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THE BODHI SEAL OF THE PATRIARCHS THE VENERABLE KUMARAJIVA OF YAO CH’IN
--By
Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua |
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The Master was an Indian from the state of Kucha. He left the home life in early youth and was able to memorize thirty two thousand words a day. Once he went to a temple with his mother and playfully lifted over his head a large urn, which had been placed before the Buddha. He then thought to himself, "This urn is large; I wonder how it became so light." The moment he had this thought, the urn became unbearably heavy. As he gave out a cry and dropped the urn he awakened to the principle that everything is made from mind alone and that only in the arisal of discriminating bought is there heavy and light. The
king of Kasgar invited the Master to ascend the high seat and explain
Sutras. Many students of the Dharma venerated him and word of his virtue
spread throughout the land, so much so that his name reached the eastern
land of China. Yao Ch'in sent the Lord of Lung Hsi, a man of great virtue,
to bring the Master back to the capital at Ch'ang An. Lung Hsi did so, and
treated the Master with great deference. The welcome, which greeted him at
the capital, was extremely cordial. Kumarajiva undertook the translation
of many Sutras and was able to reveal clearly their profound depths so
that obscurities were swept away. Worthy people from the four directions
then came from thousands of miles to study under the Master's guidance. It
can well be said that the propagation of the Buddhadharma in China stems
from him. At his cremation his tongue remained unconsumed by fire as proof
of the accuracy and authenticity of his translations, His eulogy says, His
wisdom showed while yet in the womb, |
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