从安世高的背景看早期佛经汉译

An Shigao and Early Sutra Translation

公元2世纪来华的西域人安世高是中国佛学翻译运动的首位重要译者。本文从安世高的背景、身份、学派与翻译方法入手,探讨目前中国翻译研究面对的种种问题。

AnShigao,a ParthianwhowasactiveintheChinesecapitalLuoyanginthemid-2ndcentury,wasthefirstim-portant translator of Buddhist sutras into Chinese.Until now Chinese translation histories have paint ed a portraitof hislife andhisworkthatis basedexclusivelyon historicalBuddhistsources.He is thusdescribed as thecrownprinceof the Parthian royalhousewho gaveuphisthroneto pursuita Buddhistmissionarylife;hisworkis classifiedas exclusivelyHi-nayana.Thisstudyquestionssuchcurrentrepresentationsof An Shigao's background,yanaaffiliationandtranslation methodsby referringto thelatestscholarshipinChineseBuddhismandChinesehistory.Oneof themostimportantpoints raisedinthispaperisrelatedto AnShigao's translationapproach,whichhasbeendescribed as an earlyexampleof geyi,i.e.adoptingChinesephilosophicaltermsto conveyBuddhistteaching.Hereconcreteexamplesareusedto disprovesuchan evaluation.Inshowcasingtheknowledgegapsapparentinourcurrentunderstandingof theworkof onetranslator,thedis-cussion aimsathighlightingtheproblemsof Chinesetranslationstudiesingeneral.