See also: Xuanzang (fictional character)

Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuán Zàng; Wade-Giles: Hsüan-tsang, pronounced Shwan-dzang) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator that brought up the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. See also Xuanzang The Fictional character Xuanzang ( is a central character of the classic Chinese Novel Journey to the West Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices MONK is a Monte Carlo software package for simulating nuclear processes particularly for the purpose of determining the neutron multiplication factor or k-effective Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era This article is about the history of South Asia prior to the Partition of British India in 1947 The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by

He became famous for his seventeen year overland trip to India and back, which is recorded in detail in his autobiography and a biography.

Contents 1 Nomenclature and etymology 2 Early life 3 Pilgrimage 4 South Asia 5 His influence on Chinese Buddhism 6 His Autobiography and Biography 7 His Legacy 8 Relics 9 See also 10 Footnotes 11 General sources 12 Further reading 13 External links

Nomenclature and etymology

Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏) or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. In Linguistics, romanization (or latinization, also spelled romanisation or latinisation) is the representation of a Word or Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)

Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title. The Tripiṭaka ( Sanskrit; Devanagari: त्रिपिटक lit

Early life

Xuanzang was born near Luoyang, Henan in 602? as Chén Huī or Chén Yī (陳 褘) and died 5th Feb. Luoyang ( is a Prefecture-level city in western Henan province, People's Republic of China. Henan ( is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country Events By Place Byzantine Empire Maurice, at war with the Avars and always dealing with the lack of money decrees that the army should 664^[1] in Yu Hua Gong (玉華宮). Events By Place Asia Arab armies conquer Kabul. Kuo Wu Tsung of Tang comes to Japan Xuanzang, whose lay name was Chen Hui, was born into a family noted for its erudition for generations. He was the youngest of four children. His great-grandfather was an official serving as a prefect, his grandfather was appointed as professor in the Imperial College at the capital. His father was a conservative Confucianist who gave up office and withdrew into seclusion to escape the political turmoil that gripped China at that time. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B According to traditional biographies, Xuanzang displayed a superb intelligence and earnestness, amazing his father by his careful observance of the Confucian rituals at the age of eight. Along with his brothers and sister, he received an early education from his father, who instructed him in classical works on filial piety and several other canonical treatises of orthodox Confucianism.

Although his household in Chenhe Village of Goushi Town (緱氏 gou1), Luo Prefecture (洛州), Henan, was essentially Confucian, at a young age Xuanzang expressed interest in becoming a Buddhist monk as one of his elder brothers had done. Henan ( is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country After the death of his father in 611, he lived with his older brother Chensu (later known as Changjie) for five years at Jingtu Monastery (淨土寺) in Luoyang, supported by the Sui Dynasty state. For the telephone number 611 see 6-1-1. Births Deaths Ceolwulf of Wessex Map-bms611 Luoyang ( is a Prefecture-level city in western Henan province, People's Republic of China. The Sui Dynasty ( 581 - 618 AD and in the undertaking of other construction projects including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. During this time he studied both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, preferring the latter. History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for

In 618, the Sui Dynasty collapsed and Xuanzang and his brother fled to Chang'an, which had been proclaimed as the capital of the Tang state, and thence southward to Chengdu, Sichuan. Events By Place Asia The Sui Dynasty ends and the Tang Dynasty begins in China. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by ( located in southwest People's Republic of China, is the capital of Sichuan province and a Sub-provincial city. ( Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in western China with its capital in Chengdu. Here the two brothers spent two or three years in further study in the monastery of Kong Hui, including the Abhidharmakosa-sastra (Abhidharma Storehouse Treatise). Abhidharma-kośa (the compendium of Abhidharma) is a key text in verse written in Sanskrit by Vasubandhu. When Xuanzang requested to take Buddhist orders at the age of thirteen, the abbot Zheng Shanguo made an exception in his case because of his precocious knowledge.

