佛祖統紀 10.73

10.73

法師遵式字知白。葉氏。天台寧海人。母王氏。乞男於觀音。夢美女以明珠與而吞之。生七月能從母稱觀音名（太祖乾德元年癸亥歲生）稍長不樂隨兄為賈。潛往東山依義全師出家。全先夢有童子踞佛像之首。已而師至。年二十（太宗太平七年癸未）往禪林受具戒。明年習律學於守初師。繼入國清。普賢像前燼一指。誓傳天台之道。雍熙元年。來學四明（年二十二）道中夢老僧謂曰。吾文殊和尚也。及見寶雲。正所夢僧即北面受業。未幾智解秀出。智者諱日然頂終朝。誓力行四三昧。端拱元年。寶雲入寂。師乃反天台。以苦學感疾至於嘔血。毅然入大慈佛室用消伏呪法。自詛曰。若四教興行在我。則其疾有瘳。不爾則畢命於此。至三七日聞室中呼曰。遵式不久將死。師益不懈。五七日見死屍盈室。師踐之而行。其屍即沒。滿七七日室中聲曰。十方諸佛增汝福壽。其名寐見一巨人。持金剛杵。以擬其口。又嘗親見觀音。垂手於師口引出數蟲。復舒指注甘露於口。身心清涼宿疾頓愈。既而頂高寸餘。手垂過膝。聲若鴻鍾。肌如白玉。淳化元年（年二十八）眾請居寶雲。講法華維摩涅槃光明。未嘗間歇。有施氏懷胎驢。日伏座下。若聽法狀。如是四旬。產已不復至。嘗往見法智。聞門外謦欬呼侍者曰。適聞外聲。有若聖人然。侍者亟出視。反報言。慈雲至。法智大驚曰。吾兄轉報矣。至道二年。結緇素專修淨業。作誓生西方記。又自幸觀音幽贊。命匠刻旃檀像及自身頂戴之相。撰十四誓願納其腹。工有誤折所執楊枝者。師大懼即手接之（此像今在天竺懺殿）不膠漆而合。咸正三年（真宗）四明大旱。郡人請祈雨。師同法智異聞師。率眾行請觀音三昧。冥約三日不雨當焚其軀。如期雨大至。太守蘇為建碑以述靈異。四年。寓慈溪大雷山。治定請觀音消伏毒害懺儀。五年（師年四十。自淳化庚寅至咸平四年辛丑。凡十二年居四明）歸天台主東掖。以徒屬之繁。即西隅益建精舍。率眾修念佛三昧。有白鶴廟居民甚神之。師與神授戒改祭為齋。神與民居聽命。乃為著野廟誌以戒之。祥符四年。章邭公（得象）領那事。夏制之始延師入景德講止觀。垂畢有三沙門披納而至。請預盂蘭盆講席。揖其坐忽不見。道經黃巖。有豕奔伏於前。推其來。乃逸於屠肆者。償其直而豢於妙喜寺。名之曰遇善夫豕。赤山寺瀕海而高。師遽謂人曰。此宜建塔。先是山巔有異光。中有七層浮圖之形。光照海上周四十里。皆漁人之[竺-二+(一/(尸@邑))]梁。或以語師。師喜其有先兆。遂建塔焉。於是居人感化不復為漁。時東山結懺會。天大旱。師卓錫石縫。泉即激涌（今石眼泉）七年。杭昭慶齊一。率眾致請。初杭人屢請西度未之許。至是始見從。師嘗夢居母胎十二年。及出台入杭。果應其數。師至昭慶。大揚講說。杭俗好以酒肴會葬。師為說佛事之勝。卒變葷為齋。因為著戒酒肉慈慧法門。嘗夜施摶食於水濱。漁者聞眾鬼曰。今夜雪甚。師不至矣。一鬼曰。師慈悲人必不忌我。須臾師籠燈踏雪而至。八年蘇人。以郡符迓師於開元建講。緇素畢集。不葷飲者傾市邑。屠酤不售。官監有失課之言。師辭其徒曰。智者遣晉王書。有言六恨。其一謂以法集動眾妨官為人所忌。余今德薄安可久留。遂幡然復杭（智者遺書云。荊溪法集眾一千。學禪三百。州司惶慮。謂乖國式。豈可聚眾用惱官人。故朝同雲合。暮如雨散。設有善萌不獲增長。此五恨也）刺史薛顏。始以靈山命師居之。即隋真觀師所營天竺寺也。寺西有陳時所植檜。巢寇燎燬僅存枯枿。是年冬枝葉復生。因名重榮檜。賦詩刻石。以兆道場重建之瑞。治定往生淨土懺儀。九年。天台僧正慧思詣京師因盛稱師之道。始賜紫服。三月。天台郡人。以郡符請赴石梁壽昌講法華。八月過東掖。十月復歸天竺。天禧元年。侍郎馬亮守錢唐。雅尚淨業造師問道。師為撰淨土行願法門。淨土略傳。職方郎中崔育才。問施食之道。師為觀想一篇（見金園集）三年。丞相王文穆公撫杭（名欽若相真宗）首率僚屬訪師山中。請講法華及心佛眾生三法如義。才辯清發。衣冠為之屬目。公對眾嗟賞曰。此道未始聞。此人未始見也（別集中有講題）師以天台宗教本末具陳於公。四年。公為奏錫天竺舊名。復其寺為教。而親為書額。復與秦國夫人施財六百萬以建大殿。公致書問天台立教及解經義旨。與今古孰為優劣。師先答立教大義。次出諸子索車之文。錄古義一二。及慈恩破天台義。對智者正釋。並決是非。以為古今諸師無一可取。公覽文識義益加信喜（文見別集）師以智者昔於天台江上護生事白於公。因奏請西湖為放生池。為主上祝壽。後文穆尹應天府。因微疾夢與師會。疾即除愈。遂奉書道其事。及移鎮江寧（昇用）迓師府會。朝夕問法。一留三月。因為著十法界觀心聞住。南岳心要偈。會乾元即公以其道聞於上。乃賜慈雲之號。乾興元年。章懿太后（仁宗母華氏。錢塘人。其父仁德）以師熏修精進。遣使齎白金百兩。命於山中為國行懺。師為著金光明護國道為靜上之。因奏天台教文。乞入大藏。事未行而公薨。天聖元年（仁宗）內臣楊懷古降香入山。敬師道德復為奏之。明年始得旨入藏。賜白金百兩。飯千僧以為慶。師乃撰教藏隨函目錄。略述諸部文義。謂玄義。統明五時廣辨八教。出世大意蘊乎其中。文句者。謂以統句分節經文。荊溪各有記釋。猶五經之有正義也（唐孔頴達為五經作正義）止觀者。定慧之異為即法華之行門也。前玄義文句。皆明佛世當機得益之事。經有託事附法觀心之文。非部正意。今止觀正是智者說己心中所行法門。自行因果化他能所無不具焉。又於普門品加別譯重頌。緇素皆遵誦之。天聖四年。諫議胡則守郡。屢入山問道。欣領法要。為施金造山門廊宇。五年中秋月朢之夕（朢作望非）桂子降於殿庭。師取其實播種林下。乃作桂子之詩。六年正月。遣學徒往四明。致祭於法智。有祭文悼詩之作。始於寺東建日觀菴。送想西方為往生之業。九年。講淨名經。忽謂其徒曰。昔在東掖講此經。夢荊溪授我經卷。及出室。視日已沒。今吾殆終此講乎。因與眾訣曰。我住台杭二寺。垂四十年。長用十方為意。今付講席。宜從吾志。命弟子祖韻曰。汝當紹我道場。持此鑪拂。勿為最後斷佛種人。遂作謝三緣詩。謂謝徒屬絕賓友焚筆硯也。是年八月。徙居東領之草堂。明道元年十月八日示疾。不用醫藥。唯說法以勉徒眾。十日令請彌陀像以證其終。門人尚欲有禱。以觀音至。師炷香瞻像祝之曰。我觀觀世音。前際不來後際不去。十方諸佛同住實際。願住此實際。受我一炷之香。或扣其所歸。對以寂光淨土。至夜奄然坐逝。師嘗製龕銘曰遐榻。既入斂越七日。形貌如生。壽六十九。夏五十。逝之夕。山中人見大星殞於靈鷲峯紅光赫然。稟法者。文昌等二十五人。登門學者以千數。度弟子若虛輩垂百人。明年仲春四日。奉遐榻葬於寺東月桂峯下。與隋觀法師為之隣焉。師幼善詞翰。有詩人之風。其詩集。曰采遺。曰靈苑。其雜著。曰金園。曰天竺別集。皆行於世。有貴官注楞嚴求師印可。師烹烈焰謂之曰。閤下留心佛法。誠為希有。今先申三問。若答之契理。當為流通。若其不合當付此火。官許之。師曰。真精妙元性淨明心。不知如何注釋。三四四三宛轉十二流變三疊一十百千。為是何義（昔師注者云。初變一為十。以三世四方互成十二。次變十為百。三世四方互成百二十。三變百為千。三世四方互成千二百。是為一根功德之數。總六根為七千二百。除眼鼻身三根。各虧四百。實得六千。為六根功德也。一為變生十百千為三疊。凡三番織成其數）二十五聖所證圓通。既云實無優劣。文殊何得獨取觀音。其人罔措。師即舉付火中。於是楞嚴三關自茲而出。仁宗閱師所進光明護國儀。至聖帝仁王慈臨無際之文。撫几歎曰。朕得此人足以致治。亟令宣召則已入寂矣。師始出家。郡校諸生。慕師才俊勉回業儒。為詩答盧積。中有真空是選場大覺為官位之句。人多誦之。常行三昧。以九十日為期。於行道四隅置𨫼熾炭。遇困倦則漬手於𨫼。十指唯存其三。其建光明懺殿。每架一椽甃一甓。輒誦大悲呪七遍以示聖法加被。不可沮壞之意。故建炎虜寇。積薪以焚。其屋儼然。暨方臘陳通之亂。三經寇火皆不能熱。至今異國相傳。目為燒不著寺。茲豈獨顯教門之神迹。誠有以彰國家之有道也。崇寧三年。賜號法寶大師紹興三十年。特諡懺主禪慧法師。塔曰瑞光（行業曲記。修三昧記。天生諸集。宗源記）。

