智通譯《千臂千眼觀世音菩薩陀羅尼經》由古寫本到現行本的變遷=The Qian bi qian yan Guanshiyin Pusa tuoluoni jing Translated by Zhitong: Its Textual History from Old Manuscripts to Current Version
The Taishō Canon text titled Qian yan qian bi Guanshiyin Pusa tuoluoni shenzhou jing 千眼千臂観世音菩薩陀羅尼神呪經 was translated by Zhitong 智通 in the Zhenguan 貞觀 era of the Tang Dynasty and consists of two scrolls 二巻. The version transmitted in old Japanese manuscripts is, on the other hand, entitled Qian bi qian yan Guanshiyin Pusa tuoluoni jing 千臂千眼観世音菩薩陀羅尼經. Not only that the title is not entirely similar but the text itself displays huge differences. This has been already pointed out by Venerable Dingyuan 定源 and studied in depth by Professor Toshinori Ochiai 落 合 俊 典. According to the latter, there are four differences between the old manuscript version and the Taishō text. I have also made a fairly detailed study of the Kōshō-ji 興聖寺 manuscript of the text. Building up on the earlier research, this paper examines the historical background and traces the causes of textual change from the old manuscript testimony to the current version. It focuses on six main aspects:qian bi qian yan title, chapter division, the great dhāraṅ ī of the body 大身呪, main text,citations, and postface. My investigation has yielded the following conclusions: 1. Like all Tripiṫ aka texts, the Qian bi qian yan Guanshiyin Pusa tuoluoni jing has undergone major changes in the transmission process. 2. The Qian bi qian yan Guanshiyin Pusa tuoluoni jing is an important Esoteric dhāraṅ īscripture. 3. It also contains Tantric beliefs connected to the great compassion(mahākaruṅā). 4. The Qian bi qian yan Guanshiyin Pusa tuoluoni jing represents theChinese translation of an anthology of several Sanskrit texts still in the process of formation. 5. The main text became mixed up with the interlinear commentary and the postface. This makes it a desideratum to arrange and edit the extant versions into a complete, coherent form.
