國清百錄 3.35

3.35

The bodhisattva-precept disciple Zongchi bows his head and pays homage. The late master, the Tiantai Zhizhe's personal disciples Guanding and Puming, have arrived, and I respectfully received the testament of seven sheets of paper dated the twenty-first day of the eleventh month of the seventeenth year, bearing forty-six characters in [the Master's] own hand, together with the thirty-one fascicles of the commentary on the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra, a rhinoceros-horn ruyi, a lotus censer, and other items. Kneeling to read it through, my heart was shattered and shaken; his relics remain majestic, and the virtuous voice is fully present. Like Mahākāśyapa at Wolf Track Peak, his physical realization pursued the distant light of Heduo. Tiantai's peaceful dhyāna closely trod in [former footsteps] and truly returned [to the source]. At the Twin Trees, the fourfold assembly wailed in grief for the Tathāgata, yet the Dharma of the bequeathed teachings of the Nirvāṇa was all the more profound and weighty. How much more so after the five hundred years, when one of the four reliances rescues the drowning, profoundly according with the Buddha's intent! Dwelling in the world like an ordinary person, when about to enter nirvāṇa, he manifested rare wonders. The five ranks and the ten faiths were already luminous of themselves; Amitābha and Avalokiteśvara in person came to receive and guide him. Now that his virtue has departed forever, grief and longing only increase; recollecting my awakening in this life, I rejoice anew in what was formerly conferred. What I regret is not receiving the commentary on the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa in person once again, but I still hope to explore and study it to make up for my shortcomings. Reflecting on my hindrances and afflictions, the current faculties have not yet opened; yet listening afar to what was heard before, there is also accomplishment. Not only is awakening shallow or deep, but the timing may also be early or late. After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, those who attained sagehood were vast in number; their light illuminated other regions, coming unseen to instruct and reveal. Reflecting again on how I suddenly attended upon the Great Master in this present life, it was truly due to past conditions accumulated from having formerly drawn close to him. His loving kindness extends to future lives, where his influence will surely descend; not forsaking his original vow, the traces of his brush remain complete. Therefore, returning with sincere devotion and relying upon the spiritual presence with earnest precepts, I knelt to receive the scriptural commentary, the ruyi, and the censer, reverently bowing to the west, vowing in heart and mouth, my hands exploring the scrolls in final diligence. On the eighteenth of this month, an auspicious dream was felt; thus I know that the vessel of crossing has already descended. My only wish is that on that very day, lotuses will open afar in the jewel pond, and residing now in the pure realm, he will moisten my defiled heart close at hand, so that life after life, generation after generation, master and disciple will never part, shedding the ordinary to ascend to the holy, serving without fail. However, the treasury of meaning plumbs the depths and the bequeathed writings are vast and profound; though I urge on my sluggish pace, I constantly fear facing a wall. I particularly hope to be moistened with ghee as if drawing fragrant milk, and illuminated as into a dark well, true gold is straightaway revealed. Thereafter, looking up to rely upon your spiritual powers and bending down to spur my own vigor, I will separately inquire among eminent monks to uphold and propagate the flavor of the Dharma, universally bringing great benefit to all sentient beings. In this way, I will not disobey your uplifting guidance, together ascending to the other shore; what is most supreme and most exalted is venerated here. Regarding the final thirty-one fascicles of the commentary on the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa sent by Guanding up to the Chapter on the Buddha Path, I have respectfully had them mounted, bound, and transcribed to study and read, so as to attain their purport. The profound meaning and textual explanations before that were entrusted to the disciples to be burned; I have now sent them back with the messenger to be incinerated before him. As for the rhinoceros-horn ruyi and the lotus censer, bestowed from afar upon parting, I shall constantly wear and use them without wearying, perpetually serving Dharma rituals. Now I offer a glazed ceramic censer to make offerings at the shrine room. The bequeathed instructions noted that at the foot of Mount Tiantai you came upon an extraordinarily fine site, which you intended to make into a monastery, having just begun to clear the timber and lay out the foundations and steps. I am now dispatching the Marshall Wang Hong to construct the saṅghārāma, entirely according to the blueprints. As the monastery requires an official plaque and a fine name to be established, this too will not depart from your instructions. Folong and the dhūta [dwellings] shall each remain as before. As for having ten monks from Yuquan in Jingzhou move to guard Tiantai, most of the assembly currently present on the mountain are from Zhugong, and I have already restrained them from scattering away; how could it be merely ten monks? Regarding the requested abandoned monastery and paddy fields to serve as the foundation estate, I have also instructed Wang Hong to bestow fertile and good lands, receiving profound protection. In that same year, additional funds were supplied to escort and deliver a complete canon of scriptures, and in accordance with the Dharma, a separate set of offering utensils, bells, banners, incense, and the like were provided for the late master; money was also granted to cover daily expenses for the time being. The efficacious stupa within the borders of Mao, the stone image in Wu, the Maitreya in Shan County, and the place where his venerable form lay sick shall all be adorned without deviation. Since Yuquan Monastery in Jingzhou was built for him, its treatment ought by rights to differ from other bodhimaṇḍas. As for Daming Monastery in Tanzhou, and Shizhu and Shangming Monasteries in Jingzhou, having previously respectfully agreed to be their dānapati, there is no reason to go against that now. You have now instructed me to compose an inscription for the master of Mount Nanyue; I have immediately ordered the Scholar of the Kai-fu Bureau Liu Guyan to write the preface, while I shall personally compose the verse inscription as requested. As for punishing guilty monks and treating the innocent equally: strictly speaking, the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] and the karmavācanā provide clear scriptural texts. Setting forth the governance of the state, the chapter in the Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra directs that the maintenance of the Three Jewels must not dare be neglected. You also instructed me to cultivate a compassionate heart further and nurture the common people; even dogs and horses know those who rear them, so how could human beings forget kindness? I have heard that secular books teach benevolence and esteem forbearance toward things, while Buddhist scriptures hold the great compassion as supreme; though differing in words, they are truly identical in reaching the principle. Without gentlemen, how could the state be governed? Without bodhisattvas, how could sentient beings be saved? Furthermore, regarding monks who are not yet registered, allowing them to turn themselves in: I happened to receive an imperial edict that mysteriously coincided with your request, acting in accordance with the circumstances. This is what is meant by 'following Heaven afterward and honoring Heaven's timing.' As for the transport of provisions, which profoundly concerns the military and the state, I previously reported it in a memorial, but the authorities have not yet replied; I will eventually employ expedients and surely expect a harmonious outcome. Upon receiving your entrusted charge, you were once again able to perceive the minds of others. My previous replies did not contravene your intentions, hoping that through this cultivation of fragrance, blessings would protect the state. Guanding and Puming were interviewed in person and inquired of; they related in detail that the abandoned form sat in meditation just as in life. I regret all the more missing the opportunity and failing to taste the flavor of the Dharma again, reverently estimating that your power of samādhi stood like Mount Sumeru. Now that your Dharma-age is said to be complete, I earnestly wish to send a carriage to welcome you once to Jiangyang, returning to enter the dhyāna assembly, where monastics and laity may touch your feet and humans and gods pay homage; thereafter you shall be respectfully escorted back to that mountain shrine, hoping that gazing upon you will open eyes and minds. I deeply pray that your spiritual power will not fail this request; though the repayment of profound kindness is fully set forth in the prayer text, in truth extra protection should be added and retribution should be paid. The two monks are now returning; I lightly send this letter in reply, bowing from afar to the efficacious image, my heart choked with sobs. Respectfully, with palms joined. Kaihuang 18th year, first month, twentieth day.