Dharma Master Zunshi, courtesy name Zhibai, was of the Ye clan and a native of Ninghai in Tiantai. His mother, Lady Wang, prayed to Guanyin for a son and dreamed of a beautiful woman offering her a bright pearl, which she swallowed. Seven months after his birth, he was able to invoke Guanyin's name along with his mother (born in the first year of the Qiande era of Emperor Taizu, a guihai year [963 CE]). As he grew older, he took no pleasure in following his elder brother into commerce. He secretly went to Dongshan to rely on Master Yiquan and renounce household life. Quan had previously dreamed of a young boy sitting cross-legged atop the head of a Buddha image; shortly afterward, the Master arrived. At the age of twenty (the seventh year of the Taiping [Xingguo] era of Emperor Taizong, a guiwei year [983 CE]), he went to Shanlin to receive the full precepts. The following year, he studied the Vinaya under Master Shouchu. Next, he entered Guoqing [Monastery], where before an image of Samantabhadra he burned off a finger, vowing to transmit the Tiantai teachings. In the first year of the Yongxi era, he came to study at Siming (at the age of twenty-two). On the road, he dreamed of an old monk who said to him, “I am Preceptor Mañjuśrī.” When he met Baoyun, it was precisely the monk from his dream, so facing north, he received instruction from him. Before long, his understanding and wisdom became extraordinarily preeminent. On the anniversary of Zhizhe's death, he burned the crown of his head throughout the morning, vowing to vigorously practice the four kinds of samādhi. In the first year of the Duangong era, Baoyun entered extinction, and the Master subsequently returned to Tiantai. Due to his arduous study, he fell ill to the point of vomiting blood. Resolutely entering the Great Compassion Buddha Hall, he employed the method of the Incantation for Subduing [Poisonous Afflictions]. He vowed to himself, “If the flourishing of the Four Teachings depends on me, then my illness will be cured; if not, I shall end my life here.” On the twenty-first day, he heard a voice in the room calling out, “Zunshi will die before long!” The Master became even more unflagging. On the thirty-fifth day, he saw dead corpses fill the room; when the Master stepped on them to walk, the corpses immediately vanished. When the full forty-ninth day arrived, a voice in the room said, “The Buddhas of the ten directions have increased your blessings and lifespan!” In a dream that night, he saw a giant holding a vajra pestle pointing it at his mouth. He also once personally saw Guanyin lower a hand into the Master's mouth, pull out several worms, and then extend fingers to pour amṛta into his mouth. His body and mind became cool and pure, and his chronic illness was instantly cured. Thereafter, the crown of his head rose more than an inch high, his arms hung past his knees, his voice was like a great bell, and his flesh was like white jade. In the first year of the Chunhua era (at the age of twenty-eight), the assembly invited him to reside at Baoyun, where he lectured on the Lotus, Vimalakīrti, Nirvāṇa, and Golden Light sutras without pause. There was a pregnant donkey belonging to a certain Shi family that would lie down beneath his seat daily as if listening to the Dharma; this continued for forty days, and after giving birth it never came again. He once went to visit Fazhi. Hearing coughing outside the door, [Fazhi] called to his attendant, saying, “Just now I heard a voice outside; it sounded like a sage!” The attendant hurried out to look and returned to report, “Ciyun has arrived.” Fazhi said in great astonishment, “My brother has transformed his karmic retribution!” In the second year of the Zhidao era, he gathered monastics and laypeople to cultivate pure karma exclusively, composing the Record of Vowing to be Reborn in the Western Pure Land. Moreover, considering himself blessed with Guanyin's unseen assistance, he commissioned an artisan to carve an image of sandalwood along with a likeness of himself carrying it upon his head, composing fourteen vows that were placed inside its abdomen. The artisan accidentally broke the willow branch that the image held; the Master was greatly alarmed and immediately took it into his own hands (this image is now in the Repentance Hall of