Name Dao An | Died 385 AD, Chang\'an | |
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Dao'an (Chinese: 道安; pinyin: Dào'ān; Wade–Giles: T'ao-an; 312–385) was a Buddhist monk of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, originating from what is now Hebei Province. He is mainly important today as a translator of Buddhist scripture.
Life
After the loss of his parents he was raised by an elder cousin. Dao'an left home to join the monastic order at twelve. Ca. 335 CE he visited Linzhang and became a disciple of the famous Kuchean monk and missionary Fotudeng (232-348). He was active in Xiangyang until the Former Qin ruler Fu Jian 苻堅 captured the city in 379 and had Dao'an brought to live in Changan. He spent the last years of life translating and interpreting scripture as well as compiling a catalogue of scriptures. He also advocated that all monks and nuns take Shi 釋 as a surname, from the Chinese for Sakyamuni (釋迦牟尼佛).