Zhi Yao was a Kushan Buddhist monk of Yuezhi ethnicity who was involved with the translation of Buddhist texts into Chinese around 185 CE. His origin is described in his adopted Chinese name by the prefix ''Zhi'' , abbreviation of ''Yuezhi'' .
Zhi Yao was a student of Lokaksema. He translated in particular a Mahayana text:
*The Sutra on the Completion of Brightness .
2008年9月21日星期日
Ze Rong
Ze Rong was a general during the last years of the Eastern Han Dynasty. He originally came from Danyang.
Ze Rong began his career under Tao Qian, for whom he served as a general. He was given a post supervising the transportation of grain in Guangling and Pengcheng, but instead seized this grain to fund the construction of a large Buddhist temple. Amazingly, he was not dismissed from Tao Qian's service, and it was only when Cao Cao attacked that he left. Taking with him 10000 people and 3000 horses, Ze Rong departed for Guangling. Zhao Yu, Grand Administrator of Guangling, received him as a guest. Later, an intoxicated Ze Rong killed Zhao Yu.
When was engaged in conflict with Sun Ce, Ze Rong served as one of the former's allies, camping near Moling with Xue Li. They were routed by Sun Ce and forced to retreat, though Ze Rong managed to avoid complete defeat due to an attack on Niuzhu forcing Sun Ce to divert his forces. On his return, Sun Ce suffered an arrow wound in battle and returned once more to his base at Niuzhu. Ze Rong sought to take advantage of this with a quick attack, but this was repelled with heavy losses. In response, he entrenched himself and sought to defend his position, leading to Sun Ce abandoning the attack there.
Following the loss of some other cities, Ze Rong and Liu Yao abandoned their positions and left for Yuzhang. On his way, he killed his old ally Xue Li. Arriving in Yuzhang first, he killed the Grand Administrator Zhu Hao and sought to keep Liu Yao out. Liu Yao attacked Ze Rong and was defeated. After recruiting some troops from the county, he attacked again, and this time prevailed. Ze Rong escaped to the hills, where he was killed by the locals.
Ze Rong began his career under Tao Qian, for whom he served as a general. He was given a post supervising the transportation of grain in Guangling and Pengcheng, but instead seized this grain to fund the construction of a large Buddhist temple. Amazingly, he was not dismissed from Tao Qian's service, and it was only when Cao Cao attacked that he left. Taking with him 10000 people and 3000 horses, Ze Rong departed for Guangling. Zhao Yu, Grand Administrator of Guangling, received him as a guest. Later, an intoxicated Ze Rong killed Zhao Yu.
When was engaged in conflict with Sun Ce, Ze Rong served as one of the former's allies, camping near Moling with Xue Li. They were routed by Sun Ce and forced to retreat, though Ze Rong managed to avoid complete defeat due to an attack on Niuzhu forcing Sun Ce to divert his forces. On his return, Sun Ce suffered an arrow wound in battle and returned once more to his base at Niuzhu. Ze Rong sought to take advantage of this with a quick attack, but this was repelled with heavy losses. In response, he entrenched himself and sought to defend his position, leading to Sun Ce abandoning the attack there.
Following the loss of some other cities, Ze Rong and Liu Yao abandoned their positions and left for Yuzhang. On his way, he killed his old ally Xue Li. Arriving in Yuzhang first, he killed the Grand Administrator Zhu Hao and sought to keep Liu Yao out. Liu Yao attacked Ze Rong and was defeated. After recruiting some troops from the county, he attacked again, and this time prevailed. Ze Rong escaped to the hills, where he was killed by the locals.
Lokaksema
Lokaksema , born around 147 CE, The name ''Lokak?ema'' translates into 'welfare of the world' in Sanskrit. He is the earliest known Buddhist monk to have translated Mahayana sutras into the Chinese language and as such was an important figure in Buddhism in China.
Lokaksema was a Kushan of Yuezhi ethnicity from Gandhara. His ethnicity is described in his adopted Chinese name by the prefix ''Zhi'' , abbreviation of ''Yuezhi'' . As a Yuezhi, his native tongue was one of the Tocharian languages, an language group.
He was born in Gandhara at a time when Buddhism was actively sponsored by the Kushan king Kanishka, who convened the . The proceedings of this Council actually oversaw the formal split of Nikaya Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. It would seem that Kanishka was not ill-disposed towards Mahayana Buddhism, opening the way for missoinary activities in China by monks such as Lokaksema. Second century Gandhara was also a center of Greco-Buddhist art, a fusion of Buddhist and Hellenistic influences.
