Yībō míngyì zhāng 衣鉢名義章
A Treatise on the Names and Meanings of [Monastic] Robes and Bowls by 允堪 (Yǔnkǎn, 述)
About the work
A short single-fascicle Northern-Sòng zhāng 章 (treatise) by Tiāntái shāmén Yǔnkǎn (允堪, 1005–1061) of Línghuāsì 靈花寺 in Hángzhōu, covering the etymology, taxonomy, dimensions, kàngsè 壞色 (mortified-colour) rules and ritual handling of the standard monastic equipment: the kāṣāya 袈裟 (Buddhist outer robes — the sēngjiālí 僧伽梨, uttarāsaṅga 七條 and antarvāsa 五條), the mendicant’s bowl (yìngqì 應器, Skt. pātra), and ancillary items.
Prefaces
A short authorial preface (signed shāmén shì Yǔnkǎn shù 沙門釋 允堪 述) explains the motivation: “Buddhists have two emblems — the huàiyī 壞衣 (mortified-colour robe) and the yìngqì 應器 (mendicant’s bowl). The huàiyī has no collar, marking the garment of liberation; the yìngqì has no [fixed] base, marking immeasurable capacity. Holding these two, [the monk is] above one with all Buddhas, below salvific to all beings; on seeing them one knows the marks of the supramundane. Of late, those who first enter the way are obscure as to names and meanings; one asks them and they are tonguetied — a thing chilling to the heart. So at the request of an enthusiastic friend I have explained them, drawing citations from the [Vinaya] jiào 教 to gloss them, that students may distinguish Sanskrit from Chinese, that the meanings of names be made detailed, the receipt and discard of the items distinguished, and what is canonical from what is not be discriminated.”
Abstract
The Yībō míngyì zhāng is the principal Sòng pedagogical handbook on monastic robes and the almsbowl, drawing on the Indian Vinaya tradition (Sìfēn lǜ, Shísòng lǜ, Sēngqí lǜ, Nièpán, Bēihuá etc.), Dàoxuān’s Zhāngfú yí 章服儀 and other Nánshān works. The taxonomy: under kāṣāya the work distinguishes the jiāshā 袈裟 (“dyed cloth”, from kasāya “of mortified colour”), huàisèyī 壞色衣, fútiányī 福田衣 (“field-of-merit robe”, named for the rectangular field-pattern of its stitching), lírǎnfú 離染服 (“garment apart from defilement”), xiāoshòufú 消瘦服 (“garment of thinning [the passions]”), liánhuāfú 蓮華服 (“lotus-flower garment”) etc.; under bowl, the yìngliàngqì 應量器 (correctly-measured vessel) regulations of size, colour, repair and consecration. Each citation is sourced. The treatise is the standard pre-Yuánzhào yībō manual; Yuánzhào’s later expanded Yībō míngyì shū (no longer extant in full) draws on it. Composition is bracketed by Yǔnkǎn’s mature career (after the Sìfēnlǜ commentary cycle of the late 1030s–1040s) and his death in 1061; notBefore–notAfter are accordingly 1030–1061.
Translations and research
No substantial secondary literature located.
Links
- CBETA online: https://cbetaonline.dila.edu.tw/X1098
- 允堪 DILA
- Kanseki DB