法顯

Fa Hsien (~422 A.D.) is regarded as the first important Chinese pilgrim, who left China to India in 399 A.D. seeking the original text of Vinaya and other Buddhist scriptures. He returned to China after 15 years, bringing many valuable Buddhist scriptures for both Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna buddhism. He wrote "Records of the Buddhist Kingdoms" (佛國記), a documentary to record his travels over 30 countries in India, Sri Lanka, etc. His translation works include:

• Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, i.e. Sūtra of the Great Decease (大般泥洹經) 6 fascicles in 416-418 A.D., jointly with Buddhabhadra
• Mahāsaṅghika Vinaya, i.e. Vinaya of the Mahāsaṅghika School (摩訶僧衹律) 40 fascicles in 416-418 A.D., together with Buddhabhadra in translation
• 僧衹比丘戒本一卷
• 僧衹尼戒本一卷

Fa Hsien. Chinese scholar and pilgrimmonk, born in Shansi and trained at Ch'ang-an in the west of China, which he left in 399 CE to visit India and elsewhere in search of the complete canon of Buddhist scripture. After extensive travels he returned home in 414 and began a translation of the Buddhist Scriptures. His works include an account of his travels, translated into English by various persons including a translation by H. A. Giles, The Travels of Fa Hsien ( 1923).

Geddes MacGregor, Dictionary of Religion and Philosophy, New York: Paragon House, 1989