Lokaksema came from Gandhara to the court of the Han dynasty at the capital Loyang as early as 150 and worked there between 178 and 189. A prolific scholar monk, many early translations of important Mahāyāna texts in China are attributed to him, including the very early known as the "Practice of the Path" , Pratyutpanna Sutra, ''ādūshì Wáng Jīng'' 阿闍世王經, ''Za biyu jing'' 雜譬喩經, ''Shou lengyan jing'' 首楞嚴經, ''Wuliang qingjing pingdeng jue jing'' 無量淸淨平等覺經, and the ''Baoji jing'' 寶積經 .
Lokaksema's work includes the translation of the Pratyutpanna Sutra, containing the first known mentions of the Buddha Amitabha and his Pure Land, said to be at the origin of Pure Land practice in China, and the first known translations of the , a founding text of Mahayana Buddhism.
Lokaksema's translation activities, as well as those of the An Shih Kao and An Hsuan slightly earlier, or the Yuezhi Dharmaraksa illustrate the key role Central Asians had in propagating the Buddhist faith to the countries of Eastern Asia.
Another Yuezhi monk and one of Lokaksema's students named Zhi Yao ，translated Mahayana Buddhist texts from Central Asian around 185 CE, such as the "Sutra on the Completion of Brightness" .
"Religions of the Silk Road" Richard C.Foltz ISBN 0-312-23338-8
Origins
Lokaksema was a Kushan of Yuezhi ethnicity from Gandhara. His ethnicity is described in his adopted Chinese name by the prefix ''Zhi'' , abbreviation of ''Yuezhi'' . As a Yuezhi, his native tongue was one of the Tocharian languages, an language group.
He was born in Gandhara at a time when Buddhism was actively sponsored by the Kushan king Kanishka, who convened the . The proceedings of this Council actually oversaw the formal split of Nikaya Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. It would seem that Kanishka was not ill-disposed towards Mahayana Buddhism, opening the way for missoinary activities in China by monks such as Lokaksema. Second century Gandhara was also a center of Greco-Buddhist art, a fusion of Buddhist and Hellenistic influences.
Lokaksema came from Gandhara to the court of the Han dynasty at the capital Loyang as early as 150 and worked there between 178 and 189. A prolific scholar monk, many early translations of important Mahāyāna texts in China are attributed to him, including the very early known as the "Practice of the Path" , Pratyutpanna Sutra, ''ādūshì Wáng Jīng'' 阿闍世王經, ''Za biyu jing'' 雜譬喩經, ''Shou lengyan jing'' 首楞嚴經, ''Wuliang qingjing pingdeng jue jing'' 無量淸淨平等覺經, and the ''Baoji jing'' 寶積經 .
Activity in China
Lokaksema's work includes the translation of the Pratyutpanna Sutra, containing the first known mentions of the Buddha Amitabha and his Pure Land, said to be at the origin of Pure Land practice in China, and the first known translations of the , a founding text of Mahayana Buddhism.
Lokaksema's translation activities, as well as those of the An Shih Kao and An Hsuan slightly earlier, or the Yuezhi Dharmaraksa illustrate the key role Central Asians had in propagating the Buddhist faith to the countries of Eastern Asia.
Another Yuezhi monk and one of Lokaksema's students named Zhi Yao ，translated Mahayana Buddhist texts from Central Asian around 185 CE, such as the "Sutra on the Completion of Brightness" .
References:
"Religions of the Silk Road" Richard C.Foltz ISBN 0-312-23338-8
Liu Ying
Liu Ying was a son of Emperor Guangwu of Han, and half-brother of . After becoming Prince of Chu, he was a known supporter of many religions. In particular, his sponsorship of Buddhism in 65 CE is the first documented case of Buddhist practices in China.
Born to the Lady Xu , a junior consort of Emperor Guangwu, Liu Ying was given the rank of duke in 39 CE, and prince in 41 CE. The next year he received Chu as his hereditary fiefdom, with his capital at Pengcheng . The young Liu Ying seems to have been close to his half-brother Liu Zhuang, the future Emperor Ming. He is also said to have travelled widely and gained an interest in Daoism and Buddhism . After Liu Ying became a prince, he actively supported both religions in the hope of finding a drug of longevity or immortality.
Because of these activities, Liu Ying was suspected of treasonous intrigue and the subject of an imperial edict from Emperor Ming. The edict, which survives in the ''Hou Han Shu'' shows that at the time was associated in the opinion of the Chinese imperial court with Daoism. He was treated like a god to whom sacrifices and honour fasts were held. The Buddhist religion was described as "humane" and generally accepted by the elite.
