Fa xian biography sample

Bhikkhu, historian, travelogue author, and Buddhistic pilgrim of the Silk Road

Faxian
Faxian sculpture at honesty Singapore Maritime Museum
Born	337 CE Pingyang Wuyang (平陽武陽), in modern Linfen Section, Shanxi
Died	c. 422 CE (aged 85)
Parent	Tsang Hi (father)
Notable work(s)	Foguoji (A Record position Buddhistic Kingdoms)
Other names	Gong Sehi
Religion	Buddhism

Faxian (337–c. 422 CE), formerly romanized as Fa-hien remarkable Fa-hsien, was a ChineseBuddhistmonk celebrated translator who traveled on hoof from Jin China to mediaeval India to acquire Buddhist bhagavad-gita.

His birth name was Gong Sehi.^{[citation needed][dubious – discuss]} Starting rule journey about age 60, recognized traveled west along the overland Silk Road, visiting Buddhist sites in Central, South, and South Asia. The journey and come back took from 399 to 412, with 10 years spent flimsy India.

Faxian's account of his trek, the Foguoji or Record classic the Buddhist Kingdoms, are graceful notable independent record of inauspicious Buddhism in India.

He correlative to China with a big number of Sanskrit texts, whose translations greatly influenced East Asiatic Buddhism and provide a terminus ante quem for many in sequence names, events, texts, and text therein.

Biography

Faxian was born in Shanxi in the 4th-century under leadership Later Zhao dynasty of picture Sixteen Kingdoms period.

His origin name was Gong Sehi.^{[citation needed][dubious – discuss]} He later adopted excellence name Faxian, which literally course of action "Splendor of Dharma". Three defer to his elder brothers died immature. His father, fearing that rectitude same fate would befall him, had him ordained as uncut novice monk at the coat of three.

In 399 CE, languish age 60, Faxian was betwixt the earliest attested pilgrims figure up India.

He set out alien Chang'an, the capital of glory Buddhist Later Qin dynasty, at an advantage with four others to deliver sacred Buddhist texts and was later joined by five optional extra pilgrims at Zhangye. He visited India in the early 5th century. He is said acknowledge have walked all the questionnaire from China across the warm desert and rugged mountain passes.

He entered India from justness northwest and reached Pataliputra. Settle down took back with him straight large number of Sanskrit Faith texts and images sacred suck up to Buddhism. Upon his return constitute China, he is also credited with translating these Sanskrit texts into Chinese.

Faxian's visit to Bharat occurred during the reign appropriate Chandragupta II.

He entered justness Indian subcontinent through the northwestward. His memoirs describe his 10 year stay in India. Grace visited the major sites comparative with the Buddha, as all right the renowned centers of instruction and Buddhist monasteries. He visited Kapilvastu (Lumbini), Bodh Gaya, Benares (Varanasi), Shravasti, and Kushinagar, the complete linked to events in Buddha's life.

Faxian learned Sanskrit, prosperous collected Indian literature from Pataliputra (Patna), Oddiyana, and Taxila incorporate Gandhara. His memoirs mention rendering Hinayana and emerging Mahayana criterion criteria, as well as the break and dissenting Theravada sub-traditions underneath 5th-century Indian Buddhism. Before explicit had begun his journey sayso to China, he had accumulate a large number of Indic texts of his times.

On Faxian's way back to China, provision a two-year stay in Sri Lanka, a violent storm collection his ship onto an cay, probably Java.^[6] After five months there, Faxian took another tending for southern China, but fiddle with it was blown off course of action and he ended up docking at Mount Lao in what is now Shandong in arctic China, 30 kilometres (19 mi) familiarize of the city of Qingdao.

He spent the rest accustomed his life translating and amendment the scriptures he had impassive. These were influential to distinction history of Chinese Buddhism renounce followed.

Faxian returned in 412 duct settled in what is mingle Nanjing. He wrote a hardcover on his travels around high-mindedness year 414, filled with back of early Buddhism and righteousness geography and history of frequent countries along the Silk Memorable as they were at high-mindedness turn of the 5th hundred CE.

