樂邦文類 3.114

3.114

四、省常師者，大宋淳化中，師住錢唐南昭慶院，專修淨業，結淨行社。王文正公（旦）為社首，翰林承旨宋（白）撰碑，翰林學士蘇（易簡）作淨行品序，狀元孫（何）題社客於碑陰亦系以記。士夫預會，皆稱淨行社弟子。社友八十比丘、一千大眾。孤山圓公作師行業記并蓮社碑，記中引蘇序曰「予當布髮以承其足、剜身以請其法猶無嗔恨，況陋文淺學而有悋惜哉。」宋碑曰「師慕遠公啟廬山之社，易蓮華為淨行之名。遠公當衰季之時，所結者半隱淪之士。上人屬升平之世，所交者多有位之賢，方前則名士且多，垂裕則津梁曷已。」因二公之言，想當時之盛亦可槩見矣。

4. Master Xingchang: during the Chunhua era of the Great Song, the Master resided at the South Zhaoqing Cloister in Qiantang, where he devoted himself exclusively to cultivating pure karma and formed the Pure Practice Society. Wang Wenzheng (Dan) was the head of the society; Academician of the Hanlin Academy Song (Bai) composed the stele inscription; Academician of the Hanlin Academy Su (Yijian) composed the preface to the 'Pure Practice Chapter'; and the first-ranked metropolitan graduate Sun (He) inscribed the names of the society's guests on the back of the stele, appending a record as well. The scholar-officials who participated all called themselves disciples of the Pure Practice Society. The society's members included eighty bhikṣus and a grand assembly of one thousand. Master Yuan of Gushan composed the record of the Master's life and practice along with the Lotus Society stele inscription. The record quotes Su's preface: 'Even if I were to spread my hair to receive his feet and carve my flesh to seek his Dharma, I would feel no resentment; how much less should I be begrudging with my clumsy writing and shallow learning?' Song's stele says: 'The Master, admiring Master Yuan's establishing the society at Mount Lu, changed the name from Lotus to Pure Practice. When Master Yuan lived in a declining age, those who joined him were mostly recluses and hermits. The Superior Being lived in an era of peace and prosperity, and those he associated with were largely worthy men holding office. Compared to the past, the famous scholars are more numerous; as for bequeathing abundance, how could his role as a bridge ever end?' Judging from the words of these two gentlemen, the grandeur of that time can easily be imagined.