Xuanzang was fully ordained as a monk in 622, at the age of twenty. Events Religion July 16 — Year one of the Islamic calendar begins during which the Hijra occurs — Prophet Muhammad The myriad contradictions and discrepancies in the texts at that time prompted Xuanzang to decide to go to India and study in the cradle of Buddhism. He subsequently left his brother and returned to Chang'an to study foreign languages and to continue his study of Buddhism. He began his mastery of Sanskrit in 626, and probably also studied Tocharian. Events By Place Byzantine Empire The Byzantines defeat the Avars and Slavs, who were besieging Constantinople During this time Xuanzang also became interested in the metaphysical Yogacara school of Buddhism. Yogācāra (Sanskrit "yoga practice" "one whose practice is yoga" Chinese Yüjiazong "Yoga School" 瑜珈宗 is an influential school of Eastern Philosophy

Pilgrimage

In 629, Xuanzang reportedly had a dream that convinced him to journey to India. Events By Place Persian and Byzantine Empires September - Jerusalem is reconquered by the Byzantine Empire from The Tang Dynasty and Eastern Türk Göktürks were waging war at the time; therefore Emperor Tang Taizong prohibited foreign travel. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by Göktürks ( Turkish: Gök Türkler) were a Turkic people of ancient Central Asia. Emperor Taizong of Tang ( January 23, 599 &ndash July 10 649) personal name Lǐ Shìmín ( was the second emperor of the Xuanzang persuaded some Buddhist guards at the gates of Yumen and slipped out of the empire via Liangzhou (Gansu), and Qinghai province. Yumen ( literally "Jade Gate" is a city in western Gansu province in China. ( is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China. (青海 qīnghǎi is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake. He subsequently travelled across the Gobi Desert to Kumul (Hami), thence following the Tian Shan westward, arriving in Turfan in 630. The Gobi (Говь Govi or Gov', "gravel-covered plain" Chinese: zh-t 戈壁(沙漠 Gēbì (Shāmò) Kumul (Qumul or Hami (قۇمۇل|Qumul|K̡umul Chinese: 哈密 Pinyin: Hāmì is an oasis in Hami Prefecture, Xinjiang ( China The Tian Shan (天山 Pinyin: Tiān Shān "celestial mountains" also commonly spelled Tien Shan, is a Mountain range located in Central Turfan or Tulufan (تۇرپان|Turpan|Turpan Modern Chinese: 吐魯番, Pinyin: Tǔlǔfān is an Oasis city in the Events By Place Byzantine Empire Serbs settle in the Balkans having been invited by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius Here he met the king of Turfan, a Buddhist who equipped him further for his travels with letters of introduction and valuables to serve as funds.

Moving further westward, Xuanzang escaped robbers to reach Yanqi, then toured the Theravada monasteries of Kucha. History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Kucha or Kuche (also Kuçar, Kuchar) Uyghur ( كۇچار) Chinese Simplified 库车; Traditional 庫車 Further west he passed Aksu before turning northwest to cross the Tian Shan's Bedal Pass into modern Kyrgyzstan. Aksu or Akesu (also known as Ak-su, Akshu, Aqsu, Bharuka and Po-lu-chia; ئاقسۇ|Aqsu|Ak̡su Kyrgyzstan (ˈkɻ̩gɪztɑn (AmE or /'kɝgəztan/ (BrE Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан; Russian: Киргизия or Киргизстан or Кыргызстан He skirted Issyk Kul before visiting Tokmak on its northwest, and met the great Khan of the Western Türk, whose relationship to the Tang emperor was friendly at the time. Issyk Kul (also Ysyk Köl, Issyk-kol; Ысыккөл Иссык-Куль is an Endorheic Lake in the northern Tian Shan mountains Tokmak is a city in Uzbekistan located on a peninsula on the south coast of the Aral Sea. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by After a feast, Xuanzang continued west then southwest to Tashkent (Chach/Che-Shih), capital of modern day Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly From here, he crossed the desert further west to Samarkand. Samarkand (Samarqand Самарқанд سمرقند UniPers: "Samarqand" is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of In Samarkand, which was under Persian influence, the party came across some abandoned Buddhist temples and Xuanzang impressed the local king with his preaching. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia A sermon is an oration by a Prophet or member of the Clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, or religious topic Setting out again to the south, Xuanzang crossed a spur of the Pamirs and passed through the famous Iron Gates. The Pamir Mountains are located in Central Asia and are formed by the junction or Knot of the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Continuing southward, he reached the Amu Darya and Termez, where he encountered a community of more than a thousand Buddhist monks. The Amu Darya (formerly Oxus River the Greeks (Ptolemeus called it Oxiana palus) is the longest river in Central Asia. Termez (Termiz ترمذ UniPers: "Termez" is a city in southern Uzbekistan near the border with Afghanistan.

Further east he passed through Kunduz, where he stayed for some time to witness the funeral rites of Prince Tardu, who had been poisoned. Kunduz ( قندوز) also known as Kundûz Qonduz Qondûz Konduz Kondûz Kondoz or Qhunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan, the capital Here he met the monk Dharmasimha, and on the advice of the late Tardu made the trip westward to Balkh (modern day Afghanistan), to see the Buddhist sites and relics, especially the Nava Vihara, or Nawbahar, which he described as the westernmost monastic institution in the world. Balkh ( - Balḫ) also known as Bactra, was once a major world city but was destroyed entirely by the Mongols. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Nava Vihara ( Sanskrit: sa-Deva नव विहार "new temple" or "new monastery" (see Vihara) has been arabized as Nau Behar Here Xuanzang also found over 3,000 Theravada monks, including Prajnakara, a monk with whom Xuanzang studied Theravada scriptures. He acquired the important [Mahāvibhāṣa] text here, which he later translated into Chinese. Prajnakara then accompanied the party southward to Bamyan, where Xuanzang met the king and saw tens of Theravada monasteries, in addition to the two large Bamyan Buddhas carved out of the rockface. For the province see Bamyan Province. Bamyan ( is the capital of Bamyan Province and the largest town in Hazarajat, central The Buddhas of Bamyan ( - but hay-e bamiyaan) were two monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamyan valley The party then resumed their travel eastward, crossing the Shibar pass and descending to the regional capital of Kapisi (about 60 km north of modern Kabul), which sported over 100 monasteries and 6,000 monks, mostly Mahayana. } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for This was part of the fabled old land of Gandhara. Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient Xuanzang took part in a religious debate here, and demonstrated his knowledge of many Buddhist sects. Here he also met the first Jains and Hindus of his journey. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical He pushed on to Jalalabad and Laghman, where he considered himself to have reached India. Jalalabad (Jalalkot ( Pashto: جلالکوټ، جلال اباد) is a city in eastern Afghanistan. The year was 630. Events By Place Byzantine Empire Serbs settle in the Balkans having been invited by the Byzantine emperor Heraclius

South Asia

Xuanzang left Jalalabad, which had few Buddhist monks, but many stupas and monasteries. A stupa (from Sanskrit and Pāli: m स्तूप stūpa, literally meaning "heap" is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist He passed through Hunza and the Khyber Pass to the east, reaching the former capital of Gandhara, Peshawar, on the other side. The Khyber Pass, (also spelled Khaiber or Khaybar (درہ خیبر (altitude  m   ft is the Mountain pass that links Pakistan and Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient ( پښور; Urdu: پشاور) is the capital of the North-West Frontier Province and the administrative centre for the Federally Administered Peshawar was nothing compared to its former glory, and Buddhism was declining in the region. Xuanzang visited a number of stupas around Peshawar, notably the Kanishka Stupa. Kanishka (Kushan language Κανηϸκι, Middle Chinese: 迦腻色伽 was a king of the Kushan Empire in Central Asia, ruling an empire extending A stupa (from Sanskrit and Pāli: m स्तूप stūpa, literally meaning "heap" is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist This stupa was built just southeast of Peshawar, by a former king of the city. In 1908 it was rediscovered by D. Year 1908 ( MCMVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year B. Spooner with the help of Xuanzang's account.

