VINAYA: from india to china 171
The rst texts on legal procedures (karmavcan texts) translated into
Chinese are, according to some catalogues,^19 two Dharmaguptaka texts:
the Tanwude Lübu Za Jiemo (T.1432, Karmavcan
of the Dharmaguptaka School), translated in 252 AD by the Sogdian
Kang Sengkai (Sa ghavarman)^20 and the Jiemo (T.1433,
Karmavcan), translated in 254 AD by the Parthian Tandi
(?Dharmasatya).^21 Also Huijiao, in his Gaoseng zhuan,^22 refers to an
early Dharmaguptaka karmavcan text, translated by Tandi. Of Kang
Sengkai, Huijiao^23 says that he has translated four texts. Since he only
gives the name of one, non-vinaya, work, it is not certain that he thought
a karmavcan to be among the texts translated by Kang Sengkai. It is
further remarkable that the earliest extant catalogue, the Chu sanzang
jiji, does not mention either of these early karmavcan translations.
They are only recorded in later catalogues. Moreover, A. Hirakawa^24
provides extensive evidence that the two texts should be considered as
a later redaction based on the Chinese Dharmaguptakavinaya, T.1428.
The similarity of the Chinese terminology indeed indicates that these
karmavcan texts were probably compiled after the translation of the
Dharmaguptakavinaya in the early fth century. Still, some differences in
the chapters on the sm^25 and the ordination reveal that the karmavcan
texts are not collections of procedures merely borrowed from T.1428,
but further developments of the same Dharmaguptaka tradition.^26
The above does not necessarily imply that there never were such
early vinaya translations. Many early Buddhist masters were convinced
of their existence, and claimed that the rst legal ordinations in China
(^19) T.1432: Zhisheng, T.2154.55.486c29–487a7, 619b7–8, 668a23–24, 719b21–22 (AD
730); Yuanzhao, T.2157.55.784a17–24, 952b15–16, 1007c19–20, 1042c15 (AD 800).
T.1433: Fajing et al., T.2146.55.140b13 (AD 594); Yancong et al., T.2147.55.155b18
(AD 602); Jingtai et al., T.2148.55.188a17–18 (AD 664); Daoxuan, T.2149.55.227a5–11,
300b15–16, 324b9–10 (AD 664); Jingmai, T.2151.55.351b5–7 (AD 627–649); Mingquan
et al., T.2153.55.432b20–22 (AD 695); Zhisheng, T.2154.55.487a8–13, 619b9–10,
719b23–24 (AD 730); Yuanzhao, T.2157.55.784a25–b1, 952b17–18, 1042c16–17
(AD 800). 20
Lamotte 1958, p. 595; Demiéville et al. 1978, p. 122.
(^21) Lamotte 1958, p. 595; Demiéville et al. 1978, p. 123.
(^22) Huijiao, T.2059.50.325a8–9.
(^23) Huijiao, T.2059.50.325a6–8.
(^24) Hirakawa, 1970, pp. 202–218, 252–253.
(^25) In order to have a legally valid procedure, any formal act has to be carried out
within a well delimited district (sm) by a harmonious order (a samagrasagha, i.e., an
entire and unanimous order). See Kieffer-Pülz 1992, pp. 27–28. See also the notes
175–177.
(^26) See Heirman 2002b, pp. 402–407.