Tianzhu), and it rejoined without glue or lacquer. In the third year of the Xianping era (under Zhenzong), a great drought struck Siming, and the prefectural citizens requested prayers for rain. The Master, together with Fazhi and Master Yiwen, led the assembly in practicing the Invoking Guanyin Samādhi, secretly pledging that if it did not rain in three days, they would burn their bodies. As scheduled, heavy rain arrived. Prefect Su Wei erected a stele to recount the miraculous event. In the fourth year, he stayed at Mount Dalei in Cixi, where he revised and fixed the Repentance Ritual for Invoking Guanyin to Subdue Toxic Harm. In the fifth year (the Master was forty years old; from the gengyin year of Chunhua [990] to the xinchou year of the fourth year of Xianping [1001], he lived in Siming for twelve years in all), he returned to Tiantai to preside over Dongye. Because his disciples were numerous, he built an additional monastery in the western corner, leading the assembly to cultivate the Mindfulness of the Buddha Samādhi. There was a White Crane Shrine that local residents held in great veneration; the Master conferred precepts on the deity, changing animal sacrifices into vegetarian offerings, and the deity and the residents obeyed his commands. He then composed the Record of the Rustic Shrine to admonish them. In the fourth year of the Xiangfu era, Duke Zhang of Xun (Dexiang) was in charge of the prefecture's affairs; at the beginning of the summer retreat, he invited the Master to Jingde [Monastery] to lecture on the Great Calming and Contemplation. As the lecture drew to a close, three monks wearing patch-robes arrived and requested to attend the lecture session on the Ullambana; when he bowed to offer them seats, they suddenly vanished. Passing through Huangyan along the way, a pig ran out and prostrated before him; inquiring where it came from, it turned out to have escaped from a slaughterhouse. He paid its price and had it raised at Miaoxi Temple, naming it “Encountering Goodness, the Pig.” Red Mountain Temple was elevated and bordered the sea. The Master abruptly said to the people, “A pagoda should be built here.” Prior to this, an extraordinary light had appeared at the mountaintop, within which was the shape of a seven-story stupa; the light illuminated the sea for forty li around, shining over the fishermen’s weirs. Someone informed the Master, who was pleased that there had been an omen, and so he built a pagoda there. Thereupon, the local inhabitants were transformed and no longer engaged in fishing. At that time, a repentance gathering was held at Dongshan, and there was a severe drought. The Master planted his staff in a rock crevice, and a spring gushed forth immediately (now known as the Stone Eye Spring). In the seventh year, Qi-yi of Zhaoking in Hangzhou led the assembly in extending an invitation. Initially, Hangzhou people had repeatedly invited him to cross over to the west, but he had not agreed; only then did he comply. The Master had once dreamed that he stayed in his mother’s womb for twelve years; when he left Tiantai and entered Hangzhou, it indeed matched that number. When the Master arrived at Zhaoking, he broadly propagated teachings. The Hangzhou custom favored using wine and meat dishes for funeral feasts; the Master explained the superiority of Buddhist rites to them, ultimately changing meat banquets to vegetarian feasts. Because of this, he wrote the Compassionate and Wise Dharma Gate of Refraining from Alcohol and Meat. He once distributed food offerings by the water’s edge at night. A fisherman overheard ghosts saying, “Tonight the snow is heavy; the Master will not come.” One ghost said, “The Master is a person of great compassion; he will certainly not shun us.” In an instant, the