Dharmaraksa (1)

Dharmaraksa (1)

(239-316 or 233-310) translator of Buddhist scriptures

Dharmaraksa was originally from the Dunhuang region of western China.

A monk since childhood, he was descended from the nomadic Yue Zhi (Yueh-chih) tribe, a group identified early in Chinese records who were probably related to the Tocharians of the Tarim Basin.

Dharmaraksa traveled extensively throughout Central Asia and is said to have learned 36 languages.

He arrived in the Chinese capitals of Chang An and Luoyang during the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316 c.e.), a time of frantic activity and interest in Buddhism.

There was in particular a tremendous thirst for translations of texts from this foreign religion. until 308 Dharmaraksa devoted himself to translation work. He is said to have translated 159 separate scriptures.

Dharmaraksa was the first to translate the Lotus of the True Law, the Lotus Sutra, into Chinese. He also translated the Vimal-akirti and Flower Garland (Hua Yan) Sutras.

Source

http://what-when-how.com/buddhism/dharmaguptaka-school-to-dong-zhongshu-tung-chung-shu-buddhism/