Kumārajīva or Kumarajiva (Sanskrit: कुमारजीव; Chinese traditional: 鳩摩羅什 Jiumoluoshi) 334 - 417 or 350 - 409, is a monk Bouddhiste koutchéen polyglot and scholar, versed in the vedic literature , the gun faded and the texts Mahayana. It directed to Chang' year during the fifteen last years of its life the translation in Chinese of at least twenty-four works which exerted a considerable influence on the Chinese Buddhism. Its translations, written in a fluid and clear language, penetrated of the thought Prajnaparamita and Madhyamika, still make authority. He is regarded as the patriarch of the school Sanlun (三論宗).

Origin

Information relating to Kumarajiva primarily bases on the Chinese biographies eminent monks, nonfree from legendary details. It would have been born with Koutcha, then capital of a small kingdom Tokharien, of a local princess and a father Brahmane originating in the Cachemire. His/her paternal grandfather, Jiumodaduo (鳩摩達多), would have been a character respected in his country (according to some, a minister of state). His/her father, Jiumoyan (鳩摩炎) or Kumarayana, having given up inheriting the position to become wandering ascetic, would have become an important religious personality with Koutcha. It would have ended up marrying Jivaka or Jiva, sister of the king. Certain biographies lend to Kumarajiva a brother named Feishatipo (弗沙提婆).

Beginning of the Buddhist studies

Whereas Kumarajiva was seven years old, Jiva would have decided to become nun. It followed it and began under the direction from Buddhasvamin the study from the texts from the school Sarvastivada. At nine years, age where his/her mother decided to take it along to continue her training with the Cashmere, it would have already learned the Abhidharma by heart. Over there, he would have studied the Dīrghāgama and the Madhyāgama and expresses for the first time his aptitude for the debate. Its Master was Bandhudatta, cousin of the king. Two years later, it took again with his mother the way of Koutcha. On the way, it would have met a Arhat which would have predicted a future brilliance of missionary to him. The mother and the son passed by Kashgar where they remained one year. It is there that Kumarajiva would have turned to the Mahayana under the influence of Sutyasoma, wire of the king of Yarkand. It undertaken the study of the Satasastra and the Madhyamakasastra , while continuing that of the Abhidharma with cachemirais Buddhayasa. Its program included/understood also the four Vedas, five sciences, the texts brahmanic and astronomy. At twelve years it left, always with his mother, for the important Buddhist center of Tourfan, and shone again in debates.

Return to Koutcha

Impressed by the prestige of Kumarajiva, king de Koutcha asked him to teach will sutras them Mahasannipata and Mahavaipulya with one of his daughters become nun. Thus the mother and the son would have returned in their native land. Jiva left soon to continue its career of moniale towards India or the Cashmere. At the twenty years age, Kumarajiva was ordered monk. He lived then with the monastery of Queli (雀梨) built by the king and devoted himself to the study of the Pancavimsati-sahasrika will sutra , text prajnaparamita whose the Sutra is extracted from the Heart . It was also interested in the debates and exchanges with foreign monks. He thus studied the Vinaya of Sarvāstivādan with cachemirais Vimalaksa. According to certain biographies, it invited its former Master Bandhudatta and the convainquit of the superiority of philosophy madhyamika; the Master declared his disciple on the matter.

Chinese destiny

Occupation

The sovereigns of the kingdoms of north of China appreciated the Buddhist religious personalities or Taoïste S of which they waited, seems it, as much political and military councils, miracles and supernatural protections that spiritual councils. They sponsored in the tread the drafting and the translation of texts. Fu Jian (苻堅), sovereign of Qin former, had thus brought back Xianyang captured in 379 Master Dao' year (道安) (314 - 385), which counted Huiyuan (慧遠) (334 - 416), patriarch of the Pure Ground, among its disciples. Knowing itself old, CAD' year, which directed in Chang' year the translation of will sutras, would have recommended Kumarajiva to Fu Jian. Thus, when the sovereign sent in 384 the general Lu guang (呂光) to attack the kingdom tokharien, it includes in its mission the “capture” of Kumarajiva. Nevertheless, the following year, the capacity was usurped by the Yao clan which founded the dynasty of Qin posterior. Lu benefitted from it to behave as sovereigns independent of Koutcha, which they occupied during more than seventeen years. The sources claim that Lu Guang, by no means impressed by the monk scholar, treated it without regard, going until making fun of him. The prescience of Kumarajiva having made it possible its successor Lu Zuan (呂纂) to avoid a military defeat, it was finally recognized with its right value, which had as a result, according to some, to give to the sovereign the idea to marry it, perhaps for the fidéliser by an alliance. It is impossible to confirm this information, but it is not the last time that the chastity of Kumarajiva will be put to the test.

