The Culmination of a Lifelong Mission

By the year 648 CE, the celebrated Buddhist monk Xuanzang had reached the pinnacle of his scholarly achievements. At forty-nine years old, he completed the monumental translation of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra (Treatise on the Stages of Yogic Practice), a foundational text of Yogācāra Buddhism that had consumed three years of meticulous labor. This crowning intellectual accomplishment should have ushered in a period of quiet dedication to scriptural translation. Yet history had other plans—Xuanzang’s final fifteen years would unfold as a dramatic tapestry of imperial favor, personal tragedies, and political tensions that tested even this paragon of Buddhist devotion.

Imperial Patronage and Persistent Temptations

The completion of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra coincided with a summons from Emperor Taizong of Tang to the imperial retreat at Yuhua Palace. Their meeting revealed the persistent tension between spiritual and worldly power:

– The Emperor’s Proposal: Taizong, ever the pragmatic ruler, again pressed Xuanzang to abandon monastic life and serve as a political advisor—a request the monk deftly declined through eloquent praise of imperial virtue.
– Scholarly Triumph: When presented with the translated treatise, the emperor marveled at its profundity, comparing Buddhist philosophy to “gazing at heaven or surveying the sea—unfathomable in its depth.” His subsequent order to disseminate nine copies nationwide marked unprecedented state sponsorship of Buddhist scholarship.
– Symbolic Honors: The construction of Da Ci’en Temple (Great Mercy Temple) and Xuanzang’s installation as abbot came with extraordinary pomp—a procession featuring the imperial Nine-Part Music (九部乐), traditionally reserved for state ceremonies. This lavish display underscored Buddhism’s rising cultural cachet.

A Double Bereavement: 649 CE

The year 649 proved catastrophic for Xuanzang’s inner circle:

1. The Death of an Emperor: While discussing Indian lore at Cuiwei Palace, Taizong succumbed to sudden illness with Xuanzang at his bedside. The monk lost his most powerful patron—a ruler who had once quipped that Confucianism seemed “but a puddle beside Buddhism’s ocean.”
2. The Fall of a Protégé: Worse followed when Xuanzang’s brilliant disciple Bianji, co-author of the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, was executed for an affair with Princess Gaoyang. This scandal devastated the translation academy’s morale and deprived Xuanzang of his most gifted successor.

These twin blows drove the monk into monastic seclusion, where he adopted an almost frenetic work ethic: “If daylight tasks went unfinished, night hours were spent completing them—his brush resting only when exhaustion demanded.”

The Perils of Prominence: 650s CE

Under Emperor Gaozong, Xuanzang’s fame became a double-edged sword:

– Intellectual Controversy: The 655 debate with Confucian scholar Lü Cai over Buddhist logic (hetuvidyā) texts escalated into a culture war. Though official records claim Lü “retired in defeat,” the confrontation revealed growing anti-Buddhist sentiment among literati.
– The Factional Shadow: Xuanzang’s alleged suppression of Indian monk Fu Sheng (布如乌伐邪)—whose 500 Sanskrit manuscripts were confiscated before his death in exile—remains a historical stain. Whether motivated by sectarian rivalry or political necessity, the episode illustrates the compromises forced upon even revered figures.

The Limits of Imperial Favor

Despite lavish honors—including presiding over royal ordinations for Emperor Gaozong’s consorts—Xuanzang overestimated his political capital:

– Failed Petitions: His 656 requests to elevate Buddhism above Daoism in court protocol and exempt clergy from secular law were flatly rejected, revealing the Tang state’s firm boundaries.
– Health Collapse: The stress triggered a resurgence of the Himalayan “cold ailment” contracted during his epic journey. Though imperial physicians stabilized him, the episode marked a physical decline.

Withdrawal to Yuhua: The Final Retreat

Denied permission to relocate to Shaolin Temple (a suspected ploy to curb his influence), Xuanzang secured transfer to Yuhua Monastery in 657—a site heavy with Taizong-era memories. Here, amidst the quietude of what is now Yan’an, the aging translator:

– Completed His Masterpiece: The 600-volume Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra, dictated during his final illness.
– Faced Mortality: As crowds thronged for blessings, he confided to disciples: “I see my body as a failing boat upon turbulent waters.”

Legacy Beyond the Tempests

Xuanzang’s death in 664 closed a life that mirrored Tang China’s spiritual ambitions and political complexities. His:

– Textual Corpus: Over 1,330 translated volumes systematized East Asian Buddhist thought.
– Global Network: Disciples from Japan to India disseminated his teachings, making him the medieval world’s preeminent cross-cultural mediator.
– Enduring Paradox: A monk who navigated imperial courts yet yearned for hermitage, whose scholarly rigor coexisted with human vulnerabilities.

The Yuhua Monastery’s quiet corridors, where Xuanzang took his last breath, stand as testament to a truth he embodied: even the greatest minds cannot escape history’s tides, but they can chart courses that outlast empires.