Kumārajīva
Sign in to saveKumārajīva (Sanskrit: ; , 344–413 CE) was a Buddhist monk, scholar, missionary and translator from Kucha (present-day Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, China). Kumārajīva is seen as one of the greatest translators of Chinese Buddhism. According to Lu Cheng, Kumarajiva's translations are "unparalleled either in terms of translation technique or degree of fidelity".
Person · Open Library
- Born
- 344
- Died
- 413
- Works
- 135
Top works
- 妙法蓮華經
- 妙法蓮華經科註
- 阿弥陀经白话解释
- 佛說阿彌陀經
- 金剛般若波羅密經
via Open Library + Wikidata
Recent publications · Crossref
1 total works indexed
via Crossref · CC0
Key facts
- Person.name
- Kumārajīva
- Person.image
- Kumarajiva at Kizil Caves, Kuqa (cropped).jpg
- Person.birth_date
- 344 CE
- Person.caption
- The Statue of Kumārajīva in front of the Kizil Caves in Kuqa County, Xinjiang, China
- Person.birth_place
- Kucha (now Kuqa, China)
- Person.death_date
- 413 CE (aged 68-69)
- Person.death_place
- Chang'an, Later Qin (now Xi'an, China)
- Person.known
- Translation of Buddhist texts written in Sanskrit to Chinese, founder of the Sanlun school of Mahayana Buddhism
- Person.occupation
- Buddhist monk, scholar, translator, and philosopher
via Wikipedia infobox
Key dates
- Born
- 1 January 344
- Died
- 1 January 413
via Wikidata · CC0
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- human
- Gender
- male
- Citizenship
- Later Qin
- Place of birth
- Kushan Empire
- Place of death
- Chang'an
- Occupation
- monk
- Religion
- Buddhism
- Movement
- Prajñāpāramitā
- Image
- Kumarajiva at Kizil Caves, Kuqa (cropped).jpg
Show 2 more facts
- P1343
Article
17 sectionsContents
- Life
- Early life
- Capture, imprisonment and release
- Chang'an and translation work
- Scholarly work
- Translation
- Translated Texts
- Sutras
- Treatises
- Meditation texts
- Other
- Original works and philosophy
- Influence
- See also
- References
- Sources
- External links
Kumārajīva (Sanskrit: ; , 344–413 CE) was a Buddhist monk, scholar, missionary and translator from Kucha (present-day Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, China). Kumārajīva is seen as one of the greatest translators of Chinese Buddhism. According to Lu Cheng, Kumarajiva's translations are "unparalleled either in terms of translation technique or degree of fidelity".
Kumārajīva first studied teachings of the Sarvastivadin schools, later studied under Buddhasvāmin, and finally became an adherent of Mahayana Buddhism, studying the Mādhyamaka doctrine of Nāgārjuna. After mastering the Chinese language, Kumārajīva settled as a translator and scholar in Chang'an (c. 401 CE) under the patronage of the Later Qin dynasty during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. He was the head of a team of translators which included his amanuensis Sengrui. This team was responsible for the translation of many Sanskrit Buddhist texts into Chinese.