Translator

In 401, Yao Xing (姚興), emperor of Qin posterior, could finally recover Koutcha and make some bring back Kumarajiva, which arrived at Chang' year the following year, old of almost sixty years. He would have begun his work from translation on the invitation of the monk Sengrui (僧叡) who proposed to him to translate will sutra it meditation Zuochan sanmei jing (坐禪三味經). The company proceeded in the places occupied formerly by Dao' year, Ximingge (西明閣) and Xiaoyaoyuan (逍遙園), located in the area of current the Xi' year, in the north of the mount Guifeng (圭峰), county of Huxian (戶縣). An especially affected room with the work of translation, the temple Caotang (草堂寺), was built beside Xiaoyaoyuan. Kumarajiva had for principal assistants Sengrui, Shamen sengqi (沙門僧契), Sengqian (僧遷), Faqin (法欽), Daoliu (道流), Daoheng (道恆) and Daobiao (道標), directed by Sengzhao (僧肇); under their orders many other monks worked.

The Chinese catalogs allot to the team the translation of seventy-four works or 384 booklets. Hundreds of different texts have during the centuries allotted to the translator; although twenty-four only could be authenticated, they count among most important of Chinese Buddhism, like the Sutra of the Lotus , the Sutra of Diamond , the Sutra de Vimalakirti , the Sutra d' Amitabha , the Mulamadhyamaka karika and the Mahaprajnaparamita will sastra . Yao Xing often assisted, says one, with the meetings translation which proceeded as a large assembly. Inspired by these meetings, the sovereign would have written itself besides a treaty, the Tongsanshilun (通三世論). Kumarajiva read sentence by sentence, explained the words and proposed a translation in Chinese. The assistance commented on and proposed improvements, then the text was lying written. It was then read again twice, the first to check of it semantic coherence and the second to check penmanship.

The translations directed by Kumarajiva from the start were recognized like much more satisfactory than it preceding, and took the step on the possible previous versions. Indeed, they are written in a fluid language avoiding the word for word one, where the direction appears more clearly. The first translations in Chinese of treaties and will sutras were very impregnated of vocabulary and concepts Taoïste S. the translators sought soon to be released some to express the Buddhist concepts more exactly, but too often produced literal translations whose general direction remains rather obscure.

Influence

Kumarajiva attracted many disciples, of which Daosheng, Sengzhao, Daorong (道融) and Sengrui, called “four large disciples” (什門四聖). Its reputation also extended in the south from China, field of the Eastern Jin. Huiyuan, first patriarch of the school Jingtu, fixed since 381 on the mount Lu Shan, would have required in writing several explanation of him on the doctrines mahayana. Part of these exchanges reached us; they are gathered in a collection in three booklets, heading Dacheng dayi zhang (大乘大義章) or Jiumoluoshifashi dayi (鳩摩羅什法師大義).

Kumarajiva is regarded as the founder in China of the school Sanlun (三論宗) or school of the Three treaties, based on the Shatika will sastra (百論), the Madhyamika will sastra (中論) and the Dvadashamukha will sastra (十二門論). It was really launched by its disciple Senglang (僧朗), whom succeeded Sengzhu (僧詮), Falang (法朗) and Jizang (吉藏). Under the Sui (581-618) and at the beginning of the Tang (618-907), it was flourishing and separated in two branches. In addition, a school Silun (四論宗) of the Four treaties, adding the Mahaprajamita upadesha (大智度論) to the three texts of origin, had made its appearance. These schools disappeared about the middle from the dynasty with the birth from Faxiang (法相宗) founded by Kuji, disciple of Xuanzang, then current Chan which took a considerable importance. The Sanlun school continues to exist in Japan under the name of Sanron.

Work

Kumarajiva would have complained several times not to be able to write treaties and comments as he would have preferred, by lack of time and owing to the fact that the Chinese Buddhist medium did not seem to him yet rather ripe. He would be nevertheless the author of a Shixianglun (實相論) in two booklets on the rejection of the idealism (lost), topic taken again later by the school Tiantai, of a beginning of comment of the Vimalakirti that its disciples completed, of the Shiyushi (十喻詩) and of the Zengshamenfahe (贈沙門法和). Remain also its correspondence with Huiyuan, as well as answers addressed to the questions of the emperor, Daqinzhushu (答秦主書), and its appreciation of the Tongsanshilun written by this last.