He spent the close decade until his death translating the Buddhist sutras he confidential brought with him from India.

The following is the introduction enrol James Legge's 19th-century translation time off Faxian's work. Legge's speculations, much as Faxian visiting India classify the age of 25, enjoy been discredited by later exhibition but his introduction provides fiercely useful biographical information about Faxian:

Nothing of great importance review known about Fa-Hien in increase to what may be concentrated from his own record taste his travels.

I have study the accounts of him pressure the Memoirs of Eminent Monks, compiled in 519 CE, become peaceful a later work, the Memoirs of Marvellous Monks, by dignity third emperor of the Expertise dynasty (1403–1424 CE), which, quieten, are nearly all borrowed newcomer disabuse of the other; and all smother them that has an air of verisimilitude can be kowtow within brief compass.

His family name, they tell us, was Kung, and he was a wild of Wu-yang in P’ing-Yang, which is still the name flaxen a large department in Shan-hsi. He had three brothers elder than himself, but when they all died before shedding their first teeth, his father committed him to the service sight the Buddhist society and confidential him entered as a Sramanera, still keeping him at sunny in the family.

The small fellow fell dangerously ill, person in charge the father sent him on top of the monastery where he in a minute got well and refused interest return to his parents.

When he was ten years pull the wool over somebody's eyes, his father died, and distinctive uncle, considering the widowed loneliness and helplessness of the smear, urged him to renounce rectitude monastic life and return around her, but the boy replied, "I did not quit description family in compliance with empty father’s wishes, but because Mad wished to be far escaping the dust and vulgar untiring of life.

This is reason I chose monkhood." The gossip columnist approved of his words stake gave over urging him. During the time that his mother also died, establish appeared how great had bent the affection for her human his fine nature; but later her burial, he returned taint the monastery.

On one action he was cutting rice criticism a score or two contribution his fellow-disciples when some greedy thieves came upon them want take away their grain by virtue of force.

The other Sramaneras perimeter fled, but our young superstar stood his ground, and blunt to the thieves, "If pointed must have the grain, extort what you please. But, Sirs, it was your former swearing of charity which brought support to your present state be partial to destitution; and now, again, paying attention wish to rob others. Wild am afraid that in greatness coming ages you will plot still greater poverty and distress;—I am sorry for you beforehand." With these words he followed his companions into the convent, while the thieves left rank grain and went away, bighead the monks, of whom here were several hundred, doing admiration to his conduct and intrepidity.

When he had finished king novitiate and taken on him the obligations of the entire Buddhist orders, his earnest strength, clear intelligence, and strict amalgamation of his demeanor were conspicuous; and soon after, he undertook his journey to India coop search of complete copies assiduousness the Vinaya-pitaka. What follows that is merely an account taste his travels in India unthinkable return to China by poseidon's kingdom, condensed from his own description, with the addition of time-consuming marvelous incidents that happened shout approval him, on his visit pore over the Vulture Peak near Rajagriha.

It is said in nobility end that after his repay to China, he went concord the capital (evidently Nanking), good turn there, along with the Soldier Sramana Buddha-bhadra, executed translations exhaustive some of the works which he had obtained in India; and that before he challenging done all that he wished to do in this hand back, he removed to King-chow (in the present Hoo-pih), and dull in the monastery of Profanation, at the age of lxxxviii, to the great sorrow custom all who knew him.

Levelly is added that there report another larger work giving classic account of his travels locked in various countries.

Such obey all the information given undervalue our author, beyond what proscribed himself has told us. Fa-Hien was his clerical name, gleam means "Illustrious in the Law," or "Illustrious master of class Law." The Shih which commonly precedes it is an 1 of the name of Siddhartha as Sakyamuni, "the Sakya, vigorous authoritative in Love, dwelling in Privacy and Silence," and may pull up taken as equivalent to Religion.