Master arrived carrying a lantern and treading through the snow. In the eighth year, the people of Suzhou used a prefectural directive to welcome the Master to Kaiyuan [Monastery] to establish lectures. Monastics and laypeople gathered completely; those who refrained from meat and drink emptied the markets and towns, so that butchers and vintners could make no sales, and officials complained about the loss of tax revenues. The Master took leave of his disciples, saying, “In Zhizhe’s letter to the Prince of Jin, he mentioned six regrets, one of which was that gathering assemblies with the Dharma disturbed the multitude, hindered the government, and invited jealousy. My virtue is thin today; how can I stay long?” He then abruptly returned to Hangzhou. (Zhizhe’s testamentary letter stated: “At Jingxi, when the Dharma gathering reached a thousand people and three hundred studied meditation, the prefectural officials grew anxious, saying it contravened state regulations. How could a crowd be gathered to trouble officials? Therefore, they gathered like clouds in the morning and dispersed like rain in the evening, so that even if good sprouts arose, they could not grow. This is the fifth regret.”) Prefect Xue Yan first ordered the Master to reside at Lingshan, which was Tianzhu Monastery founded by Master Zhenguan of the Sui dynasty. To the west of the temple, there was a cypress planted during the Chen dynasty; burned down by bandits during the Chaocheng disturbances, only a withered stump remained. In the winter of that year, its branches and leaves grew again, so it was named the “Twice-Prospering Cypress.” He composed a poem and carved it on stone as an auspicious sign presaging the reconstruction of the bodhimaṇḍa. He revised and fixed the Repentance Ritual for Rebirth in the Pure Land. In the ninth year, the Tiantai Monastic Controller Huisi went to the capital, where he profusely praised the Master’s teachings, and the Master was first bestowed a purple robe. In the third month, the people of Tiantai prefecture, using a prefectural directive, invited him to Shiliang Shouchang to lecture on the Lotus Sutra. In the eighth month, he passed through Dongye, and in the tenth month, he returned to Tianzhu. In the first year of the Tianxi era, Vice-Minister Ma Liang governed Qiantang; having a refined esteem for pure karma, he visited the Master to inquire about the Way. For him, the Master composed the Dharma Gate of Pure Land Practices and Vows and the Brief Biographies of the Pure Land. Director of the Bureau of Operations Cui Yucai asked about the method of bestowing food, and the Master composed a piece on contemplation for him (found in the Jinyuan Collection). In the third year, Grand Councilor Duke Wang Wenmu (named Qinruo, minister to Zhenzong) governed Hangzhou, and he first led his subordinates into the mountains to visit the Master, inviting him to lecture on the Lotus Sutra and the doctrine that the three phenomena of mind, Buddha, and sentient beings are identical. His eloquence was clear and brilliant, and all the officials fixed their gaze upon him. The Duke sighed in admiration before the assembly, saying, “Such a teaching has never before been heard; such a man has never before been seen!” (The lecture topics are found in the Separate Collection.) The Master fully explained the origin and development of the Tiantai school to the Duke. In the fourth year, the Duke submitted a memorial to restore its old name of Tianzhu and return the monastery to the doctrinal school, personally writing its plaque. Furthermore, together with the Lady of the State of Qin, he donated six million cash to construct a great hall. The Duke sent a letter inquiring about Tiantai's establishment of doctrine and interpretation of scriptural