1 Published as: Vijay Kumar Manandhar, Ven. Buddhabhadra and His Contributions in Buddhism in 5th Century China, In Shanker Thapa (ed.), Northern Buddhism in History, Kathmandu: Vajra Publications, 2008.

Buddhabhadra: A Nepalese Buddhist Scholar in Ancient ChinaDr. Vijay Kumar Manandhar Tribhuvan University Nepal Nepal and China have a long history of cultural and political relations. The first recorded official relations between Nepal and China date from the middle of the seventh century A.D., although unofficial contacts between the two countries began in the fifth century A.D. through cultural delegations. Nepal-China cultural relations began through Buddhism, which was also a common ground for intellectual and spiritual interest, and intercourse and interaction between Nepal and China. Some of the most prominent figures who immortalized Nepal-China relations are Fa-hsien, Hsuan-tsang, Wang Hsuan-Tse, Buddhabhadra and Arniko. Among them, Buddhabhadra, a prominent Nepalese Buddhist scholar has contributed a lot in Chinese Buddhism. One of the most significant events in the history of Nepal-China cultural relations was the introduction of Buddhism into China in 67 A.D. After their rise to power in the fourth century, the Emperors of the Tsin dynasty worked to promote Buddhist ideals by constructing monasteries. The fifth century was also a remarkable period in the history of Nepal-China cultural relations as it witnessed a marshalling of activities designed to promote Buddhism on the part of Nepalese and Chinese monk-scholars. Here it should be pointed out that following the introduction of Buddhism in China, the Buddhist community in China faced several problems (a) the translation of Buddhist texts with their highly technical terminology, (b) confusion caused by erroneous translation of the Buddhist texts, (c) the misunderstanding of subtle and mystic ideas in Buddhist philosophy, and (d) a lack of disciplinary codes for monastic life. As a result, the Chinese monk-scholars were prompted to undertake hazardous voyages to the Buddhist holy lands of Nepal and India to collect complete and purer sources in order to enrich the Buddhist literature in their homeland. This led to the visits of renowned pilgrim turned monk-scholars Fa-hsien and Hsuan-tsang to Nepal and India in search of genuine texts and the true doctrines and to pay homage to the far-famed Buddhist holy places.

Some of the important features of Nepal-China cultural relations were that it was established by the selfless Buddhist monk-scholars of both Nepal and China, who promised to carry the message of love and compassion which Lord Buddha delivered for the emancipation from suffering of mankind. The cultural intercourse between the two countries was mainly initiated by the Chinese. Here it should be pointed out that there is also a list of prominent Nepalese Buddhist scholars who rendered valuable services in the propagation of Buddhism in China. Buddhabhadra was the first Nepalese monk to visit China in the fifth century A. D. Besides him, two other Nepalese Buddhist scholars Vimoksasena and Subhakarasimha went to China in sixth and eighth century respectively and made contributions to the spread of Buddhism in China by translating Buddhist texts into Chinese. Unfortunately, Nepalese have not recorded the great accomplishments of the prominent Nepalese Buddhist scholar Buddhabhadra and others who went to China with a purely missionary spirit and whose names are interwoven with the history of Buddhism in China. Buddhabhadra was indeed the torchbearer of Nepalese civilization abroad. Significantly, the Chinese have not only preserved the name of this Nepalese Buddhist scholar, but also have preserved the records of the Chinese Buddhist monk-scholars Fa-hsien, Hsuan-tsang, Sengtsai and others who went to Nepal. Seng tsai a monk of the Tsin dynasty (265-420 A.D.) had not only visited Nepal but had also written Wuo-Kuo-Shih (Matters Concerning the Foreign Kingdoms). Apart from the fragments of his work, which are included in the Shui-Ching-Chu (Commentary on the Water Classic), there are some quotations in the Yuan-Chien-lei-han (The Ch'ing Encyclopedia of 1710) as well. His work provides us with an interesting description of Kapilavastu, including an important source of information on the topography of Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. Seng-tsai's work was older than the account of Fa-hsien. The discovery of four monuments called the Black Dragon Spring in Yanchow near Nanking in the Kiangsu province of China has revealed that a Nepalese Buddhist scholar, Buddhabhadra Shakya, (Buddhavatam) visited China in the fifth century A.D. In fact, Buddhabhadra Shakya, whose name means Man with a Conscience was not only the first Nepalese to go to China and to devote his whole life to serving the Chinese people, but also one of the great Buddhist scholars of Nepal who worked for the promotion of Buddhism in Kashmir and China. The Chinese transliteration of his name is Fo-t'o-po-t'o-lo and was translated as Chueh-hsien. Although his family was originally from the western part of Nepal, Kapilavastu, the hometown of the Buddha, they had settled in Nagarahara (the modern Jalalabad in Afghanistan) where Buddhabhadra was born in 358 A.D. According to one tradition, he is said to have been born as a member of the Shakya family, which claimed descent from King Amrtodana, an uncle of the Buddha. Having lost his parents at the age of five, Buddhabhadra, along with his grandparents moved from Nagarahara to Kapilavastu, but his grandparents also died soon thereafter. Left an orphan at an early age, some kindhearted

