Master Faxian's Journey to the West

Fa Xian, whose common name is Gong, is from Wuyang, Pingyang County (Linfen, Shanxi Province). When he was young, his three brothers died one after another, and his parents were worried that something would happen to Faxian. When I was three years old, I was shaved as a novice monk, but I still lived at home. Later, because he was critically ill, he was sent to a temple. After his recovery, Faxian never went back. At the age of 20, he got enough precepts and lamented that the law was incomplete, so he made a vow to seek the original precepts in the western regions and India. Faxian is not only a monk in the history of Buddhism, but also the first person in the history of studying in China. His contribution and influence on national culture can be said to be eternal glory.

Travel west

In the third year of Long 'an in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (399), Faxian made an appointment with Hui Jing, Daozheng, Huiying, Wei Hui and others, starting from Chang 'an and taking the Hexi Corridor to Zhangye. It coincided with the chaos in Zhangye and the road was blocked. King Zhang Ye tried his best to keep him and supported him wholeheartedly, so Faxian settled here in the summer.

During his stay in Zhangye, the group joined forces with Hui Jian, Shao Monk, Bao Yun, Jing Monk and others to travel westward to Dunhuang. Dunhuang is located at the westernmost end of Hexi Corridor. Out of Dunhuang, it is a vast desert. Fortunately, the satrap Li Hao provided food for crossing the desert, and Faxian and others followed with Zhiyan and Baoyun respectively. In the desert, the climate is hot and windy, there are no birds and animals along the way, and everything can be seen, and I am at a loss, relying only on the occasional bones. Later, I met Baoyun and his party through Shanshan (now Shanshan, Xinjiang) and Wuyi (now Yanqi, Xinjiang). At that time, Wuyi pursued Hinayana Buddhism, and the general residents did not understand etiquette and refused to subsidize the cost of seeking dharma. Yan Zhi, Bye-bye, and Wei Hui turned to Gaochang (now Turpan, Xinjiang) for help, while Faxian and others were met by Fu Gongsun Sheng and continued to head southwest.

It's really difficult to cross in an uninhabited desert. The group walked for more than a month and finally arrived in Khotan (now Khotan, Xinjiang). This place is rich in products, and the people believe in Mahayana Buddhism, so Faxian and others are treated generously. Soon, Hui Jing and Daozheng followed Huida to Jicha, while Faxian and others stayed in Khotan for three months, mainly to watch the military parade from April 1 day to 14. After the end, monk Shao and monk Hu went to Kebin alone, and others went south to Qingji through the county and arrived at home for the summer. Later, Faxian and others climbed mountains and mountains again, and 25 days later, they arrived in the tired Fokker country bordering India, and joined Hui Jing and others to attend the five-year charity held by the king.

In the first year of Yuan Xing in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (402), Fa Xian and others marched northward and crossed the Green Ridge. The terrain is steep, and dragons often spit venom. After years of snow, the locals call it Snow Mountain. After arriving in Ruan Guoli, North India, the group marched southwest along the green ridge, with rugged mountain roads, towering stone walls and steep cliffs. Faxian and others climbed more than 700 simple and dangerous ladders with trepidation, set foot on the cable bridge, crossed the Indus River, arrived in Ukiyou, and settled down in summer. Then he went south, stopped in many countries such as Tuowei and Zhusha, and went to Frosa. At the same time, Monk Jing and Baoyun returned home with Huida, and Huiying died here. Fa Xian went to the hinterland alone to make peace with Hui Jing and Daozheng, and spent the cold winter here.

In the first year of Emperor Yi in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (405), he returned to Balian Mansion and searched extensively for Buddhist scriptures. At that time, all countries in northern India communicated orally and there were no scriptures to copy. Therefore, Fa Xian went to central India and obtained the Buddhist scriptures of Maha monks in Maha Sinhala. It is said that this is a dharma book handed down from the refined house, from which the eighteen laws were derived, and it was the law that the public followed when the Buddha was alive. In addition, he also got 7,000 copies of Sabo's Multi-banknote Law, 6,000 copies of Za 'a's Mind, 2,500 copies of Wanjing, 5,000 copies of Deng Fang's Mud Sutra and On Maha Monk's Solitude. During his stay in India, Faxian also studied Sanskrit, Sanskrit and copied scriptures. , realized his purpose and desire to seek dharma in India.

Although I came to India to practice, I was deeply moved by the laws of the monks and the solemn dignity of the monks, so I decided to stay here. Fa Xian insisted on spreading the precepts to the Han nationality, so he had to go back to China alone. Fa Xian went down the Ganges River, passed through the exhibition country, and arrived at the Indo-Morley Empire in East India in the fourth year of Yi Xi. After two years, I crossed the sea to the lion country (now Sri Lanka). After two years in the Lion Country, I got a copy of Dragon Agama, Za Agama, Miscellany and other Sanskrit.

Donggui

In the seventh year of Yixi, Fa Xian returned to China on a merchant ship with more than 200 people on the Pan-East Sea, drifted in the wind for 90 days, and arrived in Yepoti (Java), where he lived for 5 months.

In the eighth year of Yixi, Faxian once again took a merchant ship and sailed for Guangzhou, where he was caught in a storm. After more than 80 days, I arrived at Laoshan Mountain in Changguang County (Qingdao, Shandong Province). It is said that after landing, Qingzhou satrap sent people to access the city and lived for one winter and one summer.

Fa Xian was about 60 years old when he set out from Chang 'an. He traveled all the way west, arrived in central India for six years, stayed for six years, and returned to Qingzhou three years later. Before and after 15 years passed, and he traveled to 30 countries.

In the ninth year of Yixi, Fa Xian went to Kyoto to build health, and worked as an interpreter in Dojo Temple with Buddhabhadra. Before and after this, he translated 40 volumes of Maha Monk Dharma, 1 volume of Buddhist monks, monks, monks, monks, monks, monks, monks, monks.

After living in Jiankang for several years, Fa Xian moved to Xin Temple in Jingzhou (now Jiangling, Hubei Province), where he died and enjoyed his life at the age of 86.

works

He is the author of The Kingdom of Buddhism (also known as Fa Xian Zhuan). He translated forty volumes of Maha Monk Law, one volume of Maha Monk Law, one volume of Maha Monk Law, one volume of Maha Monk Law and one volume of Maha Monk Law.

The Story of the Buddha records the experiences, knowledge, customs and Buddhism of various countries, and provides a guide for future generations to seek dharma in the West. This book is the oldest extant biography of China monks traveling to India. The contents of the book preserve the ancient historical and geographical information about the countries in the Western Regions and are important historical documents for studying the ancient history and culture of the Western Regions and South Asia. Up to now, the story of the Buddha is still recognized by the world as an immortal work. In modern times, it has been translated into English, French and German, which has attracted the attention of historians and archaeologists from all over the world.

The influence of later generations

At the end of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, influenced by Fa Xian, there was an endless stream of westward travelers seeking Fa, such as Kang Franc, Zuo Hui, Zhi Meng and others. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, people who sought the Dharma in the west were popular, including Tan Wuji, a group of 25 people, Fa Li and other three people, Bao Siam and his party of eight people, and Daopu, Daotai, Fa Sheng, Huilan, Daoyao, Fa Xian, Sheng Hui and Yun Qi, all of whom went west alone. Among them, those who have made great achievements are represented by endless haze.