Principal translations

• Satyasiddhi Sastra, Traité truth supplements , 20 booklets (402-412)
• Chengshi lun (成實論)
• Astasahasrika prajnaparamita will sutra, Prajnaparamita short , 10 booklets (408)
• Xiaopin borepoluomi jing (小品般若波羅蜜經)
• Vajracchedika prajnaparamita will sutra, Sutra of Diamond, 1 booklet (402-412)
• Jingang jing (金剛經)
• Saddharmapundarika will sutra, Sutra of the Lotus, 8 booklets
• Fahua jing (法華經)
• Petit Sukhavati vguha, Sutra of Amitabha , 1 booklet (402)
• Amituo jing (阿彌陀經)
• Madhyamaka-sastra, Treated average way , 4 booklets (409)
• Zhonglun (中論)
• Shatika will sastra, Traité in hundred worms , 2 booklets (404)
• Bailun (百論)
• Dvadashamukha will sastra, Traité of the twelve doors , 1 booklet (409)
• Shiermen lun (十二門論)
• Vinaya Sarvastivadin, Vinaya in ten categories, 61 booklets (404-409)
• Shisonglü (十誦律)
• Mahaprajnaparamita upadesha, Treated Prajnaparamita , 100 booklets (402-405)
• Dazhidu lun (大智度論)
• Panchavimshati sahasrika prajnaparamita will sutra, Prajnaparamita in vingt-cinq-mille towards , 27 booklets (404), whose Sutra of the Heart is a digest
• Moheborepoluomiduo xin jing (摩訶般若波羅蜜多心經)
• Vimalakirti nirdesha will sutra, Sutra de Vimalakirti , 3 booklets (406)
• Weimo jing (維摩經)
• Karunikaraja prajnaparamita will sutra, 2 booklets
• Renwang borepoluomiduo jing (仁王般若波羅蜜經)
• Maitreyavyakarana will sutra, 1 booklet
• Mile chengfo jing (彌勒成佛經)
• Brahmajala will sutra, Sutra of the net of Brahma , 2 booklets
• Fanwang jing (梵網經)
• Dasabhumikavibhasa, 17 booklets
• Shizhu piposha lun (十住毗婆沙論)

Legends and anecdotes

• His/her mother, already turned towards Buddhism, would have felt for the first time the call of the monastic vocation during the pregnancy, during which it miraculeusement would miraculeusement have known to speak Sanskrit.
• At the time of a visit in a temple of Kashgar, Kumarajiva would have raised a very heavy burn-perfume. Whereas it held it with end of arm, it took conscience suddenly owing to the fact that he was only one child and was astonished by its force. At once, the burn-perfume fell down with ground. It carried out the role of mental discrimination then.
• the emperor of Qin posterior Yao Xing, undoubtedly estimating that the work of translator-adviser could be hereditary, would have forced Kumarajiva to leave its monastery to move in a residence inhabited by ten invested young women of the mission of alluring it, in the hope which an offspring would follow. The monk should thereafter have washed his reputation at the time of sermons, repeating that “If the lotus pushes in mud, it is nevertheless necessary to endeavor to gather it without soiling itself. ”. The languages going nevertheless good progress and certain disciples having started to imitate it, it convened them to swallow in front of them a bowl of nails, saying: “You do not warn of living as I live as much as you will not be able to do what I have just done. ”
• Its end close, it would have said to its disciples: “If my words were right, my language will not burn on roughing-hew it funerary. ”. And they found it intact.
• the temple Caotang (草堂寺) is a building built under Qin posterior beside Xiaoyaoyuan to be used as room with the work of translation; the successors of Kumarajiva made there set up a Pagode with its memory. Located at the north of the mount Guifeng (圭峰), county of Huxian (戶縣), area of Xi' year, it was maintained and restored until the 18th century and accepted the visit of other eminent monks. It was rebuilt in 1981 with the original site. A symposium gathering a hundred Chinese and Japanese monks was taken place there 1660 years after its birth.
• has its arrival with Dunhuang into 384, its white horse fell sick. One night, he dreamed that the horse said to him that he was in fact the white dragon of the Sea of the West and that he had made this voyage with him because he (Kumarajiva) had given himself the task to propagate Buddhism. Now that the road did not present any more a danger, it will not accompany it further. With its alarm clock, Kumarajiva learned death from its horse. The torn heart it buried it and built the pagoda of the White Horse (Bai May Your) on its tomb. It is located at the south-west of Dunhuang, at approximately 40 minutes with foot of the city.

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