Xuanzang left Peshawar and travelled northeast to the Swat Valley. Reaching Udyana, he found 1,400 old monasteries, that had previously supported 18,000 monks. Oḍḍiyāna, a small country in early Medieval India, implicit in the ascendence of Tantric Buddhism. The remnant monks were of the Mahayana school. Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Xuanzang continued northward and into the Buner Valley, before doubling back via Shabaz Gharni to cross the Indus river at Hund. The Buner Valley lies north east of the Peshawar valley border of the North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan. The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd Friedrich Hund (4 February 1896 - 31 March 1997 was a German Physicist from Karlsruhe known for his work on atoms and molecules Thereafter he headed to Taxila, a Mahayana Buddhist kingdom that was a vassal of Kashmir, which is precisely where he headed next. For the Genus of metalmark butterflies, see Taxila (butterfly. Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir Here he found 5,000 more Buddhist monks in 100 monasteries. Here he met a talented Mahayana monk and spent his next two years (631-633) studying Mahayana alongside other schools of Buddhism. Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Events By Place Europe The Battle of Wogastisburg is fought between the Slavs led by Samo, and the Franks Events By Place Europe Oswald of Bernicia becomes Bretwalda. Osric becomes king of Deira. During this time, Xuanzang writes about the Fourth Buddhist council that took place nearby, ca. Two councils frequently called Fourth Buddhist Council were held 100 AD, under the order of King Kanishka of Kushana. Kanishka (Kushan language Κανηϸκι, Middle Chinese: 迦腻色伽 was a king of the Kushan Empire in Central Asia, ruling an empire extending The Kushan Empire (c 1st &ndash 3rd centuries) was a Bactrian state that at its cultural zenith Circa 105 &ndash 250

In 633, Xuanzang left Kashmir and journeyed south to Chinabhukti (thought to be modern Firozpur), where he studied for a year with the monk-prince Vinitaprabha. Events By Place Europe Oswald of Bernicia becomes Bretwalda. Osric becomes king of Deira. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Firozpur (or Ferozepur, Ferozepore, फिरोज़पुर) is a city in Firozpur

In 634 he went east to Jalandhar in eastern Punjab, before climbing up to visit predominantly Theravada monasteries in the Kulu valley and turning southward again to Bairat and then Mathura, on the Yamuna river. Events By Place Oswald of Northumbria defeats Cadwallon ap Cadfan of Gwynedd in the Battle of Heavenfield and WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Jalandhar (ਜਲੰਧਰ Hindi:) previously known as Jullundur, is an ancient Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Kullu is the capital town of the Kullu District, in the state of Himachal Pradesh, WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Bairat is a town in northern Jaipur District of Rajasthan, state, India Mathura ( IAST mathurā)( Hindi: मथुरा is a holy City in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. For the goddess of the river who is sometimes called Yamuna see Yami The Yamuna (Sanskrit यमुना Mathura had 2,000 monks of both major Buddhist branches, despite being Hindu-dominated. Xuanzang travelled up the river to Srughna before crossing eastward to Matipura, where he arrived in 635, having crossed the river Ganges. Events By Topic Religion Saint Aidan founds Lindisfarne in Northumbria, England The Ganges (ˈgænʤiːz also Ganga, Devanāgarī: hi गंगा in most Indian languages) is the major river in the Indian subcontinent From here, he headed south to Sankasya (Kapitha), said to be where Buddha descended from heaven, then onward to the northern Indian emperor Harsha's grand capital of Kanyakubja (Kanauji). Sankassa (also Sankasia, Sankissa and Sankasya) was a city in India at the time of Gautama Buddha, thirty leagues from Savatthi. Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder Harsha or Harshavardhana (हर्षवर्धन or "Harsha vardhan" ( 590 &ndash 647) was an Indian emperor who ruled Northern India WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Kannauj ( Hindi कन्नौज Urdu: کنوج) also spelt Kanauj, Here, in 636, Xuanzang encountered 100 monasteries of 10,000 monks (both Mahayana and Theravada), and was impressed by the king's patronage of both scholarship and Buddhism. Events By Place Byzantine Empire August 20 — Battle of Yarmuk: Khalid ibn al-Walid 's victory against the Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Xuanzang spent time in the city studying Theravada scriptures, before setting off eastward again for Ayodhya (Saketa), homeland of the Yogacara school. Ayodhya (अयोध्या IAST Ayodhyā) is an ancient city of India, the old capital of Awadh, in the Faizabad district Yogācāra (Sanskrit "yoga practice" "one whose practice is yoga" Chinese Yüjiazong "Yoga School" 瑜珈宗 is an influential school of Eastern Philosophy Xuanzang now moved south to Kausambi (Kosam), where he had a copy made from an important local image of the Buddha. Kosambi ( Pali) or Kausambi ( Sanskrit) was one of the greatest cities in India in the Buddha 's time (500 BC

