VAISRAVANA/KUVERA IN THE SINO-JAPANESE TRADITION*

By Dr. Lokesh Chandra

From Cultural Horizons of India, Volume II, pp. 137-147

Reproduced herein by permission of Dr. Lokesh Chandra – New Delhi, India.

TRANSCRIPTIONS OF THE NAME

Bishamon = Skt. Vaisravana, Vaisramana, Pali Vessavana; Tib. rnam-thos-bu, rnam-thos-sras 'son of one who is fully-heard' (that is to say, of the glorious, Skt. Visravas, name of the father of Kuvera). Other transcriptions are: (1) Beishirabana T1298, Bisharabana Gog. 19, T2129.6, which corresponds to Skt. Vaisravana; (2) but most of the transcriptions correspond to Skt. Vaisramana: Beishiramana T1246, Beisharamana T901.11, Heishiramana T665.6,  T1246, Beishiramana T 2129.6, Bishiramano Eog. 1, etc.

*Adapted from the Hobogirin, ed. Sylvain Levi and J. Takakusu, Tokyo 1929, s.v. Bishamon 1.79-83.

EXPLANATIONS OF THE NAME

Name of one of the four Lokapalas (Jap. Tenno). He presides over the north over yaksas and over riches, war, etc. Most of the translations of his name rest on the Sanskrit name Vaisravana (root sru 'to listen'): the most common form is Tamon 'well-heard' which is interpreted in different ways: many people speak of his richness Gog. 19, T2129.6, he often listens to the preaching of the Dharma Eog. 1, T1721.12. The same interpretations are attached to the translation Fumon 'vastly-listened,' Hemmon 'heard on all sides' Gog. 19, T2129.6. Gog. 19 gives a translation Rimon 'separately heard' where the Skt. prefix vi° (from which is derived Vai°} is taken in a separative sense. Eog. 1 gives a queer gloss on the form Vaisramana: Vai is an exclamation preceding the word sramana 'monk'; in the origin this king was termed Kuvera (Kukotsura, correctly Kubira), but he arrived one day donning the robes of a monk to listen to the preaching of the Buddha; and when he entered the assembly of listeners (sravaka) they said to one another: 'Vai, sramana! vai, sramana! He! here is the monk, here is the monk!' hence his new name.

REGENT OF THE NORTH

As regent of the north Vaisravana figures not only in the series of the Four Lokapalas but also in those of the Gods of the Eight Directions (Happoten), among the Twelve Gods (Juniten), etc. He lives in the north of mount Sumeru on the northern flank of the mountain at mid-height, T24.6, and 25.6, T2121, (on the summit of Yugandhara, at 42,000 leagues from the earth), T1644.5 (between the two summits of Yugandhara), T1558.11 (K. Lav. 3.160: on the fourth terrace, at the mid-height of Sumeru, at the level of the summit Yugandhara, where there are the castles of the Sun and the Moon); or at 1000 leagues to the north of Sumeru T1.20, or at 4000 leagues T23.3.

It has three cities, a park and a pool whose names differ in the texts: first city, T1.20 Kai 'redoubtable', T23.3 Shama, T24.6 Bisharaba; second city, T1.20 Tenkyo 'venerated by the gods', T23.3 Hakaraotsu, T24.6 and 25.6 Gabahattei; third city, T1.20 Shuki 'all the refuges' (or: 'refuge of assemblies '), 23.3 Aniban, T24.6, 25 Adabanta (and compare the following transcription designating one of the cities of Vaisravana: T3103 Atabattei, T1245 Anakbatei, 999 Anakabatei = Skt. Atakavati. Alakavati; T982.2, T2128.11 Anbanta, T984.1 Atabanta, 985.2 Katabanta, T190.2 Araka, 190.12 Arakabant ' 1644.5 Arakamanda.

The name of the park is: T1.20 Kabiento, T23.3 Kabienta, T24.6, 25.6 Kabien. The name of the pool is: T1.20 Narinni, T23.3 Nari, T24.6 Natsuini, T25.6 Nacini (Skt. Nalini, Nadini). Vaisravana, who is the most important of the Four Kings, alone has a park and a pool (and the other three Kings only one city each); but his residence communicates by flight of steps with those of the other three, who come to visit him and to promenade in his park. T1644.5 describes in detail his city as well as his kingdom.

