歷代三寶紀 7.222

7.222

右一卷。哀帝世。沙門竺僧度撰。度本姓王。名晞字玄宗。東莞人。雖少出孤微而天姿秀發。至年十六神情爽拔卓爾異人。性善溫和鄉隣所羨。獨居事母以孝節聞。登娉同郡楊德慎女乃衣冠。家族女字苕華。容貌端正。又善墳史與度同年。初造婚時。即相然許。未及成禮。苕華母亡。頃父又終。度母亦卒度見世無常。忽然感悟。即捨俗出家。改名僧度。抗迹塵表避地遊學。苕華服畢。自惟有三從之義。無獨立之道。乃與度書。謂髮膚不可毀傷。宗祀不可頓廢。令其顧世教改遠志。曜翹爍之姿。於盛明之世。遠休祖考之靈。近慰人情之願。并贈詩五首。其一篇曰。

The above one fascicle. Compiled in the reign of Emperor Ai by the śramaṇa Zhu Sengdu. Du's original surname was Wang, his personal name was Xi, and his courtesy name was Xuanzong; he was a native of Dongguan. Although he was orphaned and of humble origins in his youth, his natural endowments were exceptionally brilliant. By the age of sixteen, his spirit was brisk and outstanding, towering above ordinary people. By nature he was good and gentle, envied by his fellow villagers. Living alone to serve his mother, he was renowned for filial devotion and integrity. He was betrothed to the daughter of Yang Deshen of the same commandery, who was of an aristocratic family. The girl's courtesy name was Tiaohua; her appearance was upright and beautiful, and she was skilled in the ancient canons and histories, being of the same age as Du. When the marriage was first arranged, they had given their mutual consent. Before the wedding rites could be performed, Tiaohua's mother died. Shortly thereafter, her father also passed away, and Du's mother died as well. Seeing that the world is impermanent, Du was suddenly moved to awakening. He immediately renounced the secular world and left home [to become a monk], changing his name to Sengdu. He raised his steps above the worldly dust and withdrew to travel and study. When Tiaohua finished her mourning, she reflected that she had the duties of the threefold obedience and lacked the way to stand alone. She therefore sent a letter to Du, saying that hair and skin must not be damaged and ancestral sacrifices must not be suddenly abandoned, urging him to look back to the worldly teachings, alter his distant aspirations, display his brilliant talents in an era of flourishing brilliance, and from afar bring rest to the spirits of his ancestors, while nearby comforting the desires of human affection. She also presented him with five poems, one of which read: