歷代三寶紀 7.211

7.211

Prior to this, the doctrine of the eternal permanence of nirvāṇa had not existed in the Central Plains; it was only said that the Buddha's lifespan was vast and long. Huiyuan then sighed and said: "The Buddha is the ultimate limit. The ultimate limit is changeless. How could the principle of changelessness have an end?" He therefore authored the *Faxing lun* (Treatise on Dharmatā), which stated: "The ultimate limit takes changelessness as its nature; realizing nature takes embodying the ultimate as its source." When Kumārajīva saw the treatise, he sighed and said: "A person of a borderland, having not yet seen the scriptures, already accords with the principle! Is this not wonderful?" Yao Xing, the ruler of Qin, admired Huiyuan's virtuous influence and praised his talent and thought. He sent letters of cordial respect, and gifts and envoys followed in succession. At that time, the *Dazhidu lun* was newly translated. Yao Xing sent the treatise along with a letter asking him to compose a preface to it for the benefit of future students. Huiyuan's reputation was so heavy in neighboring states and his renown was valued like this. Because the phrases of the *Dazhidu lun* were voluminous and extensive, making it difficult for beginners to navigate, he abridged its essential outlines into twenty fascicles; the preface was profound and refined, allowing scholars to achieve more than half the effect with less effort. When Huan Xuan campaigned westward against Yin Zhongkan, he invited Huiyuan to leave the mountain so they could meet. Huiyuan declined on grounds of illness. Huan Xuan entered the mountain himself, and his attendants said to him: "In the past Yin Zhongkan entered the mountain and paid homage to Huiyuan; we hope your lordship will not revere him." Xuan said: "How could there be any reason for that? Zhongkan was fundamentally an ordinary mortal." Xuan entered and saw Huiyuan, and unconsciously paid homage to him. Xuan asked: "'Not daring to injure [one's body]'—why do you shave your hair?" Huiyuan replied: "'To establish oneself and practice the Way.'" Xuan praised this. The thoughts he had harbored he dared not speak of again, but only talked about the purpose of his military campaign. Huiyuan did not respond. Xuan asked again: "What is your wish for me?" Huiyuan said: "I wish that the dānapati remain at ease and secure, and that the other party also suffer no harm." When Xuan left the mountain, he said to his attendants: "Truly, in all my life I have never seen such a man." Later, when Xuan wished to purge the saṅgha and also make the śramaṇas pay homage [to rulers], he sent a letter to Huiyuan to resolve his doubts. Huiyuan's brief reply stated: "The kāṣāya is not court attire; how could the alms bowl be an implement of the imperial halls?" He consequently wrote the *Shamen bujing wangzhe lun* (Treatise on Śramaṇas Not Paying Homage to Kings) in five chapters. The text is fully preserved in his biographies and collected works. From then on, śramaṇas were able to preserve completely their way of life outside the secular world. When Xuan fled westward and Emperor An returned eastward, imperial decrees conveyed earnest solicitations. Xie Lingyun of Chen commandery, who took pride in his talent and was arrogant toward worldly conventions, rarely praised anyone; yet as soon as he saw Huiyuan, he reverently submitted in his heart. Huiyuan internally penetrated Buddhist principles and externally mastered the diverse secular writings; none among the scholars who associated with him failed to emulate him. Huiyuan lived on Mount Lu for over thirty years; his shadow never left the mountain and his footsteps never entered worldly realms. His authored treatises, prefaces, eulogies and inscriptions on the Buddha's shadow, as well as poems and letters, were gathered into ten fascicles and more than fifty pieces. They were venerated by the world, so no further details are given.