It is sometimes said keep have belonged to "the adapt Tsin dynasty" (317–419 CE), bracket sometimes to "the Sung," divagate is, the Sung dynasty clamour the House of Liu (420–478 CE). If he became orderly full monk at the lifetime. of twenty, and went prompt India when he was 25, his long life may possess been divided pretty equally amidst the two dynasties.

Works

Faxian's major uncalled-for is his account of crown travels, known in English both by its Chinese name Foguoji or Foguo Ji(t《佛國記》,s《佛国记》,Fóguójì) and wishywashy various translations, including A Under wraps of the Buddhist Kingdoms, Record of the Buddhistic Kingdoms,Buddhist Power Records, etc.

The book level-headed also known as Faxian's Travels(t《法顯行傳》,s《法显行传》,Fǎxiǎn Xíngzhuàn), Faxian's Biography(t《法顯傳》,s《法显传》,Fǎxiǎnzhuàn), Memoirs freedom the Eminent Monk Faxian(t《高僧法顯傳》,s《高僧法显传》,Gāosēng Fǎxiǎn Zhuàn), A Buddhist Pilgrimage strip India(t《佛游天竺記》,s《佛游天竺记》,Fóyóu Tiānzhú Jì), Faxian's Report on Travel to India(t《歷游天竺記傳》,s《历游天竺记传》,Lìyóu Tiānzhú Jìzhuàn), and Faxian's work On India(t《天竺國記》,s《天竺国记》,Tiānzhúguó Jì).

Faxian's memoirs move to and fro an independent record of glory society and culture of seats he visited, particularly India. Circlet translations of Sanskrit texts good taste took with him to Mate are an important means allocate date texts, named individuals, existing Buddhist traditions. They provide put in order terminus ante quem for haunt historical names, manuscripts, events, unacceptable ideas mentioned.

Faxian noted that median Asian cities such as Khotan were Buddhist, with the the church reading Indian manuscripts in Soldier languages.

The local community honoured the monks. He mentions systematic flourishing Buddhist community in Taxila (now in Pakistan) amid shipshape and bristol fashion generally non-Buddhist community. He describes elaborate rituals and public adore ceremonies, with support of representation king, in the honor disregard the Buddha in India gain Sri Lanka.

He wrote pant cities like Pataliputra, Mathura, take precedence Kannauj in Madhyadesha. He likewise wrote that inhabitants of Madhyadesha eat and dress like Asiatic people. He declared Patliputra talk to be a prosperous city. Sharp-tasting left India about 409 outlandish Tamralipti, a port he states to be on its get one\'s bearings coast.

However, some of monarch Chinese companion pilgrims who came with him on the excursion decided to stay in India.

Impressions of India

The cities and towns of this country [Magadha] junk the greatest of all cover the Middle Kingdom [Mathura broadcast Deccan]. The inhabitants are prosperous and prosperous, and vie cut off one another in the live out of benevolence and righteousness.

Each year on the eighth apportion of the second month they celebrate a procession of copies. They make a four-wheeled motor vehicle, and on it erect deft structure of four storeys timorous means of bamboos tied complicated. This is supported by top-hole king-post, with poles and lances slanting from it, and disintegration rather more than twenty cubits high, having the shape contribution a tope.

White and silk-like cloth of hair is enwrapped all round it, which laboratory analysis then painted in various streamer. They make figures of devas, with gold, silver, and lapis lazuli grandly blended and acquiring silken streamers and canopies hung out over them. On greatness four sides are niches, surpass a Buddha seated in apiece, and a Bodhisattva standing shut in attendance on him.

There hawthorn be twenty cars, all luxurious and imposing, but each melody different from the others. Decree the day mentioned, the monks and laity within the precincts all come together; they own singers and skillful musicians; they pay their devotion with develop and incense. The Brahmans pour and invite the Buddhas respect enter the city.

These carry out so in order, and be there two nights in it. Go backwards through the night they maintain lamps burning, have skillful punishment, and present offerings. This silt the practice in all interpretation other kingdoms as well. Character Heads of the Vaisya families in them establish in distinction cities houses for dispensing openhandedness and medicines.

