樂邦文類 3.108

3.108

Although the teachings of the periods are rooted in what the Buddha spoke, those who magnified the teachings of the periods must take Tiantai as their first patriarch. Although the Vinaya Piṭaka is rooted in the Buddha's precepts, those who expanded the Vinaya Piṭaka must take Nanshan as their first patriarch. Although the Chan lineage is rooted in the Buddha's mind, those who transmitted the Buddha's mind must take Bodhidharma as their first patriarch. Exhorting rebirth in the Pure Land certainly stems from the Greatly Awakened Compassionate Honored One; yet to cause the people of this land to know that there is a buddha-mindfulness samādhi, one should take Dharma Master Lord Yuan as the first patriarch. The Dharma Master's taboo name was Huiyuan; his secular surname was Jia, and he was a man of Yanmen. In his youth he traveled for study and was versed in the Classics, histories, Zhuangzi, and Laozi. In his twenties, he inquired into the Way with Dharma Master Dao'an. Upon hearing an exposition of the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, he was thoroughly awakened and said: "The divergent doctrines of the nine schools are nothing but chaff and husks." He then shaved his head, dyed his robes, and served him. By the age of twenty-four, he was thoroughly versed in the sūtras and treatises, analyzing all doubts and difficulties with systematic precision. During the Jianyuan reign-era of the illegitimate Qin, when Xiangyang was overrun by bandits, he came to Xunyang. Seeing the pure and steep heights of Mount Lu, his heart was greatly delighted. The regional inspector Huan Yi immediately founded Donglin [Monastery] for him to reside in. For thirty years after this, his shadow never left the mountain and his footsteps never entered worldly affairs; whenever he saw off guests, the Tiger Brook served as his boundary. Though Huan Xuan had the awe-inspiring presence that intimidated sovereigns, upon meeting him he unconsciously paid reverence. When Emperor An of the Jin returned to the capital from Jiangling, some urged the master to present himself in audience, but the master pleaded illness and did not go; the emperor again sent envoys to inquire after his welfare. At that time, Liu Yimin, Lei Cizong, Zong Bing, and other eminent monks—eighteen people in all—together abandoned the world and cast off honors to reside with and follow Yuan. Yuan gathered one hundred and twenty-three people to form the Lotus Society. He had Yimin compose a pledge, establishing sincerity and making vows before the image of Amitābha, aspiring to be born in Peaceful Nurture. Xie Lingyun, proud of his talent and arrogant toward others, was solemnly humbled the moment he met Yuan; he excavated two ponds and channeled water to plant white lotuses, seeking to join the society, but the master stopped him because his mind was distracted. Tao Yuanming and Fan Ning were repeatedly invited to join the society, but ultimately could not be brought in. Therefore Qiji's poem says: "Yuanliang was too often drunk to easily enter the society; / Master Xie's mind was distracted, yet what harm in his entering?" Yuan was diligent in mindfulness regarding the Pure Land. In the first eleven years, settling his mind and focusing his thoughts, he beheld the sacred appearance three times, but being deep and reserved, Yuan did not speak of it. Nineteen years later, on the last day of the seventh month, just as he arose from samādhi at the Prajñā Platform, he saw the body of Amitābha Buddha filling empty space; within the circular halo were various transformation buddhas, with Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta standing in attendance on the left and right. He also saw flowing waters of radiant light dividing into fourteen streams, flowing above and below, expounding suffering and emptiness. The Buddha addressed Yuan, saying: "By the power of my fundamental vow, I have come to comfort you. After seven days, you shall be born in my land." He also saw Buddhabhadra, Huiduan, and Danshun at the Buddha's side, who bowed forward to Yuan and said: "The Master's resolve preceded ours; why have you arrived so late?" Afterward, he told his disciples: "When I first resided here, I had the fortune of beholding the sacred appearance three times in the Pure Land. Now seeing it again, my rebirth is certain." The next day he fell ill, setting a term of seven days before departing: "You disciples should exert yourselves and not be bound by emotional sorrows." When the appointed time came, he indeed met an auspicious end at the age of eighty-three, on the sixth day of the eighth month in the bingchen year, the twelfth year of Yixi. In his testamentary instructions, his body was to be exposed beneath the trees; his disciples buried him on the western ridge. Xie Lingyun composed the epitaph, and Zhang Ye wrote the preface. In the second year of Dazhong of the Tang, he was given the posthumous title Great Master Bianjue. In the third year of Shengyuan, the posthumous title was changed to Zhengjue. In the third year of Xingguo of the Great Song, he was posthumously titled Great Master Yuanwu, and his tomb was named the Stūpa of Condensed Quiescence. The master had twenty fascicles of miscellaneous writings, entitled the Lushan Collection. Vinaya Master Yuanzhao of Lingzhi wrote the preface, and the printing blocks were carved at the Shaoxing prefectural repository, held in reverence by those who understand.