About Dharmaratna
Dharmaratna was a buddhist monk.
Dharmaratna, Gobharana, or Zhu Falan (竺法蘭) was an Indian Buddhist monk who is traditionally believed to have first introduced Buddhism to China in the 1st century CE.
According to popular accounts of Chinese Buddhism, Emperor Ming of Han dreamt of a golden deity interpreted as the Buddha and sent a delegation to India. They returned circa 67 CE with the monks Kasyapa Matanga and Dharmaratna, and white horses carrying Buddhist texts and images. The emperor established White Horse Temple in the Han capital Luoyang, where the two supposedly first translated the Sutra of Forty-two Chapters into Chinese.
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Important facts
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Dharmaratna?
An ancient Indian Buddhist monk and missionary preacher
When was Dharmaratna born?
Dharmaratna was born in Central India.
When did Dharmaratna die?
Dharmaratna died in Luoyang.
What was Dharmaratna's occupation?
Dharmaratna was a buddhist monk.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Dharmaratna. https://biography.guide/dharmaratna/
MLA: "Dharmaratna." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/dharmaratna/.
Chicago: "Dharmaratna." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/dharmaratna/.
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