Xuanzang now returned northward to Sravasti, travelled through Terai in the southern part of modern Nepal (here he found deserted Buddhist monasteries) and thence to Kapilavastu, his last stop before Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. Srāvastī or Sāvatthī ( Hindi: श्रावस्ती a city of ancient India, was one of the six largest cities in India during Gautama Buddha The Terai ("moist land" is a belt of marshy Grasslands Savannas and Forests at the base of the Himalaya range in India Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. Kapilavastu is the name of an region of ancient Shakya kingdom that is considered a holy pilgrimage place for Buddhists, located close to Lumbini. Lumbini ( Sanskrit: sa लुम्बिनी "the lovely" is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Kapilavastu district of Nepal Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder Reaching Lumbini, he would have seen a pillar near the old Ashoka tree that Buddha is said to have been born under. This was from the reign of emperor Ashoka, and records that he worshipped at the spot. Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi The pillar was rediscovered by A. Fuhrer in 1895. Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year

In 637, Xuanzang set out from Lumbini to Kusinagara, the site of Buddha's death, before heading southwest to the deer park at Sarnath where Buddha gave his first sermon, and where Xuanzang found 1,500 resident monks. Events By Place Europe Battle of Mag Rath Dál Riata influence in Ulster is greatly reduced or ended WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Kushinagar or Kusinagar (26 This article is about a place in India For H P Lovecraft 's fictitious city see The Doom That Came to Sarnath. Travelling eastward, at first via Varanasi, Xuanzang reached Vaisali, Pataliputra (Patna) and Bodh Gaya. Varanasi ( Sanskrit: वाराणसी Vārāṇasī, pronunciation) also commonly known as Benares ( or Banaras (बनारस Vaishali District is a District in Bihar State, India. It is named after the Vaishali (ancient city. Paṭnā ( Hindi: पटना is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Bodh Gaya or Bodhgaya (Hindi बोधगया is a city in Gaya district in the He was then accompanied by local monks to Nalanda, the great ancient university of India, where he spent at least the next two years. Nālandā is the name of an ancient University in Bihar, India. He was in the company of several thousand scholar-monks, whom he praised. Xuanzang studied logic, grammar, Sanskrit, and the Yogacara school of Buddhism during his time at Nalanda. Logic is the study of the principles of valid demonstration and Inference. Grammar is the field of Linguistics that covers the Rules governing the use of any given natural language. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical

His influence on Chinese Buddhism

During his travels he studied with many famous Buddhist masters, especially at the famous center of Buddhist learning at Nālanda University. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda or Big Wild Goose Pagoda ( is a Buddhist pagoda located in southern Xi'an, Shaanxi province China. UserEl_C --> Xi'an ( Postal map spelling: Sian is the Capital of the Shaanxi province in the Nālandā is the name of an ancient University in Bihar, India. When he returned, he brought with him some 657 Sanskrit texts. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical With the emperor's support, he set up a large translation bureau in Chang'an (present-day Xi'an), drawing students and collaborators from all over East Asia. Chang'an ( is an ancient Capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history. UserEl_C --> Xi'an ( Postal map spelling: Sian is the Capital of the Shaanxi province in the He is credited with the translation of some 1,330 fascicles of scriptures into Chinese. His strongest personal interest in Buddhism was in the field of Yogācāra (瑜伽行派) or Consciousness-only (唯識). Yogācāra (Sanskrit "yoga practice" "one whose practice is yoga" Chinese Yüjiazong "Yoga School" 瑜珈宗 is an influential school of Eastern Philosophy In Buddhism, consciousness-only or mind-only ( Sanskrit: vijñapti-mātratā, vijñapti-mātra, citta-mātra; Chinese

