In his book The Vimalakirti Sutra: Zhiqian’s Translation and Commentary(Dunhuang Manuscript P. 3006), Shi Guopu 釋果樸 states that he believes that the main text of the scripture was translated by Dharmaraksa 竺法護, and not Zhi Qian 支謙, and consequently that Dharmaraksa, was also the translator of the corresponding version of this scripture in the Taisho Tripitaka. But does a close examination of the translation styles of the two authors support this argument? Dharmaraksa took an extremely thorough approach to translating a scripture; where other translators would gloss a number of sub-concepts as a single general concept, he took great pains to unpack and expound such general terms from every different angle. Zhi Qian’s approach was firstly to translate the meaning of terms that had previously been transliterated, thereby rendering his translations more accessible. Secondly, he would first make sure he had understood and digested the meaning of a text before translating it into plain language. I find the translation in Dunhuang Manuscript P. 3006 to be more in the style of Zhi Qian, and not Dharmaraksa, and that Shi Guopu’s assertion is still open to debate.
