The Weimojie suoshuo jing 維摩詰所說經 contained in the Qianlong Tripiṭaka乾隆大藏經, which has been in general circulation for the last 25 years, bears significant differences from the versions found in the more commonly used Chinese canons. The title of this version, as recorded in the index volume of the Qianlong Tripiṭaka and on the title page of the sūtra, matches that of Kumārajīva’s translation. However, within the text itself, a different title is used: Weimojie suoshuo dasheng jing 維摩詰所說大乘經. This version has been proven to be a revision of Kumārajīva’s version, with changes based on the Tibetan version. The new revised version integrates important content from the Tibetan version into Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the formation of this new version, identify its motives and the key figures, and describe its reprints in later periods. Although no direct evidence has yet been discovered, this article relies on related historical sources to make the following arguments. First, the emperor Qianlong (1711-1799, reigned 1736-1795), who was a devoted follower of Tibetan Buddhism, and his guoshi 國師 (national preceptor) lCang skya Rol pa'i rdo rje (1717-1786) were the initiator and the executants of the new version. Second, Weimojie suoshuo dasheng jing was completed no later than 1774, during the early period of the translation of the Manchu Tripiṭaka. Third, the motives for the revised version were closely related to the translation of the Manchu Tripiṭaka. Fourth, after the new version was completed, it was appended, along with some other texts, to the already finished Qianlong Tripiṭaka, and contained in the mo 默 case. For various human and historical reasons, this new version was later moved to the fang 方 case, and has replaced the translation of Kumārajīva. The formation of Weimojie suoshuo dasheng jing has highlighted the interaction between Chinese, Tibetan, Manchu, and Mongolian culture in the period of Qianlong. Buddhism played a significant role and to a great extent influenced the development of culture and history at that time. Our knowledge of the Tripiṭaka completed in the Qing Dynasty and of the role of the Chinese translations of Vimalakīrtinirdeśa therein is incomplete. This study is intended to balance that deficiency.