The force of his own study, translation and commentary of the texts of these traditions initiated the development of the Faxiang school (法相宗) in East Asia. Dharma-character school (Chinese 法相宗 Pinyin fa xiang zong, Japanese Hossō is the pejorative name for a stream of thought that represented the Indian Although the school itself did not thrive for a long time, its theories regarding perception, consciousness, karma, rebirth, etc. In Psychology and the Cognitive sciences perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of sensory Information. Consciousness has been defined loosely as a constellation of attributes of Mind such as Subjectivity, Self-awareness, Sentience, and the Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्म, kárman - "act action performance" Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action" found their way into the doctrines of other more successful schools. Xuanzang's closest and most eminent student was Kuiji (窺基) who became recognized as the first patriarch of the Faxiang school. Kuiji 窺基 (632-682 CE an exponent of Yogācāra, was a Chinese monk and a prominent disciple of Xuanzang. Hsuan Tsang's logic, as described by Kuiji, was often misunderstood by scholars of Chinese Buddhism because they lack the necessary background in Indian logic. ^[2]

Xuanzang was known for his extensive but careful translations of Indian Buddhist texts to Chinese, and subsequent recoveries of lost Indian Buddhist texts from translated Chinese copies. He is credited with writing or compiling the Cheng Weishi Lun as a commentary on these texts. The Cheng Weishi Lun (成唯識論 Discourse on the Theory of Consciousness-only) is a commentary written or compiled by the Chinese monk Xuanzang He also founded the short-lived but influential Faxiang school of Buddhism. Dharma-character school (Chinese 法相宗 Pinyin fa xiang zong, Japanese Hossō is the pejorative name for a stream of thought that represented the Indian Additionally, he was known for recording the events of the reign of the northern Indian emperor, Harsha. Harsha or Harshavardhana (हर्षवर्धन or "Harsha vardhan" ( 590 &ndash 647) was an Indian emperor who ruled Northern India

His Autobiography and Biography

In 646, under the Emperor's request, Xuanzang completed his book "Journey to the West in the Great Tang Dynasty" (大唐西域記), which has become one of the primary sources for the study of medieval Central Asia and India. Events An edict of the Taika Reforms is promulgated in Japan Alexandria is recaptured by the Arabs after a Byzantine The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions ( is a narrative of Xuanzang 's nineteen year journey through Chang'an to India between This book was first translated into French by the Sinologist Stanislas Julien in 1857. Stanislas Aignan Julien ( April 13, 1797 ? - February 14, 1873) was a French Sinologist.

There was also a biography of Xuanzang written by the monk Huili (慧立). Both books were first translated into English by Samuel Beal, in 1884 and 1911 respectively. ^{[3] [4]} An English translation with copious notes by Thomas Watters was edited by T. S. Rhys Davids and S. W. Bushell, and published posthumously in London in 1905. These books are however all seriously outdated and full of inaccuracies, and recent attempts are not much better.

His Legacy

Xuanzang's journey along the so-called Silk Roads, and the legends that grew up around it, inspired the Ming novel Journey to the West, one of the great classics of Chinese literature. The Silk Road, or Silk Routes, are an extensive interconnected network of Trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East South and Western Asia with the The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led Journey to the West ( is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Chinese literature extends back thousands of years from the earliest recorded dynastic court Archives to the mature fictional Novel that arose during the Ming Dynasty The Xuanzang of the novel is the reincarnation of a disciple of Gautama Buddha, and is protected on his journey by three powerful disciples. See also Xuanzang The Fictional character Xuanzang ( is a central character of the classic Chinese Novel Journey to the West Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder One of them, the monkey, was a popular favourite and profoundly influenced Chinese culture and contemporary Japanese manga and anime, (including the popular Dragon Ball and Saiyuki series'), and became well known in the West by Arthur Waley's translation and later the cult TV series Monkey. Sun Wukong ( known in the West as the Monkey King, is the main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West. The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly commonly known as Saiyuki, is a popular Manga series created by Kazuya Minekura. Arthur David Waley CH ( August 19, 1889 &ndash June 27, 1966) was a noted English Orientalist and Sinologist Monkey, also known as Monkey Magic!, refers to the English language voice-over version - not the original English subtitled version - of the Japanese