It is he who protects the continent situated to the north of Sumeru, Uttaravati T397.51, or moreover, to the south of Sumeru, the northern part of Jambudvlpa T397.52: that is in effect, adds the latter text, in Jambudvipa where appear the Buddhas, and that is why Vaisravana keeps vigil over their kingdoms of Ogamagada, Bogamagadha, Abanta and Shidai; he has received the mission of Buddha himself: with his 91 sons who traverse the ten directions, mounted on animals, men, women, and with the yaksas, raksasas, kumbhandas, pretas, pisacas, nagas, devas, constellations who form his army. He defends Buddhism and reprimands the bad; to the pious he assures five advantages: increment of life, of riches, of health, of pleasure, of fame: but he abandons disciples perverse to royal justice.

In T2043.6 and T2042.6 it is from Indra that Vaisravana receives, after the passing away of Buddha, the mission to protect Buddhism in the region of the north, especially against the attacks of three cruel kings: Saka, Yavana, Pahlava. And it is in the countries of the north that Hsuan-tsang encounter tie cult of Vaisravana T 087.1, 12: the great monastery of Baikh was protected by his image, which had miraculously warded the armed attack of a Turk Khan; and the kings of Khotan claimed descent from Vaisravana, their first ancestor had been born in front of the statue (on this latter legend, cf. Kse.'' T2126.2 asserts 'very close' connections that existed between Vaisravana and Khotan, and claims that his name, Bishamon was taken from one of the names of the country of Khotan, Bishabu. Compare also T982, 984, 985 (JA 1915, 1.53), which assign as residence to Vaisravana the country of Tukhara.

HEAD OF YAKSAS

He presides over yaksas. Mahamayurl (T982, 984, 985) mentions him as a yaksa, in two places, first under the name of Vaisravana, and then under that of Vaisramana (JA1915, 1.53 and 58). T279.67 he is the head of the multitude of yaksas.    T 1644.5 from Yugandhara up to northern Cakravada, all the yaksas depend on him.  In T 1331.4 he pronounces this stanza: at another time cultivating awakening, I became the king of yaksas for the benefit of beings, to those who dwell in the darkness of ignorance, I open their eyes with my hatchet of gold; and I save them from transmigrations, and elevate them to nirvana.  In T1245, a late text which is specially consecrated to him, he prounces a sutra entitled Adanotei (= Pali Atanatiyasutta of Digha-nikaya 32 which does not figure in the Chinese translations of the Agamas; cf. also Hoernle, Manuscript Remains, 24 sq.), by the grace of which the disciples of Vaisravana can defend themselves against those yaksas dependent on Vaisrava who are faithless and malevolent. In reality this sutra treats of the Four Kings, and the fourth, who rules over the north, is designated here Yaksa Kuvera; he has 91 sons named Taishaku (a name designating ordinarily Devendra Sakra = Indra), who are amenable to Vaisravana, and who by their example stimulate all the yaksas to protect the north. In the same text T1245, Vaisravana pronounces dharanis destined to subjugate malevolent gandharvas, pisacas, kumbhandas, pretas, nagas, etc.

In T999.1-2 (= Skt. Mahasahasrapramardini), Vaisravana teaches a dharani to subjugate yaksas who seduce men, bewilder them, dement them, devour them: it is me who am their king, he declares, and they adore the holy image placed inside the stupa which I hold in the hand. In the same text Buddha teaches the 'dharani of king Brahma' which enables one to subdue the eldest son of Kuvera, the grand yaksa Samjaya who rides a man, and his other sons Janika, Daimi 'grand demon' and Ufuku Jar-belly'.  According to T1509.54 and T2129.6; at times he presides over yaksas and over raksasas.     T1297: when Vaisravana is joyous the yaksas do not hurt men; when he is angry they cause disorders.    T1.20 (= T 2121.1) and T24.6 (= 25.6): he is always accompanied by five yaksas who guard his person: (1) T1 Hanjaro, T24  Gojo = Pancala; (2) T1 Dandara, T24 Koya 'Brushwood' (this translation corresponds to Skt. Atavaka, cf. Atabaku); (3) T1 Keimabatsuda = Skt. Haimavata, T24 Konsen 'Mountain of gold' (Skt. hema 'gold'); (4) T1 Daigera, T24 Joshin 'long-body'; (5) T1 Shuitsuroma, T24 Shimmo = Skt Suciloma. Moreover, according to another list given by Bdjt. 1487:   (1) Zenniki,    (2) Dokken,    (3) Nata = Skt. Nada, (4) Skt. Kubatsura = Kubara, (5) Kanro == Skt. Amrta.

