四明尊者教行錄 6.69

6.69

政和戊戌歲，先大夫倅四明（沅）時為兒童，一日隨侍，遇今之延慶，見其法席之嚴、聽徒之多，展鉢鋪單，堂中幾數千指。是時（沅）心竊語曰：此非內有大導師以傳持教觀、外得大檀施以延供十方，恐未易崇盛如此。退見主僧，方知法智尊者，有神人感夢之異。因出大丞相宣靖曾魯公捨莊帖文，伏讀驚歎，此所以見延慶教庠為二淛之冠也。自後寺經虜火，焚毀幾盡。前後更三住持，未能興起，講席亦從而廢闕。最後有圓辯尊者，專以法智宗旨開導後學於永嘉之資福。先大夫因其徒之有請，遂力贊其事於州將，以挽其來。未幾講堂洞開，傑閣雄嶼，修廓紺宇煥然一新。四方學徒摳衣於函丈者，若雲蒸霧集，講席遂復改觀如曩時。至此，不特知法智願力之深，抑亦見魯公植福之彌厚也。今延慶親公講主，實圓辯之的嗣，觀行兼修，宗說俱到。一日見過且言：本寺捨莊田，帖舊有碑刻。今不復存，欲以舊所得本再礲諸石以傳不朽，且欲（沅）書其後。若夫立身之本莫大於孝，此魯國公之付囑也。二稅所輸毋令失時，此魯國公之垂訓也。凡我緇徒，宜守毋怠。至於慶均存沒，徼福西乾。迺知今判部尚書，以忠誠受聖知、以勳業致褒顯，班聯八座、寵冠一時，則知根深條茂、源遠流長。大丞相魯國公之遺訓，至是若合符，云是可書也已。右朝散郎新權知舒州軍州事陸（沅）跋。

In the wuxu year of Zhenghe [1118], when my late father served as vice-prefect of Siming, I, Yuan, was still a boy. One day, accompanying him in attendance, I visited the present Yanqing [Monastery]. Seeing the solemnity of its Dharma assembly and the multitude of listeners, with alms-bowls spread out and mats laid down, several thousand monks packed the hall. At that time, I quietly said to myself: "Were it not for a great guiding teacher within to transmit and maintain the doctrinal teaching and contemplation, and great donors without to invite and provide for those from the ten directions, such flourishing sublimity could hardly be attained." Upon retiring and meeting the abbot, I first learned that the Venerable Fazhi had had the extraordinary experience of an inspiring dream from a spirit. Thereupon he brought out the document by Grand Councillor Duke Xuanjing Zeng of Lu donating an estate. Reading it with veneration, I was struck with wonder; this is why Yanqing’s school of doctrinal study was hailed as the foremost in the Two Zhe circuits. Afterward, the monastery suffered the flames of the Jin invasion and was burned almost entirely to ashes. Though three successive abbots were replaced, none could revive it, and the lecture assembly was consequently abandoned and lapsed. Finally, there was the Venerable Yuanbian, who devoted himself to using Fazhi's fundamental teachings to instruct and guide later students at Zifu in Yongjia. Because Yuanbian's disciples made a request, my late father strongly advocated the matter before the prefectural commander so as to invite him here. Before long, the lecture hall was thrown wide open, magnificent pavilions and grand halls were erected, and the expansive blue-glazed buildings were brilliantly renewed. Students from the four quarters who raised their robes to enter his chamber gathered like rising clouds and congregating mists; the lecture assembly once again transformed its appearance to match that of former days. At this point, not only did one recognize the depth of Fazhi's vows and power, but one also saw the exceptional richness of the merit planted by Duke Lu. Now, the Lecture Master Qin of Yanqing is in truth the direct successor of Yuanbian: cultivating both contemplation and practice, fully accomplished in both the essence and the exposition of doctrine. One day he came to visit me and said: "Our monastery's document of the donated estate originally had a stone inscription. Now it no longer survives. We wish to take the text preserved of old and polish it upon stone again so that it may be transmitted imperishably, and we wish for you, Yuan, to write an afterword to it." Now, as for 'the foundation of establishing oneself, nothing is greater than filial piety'—this was the entrustment of the Duke of Lu. 'Do not allow the payment of the two taxes to miss their deadline'—this was the instruction handed down by the Duke of Lu. All of our monastic assembly should uphold this without negligence. As for blessings shared equally between the living and the deceased, seeking fortune in the Western Heaven: one now sees that the present Minister Director of the Department has received the imperial recognition for his loyalty and sincerity, achieved praise and prominence through meritorious deeds, joined the ranks of the Eight Ministers, and received imperial favor surpassing all in his time; from this one knows that 'the roots are deep and the branches luxuriant, the source is far and the flow is long.' The posthumous instructions of the Grand Councillor, the Duke of Lu, have at this point matched like two halves of a tally; saying this, it is indeed worthy of being inscribed. Postscript by Lu Yuan, Court Gentleman for Dispersion and newly appointed Acting Administrator of the Military and State Affairs of Shuzhou.