Lives of Eminent Korean Monks: The Haedong Koseung Chun by Kakhun - HTML preview

Hyeryun

Sŏk Hyeruyn 釋惠(慧)輪 was a native of Silla. His name in Sanskrit was Prajñāvarman 般若跋摩, in Chinese, Hyegap 惠(慧)甲.[559] From the time that he went forth from his family to become a monk in his country he had yearned for the holy land. Finally, he sailed to Min and Yüeh,[560] and from there walked to Ch‘ang-an. He suffered cold and heat and experienced all manner of hardships.[561] Then, by imperial order, he went to the West as an attendant to the master of the Law Hyŏnjo. On the way they used scaling ladders to connect precipices.[562] Upon their arrival in India they made a pilgrimage to [witness the] miraculous traces [of the Buddha]. [Hyeryun] then stayed in the Cin-cāvihāra [monastery] 信者寺[563] in the country of Āmrāvatī 菴摩羅波國[564] for about ten years. Later he moved further east and lived in the Gandhārachanda monastery 犍陀羅山茶寺,[565] so rich in its property and products and so abundant in its offerings and feasts that it lacked nothing. Most of the foreign monks from the north [Serindia] usually stayed there, gathering like bees and clouds and each studying in his own discipline.

[Hye]ryun knew Sanskrit well and studied thoroughly[566] the [Abhid-harma] kośa 俱舍.[567] “At the time of my return [to China], he was still alive, about forty years of age.” Everything is exactly like the account in the Ch‘iu-fa kao-seng chuan by the master of the Tripitaka, I-ching.