FAMILY

T850.2 attributes to him eight brothers, a mother and a grandmother. According to Std. 1 his father is called Rabada or Bananda, and his mother Mitsujaru or Sofu. His eight brothers are none else but the eight yaksa generals who surround him in the Garbhamandala. T1796.5: Manibhadra, Purnabhadra, Pancika, Satagiri, Haimavata, Visakha, Atavaka, Pancala. The text adds that in ancient times the third Pancika was named Sanjaya (to the restitution of these names in Sanskrit compare JA1915:1). According to the afore-cited T1245 his brothers are gandharvas. As for his sons the number and the names vary in the texts. The eldest is most often designated Nata == Skt. Nada (cf. Nadakubara, name of the son of Kubera in Hindu mythology). It is he who had transmitted to the Chinese master Dosen, a tooth of Buddha stolen from India by the raksasas (T2061). It is recounted in the Zen sect that he broke the bones and tore the hair for reinstating them to his father and mother and then preached the Dharma unto them Gte. 2; but this legend is not attested in the canonical texts Stj. 6. According to Bdjt. 1297 Nada has three faces and eight arms; but a ritual which is consecrated to him (T1297) says that he holds a tooth in his left hand, a three-pointed lance in his right, is of blue black colour, blended with red and tramples on a yaksini; and according to this ritual Nada is not the son of Vaisravana but his grandson, more precisely the third son of his second son (called Hanshika == Skt. Pancika Hmjr 813); he is a terrible demon who protects the state and Buddhism putting down wicked, tearing away their eyes and their hearts, breaking their heads with his baton of diamond, etc.

GOD OF WEALTH

As we have seen in many of the passages cited before, Vaisravana is often dentified with Kubera, the Hindu god of riches; under this title he presides name Kubera-vaisravana (Kubera-Bishamon); and while the Asokavadana T2042-6 terms him Bishamon, the corresponding passage of Asokasutra T2043.6 names him Kubira. His wealth is proverbial: the fortune of a grhapati of Rajagrha is compared to his T703; T279.77 compares the Zennu (kalyanamitra) to Vaisravana, the dharma to his treasures, the practices to his fortunes and once again in T279.78 the spirit of awakening to Vaisravana which suppresses the suffering of poverty. In T190.12 he is termed the 'proprietor of the grand depository of treasures' daikozoshu; in T201.2 (tr. Huber 59), Indra and Vaisravana are cited as generous rich persons.  In a story of T202.4 he appears to lay woman Upasena (or Mahasena) at the moment when she recites the Dharmapada on the top of her house: she hears a voice in the air; it is Vaisravana who goes to Virupaksa, accompanied by his thousand yaksas; he says to Upasena; if I give you celestial joys what will you do with them; I am going to give you a good boon......

Ekottaragama (T125.26) narrates the history of Keizu 'head of the cock': a brahmin who was very poor to offer food to the Buddha and his followers who were invited to Kapilavastu, having been expelled by the local cofraternity of Brahmins. He borrowed money from a notable of the city, and promised that he could be sold as a slave for paying the debt. The brahmins accepted his money, but refused to lift the pronounced expulsion. On the order of the Buddha, Indra and Vaisravana went to his assistance. Vaisravana sought in the Sandal Forest a grand cuisine where his 500 yaksas prepared the meals for the Buddha. He sent to the brahmin a bar of gold which when flung to the ground was transformed into a hundred thousand ounces of gold. With this gold the brahmin purchased the food cooked by the yaksas, and could offer a magnificent feast to the Buddha, to his monks and to all the arhats who were miraculously present.

