272 charles d. orzech
converted late in life to Buddhism. He rapidly gained a reputation
as learned and was invited by Emperor Gaozong to come to
Chang’an.^37 Gaozong died before his wish was realized, but apparently
Empress Wu persisted. Bodhiruci arrived in 693 and Empress Wu had
him lodged at Da Fuxian Monastery , the premier govern-
ment establishment in Loyang. He also did some work at Foshouji
Monastery in Luoyang.
Bodhiruci’s early years in China were productive, with no fewer
than eleven sūtras appearing in the first years.^38 By 706 he shifted to
Chongfu Monastery in Chang’an, where he translated scrip-
tures on a variety of esoteric deities, including Amoghapāśa (Bukong
juansuo shenbian zhenyan jing , T. 1092),
Cintāmaṇicakra (Ruilun tuoluoni jing , T. 1080), and
the Ekākṣara-uṣṇīṣa-cakravartin Scripture (Yizi foding lunwang jing
, T. 951), among others. Bodhiruci’s Amoghapāśa text
is strikingly different from the text rendered by Manicintana. First,
it is much larger, occupying one hundred and seventy-one Taishō
pages. Second, in contrast to Manicintana’s text, it includes systematic
and integrated use of mandalas, abhiṣeka, homa, vidyārājas, and bījas
(seed syllables) in complex visualizations.^39 It thus has more in com-
mon with texts such as the MVS and the STTS than it does with earlier
dhāraṇī scriptures.
Yijing
Yijing, inspired by the travels of Faxian and Xuanzang , set out
for India in 671 and returned in 695, bringing with him hundreds
of Sanskrit texts and a large number of relics.^40 He initially settled at
Foshouji Monastery, where he translated the Avataṃsaka sūtra with
Śiksānanda.̣^41 He was a prolific translator whose output focused on
(^37) See Forte 2002, 83–85.
(^38) The details are drawn from Zanning’s biography of Bodhiruci in the Song Gaoseng
zhuan 39 , T. 2061.50:720b4–12. See also Yoritomi 1990, 46–47, 89–94.
See, for example, T. 1097.20:260b5, 293a1ff., 259c28 (homa), 264a22 (abhiṣeka).
The extensive use of the imperial metaphor is notably absent. 40
Yijing’s biography is found in the Song gaoseng zhuan, T. 2061.50:710b8–711b4,
where Zanning places him at the head of the first fascicle. The other two figures in the
first fascicle are Vajrabodhi and Amoghavajra. The comments on the texts and relics
are at 710b19–20. His travels are chronicled in Da Tang xiyu qiufa gaoseng zhuan
, T. 2066, and Nanhai jigui neifa zhuan , T. 2125,
translated by Takakusu (1896). 41
T. 279.