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阿難陀目佉尼呵離陀經

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Text ID
KR6j0206
Date
435–453
Dynasty
劉宋

Ānántuómùqūníhēlítuó jīng 阿難陀目佉尼呵離陀經

Anantamukha-nirhāra-dhāraṇī Sūtra by 求那跋陀羅 (Guṇabhadra, 譯)

About the work

A one-fascicle Liu-Sòng translation by Guṇabhadra (求那跋陀羅, 394–468) of the Anantamukha-sādhaka-dhāraṇī. The Chinese title here transliterates the Sanskrit directly: Ananta + mukha + nirhāra (or -sādhaka) + dhāraṇī → 阿難陀-目佉-尼呵離陀(-經), making this entry one of the more linguistically transparent of the eight Chinese versions for tracing Indic phonology. CANWWW notes the alt-title Chū wúliàngmén chí jīng 出無量門持經.

Abstract

Guṇabhadra was the leading translator of the early Liu-Sòng court, active at Wǎguānsì 瓦官寺 in Jiànkāng. His most celebrated works include the four-fascicle Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra (KR6n0028 T670), the Saṃyuktāgama (T99), and the Śrīmālā-sūtra (T353); the present Anantamukha translation is among his shorter dhāraṇī-works. His distinguishing feature in this text is the unusual full-transliteration approach to the title — a feature that suggests he was translating from a Sanskrit (rather than Prākrit or Khotanese) recension that emphasised the precise Sanskrit form of the title. The translation was made between 435 (his arrival in China) and 453 (the conventional terminal date for his court translation programme); the precise year is not recorded.

For the full Anantamukha translation cycle, see KR6j0202.

Translations and research

  • Inagaki, Hisao. The Anantamukha-nirhāra-dhāraṇī Sūtra and Jñānagarbha’s Commentary. Kyoto: Nagata Bunshōdō, 1987.
  • Hidas, Gergely. Powers of Protection. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2021.

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