In the Suvarnaprabhasottamarajasutra T665.6 (this passage is lacking in the other recensions T663 and 664; a very late special sutra T1244 is based on this text), Vaisravana teaches the Cintamani-dharanI, which when pronounced according to certain rites, makes appear before the faithful the son of Vaisravana, Zennishi (T1244 Shanisa). He asks the faithful: why have you invoked my father? The faithful replies: I want riches for offering to the Triratna Vaisravana enjoins his son to assure to the faithful a daily endowment of hundred karsapana (T1244 'pieces of gold'). The faithful can offer them to the Triratna and alms to the poor. Then the Devaraja adds: if the faithful wishes to see me in person while he finishes the image of Buddha (T1244: Sakyamuni preaching the dharma), with Kichijoten = Sri to his left and myself to his right, and all kinds of assistants of both sexes…. While he performs certain rites before this image, pronounces a long dharani....... then I appear before him in the form of a young person or of an old mendicant monk (T1244 of a lay person) holding a cintamani (T1244 in my right hand) and a bag of gold (T1244 a box of gold in my left hand) and grant all his wishes, and make him rich......

GOD OF WAR

And finally, Vaisravana was venerated in China and Japan as a god of war. T1248 gives a dharani entitled 'Dharani of Devaraja of the north, Vaisramana, who watches over armies for protecting the Dharma': if one pronounces this dharani before an image of Vaisravana — which represents the Devaraja under his terrible aspect, dressed in armour plate, holding a lance in his left and his right resting on his hip, a stupa which he offers to Buddha Sakyamuni, and treading on two black yaksinis — he sends his third son Nada to the side of those who direct their troops for the protection of their country; or still, if one covers the armour plate of his image with the powder of gold and offers him perfumes, flowers and other offerings while pronouncing the dharani a hundred thousand times, he himself takes the command of his celestial troops and goes to support his devotee, to whom he assures victory; or furthermore, if one recites nonstop day and night he delegates his heir-prince Dokken at the head of celestial troops; or still one can suspend his image on a staff and carry it as a banner fifteen paces in front of the army which will render the enemy ineffectual.

A ritual of the same title T1247 very specifically consecrated to Nada, adds in the colophon, that during the 'grand troubles of the Five Kingdoms', one tried in vain during eight months all sorts of other ceremonies; only the rite prescribed in this text proved efficacious for stabilising the country. It refers to the troubles which burst forth in Central Asia in the end of the reign of Hsuan-tsang during the T'ang dynasty and by the "Five Kingdoms" are intended the five foreign people who besieged the city of Anhsi. Tlie incident is reported in details in the 'Ritual of Vaisravana' T1249 (= T2126.2 whose text is more correct): in the first year of T'ien-pao 742 A.D, the five kingdoms of Seiban = Tibet, Daiseki = Arabs, Koko == Sogdians, and others besieged the city of Anhsi. On the second day of the second moon, a report was presented to the Emperor demanding relief troops. The Emperor said to master I-hsing: Professor, the city of Anhsi is besieged by Arabs and others and it requires troops. But as it is situated at a distance of 12000 leagues, it will take eight months for my troops to arrive there, and I do not know what to do.  I-hsing replied: Why does Your Majesty not invoke to your aid the Devaraja of the north, Vaisravana, with his celestial troops? How can I invoke him? By the intervention of the Serindian monk Daikochi (T 2126 and Std.l Amoghavajra).

The Emperor sent word to this monk who invited him to provide an incense-burner and follow him to the monastery. The monk pronounced a dharani (taken from T246, adds T2126) twenty-seven times. The Emperor then saw hundreds of soldiers in arms and the monk explained to him that they were the troops of Dokken the second son of Vaisravana, who had come to take charge before de­parture for Anhsi. In the fourth month he received a report from Anhsi, declaring that, on the very day of the ceremony they saw appearing in the north-east of the city, the envelopings of an obscure haze, of giants dressed in armour plates of gold; they heard an uproar of drums and of horns, and experienced a violent trembling of the earth. The troops of the five kingdoms, frightened, retired to their camps, where rats of gold gnawed the strings of their bows and of their traps. A voice in the sky enjoined to spare the old and the feeble, who could not flee away. Then Vaisravana manifested himself in person on the northern gate of the city. They drew his image which was appended to the report addressed to the Emperor. In consequence of these events, continues T2126.2, an imperial edict directed all its provincial functionaries to place in the north­west angles of cities, images of Vaisravana and of his assistants, and all the Buddhist monasteries to consecrate a special edifice to him. Since then, this text which dates to the tenth century adds, it has been a usage in the prefectures to make offerings to Vaisravana on the first of every lunar month, while executing chants and dances: this is what is termed rakutenno 'rejoicing of the Devaraja'.

T1249 citing the words of the same monk Daikochi (Amoghavajra), gives a monthly programme of deeds and exploits of Vaisravana: on the first day of every lunar month he makes a reunion with the gods and demons; on the second day he takes leave of his second son Dokken who departs on a tour of inspection; on the 15th day, he makes a reunion with three other devarajas; on the 12th day he exchanges a stupa with his son Nada: on this day one should offer glutinous rice with milk or with honey.

In mediaeval Japan, Vaisravana was the patron (Mamori honzon) oi warriors who received now and then in their infancy the surname of Tamom-maru, as was the case of a celebrated hero of the 14th century, Kusunoki Masashige.

In Mantrayana, his bija is VAI, his symbolic form the baton or the stupa numerous are his dharanis: the most usual is simply his name preceded by Namo. His principal mudra is as follows: the ring fingers are raised one against the other, the index fingers are bent like hooks, the other fingers are intersecting inside the palm T1244; but there are several other mudras.

ICONOGRAPHY

Vaisravana is figured in Japan like an armoured warrior; his attributes are generally a baton (danda) and a stupa. This type confirms to the following texts: T1244 on the palm of his left hand he holds a stupa which he beholds and in his right hand a baton. T 1293 (colour blue black, dress red, hair violet) T1298 adds that his body is golden, he is armoured, standing on two demoni and flanked by two goddesses offering him flowers (fig. Kakuzensho 6-2244). T908 omits the goddesses (Asabasho 6.2026). It is this latter type which is reproduced in the mandalas of Garbhadhatu (north portal of the exterior vajra-wall) and of the Vajradhatu (where Vaisravana presides over yaksas in the west); his seat is always a lotus instead of the two demons and the armour differ; in the two mandalas (Bzss. fig. 327-328).

Often the baton is replaced by a long lance, generally with triple points and a pennant: T1248 he holds in his left hand a lance, his right is placed on his hip; he treads on two black yaksinis and offers a stupa to Buddha Sakya-muni. T901.11 his left hand holds a lance, his right a stupa (fig. Kaku­zensho 6.2242; it is under this aspect that he is generally figured in the popular series of the seven divinities of good luck, Shichifukujin; compare also the statue preserved at Horyuji, where he treads a unique demon). T1246 he holds in his left a lance with three points; his right is on his hip (fig. Asabasho 6.2026: this type is preserved at Kuramadera near Kyoto, a temple consecrated to Vaisravana; V. Renondeau, BEFEO 26.259 sq.). This text and T1251.1 mention a type holding a stupa in the left and treading on three yaksas of which the central is either Goddess of the Earth (Prithvl, Jiten), or Vinayaka (Binayaka), the other two are identified as Biramba and Niramba. Compare T1203: he is mounted on a demon, holds a stupa in the right and rests the left on the hip.

Other attributes: T1067 stupa in the left, sword in the right, armour, young face, coiffure of jewels, angry aspect. T 1068 stupa in the left, vajra [club] in the right, colour violet. T951.1 lance in the left, vajra in the right. Kakuzensho 6.2241 (fig. 2243) lotus in the left, triple-pointed lance in the right, golden body, armour, sabre; a red bird in the coiffure. T926 his body is green and he holds a fork. In the Lamaist tradition, Vaisravana holds a banner in his right hand and in his left a rat spitting jewels (Grunwedel, Myth. 181).

In China, modern usage attributes to him a banner and a stupa, perhaps a compromise between the Chinese classical tradition attested by the texts cited above and preserved in Japan (cf. also BEFEO 25.440 sq.) and the lamaist tradition.

Aberrant types. In the Taimitsu sect (esoteric branch of Tendai) the rite called Humkhadaya (cf. T2151) is celebrated in honour of a 'Double-bodied Vaisravana' (Soshin Bishamon) who is a combination of Vaisravana and the goddess Kichijoten/Sn, Asabasho 6; the two personages are represented back to back, with red faces and three eyes, black dress, armour; one holds a vajra, the other a cakra (fig. Asabasho 6.2046). This iconographic type known in Japan since 1264 (Asabasho 6.2047) seems to be connected with the text of T665.6 where Vaisravana is associated with Sri; moreover, Vaisravana and Sri figure frequently side by side in the esoteric texts, for example, T1249, T 850 etc. Later, the two personages were considered as the metamorphoses of Vairocana, on the one hand in the Garbhadhatu and on the other in the Vajradhatu, their combination symbolising the identity of the two dhatus (Hmjr. 892).

Tobatsu-Bishamon is a form of Vaisravana who appeared to the king of a country of Tobatsu or Topara, Asabasho 6.2028-2029; he is represented either under the normal aspect of Vaisravana, holding a stupa in his left hand, standing on the Goddess of the Earth who sustains his feet and is flanked by two demons (statue of Toji of Kyoto, Bdjt. pi. 97; cf. above the text of T1246); or astride a lion, and with four heads and ten hands of which eight hold sabres (tohachi for tobatsu; fig. Bdji. 3517).

Another form with ten hands is mentioned in Asabasho 6.2054-5, which goes back to the 11th century: the skin is red, the dress black; two of the ten hands are joined, the others hold,  to the left: (1) stupa (2) bell (3) cakra (4) arrow and the string,    to the right: (1) sickle (2) sabre (3) bow (4) vajra.

LITERATURE CITED

The following texts have been cited above by numbers of the titles in the Taisho edition of the Sino-Japanese Tripitaka. Their titles, translators and date of translation is indicated below:

T  1 (Nj 545) Dirghama, tr. Buddhayasas and Fo-nien in 412-413

  23   (Nj 551) *Lokadhatu-sutra, tr. Fa-li and Fa-chu during the Western Tsin dynasty (265-316)

24   (Nj 550) Kisekyo, tr. Jnanagupta (523-600)

  25    (Nj 549) Kisekyo, tr. Dharmagupta (in China 590-616)

125   (Nj 543) Ekottaragama, tr. Dharmanandin in 384-385

190   (Nj 680) Abhiniskramanasutra, tr. Jnanagupta in 587

201   (Nj 1182) Kalpanamanditika, tr. Kumarajiva in 405

246   (Nj 965) Karunikarajasutra, tr. Amoghavajra during 746-771

279   (Nj 88) Avatamsakasutra, tr. Siksananda in 695-699

310   (Nj 23) Maharatnakuta, tr. Bodhiruci in 713

397   (Nj 61) [Mahavaipulya-maha]sannipata-sutra, tr. Dharmaraksa (w. 265-313)

663   (Nj 127) Suvarnaprabhasa-sutra, tr. Dharmaraksa

664   (Nj 130) Suvarnaprabhasa-sutra

665   (Nj 126) Suvarnaprabhasa-sutra, tr. I-tsing (635-713)

703    (Nj 720) *Sresthiputra-Dipanguli-avadana, tr. Kumarajiva

850    Shodaigiki, tr. Subhakarasimha

892    (Nj 1060) Hevajra-[dakinijalasambara]tantra, tr. Fa-hu during 1004-1058

901    (Nj 363) Dharanlsangraha, tr. Atikuta in 653-654

908    (Nj 1443) *Yoga-homa-kalpa, tr. Amoghavajra during 746-771

926    *Bhaisajyaguru-Vaiduryaprabharaja-sapta-buddha-kalpa, tr. Bhadrapala and Sharapa (in China 1311-1314)

951   (Nj 532) *Ekaksara-Cakravarti-sutra, tr. Bodhiruci in 709

982   (Nj 307) Mahamayurl-vidyarajm, tr. Amoghavajra during 746-771

984    (Nj 308) Mahamayurl-vidyarajnl, tr. Sanghavarman in 516

985    (Nj 306) Mahamayurl-vidyarajnl, tr. I-tsing in 705

999    (Nj 784) MahasahasrapramardinL tr. Danapala during 980-1000

1067  Shodaigiki, tr. Amoghavajra during 746-771

1068  *Sahasrabhuja-Avalokitesvara-kalpa, tr. Subhakarasimha during 716-735

1203  Fudoanchinki

1244  (Nj 849) Vaisramana-sutra, tr. Fa-t'ien during 973-981

1245  (Nj 974) *Vaisramana-sutra, tr. Amoghavajra during 746-771

1246  *Vaisravanadharanlkalpa. tr. Prajriacakra during 847-860

1247  *Vaisravanakalpa, tr. Amoghavajra during 746-771

1248  *Vaisravanamantra, tr. Amoghavajra during 746-771

1249  *Vaisravanakalpa, tr. Amoghavajra during 746-771

1251 *Hum-kadaya-kalpa, tr. Vajrabodhi (in China 719-741 var. 731) 1293 Jurokuzenjinno-gyotai, tr. Vajrabodhi (in China 719-741 var. 731)

