樂邦遺稿 2.21

2.21

政和中有憲章師仲憫，三衢人也。受業于郡之祥符寺，少年負笈趨永嘉忠法師之室，久之氷寒藍碧，即往錢唐南屏文公輪下卒其業，眾服其議論，遂以虎子稱之。後還鄉董浮石山，戶外屨滿。師大其言曰：「吾座下若無五百眾，則不講本部。」師遽出此言，故一生唯講小部帙耳。洎師之終，乃急歸本業寺，集大眾於大法堂上。師登師子座，方趺足，忽見西方銀臺而至，乃喝一聲曰：「吾平生解第一義，誓取金臺往生。何為不然？」於是瞑目而終。見者莫不驚呼。所謂師子座者，蓋以木雕飾，宛其生者，高一丈餘，上安蓮華臺座。是寺多出高流，每以是為升陟之階。唯師一登之，後無復繼者。于今寺革為禪，則棄之於殿角矣。吾宗有志昭師，經由是寺，偶一耆宿得其說云。

During the Zhenghe era, there was Master Xianzhang, named Zhongmin, a man of Sanqu. He received instruction at Xiangfu Monastery in his commandery. In his youth, carrying his book-box, he hastened to the chamber of Master Zhong of Yongjia. After a long time, the ice became colder than water and the blue greener than the indigo plant; he then went to study under the wheel of Master Nanping Wen in Qiantang to complete his training. The assembly admired his debates, and accordingly called him the 'Tiger Cub.' Later, he returned to his home region to direct Mount Fushi, where shoes filled the doorway. The Master spoke boldly, saying: 'If there are not five hundred people under my seat, I will not lecture on the main text.' Because the Master hastily uttered these words, in his whole life he only lectured on short works. When the Master's end came, he hurried back to his home monastery and gathered the great assembly in the great Dharma hall. The Master mounted the lion seat, and just as he crossed his legs, he suddenly saw a silver dais arrive from the West. He gave a shout and said: 'In my whole life I understood the ultimate truth, and I vowed to obtain a golden dais for rebirth. Why is it not so?' Thereupon he closed his eyes and passed away. None of those who saw it failed to cry out in astonishment. The so-called lion seat was carved and decorated with wood, lifelike in appearance, over ten feet high, with a lotus dais placed upon it. This monastery produced many eminent figures, who always used this as the steps to ascend. Only the Master mounted it once, and afterward no one followed him. Now that the monastery has been converted to Chan, it has been cast aside in the corner of the hall. In our school, Master Zhizhao once passed by this monastery and happened to hear this account from a senior monk.