Fang/Bang 昉. "Dasheng daji dizang shilun jing xu" 大乘大集地藏十輪經序.
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The ascription of the translation of the *Kṣitigarbha-sūtra 大乘大集地藏十輪經 T411 to Xuanzang is strongly supported by this preface. According to an internal self-reference by the author, the preface is by one Fang/Bang 昉, most likely to be identified with Sinbang 神昉, a monk reportedly of Korean origin. Various pieces of evidence demonstrate that Sinbang worked in Xuanzang's translation team: he is recorded as a bishou for T411 itself, and also, for example, for texts like the *Mahāvibhāṣā T1545, and the Benshi jing 本事經 T765; T1545 (XXVII) 5a9, T2154 (LV) 557a3-4. Sinbang is also reported by the tradition to have authored a commentary on T411. The preface would have to be shown to be a forgery, or the association with Sinbang false, or the content historically inaccurate, before we could discount its testimony. The preface reports the circumstances of translation rather precisely, including dates of translation in 651 CE 粵以永徽二年歲次辛亥正月乙未，盡其年十二月甲寅翻譯始畢. Note: An excerpt from the preface is translated in Wang-Toutain (1997): 115-116, and again in Zhiru (2007): 62. |
T411 (XIII) 777a17-c3 |
The ascription of the translation of the *Ksitigarbha-sutra 大乘大集地藏十輪經 T411 to Xuanzang is strongly supported by this preface. According to an internal self-reference by the author, the preface is by one Fang/Bang 昉, most likely to be identified with Sinbang 神昉, a monk reportedly of Korean origin. Various pieces of evidence demonstrate that Sinbang worked in Xuanzang's translation team: he is recorded as a bishou for T411 itself, and also, for example, for texts like the *Mahavibhasa T1545, and the Benshi jing 本事經 T765; T1545 (XXVII) 5a9, T2154 (LV) 557a3-4. Sinbang is also reported by the tradition to have authored a commentary on T411. The preface would have to be shown to be a forgery, or the association with Sinbang false, or the content historically inaccurate, before we could discount its testimony. The preface reports the circumstances of translation rather precisely, including dates of translation in 651 CE 粵以永徽二年歲次辛亥正月乙未,盡其年十二月甲寅翻譯始畢. Note: An excerpt from the preface is translated in Wang-Toutain (1997): 115-116, and again in Zhiru (2007): 62. Xuanzang, 玄奘 T0411; 大乘大集地藏十輪經 |