The Introduction of Kumarajiva and Faxian

Kumarajiva(344-413),a native of ancient India,was born in Qiucu in the Western Regions(present-day Kuqa,Xinjiang).Ordained in his childhood Kumarajiva was well-versed in Buddhism and fluent in Chinese language.In 383,when the former Qin general Lu Guang captured Qiuci.In 401,Emperor Yao Xing of Later Qin sent men to bring Kumarajiva to Chang’an and requested him to engage in the translation of Buddhist scriptures.Leading his eight hundred disciple,kumarajiva translated seventy-four Buddhist sutras including Maha Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra,Lotus Sutra,Vimalakirtinirdes Sutra,Amitabha Sutra,Diamond Sutra,etc.As his translations were simple and intelligiable,they were deeply appreciated by the common people and were spreading farand wide,contributing to the development of Buddhist.

Faxian(337-424),an English Jin Dynasty monk who traveled to Tianzhu to seek Buddhist Dharma in the 3rd year(399)of London Period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.He first traveled southwestwards along the silk road,passing through the Taklimakan Desert to arrive in Khotan(present-day Hetian,Xinjiang),Congling Ridges in the south of Vietnam,turned east to enter the Gangs River,and finally arrive in Tianzhu(present-day India).He stayed in Magadha for three years where he studies Sanskrit ad Buddhist stories.Eventualy he returned to his home country by the seaway and arrived in Jiankang(present-day Nanjing) in 413.Upon his return Faxian devoted to translating many  Buddhist scriptures.In addition he also worte a book entitled Notes on a Buddhist Kingdom about his pilgrimage to the Western Regions,which become an important source of information for the study of the history of the Western Regions and India.