1297 Kuyo-juni-dai-toku-ten-ho-ombon, tr. Amoghavajra during 746-771

1298 *Dvadasadavakalpa

1331 (Nj 167) Saptatathagatapurvapranidhanavisesavistara, tr. Srimitra (worked 317-322)

1509 (Nj 1169) Mahaprajnaparamitasastra, tr. Kumarajlva in 402-405

1558 (Nj 1267) Abhidharmakosabhasya of Vasubandhu, tr. Hsuan-tsang in 651-654

1590 (Nj 1240) Vimsatika Karika of Vasubandhu, tr. Hsuan-tsang in 661

1644 (Nj 1297) *Lokasthiti-abhidharma-sastra, tr. Paramartha in 558

1721 Hokkc-gisho, tr. Ki-tsang (549-623)

1796 Daisho, a commentary on the Mahavairocana-sutra by I-hsing (683-727)

2026 (Nj 1465) Sensan-zo-gyu-zo-zo-kyo 'Record of the collection of Tripitaka and Sai-hyukta-pitaka', tr. under the Eastern Tsin dynasty (317-420)

2042 (Nj 1459) Asokarajavadana, tr. Fa-chin (w. 281-306)

2043 (Nj 1343) Asokarajasutra, tr. Sanghavarman in 512

2046 (Nj 1460) Life of Asvaghosa, by Kumarajlva in about 405

2061 (Nj 1495) Memoirs of eminent priests, compiled by Tsan-ning in 988

2087 (Nj 1503) Records of the Western World, written by Hsuan-tsang in 646

2121  (Nj 1473) A collection of extracts on different subjects from sutras and vinaya works, compiled by Sang-min, Pao-ch'ang and others in 516 2126 So-shi-ryaku, by Sannei (w. 977-1001)

2128 Erin-ongi, by Huei-lin ofKashgar (737-820)

2129 Zoku-issaikyo-ongi, by monk Hi-lin (Jap. Kirin) who worked around 1090

2151 (Nj 1.487) A record of the pictures of the events of ancient and modern translations of the sutras etc., compiled by Ghing-mai (Jap. Seimai) in 664-665.

ABBREVIATIONS

Asabasho, byjocho (1205-1282), Dai-nihom-bukkyo-zensho, Tokyo, 1913-1921. Bdji. —- Bukkyo-dai-ji-i, compiled by the Buddhist University of the Nishi-Honganji at Kyoto, Tokyo, 1914-1922-

Bdjt. == Bukkyo-dai-ji-ten, by Oda Tokuno, Tokyo (Okura shoten), 1917.

Bzss. == Butsu-zo-shin-shu, by Gonda Raifu and Omura Seigai, Tokyo (Heigosha), 1919. Eog. == Eon-on-gi, by Huai-yuan of the T'ang dynasty, Tokyo ed. of the Chinese Tripitaka, 41.10.

og. == Genno-on-gi, by Hsuan-ying (ca. b5U), Tokyo ed. ot tlie tjmnese iripi-

taka, 39.6-7. te. = Go-to-egen, by P'u-tsi of the Sung dynasty (960-1279), Zokuzokyo II. 11. 1-4.

Imjr. = Hi-mitsu-ji-rin, ed. Tomita Kojun, Tokyo (Kajisekaisha), 1911. akuzensho, by Kakuzen (12th cent.), Dainihom-bukkyo-zensho, Tokyo, 1913-1921.

td. = Sho-ten-den, by Hing-t'ing of the Sung dynasty (960-1279), Zokuzokyo 11.23.2.

tj.==So-tei-jion, by Chan-k'ing of the Sung dynasty (960-1279), Zokuzokyo II.18.1. ' == Taisho edition of the Sino-Japanese Tripitaka.

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