佛祖統紀 11.12

11.12

法師祖韶。天台劉氏。賜號明智。十九通法華。得度入東掖參慈雲得其奧旨。既而侍師遷靈山居第一座。慈雲將居草堂。謂師曰。汝當往代本如居能仁。而俾之來繼此山。師即著草屨。欣然而行。至江濱呼其回曰。吾試汝耳。汝當竟住此山。師既奉命。一遵成規。講訓之外。行四三昧為常課。棟宇未具力為經理。一日告眾曰。吾受慈雲之寄。今老矣。亦將有東嶺之事。慧辯為吾上首。其善繼我乎。遂入草堂以自晏晦。未幾示疾趺坐而逝。年七十二。臘五十二。師昔於東掖行光明三昧百晝夜。至期方半。忽見旌幢滿前。導者呼曰。大辯尊天。師即作揖。天曰。師所住處。傳通大乘利益群品。言訖而隱。常往京師道出淮泗。夢僧摩頂曰。吾文殊和上也。示汝五無生義。既覺五藏豁然如咀氷雪。又夢入古寺。見僧踞坐謂曰。吾為汝說第一義諦。聞畢如甘露灌頂。即見依正皆如雲影。有人問曰。人見和上何因歡喜。曰視人常若佛想。

Dharma Master Zushao was of the Liu family of Tiantai, and was bestowed the title Mingzhi. At nineteen he thoroughly understood the Lotus Sūtra, was ordained, entered Dongye to study under Ciyun, and attained his profound essentials. Soon afterward, he attended the Master when he moved to Lingshan, occupying the first seat. When Ciyun was about to live in the thatched cottage, he said to the Master, 'You should go take Benru's place at Nengren, and cause him to come succeed to this mountain.' The Master immediately put on straw sandals and joyfully set out. When he reached the riverbank, [Ciyun] called him back, saying: 'I was merely testing you. You should ultimately dwell on this mountain.' Having received this command, the Master completely adhered to the established regulations. Outside of lecturing and instructing, practicing the four kinds of samādhi was his daily task. When buildings were incomplete, he put his strength into managing them. One day he told the assembly: 'I received Ciyun's entrustment; now I am old, and I too will soon have the business of the eastern ridge. Huibian is my chief disciple; may he skillfully succeed me!' He then entered the thatched cottage to enjoy quiet retirement. Before long, he manifested illness, sat cross-legged, and passed away. His age was seventy-two, with fifty-two Dharma years. Formerly at Dongye, the Master practiced the Brightness Samādhi for one hundred days and nights. When the period was just halfway through, he suddenly saw banners and pennants filling the space before him. The leader shouted: 'Dabian Zuntian (Deva of Great Eloquence)!' The Master bowed, and the deva said: 'Where the Master dwells, he transmits the Mahāyāna and benefits the multitude of beings.' Having finished speaking, he disappeared. Once when traveling to the capital by way of Huai and Si, he dreamed of a monk stroking his crown and saying: 'I am the Upādhyāya Mañjuśrī. I reveal to you the five meanings of non-arising.' When he awoke, his five viscera were clear and open, as if he had tasted ice and snow. He also dreamed of entering an ancient temple, where he saw a monk seated upright who said to him: 'I will explain the truth of supreme meaning for you.' Upon hearing it, it was like amṛta being poured on the crown of his head; he immediately saw both circumstantial and direct [retributions] to be like shadows of clouds. Someone asked: 'For what reason are people joyful upon seeing the Upādhyāya?' He replied: 'I always view people as if they were Buddhas.'