A "Journey to the West" made Xuanzang of the Tang Dynasty a household name. Everyone believed that Xuanzang was the first monk to travel west to seek scriptures. Didn’t he know that the eminent monk Faxian was the first person to travel west to seek scriptures, and that it was 23

2025/09/2401:36:36 buddhism 1569

A "Journey to the West" made the Tang Dynasty Xuanzang a household name. Everyone believed that Xuanzang was the first monk to travel west to seek scriptures. Don't you know that the eminent monk Faxian was the first person to travel west to seek scriptures, and it was 230 years ago.

AD 399, Faxian set out from Chang'an at the age of 65. He searched for Buddhism through Western Regions to tianzhu . He traveled to more than 30 countries and collected a large number of Sanskrit classics, which lasted for 14 years. His experience is even more bizarre and tortuous.

became a monk since childhood

Faxian's surname is Gong. The Gong family has been farming for generations and is loyal and kind. Faxian's mother gave birth to Faxian at the age of 40, and his mother is considered an elderly mother. He had three older brothers, all of whom died in childhood. His parents were worried that he would die too, so when he was about three years old, he sent him to the temple to be a little novice monk.

Because Faxian is young, he also takes him home from time to time to live. Strangely, I got sick when I took it home, and I was sent back to the temple and healed without medicine.

When he was a teenager, his parents unfortunately passed away one after another. My uncle advised him to return to the secular world, but Faxi showed his special liking for Buddhism.

At the age of twenty, the Dharma was revealed to receive the full precepts of monks. From then on, he became more firm in his belief in Buddhism, his behavior became more rigorous, and he was often praised as "smart and sharp in his will and rituals."

Going west to Yangguan

In 399 AD, Faxian was nearly 70 years old, and he felt that the translation of Buddhist scriptures could not keep up with the needs of the great development of Buddhism. Due to the lack of precepts and scriptures, the majority of Buddhists cannot follow, so that the upper-class monks are extravagant and do all kinds of evil. In order to maintain the "truth" of Buddhism, Faxian, who was nearly 70 years old, resolutely decided to go to India to seek precepts.

One day Faxian discussed the journey to the west with Huijing, Daozheng, Huiying and Huiwei. When he heard Faxian's decision to "go to India in person to retrieve the true scriptures", he was shocked. Faxian and Huijing had this conversation:

"Senior brother has such ambition, which is admirable. But this is a vast distance from India. He has to pass through the boundless desert and cross the frozen and high Pangling . Moreover, the countries in the Western Regions have fought for years and white bones are everywhere. Such a harsh environment is really difficult for you who are nearly sixty years old," said Faxian. I became a monk and believed in Buddhism. I was seriously ill several times in my childhood. It was the blessing of the Buddha that made me come back to life. I could not repay the great kindness of the Buddha. Promoting Buddhism became my lifelong creed. For this reason, I could put life and death in the absence of difficulties. Besides, with the blessing of the Buddha, I would turn bad luck into good fortune and overcome difficulties. "

Looking at the firm eyes of Faxian, they no longer stopped them, but instead wanted to follow Faxian and seek the true scriptures.

In the spring of 399 AD, Faxian and his five people embarked on the journey westward.

After a month of difficult trek, I crossed Longshan (now northwest of Long County, Shaanxi and northeast of Qingshui County, Gansu) and entered Qianguiguo (in today's Gansu Province).

On this day, after a day of running around, Faxian and the five people were hungry and exhausted, and the vague sound of chanting scriptures came into their ears. Faxian and others looked for a sound and saw a temple not far away.

They came to the temple and knocked on the door, and a little novice opened the door. After explaining the reason, the little novice monk caught them in the abbot's house.

I saw an elder with a frosted eyebrows, his eyes were slightly closed, and he meditated cross-legged, without moving at all. After the little novice monk finished reporting, the elder opened his drooping eyes and asked, "Where is the monk and where are they going?"

Faxian respectfully replied, "Elder, I am a monk from the mainland. He set out from Chang'an to seek precepts. After more than a month, he is tired and it is getting late. I beg the elder to let us stay for a night. We will continue to rush tomorrow."

Abbot looked at Faxian and others, folded his hands and continued, "Amitabha! You have such ambition, and I really admire you. You will stay in my temple today."

The next day, Faxian and his party bid farewell to the monks and abbot of the temple and continued to march west.

They passed through Yang Loushan (now eastern Qilian Mountains) and came to Zhangye (now Zhangye County, Gansu Province). At this time, Dunhuang prefect Li Song planned to rebel against the King of Zhangye, causing chaos in Zhangye Town. Faxian and others were almost cut off their heads as spies.