meanings, and whether ancient or contemporary interpretations were superior. The Master first answered with the broad tenets of the establishment of doctrine; next, he brought out the passage on the children asking for carriages, recording one or two ancient interpretations and Ci’en’s refutation of Tiantai’s doctrines, contrasting them with Zhizhe’s correct exegesis and resolving right and wrong, holding that among the ancient and modern masters, not a single one was acceptable. The Duke examined the text, understood its principles, and grew even more faithful and joyful (the text is seen in the Separate Collection). The Master informed the Duke about Zhizhe’s former protection of living beings on the Tiantai river. Thereupon, [the Duke] memorialized to request that West Lake be made a pond for releasing living beings to pray for the sovereign's longevity. Later, when Wenmu served as Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture, he dreamed of meeting the Master while suffering from a slight illness, and his illness was immediately cured; he then sent a letter recounting the incident. When he was transferred to govern Jiangning (Shengyong), he welcomed the Master for a prefecture gathering, asking about the Dharma day and night, detaining him for three months. For him, the Master composed the Contemplation of the Mind within the Ten Dharma Realms and the Verses on the Essentials of the Mind from Nanyue. When Qianyuangong brought his teaching to the attention of the sovereign, he was granted the title “Ciyun” (Cloud of Compassion). In the first year of the Qianxing era, Empress Dowager Zhangyi (the biological mother of Renzong, née Li, a native of Qiantang, whose father was Rende), on account of the Master's seasoned practice and diligence, dispatched an envoy carrying one hundred liang of silver, ordering him to perform repentances in the mountains for the state. The Master composed the Golden Light State-Protecting Bodhimaṇḍa Ritual and respectfully presented it. He then memorialized to request that Tiantai doctrinal texts be included in the Tripiṭaka, but before the matter was implemented, Duke [Wang] passed away. In the first year of the Tiansheng era (under Renzong), the palace attendant Yang Huaigu came into the mountains bearing incense; revering the Master’s virtue, he again memorialized regarding it. The following year, an imperial decree was finally obtained to include them in the Canon; one hundred liang of silver was granted, and a vegetarian feast for a thousand monks was held in celebration. The Master then compiled the Follow-the-Casket Catalogue of the Doctrinal Canon, briefly recounting the texts and meanings of the various sections. He stated: “The Profound Meaning comprehensively clarifies the Five Periods and broadly distinguishes the Eight Teachings, containing within it the great purpose of appearing in the world. The Words and Phrases divides the sutra text into clauses and chapters; Jingxi provided sub-commentaries for each, just as the Five Classics have their Correct Meaning (Kong Yingda of the Tang composed the Correct Meaning for the Five Classics). The Great Calming and Contemplation represents the union of concentration and wisdom, being the practical approach of the Lotus itself. The preceding Profound Meaning and Words and Phrases both clarify the events of those endowed with faculties gaining benefit during the Buddha’s lifetime; the sutras contain passages using events to attach Dharma and contemplate the mind, but these are not the primary meaning of the work. The present Calming and Contemplation is precisely the Dharma gate practiced in Zhizhe’s own mind, wherein his own causes and fruits as well as the transforming of others are fully present.” In addition, he supplemented