjuśrī said: Bodhi seed … hold in hands,
魏矖瞭緽疥篎綒茸碃□□□□嘻莀籱. 膖纚嫉脧籃哗,砋务蔎篟□□□□□,
亦法依佛名及陀罗尼□□□□以受持. 行住坐卧应无, 数珠与不□□□□□,
and accordingly hold the designations of Buddhas and dhāraṇīs … No matter they are walking, stopping, sitting or lying, do not … from the rosaries,
蔲界蔲履籃哗, 焊綀亡蘀驾莀瞭, □□□□□礠緽疥技篎綒茸碃务蔎息篔篟酞,
若善若恶应无, 斯人菩提子受因, □□□□□诸佛名字及陀罗尼诵与一样无差,
no matter they are good or bad, because those persons hold the bodhi rosaries … to be the same and not differentiated from chanting the designations of various Buddhas and dhāraṇīs,
□□□□. 焊砋务落舅萰蘶笒累籃. 蔲笍籿吞累,蔵氦灯蘶, 8 舉灯蒤蘶,
□□□□. 斯数珠者百八颗具足应. 若得难不足, 或五十颗, 二十七颗,
…The total number of rosaries should be one hundred and eight. If it is difficult to get enough, then either fifty-[four] or twenty-seven,
灯淮蘶弛癐属蚐搓. 蘦□砋务緳萚酞紪怖. 砙白矋稈禑:
十四颗等皆为得有. 此□数珠功德差别是. 曼殊室利言:
or merely fourteen are also permitted. This is the difference of merits and virtues among rosaries. Mañjuśrī said:
往翖絅瞭籋罏□□□□□紋籄監铜籋? 9 焦紻砈毋緽矂融脜,
何因缘依我今□□□□□益最胜说我? 过去世于佛一世生,
By what cause I said it is the best to …? In the past period a Buddha came into the world,
蘦□□□□□□肅氨. 箿癝篎矂矟癿絧緛戊拓荚□□□□□□矂罈,
此□□□□□□觉成. 他道外一邪见心有三宝毁□□□□□□一有,
this … achieved Enlightenment. Another religious externalist blackened the Tri-ratna with irregular mind … has a ….
篟綀庭属沏苖. 穔玛癝篎蘦□□□□□矟癿, 礠緽往堡羴两罈?
非人△△△杀. 尔时道外此□□□□□邪见, 诸佛何如神力有?
was killed by a scoundrel. At that time the religious externalist … irregular mind, what extraordinary powers the Buddhas have?
竀紴罏蘦喂□□□□蔲綃始嘻怖, 窾蘦喂次庭羍胇萚搓.
如来今此树□□□□若圣真以是, 则此树实艺技功德有.
Now Tathāgata this tree … If he were really a saint, the tree should reflect the actual merits and virtues.
□□□□弃亡蘀喂號倘, 蘦堡禑妒 : 緽喂綃始□□□□竛息搏菻萯妒.
□□□□执菩提树下放, 如是言谓 : 佛树圣真□□□□子一生令汝谓.
… put under the bodhi tree and said so: If the tree were really a saint … the son should be brought back to life.
蒤磖箍緽疥碽务, 焊□□□□□□□礠緽谍氢艱 : 菞羴两籋緽□□□□□□□
七日整佛名乃诵, 彼□□□□□□□诸佛之赞叹 : 大神力我佛□□□□□□□
After chanting the designations of Buddhas for seven days, the … praised the Buddhas: The great extraordinary powers my Buddha …
籄菞壳緳艵, 紩铜臀籿癿. 挡□□□□□□□□秊蕽, 篎矟落緳谴,
甚大量德现, 思议可难见. 未□□□□□□□□事闻, 复邪者正趣,
seeing the great deal of inconceivable virtues presented … heard the matter, then who held the irregularities turned to the right,
亡蘀絧癏,们緽羴两紩铜臀哗. 蘦们翖絅瞭, 礠綀燃癐□□□□□
菩提心发, 信佛神力思议可不. 此信因缘依, 诸人悉皆□□□□□
developed the Enlightenment mind and believed the Buddha’s inconceivable extraordinary powers. Depend on this believable cause, all of the people …
砈泊喂妒. 蘦絅焊亡蘀喂落舉疥碽搓 : 矂疥亡蘀喂, 蒜疥砈泊喂妒.
命延树谓. 此故其菩提树者二名乃有 : 一名菩提树, 一名命延树谓.
“extending-life tree.” Thus the bodhi tree has two names. One is “bodhi tree,” the other is “extending-life tree.”
砂砙白矋稈亡舘闰吵舘蘦禑铜蜶, 緽禑: 苛胅苛胅！砙白矋稈！禑竀怖萯妒.
时曼殊室利菩萨摩诃萨此语说已, 佛言: 善哉善哉！曼殊室利！说实是汝谓.
When Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva Mahāsattva finished that statement, the Buddha said: Good indeed, good indeed! It is just the same as what you said.