Five years later, in 70, Liu Ying's activities were again denounced by high officials and he was accused of plotting against the throne, a crime punishable by death. Among his supposed crimes was the most heinous of those in Han law: usurping the prerogatives of the emperor, and great improprietry and immorality in his conduct toward the throne . Nevertheless, Emperor Ming refused to execute Liu Ying, instead demoting him to the rank of a commoner and exiling him to Danyang, in the lower Yangtze River region. Liu Ying committed suicide the next year, upon reaching his destination.
He was with the honours of a full marquess . As part of the purges following Liu Ying's downfall, thousands of his supposed adherents were arrested and implicated each other under torture. Nevertheless, the Buddhist community at Pengcheng survived. More than a century later, it was still thriving under the patronage of Zhai Rong, a local official. A number of Liu Ying's followers may also have followed him to the lower Yangzi region and established Buddhist communities there also.
Born to the Lady Xu , a junior consort of Emperor Guangwu, Liu Ying was given the rank of duke in 39 CE, and prince in 41 CE. The next year he received Chu as his hereditary fiefdom, with his capital at Pengcheng . The young Liu Ying seems to have been close to his half-brother Liu Zhuang, the future Emperor Ming. He is also said to have travelled widely and gained an interest in Daoism and Buddhism . After Liu Ying became a prince, he actively supported both religions in the hope of finding a drug of longevity or immortality.
Because of these activities, Liu Ying was suspected of treasonous intrigue and the subject of an imperial edict from Emperor Ming. The edict, which survives in the ''Hou Han Shu'' shows that at the time was associated in the opinion of the Chinese imperial court with Daoism. He was treated like a god to whom sacrifices and honour fasts were held. The Buddhist religion was described as "humane" and generally accepted by the elite.
Five years later, in 70, Liu Ying's activities were again denounced by high officials and he was accused of plotting against the throne, a crime punishable by death. Among his supposed crimes was the most heinous of those in Han law: usurping the prerogatives of the emperor, and great improprietry and immorality in his conduct toward the throne . Nevertheless, Emperor Ming refused to execute Liu Ying, instead demoting him to the rank of a commoner and exiling him to Danyang, in the lower Yangtze River region. Liu Ying committed suicide the next year, upon reaching his destination.
He was with the honours of a full marquess . As part of the purges following Liu Ying's downfall, thousands of his supposed adherents were arrested and implicated each other under torture. Nevertheless, the Buddhist community at Pengcheng survived. More than a century later, it was still thriving under the patronage of Zhai Rong, a local official. A number of Liu Ying's followers may also have followed him to the lower Yangzi region and established Buddhist communities there also.
An Shih Kao
An Shih-kao was a prince of Parthia, nicknamed the "Parthian Marquis", who renounced his prospect as a contender for the royal throne of Parthia in order to serve as a Buddhist missionary monk.
The prefix ''An'' in An Shih-kao's name is an abbreviation of ''Anxi'' , meaning ''Parthia'' in ancient Chinese: ''Anxi'' is a transcription of "''''", the founder of the Arsacid Dynasty of Parthia. Most Parthian visitors who took a Chinese name received the ''An'' prefix to indicate their Parthian origin.
In 148, An Shih-kao arrived in China at the Han Dynasty capital of Luoyang, where he set up a centre for the translation of Buddhist texts. He translated thirty-five texts from the Theravada and Mahayana schools of Buddhism, including works on meditation, psychology, and techniques of breath control.
An Shih-kao is the first Buddhist missionary to China to be named in Chinese sources. Another Parthian monk named An Xuan is also said to have followed An Shih-kao to Loyang around 181 CE, where he took charge of translating Mahayana texts.
The prefix ''An'' in An Shih-kao's name is an abbreviation of ''Anxi'' , meaning ''Parthia'' in ancient Chinese: ''Anxi'' is a transcription of "''''", the founder of the Arsacid Dynasty of Parthia. Most Parthian visitors who took a Chinese name received the ''An'' prefix to indicate their Parthian origin.
In 148, An Shih-kao arrived in China at the Han Dynasty capital of Luoyang, where he set up a centre for the translation of Buddhist texts. He translated thirty-five texts from the Theravada and Mahayana schools of Buddhism, including works on meditation, psychology, and techniques of breath control.
An Shih-kao is the first Buddhist missionary to China to be named in Chinese sources. Another Parthian monk named An Xuan is also said to have followed An Shih-kao to Loyang around 181 CE, where he took charge of translating Mahayana texts.
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