Lives of the nuns biographies of Chinese Buddhist nuns from the fourth to sixth centuries : a translation of the Pi-ch'iu-ni chuan |
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Sources of the Text |
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 | Lives of the nuns |  |
Sources of the Text
In his preface Pao-ch'ang declares, "I have been examining epitaphs
and eulogies, and searching in collections of writings."
Most of the extant sources for the Lives are fragments from a now-lost
work, the MHC, compiled by Wang Yen after 479.[16] In the MHC
we find the most fragments of possible sources for the Lives. Of the
sixty-five biographies, five appear in the FYCL. All these five, biographies
the FYCL, and a different version of biography 10 is found in the Chin
nan-ching ssu chi (Notes on the convents and monasteries of the
southern capital of the Chin dynasty), a book no longer extant but
quoted in the FYCL.[17]
A detailed comparison of the different versions of the biographies of
the same nun reveals how Pao-ch'ang used and changed his sources.
The five, and possibly six, biographies that have more than one extant
version are biography 10, Tao-jung, with four versions;[18] biography
16, Hui-yü, with three versions;[19] biography 22, Hui-mu, with two
versions (both have been translated to demonstrate the differences);[20]
biography 37, Fa-yüan, with two versions;[21] biography 52, Ching-hsiu,
with three versions.[22] The sixth biography, Hui-ch'iung (no. 20),
is distantly connected to that of a certain Fa-ch'iung in the collection
Kuang hung ming chi (The extended collection making known the
illustrious) (hereafter KHMC).[23]
The two most interesting of these few biographies are Tao-jung (10)
and Ching-hsiu (52). The first interests us because it has four versions.
No two versions are identical, but the fact that there is much overlapping
strongly suggests a common, and much longer, source. Ching-hsiu's
biography interests us because we have the original source used
by Pao-ch'ang. Ching-hsiu's original biography was written by Shen
Yüeh, a famous man of letters.[24] He wrote a lengthy biography of the
nun, which is included in Tao-hsüan's collection, the KHMC.[25] A
comparison of the two versions indicates that Pao-ch'ang used, condensed,
and edited Shen Yüeh's writing as the original source.
Shen Yüeh also must have had contact with other nuns because he
wrote a eulogy for Seng-ching (no. 39). That eulogy, although not
included in the Lives with the biography, is preserved in the KCTSCC,
vol. 506, p. 14b. The translated eulogy is appended to Seng-ching's
translated biography.
Wright, "Biography and Hagiography," p. 418; T'ang Yung-t'ung, Han
wei liang-chin nan-pei-ch'ao fo-chiao shih (History of Buddhism in the Wei,
Chin, and Southern and Northern dynasties), p. 579, says it was compiled at
the beginning of the chien-yüan reign period (479-482) of the Ch'i dynasty
(479-502). These fragments have been brought together by Lu Hsün in Ku
hsiao-shuo kou ch'en (A study of ancient fiction).
(1) Lives 936.b.11; (2) Ming hsiang chi as quoted in Fa yüan chu lin,
616.b.5; (3) Chin nan-ching ssu chi as quoted in Fa yüan chu lin, 526.b.17;
(4) Fo tsu t'ung chi (Thorough record of the Buddha's lineage) 340.b.29ff.
(1) Lives 937.c.24; (2) Ming hsiang chi as quoted in Fa yüan chu lin,
407.b.15; (3) Chi shen chou san pao kan t'ung lu, T. 52, 418.b.7-12.
(1) Lives 945.a.7; (2) Kuang hung ming chi, 270.b.7; and (3) Ku chin
t'u shu chi ch'eng, vol. 506, pp. 10b-11a.
Shen Yüeh (441-513) styled Hsiu-wen, poet and author of a Chin shu
(History of the Chin dynasty), now lost; Sung shu (History of the [Liu] Sung
dynasty), and other secular works. He also wrote essays on Buddhist topics,
many collected in the KHMC. He served in official positions during the Sung
(420-479) and Ch'i (479-502) dynasties.
| Lives of the nuns | |