the Universal Gate Chapter with an alternate translation of the reiterated verses, which both monastics and laypeople chanted and followed. In the fourth year of Tiansheng, Remonstrator Hu Ze governed the prefecture; he repeatedly entered the mountains to inquire about the Way, joyfully grasping the Dharma essentials, and donated gold to construct the mountain gate and corridors. On the evening of the full moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival in the fifth year, osmanthus seeds fell into the palace courtyard; the Master took the seeds and sowed them under the woods, composing the Poem on Osmanthus Seeds. In the first month of the sixth year, he sent students to Siming to conduct sacrificial offerings for Fazhi, composing a sacrificial text and poems of mourning. He first built the Sun Contemplation Hermitage to the east of the monastery, projecting thoughts toward the West as the practice for rebirth. In the ninth year, while lecturing on the Vimalakīrti Sutra, he suddenly said to his disciples, “Formerly at Dongye, when I lectured on this sutra, I dreamed that Jingxi handed me a scroll of the sutra; when I stepped out of the room, I saw the sun had already set. Is this lecture of mine now about to conclude?” He then took leave of the assembly, saying, “I have lived in the two monasteries of Tiantai and Hangzhou for nearly forty years, always intending them for the ten directions. Now that I entrust the lecture seat, you should follow my intent.” He instructed his disciple Zuyun, saying, “You must succeed to my bodhimaṇḍa and hold this censer and fly-whisk; do not become the last person to sever the Buddha’s lineage.” He then composed the Poem of Relinquishing the Three Affinities, which meant bidding farewell to disciples, cutting off visitors and friends, and burning his writing brush and inkstone. In the eighth month of that year, he moved to reside in a thatched hut on the eastern ridge. On the eighth day of the tenth month in the first year of the Mingdao era, he manifested illness. Declining medicine, he only spoke Dharma to encourage his disciples. On the tenth day, he ordered that an image of Amitābha be invited to witness his end. His disciples still wished to pray, but because Guanyin arrived, the Master burned incense, looked up at the image, and prayed: “I contemplate Avalokiteśvara: the prior limit does not arrive, and the subsequent limit does not depart; the Buddhas of the ten directions dwell together in the true limit. May you, dwelling in this true limit, accept my single stick of incense.” When someone asked where he was returning, he answered, “To the Pure Land of Quiescent Light.” When night came, he peacefully passed away in a seated posture. The Master had once composed a niche inscription titled ‘Far-Off Couch’. When he was encoffined, after seven days his appearance was as if alive. He was sixty-nine years old, with fifty monastic summers. On the night of his death, people in the mountains saw a great star fall on Vulture Peak with a brilliant red light. Those who received his Dharma numbered twenty-five, including Wenchang; students who came to his door were counted by the thousands; and disciples he ordained, like Ruoxu and others, approached a hundred. On the fourth day of the second month of the following year, his Far-Off Couch was conveyed and buried beneath Osmanthus Peak to the east of the monastery, making him a neighbor to Dharma Master Guan of the Sui. As a youth, the Master was skilled in literature, possessing the air of a poet. His poetry collections were called Gathering the Lost and Forest of the Spirit; his miscellaneous writings were called Golden Garden and Tianzhu Separate Collection, all circulating widely. A high official had annotated the Śūraṅgama Sutra