3 people took care of him and Buddhabhadra was admitted to the Buddhist Order. From his very childhood, he had taken interest in Buddhism. By the time he completed his studies at the age of seventeen, he had acquired a profound knowledge of Buddhism. It was said that even at an early age, he read a thousand words of the scriptures daily. It was also said that once his fellow-student Sanghadatta, while lost in meditation, once saw Buddhabhadra appear suddenly, and asking him whence he came, he said he had been to the Tushita heaven to see Maitreya. His teachers also gave him a very good and in-depth knowledge of Buddhism. As he became a very talented and learned scholar, Buddhabhadra's name became famous in the then Buddhist world. While visiting several Buddhist holy places and Viharas, he came into contact with many Buddhist scholars. During his visits to various Buddhist Viharas, he happened to reach Mauthyan Tholo Vihra of Kashmir. At the request of the abbot of the Vihara, Buddhabhadra remained there and started giving teachings to the Buddhist monastic community. He proved to be a talented Buddhist scholar. During that period, Nepal's far-flung reputation as the birthplace of Lord Buddha had attracted the Chinese visitors. Chinese monk Fa-hsien, at the advanced age of sixty-five, along with four other Chinese monks spent fifteen years in India from 399 to 414 A. D to make a thorough study of Buddhism by procuring authentic texts on monastic discipline and searching for famous Buddhist scholars to bring back with them to China. He helped make the trip of Buddhabhadra ever to visit China successful. It is said that Fa-hsien met the Nepalese scholar and had decided to translate many of the Buddhist Classical texts into Chinese in collaboration with Buddhabhadra. At the time of Fa-hsien's visit to India, there was another Buddhist party from China, visiting India independently of Fa-hsien. They also came to Kashmir, a prestigious Buddhist centre for learning. Chinese delegation, at the time of its departure, requested for the Buddhist community there to send a scholar of repute along with them to China. The head of the Kashmiri Vihra strongly recommended the name of Buddhabhadra, stating that he was a descendant of the Buddha. Moreover, he was a great scholar of Buddhism. Therefore, the Chinese delegation requested for Buddhabhadra to go along with them to China. At first, the Nepalese scholar was reluctant to go on the grounds that China was a faraway and completely a new place. But afterwards, following Chinese requests as well as thinking that he could propagate Buddhism in China as well, Buddhabhadra decided to go and preach Buddhism in faraway China. Buddhabhadra set out for China with the Chinese monks in 406 A.D. While making the over-land journey towards China from India, they crossed six countries and faced many difficulties, and reached Vietnam via Myanmar. From there they continued their journey by sea. During their sea-journey towards China, it was reported that Buddhabhadra impressed all his fellow travelers by foretelling the strange events that were to come. At last, they reached the port of Tsingtao of the Chinese province of Shantung in 409 A.D. From there they went to Ch'ang-an (the modern Sian in Shensi province), the then capital of China.