穔砂菞缾砋务緳萚瞲其碽铜蕽, 篎癐菞絧窅, 们省槽膌.
尔时大众数珠功德契经乃说闻, 复皆大心喜, 信受奉行.
At that time, after hearing the explanation of Sūtra of the Merits and Virtues of Rosaries, everybody in the masses was happy and accepted in practice.
砙白矋稈砋务緳萚腕壳瞲其
曼殊师利数珠功德校量契经
Sūtra of Counting the Merits and Virtues of Rosaries in the Mañjuśirī-dhāraṇī
There are two Chinese versions of the Mañjuśirī-dhāraṇī-sūtra preserved in the Taisho Tripiṭaka: one is the translation by Baosiwei 宝思惟; the other, as stated by Nishida (1977: 32) and Kychanov (1999: 411), is translated by Yijing 义净. These two Chinese originals are parallel in content but slightly divergent in literal formulatio. Table 1 gives some examples.
The Tangut text is obviously a translation from the Chinese version of Yijing rather than that of Baosiwei.
Footnotes
Both Nishida and Kychanov inexactly translated the title as Wenshushili Zhouzang zhong Shuzhu Gongde Xianliang Jingdian 文殊师利咒藏中数珠功德现量经典.
There are Tripiṭakanumber marks in Tangut, which originated from the Chinese work Qianzi Wen 千字文 but entirely different from each other in content.
Tangut empty words (xuzi 虚字) are marked by “△.”
For the corresponding Chinese version, see Taisho Tripiṭaka T17, pp. 0726b–0727a. Some character and punctuation errors are corrected:
尔时曼殊室利法王子菩萨摩诃萨于大众中从座而起, 整理衣服, 偏袒右肩, 合掌恭敬白佛言：世尊！我今为欲利益诸有情故, 说受持数珠功德, 校量福分利益差别。 唯愿世尊哀愍听许。
佛告曼殊室利：善哉, 善哉！听汝为说。
曼殊室利菩萨摩诃萨言：若善男子善女人有能诵念诸陀罗尼及佛名者, 为欲自利及护他人, 速成诸法而得验者, 其数珠法应当如是作意受持。 然其珠体种种不同。 若以铁为数珠者, 掐诵一遍得福五倍。 若用赤铜为数珠者, 掐诵一遍得福十倍。 若用真珠珊瑚等宝为数珠者, 掐诵一遍得福百倍。 若用槵子为数珠者, 掐诵一遍得福千倍。 若用莲子为数珠者, 掐诵一遍得福万倍。 若用因陀啰佉叉为数珠者, 掐诵一遍得福百万倍。 若用乌嚧陀啰佉叉为数珠者, 掐诵一遍得福百亿倍。 若用水精为数珠者, 掐诵一遍得福千亿倍。 若用菩提子为数珠者, 或时掐念, 或但手持, 诵数一遍, 其福无量, 不可算计, 难可校量。 若欲愿生诸佛净土者, 应当依法受持此珠。
曼殊室利菩萨言：菩提子者, 若复有人手持此菩提珠, 不能依法念诵佛名及陀罗尼, 但能手持随身, 行住坐卧, 所出言说, 若善若恶, 斯由此人以持菩提子故, 所得功德如念诸佛诵咒无异, 获福无量。 其数珠者要当须满一百八颗。 如其难得, 或五十四, 或二十七, 或但十四, 此乃数珠功德差别。 以何因缘, 我今偏赞用菩提子获益最胜？
曼殊室利菩萨言：乃往过去有佛出世, 在此树下成等正觉。 时一外道邪见坏心毁谤三宝, 彼有一男, 忽被非人之所打杀。 外道念言：我今邪见, 未审诸佛有何神力。 如来今既在此树下成等正觉, 若其实圣, 树应有感。 即将亡子卧菩提树下, 作如是言：佛树若圣, 我子应苏。 以经七日诵念佛名, 子乃重苏。 外道欢喜, 赞言：诸佛有大神力, 我未曾见。 佛成道树现此希奇, 甚大威德, 难可思议。 时诸外道闻此事已, 舍邪归正, 发菩提心, 信佛神力不可思议。 以此因缘, 世人皆号为延命树。 其菩提树遂有二名：一名菩提树, 二名延命树。
尔时曼殊室利菩萨摩诃萨说是语已, 佛言：善哉, 善哉！曼殊室利！如汝所说。
尔时大众闻说持珠功德经已, 皆大欢喜, 信受奉行。
The Chinese version reads shanhu 珊瑚 (coral) instead of “other treasures.”
The Chinese version reads huanzi 槵子. Another explanation may be that the Tangut character xiwã 嘿 is the phonetic transcription of Chinese huan 槵, while ŋwu̱ 祤 (language) is an extra character as a slip of the pe.
Tangut “属” here is redundant due to miscopying.
The character “淮” (four) is missing under “氦灯” (fifty).
According to the Chinese version, a phrase meaning “Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva said” seems to have been lost.
Funding
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.