and sought the Master’s approval. The Master stoked a blazing fire and said to him, “That your Excellency has applied your mind to the Buddhadharma is truly rare. Now I will first present three questions. If your answers accord with principle, I shall circulate it; if they do not agree, it shall be consigned to this fire.” The official consented. The Master said: “The truly pure, wondrous, fundamental nature of the pure, bright mind—I do not know how you annotate it. Three fours and four threes turn into twelve, unfolding in three tiers into one, ten, one hundred, and one thousand—what does this mean? (An earlier master who commented on it said: First, transforming one into ten, through the three periods and four directions mutually making twelve; next, transforming ten into a hundred, the three periods and four directions mutually make one hundred and twenty; third, transforming a hundred into a thousand, the three periods and four directions mutually make one thousand two hundred. This is the number of merits for a single faculty; totaling the six faculties makes seven thousand two hundred. Subtracting the four hundred deficient in each of the three faculties of eye, nose, and body leaves a true total of six thousand as the merits of the six faculties. 'One' produces ten, a hundred, and a thousand in three tiers, weaving the number in three turns.) Since the complete penetrations realized by the twenty-five sages are truly said to have no superiority or inferiority, why did Mañjuśrī select only Guanyin?” The man was at a loss, and the Master immediately tossed the work into the fire. Thereupon, the Three Checkpoints of the Śūraṅgama originated from this. When Emperor Renzong read the Golden Light State-Protecting Ritual presented by the Master and reached the passage, “The sacred emperor and benevolent king lovingly look down without limit,” he patted the table and sighed, “If I had this man, it would suffice to bring about good order!” He promptly ordered a summons for him, but the Master had already entered extinction. When the Master first renounced household life, the students of the prefectural school, admiring his talent, urged him to return to Confucianism. He composed a poem in reply to Lu Ji, containing the lines: “True emptiness is the examination hall; great enlightenment is official rank.” Many people chanted it. He frequently practiced samādhi, taking ninety days as a period. At the four corners of his circumambulation path, he placed braziers with burning charcoal; when he felt weary, he dipped his hands into the braziers, so that of his ten fingers only three remained. When constructing the Golden Light Repentance Hall, for every rafter set up and every brick laid, he would chant the Great Compassion Dhāraṇī seven times to indicate that, protected by the holy Dharma, it could not be destroyed. Therefore, during the Jianyan era when northern invaders piled up firewood to burn it, the building remained intact. Even during the rebellions of Fang La and Chen Tong, when it passed through rebel fires three times, it could not be heated. To this day it is transmitted in foreign countries and regarded as the “Monastery That Cannot Be Burned.” How does this merely display the miraculous traces of our doctrinal school? It truly serves to illustrate that the state possesses the Way! In the third year of the Chongning era, he was granted the title Master Fabao (Dharma Treasure); in the thirtieth year of the Shaoxing era, he was posthumously granted the title Repentance Master Dharma Master Chanhui (Dhyāna Wisdom), and his stupa was named Ruiguang (Auspicious Light). (Drawn from the Detailed Record of Deeds, the Record of Practicing Samādhi, Tiansheng Various Collections, and the Record of the Origin of the Tradition.)