Upon their arrival at the Chinese capital, they were greatly welcomed by the Emperor as well as the people of China and were taken to Ch'ang-an's biggest monastery. After his arrival in Ch'ang-an, Buddhabhadra, an adherent of the Sarvstivda sect, started preaching Buddhism. He solved a lot of puzzling questions regarding Buddhism from Chinese monks who were greatly convinced by his answers. Buddhabhadra provided a great influence on Chinese Buddhism whose focus was less on sutras and more on reflection. At that time, Kumarajiva was also very popular in China as a Buddhist scholar. Chinese Buddhism would then issue forth from the Sutra oriented followers of Kumarajiva and the meditation orientation of Buddhabhadra's followers. Shortly afterwards, due to doctrinal differences, he came into conflict with Kumarajiva. The followers of Kumarajiva fabricated charges against Buddhabhadra. It is said that some people, who became very jealous of Buddhabhadra's learning and popularity, tried to defame him by fabricating certain charges. But afterwards, when the truth was revealed, they repented. This resulted in the expulsion of Buddhabhadra from Ch'ang-an. In 410 A.D., Buddhabhadra arrived with some forty disciples at Lu-Shan, where Hui-Yuan, the noted Chinese monk scholar, warmly welcomed the Nepalese Buddhist scholar for his reputation as a Dhyana Master. Later on, along with his disciples, Buddhabhadra went to Nanking. Upon his arrival in China in 414 A.D., Fa-hsien was baffled by the dispute between Buddhabhadra and Kumarajiva. So, he proceeded to Nanking in order to assuage Buddhabhadra. Later he was successful in persuading the Nepalese scholar to return to the capital at Ch'ang-an, where he was warmly welcomed by the Emperor. After remaining for sometime in Ch'ang-an, along with Fa-hsien, Buddhabhadra once again returned to Nanking, where the Nepalese scholar became the senior translator at the Tao Chang Ssu Monastery, giving guidance to more than a hundred monks engaged in putting the Buddhist scriptures into Chinese. This monastery was the main centre of such work in China. While in Nanking, collaborating with Fa-hsien, he started the project of editing and translating several famous Buddhist texts from Sanskrit into Chinese. Here it should be mentioned that Fa-hsien had brought many Classic Buddhist texts from India. It is to be noted that by that time, he had acquired a profound knowledge of the Chinese language. Even after Fa-hsien's death in 420 A.D., Buddhabhadra was engaged in translation projects. The Nepalese scholar continued his activities until his death at the age of seventy-one in 429 A.D. The tomb of Revered Buddhabhadra has been discovered in China. Now, fifteen of Buddhabhadra's translated works are said to have been preserved in China. The most extensive of which was the Avatamsaka-Sutra (Discourse on the Garland) in fifty chapters. This work was completed in 420 A.D. It is highly metaphysical and represents the highest levels of Mahayana thought. In 416 A.D., along with Fa-hsien, Buddhabhadra translated Mahsnghika Vinaya into forty volumes. The most noted work which Buddhabhadra translated into Chinese in collaboration with Fa-hsien was Mahparinirvna-

5 Sutra (Discourse on the Great Decease) in six volumes. Others included the Vinayapitaka (the code of monastic discipline) of the Mahsnghika school in thirty-four chapters, Buddha Vatamsaka Mahvaipulya Sutra in thirty-four chapters, Buddhnusmrti-Samdhi (a discourse on the contemplation of the Buddha), Gharva Sutra, Gyana Sutra, Samdhi Sutra, Vaipulya Sutra and Manjushree Sutra of swear and vow. In addition to these texts, he also translated several other Buddhist texts, which include Anantamukha Sdhakadhrani in 519 A.D., Tathgatagarbha in 420 A.D., Kuan fo san mei hai ching in 420-423 A.D., Yogarabhumi in the second year of Lung-An of Eastern Chin dynasty, and Bhadraarypranidhna. Besides Fa-hsien, other Chinese monks Hui-Yuan, Fa-Yeh and a host of other monks were also engaged in Buddhabhadra's translation projects. A large number of Buddhabhadra's works have been mentioned in Samuel Beal's Catalogue of the Chinese Tripitaka. Thus we can see that Buddhabhadra's efforts constitute a glorious chapter in the history of mutual exchange among Buddhist cultures. He happened to be one of those important scholar who had been instrumental in introducing Buddhist texts into China. He made an outstanding contribution by propagating Buddhism in China through his translation work. He also happened to be one of the prominent Buddhist scholars who was invited to stay in the large monasteries of China. He was indeed a person of exceptional status, and his career was typical. It is said that through his efforts, the 'Chan' (Dhyana) Sect, a sect dedicated to the meditation teachings of his teacher Buddhasena, was propagated throughout the region south of the Yangtze. Buddhabhadra, a well known Zen master gave a course of lectures on the Dhyana Sutra for the first time in China in 413 A.D., and it was through his instruction that many native practitioners of Zen were produced. His translation of Dharmatara Dhyana Sutra and that of Avatamsaka Sutra may be said without exaggeration to have laid the corner-stone for Zen. Buddhabhadra is also credited to have taught the Chinese monks to wear monk robes baring one shoulder, to sit on hard ground and to eat only one meal a day before noon. Thus, he worked tirelessly to expound the Dharma to the Chinese elite as well as the laity. He was actively supported by the Chinese ruling class as well as by the Chinese intellectuals. In this way, by spending twenty-one years in China, he laid a strong foundation for the propagation of the peaceful message of Buddhism. The friendship between Nepal and China was a direct outcome of Buddhabhadra's working in partnership with Fa-hsien. For this reason, he can be regarded as one of the most important Nepalese in laying the foundation of Nepal's cultural relations with China. It is also said that Buddhabhadra's name, written in gold letters, is still found in China. We observe in this scenario a Sino-Nepalese intellectual joint venture in the creation of the new spiritual order. It should be noted that for a long time Buddhism played the role of a great medium of a cultural exchange between Nepal and China. The monks scholars from Nepal and China made outstanding contributions to the friendly intercourse between both the

countries. The accounts of Fa-hsien and Hsuan-tsang have always been held in high esteem by the Buddhist historians of as a valuable source for the study of ancient Nepal.

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