Before going to Shanshan Kingdom in Dunhuang, he received funding from Dunhuang prefect Li Yang , went west to Yangguan to cross the "Sha River" and embarked on a new journey.

Dangerously buried "Shahe"

,500 miles from Dunhuang to Shanshan Kingdom (real name Loulan ). In the vast desert, there are no birds above and no beasts below, and there is no sight to the edge. In a few days, Faxian and the five people were not adapted to the desert climate and their mouths were already dry and cracked. The wind and sand in the sky make people unable to open their eyes. Even so, they still have to beware of quicksand. They dare not slackew for a moment.

They risked their lives to move forward bravely, walked for seventeen days and nights, crossed the "Sand River", and finally arrived at the first oasis city-Shan.

The troops were divided into two groups

Passed through Shan Kingdom (now Ruoqiang, Xinjiang) to the Qiyi Kingdom (now Yanqi, Xinjiang). Most of the local residents believe in Hinayana Buddhism .

After Faxian and others arrived here, the monks of the temple did not allow Faxian and others to live there, and this was the case in several temples.

The sky gradually darkened. Although there was no wind, the chill obviously made people feel it. Faxian and others were hungry.

At this time, a person came from the opposite side of the street, looked at Faxian and others, and said, "Where do you know, the guests come from?"

Huijing replied, "We are Han monks who set out from Chang'an. We want to go to Tianzhu to seek Buddhist scriptures, but the temple here does not allow us to rest, so we can only sleep on the streets."

After hearing this, the man hurriedly held Huijing's hand and said enthusiastically, "If you don't dislike me, you can stay in this place."

Faxian returned the favor and said, "Thank you, donor."

They walked and said, learning that this person also came here from Chang'an more than ten years ago and had no chance to return.

said as he came to a shop. The man said, "This is a small shop run by me. What the master wants to eat and use, even if he wants it to the people. The shop is visited by all the masters, which is also Fu's fortune and fate. Therefore, the expenses are not for the masters to spend money."

Faxian and others bowed to thank him, and then settled down.

Although Faxian and his party don’t have to worry about food and drink for the time being, Faxian’s heart is difficult to be at peace because he has to pass through the Takramakan Desert to travel to India, but now he is short of money and the people of Yanyi meet very little guests, and it is difficult to get money and goods through begging for alms.

Because of insufficient money and materials, Faxian and Huijing continued to travel west according to the original route. The other three returned to Gaochang ( Turpan, Xinjiang ), raised funds, and then rushed west.

Crossing mountains and ridges

Faxian's next stop to the west is Khotan ( is now Hotan , Xinjiang). To go to the country of Khotan, you have to pass the Taklamakan Desert. Although Faxian and they have had previous experience in desert trips, they have sufficient food and water preparations.

But this is a place of death after all, and there is no slackness at all. With their strong perseverance, they have overcome the difficult difficulties that ordinary people cannot imagine.

has been away for a whole month, but it is still in the sea of sand. Faxian began to stir up a drum in his heart: Why has he been walking for a month but still no one has been seen? Could it be that you went astray? At this time, the remaining water is only enough for two or three days. If you can't get out of this sea of sand again, it means death.

In the next few days, they could only take a small sip of water each time, and after five days, they finally arrived at the Kingdom of Khotan.

Khotan was a major center of Buddhism in the Western Regions at that time. Faxian and his party watched the Buddhist "Practice" ceremony here and lived for three months.

Three months later, Faxian and Huijing reached the United Nations (now southwest of Yecheng County, Xinjiang) after 25 days from , Khotan. At this time, there were still no other people in Shanshan who were divided into two groups. After a brief rest, we travel south for four days and enter the Pamir Mountains, which is the area around the Pamir Plateau , and arrives at Moguo (now Badak Mountain in southwest of Shache County, Xinjiang).In the country of Mo, I heard from the monks who temporarily lived in the temple that the other three had come here and left a message saying that they were waiting for the Dharma to be revealed in the previous country.

After nearly a month of trekking through mountains and rivers, Faxian came to the country of Gesha (now Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County, Xinjiang) and found that the group of people gathered here.

Faxian and others continued to travel west without stopping for a long time and entered the Pamirs. This is a natural barrier formed by the formation of Kunlun Mountain , Himalayas, Tianshan Mountain, and Xingdu Kushi Mountain . The terrain is high and the peaks are connected to the sky, the weather is severe and there is snow in winter and summer. The road is difficult and the cliffs are dangerous. The stone mountains stand like walls. Standing on the cliffs, people will be dizzy and want to move forward but often have nowhere to interfere.

With the help of several people, Faxian and others overcame various difficulties, crossed the highest point of the Pamir Mountains, and came to Northern Heavenly Zhu.