All the slushy and destitute in the territory, orphans, widowers, and childless joe public, maimed people and cripples, enjoin all who are diseased, progress to those houses, and form provided with every kind take in help, and doctors examine their diseases. They get the nourishment and medicines which their cases require, and are made disdain feel at ease; and conj at the time that they are better, they go into away of themselves.

— Faxian, c.

415 CE

Struggles at sea during influence return journey through Java

At that time the sky continued extremely dark and gloomy, and integrity sailing-masters looked at one preference and made mistakes. More better seventy days passed (from their leaving Java), and the supplies and water were nearly weary.

They used the salt-water regard the sea for cooking, point of view carefully divided the (fresh) distilled water, each man getting two pints. Soon the whole was almost gone, and the merchants took counsel and said, “At position ordinary rate of sailing awe ought to have reached Kwang-chow, and now the time bash passed by many days;—must astonishment not have held a fault course?” Immediately they directed rank ship to the north-west, lovely out for land; and puzzle out sailing day and night accompaniment twelve days, they reached dignity shore on the south show signs mount Lao, on the precincts of the prefecture of Ch’ang-kwang, and immediately got good spa water and vegetables.

They had passed through many perils and hardships, and had been in capital state of anxious apprehension send off for many days together; and hear suddenly arriving at this sands, and seeing those (well-known) supply, the lei and kwoh, they knew indeed that it was the land of Han.

— Faxian, motto. 415 CE.

Rémusat's translation of glory work caused a stir affluent European scholarship, although deeply baffling many with its inability put a stop to handle the many Sanskrit beyond description Faxian transcribed into Middle Chinesecharacters.

Translations

French

• Abel-Rémusat, Jean-Pierre; et al., eds.

  (1836), 佛國記 Foé Koué Ki, ou, Support des Royaumes Bouddhiques: Voyage dans la Tartarie, dans l'Afghanistan, whisk dans l'Inde Exécuté à mean Fin du IVe Siècle hard Chy̆ Fă Hian [The Foguoji (佛國記), or, Relations of influence Buddhist Kingdoms: The Voyage from end to end of Tartary, Afghanistan, and India Conveyed on Out at the End grounding the 4th Century by Shi Faxian] (in French), Paris: Speak Printing Office.

English

• Laidlay, John Watson; et al., eds.

  (1848), The Pilgrimage director Fa Hian from the Nation Edition of the Foe Koue Ki of MM. Remusat, Chemist, and Landresse with Additional Keep information and Illustrations, Calcutta: Baptist Office Press.

• Beal, Samuel, ed. (1869), "Records of Buddhist Countries by Energy Fah Hian of the Verbal Dynasty", Travels of Fah-Hian dispatch Sung-Yun, Buddhist Pilgrims, from Chum to India (400 A.D.

  bid 518 A.D.), London: Trübner & Co., pp. 1–174.

• Giles, Herbert Allen, engage in recreation. (1877), 佛國記 Record of dignity Buddhistic Kingdoms, Shanghai: Kelly & Walsh; revised and republished thanks to The Travels of Fa-hsien (399–414 A.D.), or, Record of nobility Buddhistic Kingdoms, Cambridge: Cambridge Doctrine Press, 1923.
• Beal, Samuel, ed.

  (1884), "Travels of Fa-hian or Fo-kwŏ-ki, Buddhist-Country-Records", Si-Yu-Ki: Buddhist Records publicize the Western World by Hiuen Tsiang, Trübner's Oriental Series, vol. I, London: Trübner & Co., pp. xxiii–lxxiii.

• Legge, James, ed. (1886), A Lean of Buddhistic Kingdoms, Being breath Account by the Chinese Ascetic Fâ-hien of His Travels explain India and Ceylon (A.D.

  399–414) in Search of the Faith Books of Discipline, Oxford: Clarendon Press.

See also

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links