In the Yuan Dynasty, there was also a play by Wu Changling (吳昌齡) about Xuanzang obtaining scriptures. The Yuan Dynasty ( Pinyin: Yuáncháo Dai Ön Ulus (Дай Юан Улс was a ruling Dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai A play, or stageplay, is a form of Literature written by a Playwright, almost always consisting of Dialogue between Fictional characters

Relics

A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The Temple of Great Compassion ( Chinese 大悲院 Pinyin dà bēi yuàn literally Great Compassion Temple) is a Buddhist temple in Hebei district ( Postal map spelling: Tientsin) is the second largest city in northern coastal China. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Nālandā is the name of an ancient University in Bihar, India. The Dalai Lama is the spiritual and political leader of the Tibetan people according to Tibetan Buddhism. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The relic is now in the Patna museum. Paṭnā ( Hindi: पटना is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull. ( located in southwest People's Republic of China, is the capital of Sichuan province and a Sub-provincial city. ( Postal map spelling: Szechwan and Szechuan) is a province in western China with its capital in Chengdu.

See also

• Silk Road transmission of Buddhism
• Buddhism in China
• Sino-Indian relations
• Zhang Qian
• Faxian
• Sun Wukong
• Genjō-sanzō
• Hyecho
• Yi Jing

Footnotes

General sources

• Sally Hovey Wriggins. Xuanzang: A Buddhist Pilgrim on the Silk Road. Westview Press, 1996. Revised and updated as The Silk Road Journey With Xuanzang. Westview Press, 2003. ISBN 0-8133-6599-6.
• On Yuan Chwang’s Travels in India tr. Thomas Watters. Reprint. New Delhi, Munshiram Manoharlal, 1996. ISBN 81-215-0336-1.
• Stanislas Julien. 1857. Memoires sur les contrées occidentales. Paris.

Further reading

• Beal, Samuel. 1884. Si-Yu-Ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World, by Hiuen Tsiang. 2 vols. Translated by Samuel Beal. London. 1884. Reprint: Delhi. Oriental Books Reprint Corporation. 1969.
• Beal, Samuel. 1911. The Life of Hiuen-Tsiang. Translated from the Chinese of Shaman (monk) Hwui Li by Samuel Beal. London. 1911. Reprint Munshiram Manoharlal, New Delhi. 1973.
• Bernstein, Richard. Ultimate Journey: Retracing the Path of an Ancient Buddhist Monk (Xuanzang) who crossed Asia in Search of Enlightenment. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2001. ISBN 0-375-40009-5
• Li, Rongxi (translator). 1995. A Biography of the Tripiṭaka Master of the Great Ci’en Monastery of the Great Tang Dynasty. Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research. Berkeley, California. ISBN 1-886439-00-1
• Li, Rongxi (translator). 1995. The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions. Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research. Berkeley, California. ISBN 1-886439-02-8
• Saran, Mishi 2005. Chasing the Monk’s Shadow: A Journey in the Footsteps of Xuanzang. Penguin/Viking, New Delhi.
• Gordon, Stewart. When Asia was the World: Traveling Merchants, Scholars, Warriors, and Monks who created the "Riches of the East" Da Capo Press, Perseus Books, 2008. ISBN 0-306-81556-7.
• Sun Shuyun. Sun Shuyun is a Chinese writer She was born in China in the 1960s graduated from Beijing University and won a scholarship to Oxford 2003. Ten Thousand Miles without a Cloud (retracing Xuanzang's journeys). Harper Perennial. ISBN 0-00-712974-2
• Wriggins, Sally Hovey. 2004. The Silk Road Journey with Xuanzang. Boulder, Colorado, WestviewPress. ISBN 0-8133-6599-6
• Waley, Arthur. The Real Tripitaka, and Other Pieces. London: G. Allen and Unwin, 1952.

External links

• Details of Xuanzang's life and works [1]
• History of San Zang A narration of Xuan Zang's journey to India.
• Xuanzang's Journey In the footsteps of Xuanzang
• 大慈恩寺三藏法师传 (全文) Chinese text of The Life of Hiuen-Tsiang, by Shaman (monk) Hwui Li (Hui Li) (沙门慧立)
• The Prajñāpāramitā Heart Sūtra Translated from the Chinese version of Xuanzang.

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