Kumarajiva
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Kumarajiva was an Indian Buddhist monk and scholar who was originally from a noble family of Kucha. He first studied teachings of the Sarvastivada schools, and later became a Mahayana adherent, studying the Madhyamika doctrine of Nagarjuna. He travelled to Chang'an, the capital of China, in 401 at the request of its ruler, Yao Xing of the Later Qin. With the aid of numerous collaborators and assistants, Kumarajiva became one of the most prolific translators of Buddhist texts in history, rendering some seventy-two texts into Chinese. Among the most important of these are the Diamond Sutra, Amitabha Sutra, Lotus Sutra, the Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra, Mūlamadhyamakakārikā and the Mahaprajñāpāramitā Sastra;. His translation was distinctive, possessing a flowing smoothness that reflects his prioritization on conveying the meaning as opposed to precise literal rendering. Because of this, his renderings of seminal Mahayana texts have often remained more popular than later, more exact translations.
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