Prajñā (Buddhist monk) facts for kids

Prajñā (Chinese: 般若三藏 or 般若; pinyin: Bōrě Sāncáng or Bō Rě) was an important Buddhist monk who lived in the 800s. He was born in a place called Kapisa, which is near where the city of Kabul is today in Afghanistan.

Prajñā was known for his work in translating ancient religious texts. He traveled to China during the time of the Tang dynasty, a powerful and famous period in Chinese history.

Prajñā's Work in China

While in China, Prajñā helped translate many important Sanskrit texts into Chinese. Sanskrit is an ancient language from India. These texts are called sutras, which are like sacred teachings or scriptures in Buddhism.

Key Translations

Some of the main sutras Prajñā helped translate include:

• The Avatamsaka Sutra (Chinese: 華嚴經)
• The Heart Sutra (Chinese: 大乘理趣六波羅密多經)
• The Mahayana Sutra of Mind Meditation from the Jataka tales (Chinese: 大乘本生心地觀經)

These translations were very important for spreading Buddhist ideas in China.

Friends and Collaborations

Prajñā met many interesting people during his time in China.

Prajñā and Kūkai

It is said that Prajñā became friends with a Japanese monk named Kūkai. Kūkai later started a special type of Buddhism in Japan called Shingon Buddhism. Prajñā reportedly helped Kūkai learn and understand Sanskrit texts. This was very helpful for Kūkai's studies.

Working with Jingjing

Prajñā also worked with another monk named Jingjing. Jingjing was a Christian monk. Together, they translated a text called the Satparamita Sutra into Chinese. Sadly, this particular translation does not exist anymore. Their collaboration shows how different cultures and religions could work together a long time ago.

See also

• Silk Road transmission of Buddhism