Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

Introductionthe account of it in the Mahdvamsa came to be written later. Yet theMahdvamsa, according to Dr. Geiger (Introduction, Mv. translation p. ix), was"based upon older material", the "A tthakathd-Mahdvamsa"', as he calls it,and "existed as did the Atthakatha generally, in different monasteries of theIsland, in various recensions which diverged only slightly from one another"(p. x). He further says, "The chronicle must originally have come downonly to the arrival of Mahinda in Ceylon. But it was continued later, andindeed to all appearance, down to the reign of Mahasena (beginning of thefourth century AD.)"-Tipitaka Sanghapdla Them of FunanBelow is given the Life of Tipitaka Sanghapala Thera of Funan, being atranslation from Kosoden, Biographies of Famous Clerics, in Vol. 50, No.2059, Taisho edition of the Chinese Tripitaka:In the early years of the Ryo dynasty there was Sanghapala; he was aforeign scholar. His bearing was noble and he was handsome of feature.He was a skilful debater. Coming to the capital he stayed at Shokwanji(Mahavidarsanarama). The Emperor Bu honoured and respected him, andtreated him with great consideration. He was requested by the emperor totranslate Buddhist scriptures in Jukoden (Ayus-prabha vihara) and Sen-unkwan(. . . megha-vihara). He translated the Mahd Asoka Sutra, Vimoksa-Mdrga-sdstra, and others. Hosho, En-don-u and others assisted (lit. wrote).This occurs under the Biography of Gunavrddhi of Mid-India who builtShokwanji and died in Shokwanji in the second year of Chuko (p. 345).The following is from Zokukosoden, Further Biographies of FamousClerics, number 2060, volume 50 of the Taisho edition of the ChineseTripitaka. Here the life of Sanghapala is given first. Sanghapala: In thelanguage of Ryo his name may be translated thus: So: Order; and Yd:Nurse. Or So: Order; and Gui: Protector. He was a Funan-man. Fromhis youth, he was very clever. Having mastered the Law, he became a monk.He was expert in the knowledge of the Abhidharma, and was famous in thelands of the Southern Sea. After completing (possibly the study of theAbhidhamma), he studied the Vinayapitaka. He was zealous in the propagationof the Vanquisher's Faith, and hearing that the time was propitiousfor the spreading of the Truth in the country of Sai (Canton), he took shipand came to the capital. He stayed in Shokwanji and became a disciple ofGunabhadra, a sramana of India and studied Vaipulya under him. Sanghapala'sknowledge was wide and deep and he was conversant with the languagesand books of several countries . , , Pala was clean of body and of mind andwas reluctant to engage in conversation. In the seclusion of his room hestayed and worked, taking very simple fare.In the 5th year of Tenkwan, he was offered by the emperor these fiveplaces of residence: Jukoden, Karinenden (Flower-forest-garden), ShokwanjiSenunkwan and Funankwan of the Capital Yoto (Sun City). He translated forseventeen years. His translations amounted to eleven cases of forty-eight fascicles.They are the great Asoka sutra, the Vimoksa-Mdrga-sdstra and others.When the translations began the Emperor Bu himself came to Jukoden,attended to the exposition of the Law by Sanghapala and himself wrote (downthe translations). After that he handed them over to the writer who was tomake the printing blocks. The emperor commanded the sramana Hosho, theXLII