Śubhakarasiṃha

EducationSenior postingTeacherDharmagupta

Śubhakarasiṃha (637–735 CE) (traditional Chinese: 善無畏; ; pinyin: Shànwúwèi; Japanese pronunciation: Zenmui; Korean: 선무외; romaja: Seonmuoe; Vietnamese: Thiện Vô Uý) was an eminent Indian Buddhist monk and translator of Esoteric Buddhist texts.

He originally studied in Nalanda monastery and later arrived in the Chinese capital Chang'an (now Xi'an) in 716 CE and translated the Mahāvairocana Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra, better known as the Mahāvairocana Sūtra.^[1] Four years later another master, Vajrabodhi (670–741 CE), and his pupil Amoghavajra (705–775 CE), would arrive and proceeded to translate other scriptures, thus establishing a second esoteric tradition. Along with these other masters, Śubhakarasiṃha was responsible for bringing Esoteric Buddhism to the height of its popularity in China.^[1]

There are differing views regarding Śubhakarasiṃha's place of origin. According to Chinese sources, Śubhakarasiṃha was born in India as the oldest son of Buddhakara (Fo-shou Wang).^[2] Li Hua's Shan-wu-wei-hsing-chuang states that his family originated in Magadha.^[3][4] His funeral stele also refers to him as "Late Trepiṭaka Upādhyāya Śubhākarasiṃha from Central India, Who Passed Away in the Great Shengshan Monastery in the Eastern Capital of the Great Tang" (大唐東都大聖善寺故中天竺國善無畏三藏和尚碑銘并序).^[5][6] Other scholars state that he was from Odisha and that his ancestors have arrived there following unrest in their original homeland in Central India.^[3] A theory has been put forward that Śubhakarasiṃha may have been an ancestor of the Bhauma-Kara dynasty, which ruled in Odisha between the 8th and 10th centuries, and whose kings included people named Śubhakara.^[3][7]

According to his biography, Śubhakarasiṃha ascended to the throne as king when he was thirteen years old. Although emerging victorious from a power struggle with his older brothers, he turned over his position to his oldest brother and entered the monastic life. He became well known for his supernatural abilities and finally settled in Nālandā where he met the master Dharmagupta. After being instructed by him and gaining the title of Trepiṭaka (Buddhist doctor), Śubhakarasiṃha became a travelling teacher and was then told by Dharmagupta to go further east to China.^[5][1]

Due to unstable conditions in Central India, Śubhakarasiṃha reached Chang’an in China via Tibet. When Śubhakarasiṃha arrived in China, he was already eighty years old and was carrying with him a variety of different manuscripts although the catalogue of what texts he brought with him has been lost. Upon his arrival, he became well known for his supposed supernatural abilities and became favoured by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty. It was during this time that he translated several works of Esoteric Buddhism including the Mahāvairocana Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra. Emperor Xuanzong first invited him to Xingfu si but later reassigned him to Ximing si. From this point onwards he assembled a group of assistants to help him with the translations of the manuscripts that he brought with him.^[1] The Chinese hagiographies also praise his metallurgical skills and craftsmanship and state that he designed and modelled many Buddhist images and stupas.^[5]

According to Robert Sharf, Chán Master Yi Xing (Ch. 一行禅師) was the most eminent of his students. Yixing belonged to the northern school of Chán Buddhism, but this was not seen by Chinese Buddhist culture as being fundamentally different from the esoteric teachings of Śubhakarasiṃha.^[8] Around the turn of the eighth century, the northern school was known for its esoteric practices of dhāraṇīs and mantras.^[9] Śubhakarasiṃha died in 735 CE and was posthumously bestowed with the title of "Court Director of State Ceremonial" (Honglu qing [鴻臚卿]). He was buried in 740 CE in the hills nearby to Longmen Caves and the site of his burial became a place of reverence for at least 250 years after his death.^[5][2]

After his death, many Chinese hagiographical sources on Śubhakarasiṃha's life began to place an emphasis on the supernatural feats or Siddhis that he was said to have performed during his lifetime. These include stories and legends of defeating monsters, dragons, serpents among others. Some of these stories also promoted his rainmaking abilities. One of these stories states:^[5]

Once there was a great drought in the summer and […] the officers showed him the implements used in making rain: banners, standards, conch-shells, and cymbals were all available. Śubhakarasiṃha laughed and said: “Those things can’t make rain. Have them removed quickly!” He filled a bowl with water, stirring it meanwhile with a small knife and reciting a Sanskrit dhāraṇī of several hundred syllables. Soon, an object, like a dragon, about the size of a finger and red in color, lifted its head above the surface of water, but dived back to the bottom of the bowl again. […] After a while, a white smoke rose from the bowl and went straight up into the air for several feet, and was slowly dissipated. Śubhakarasiṃha told Lishi [i.e. the eunuch who conveyed the Emperor’s request for rain praying]: “Hurry back to the palace. It is going to rain!” […] The Emperor later welcomed Śubhakarasiṃha with his head bending to the ground and thanked him repeatedly.

Other stories also detail how he used his siddhis to save the lives of other people:^[5]

He then found accommodation on a merchant ship […] The merchant’s lives were once in danger when they encountered pirates. Filled with compassion for his comrades, Śubhakarasiṃha silently whispered a dhāraṇī. Seven koṭis of deities appeared in full glory, and finally the pirates were destroyed by other bandits who appeared. These bandits then confessed their sin and became his disciples.

Śubhakarasiṃha was the first patriarch of the Shingon teachings in China. Following Śubhakarasiṃha, the lineage is traced to his student Chán Master Yixing, then to Huiguo (Ch. 惠果), and finally to Kūkai (Jp. 空海), who brought the teachings of Śubhakarasiṃha and his translation of the Mahāvairocana Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra to Japan.

A total of sixteen translations have been attributed to Śubhakarasiṃha. These texts range from initiation manuals as well as ritual manuals.^[5] Some examples of works he has translated include:

• Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sūtra
• Tattvasaṃgraha Tantra
• Susiddhikara Sūtra
• Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra