佛祖統紀 10.43

10.43

Chan Master Pumen was of the He clan of Yueyang. His father, Jie, served as the Vice Magistrate of Yixing in Changzhou, so they settled their home there. In his youth, the Master was diligent in study, passed the jinshi examination, and entered official service at court. One day, awakening to the vanity and falsity of the world, he removed his hairpin, shaved his hair, and resided at Nanyue Temple. Around him were only Confucian and Buddhist texts, hemp garments, and kudzu sandals. Later, he went to visit Jīngxī, studied the purport of calming and contemplation and the Lotus Sūtra, and attained profound mastery. He was skilled in composition and esteemed ancient style. Jīngxī respected him and treated him as a friend. He composed the two prefaces to the Shiqian and the Fuxing, referring to himself as Pumenzi. His style was concise and vigorous, pointing out one by one the flaws of those who practice Chan. Liang Su praised him, saying, 'The eminent monk of the southeast, Pumen Yuanhao, is a very close friend of mine' (Preface on Sending off Master Xu). On the sixth day of the final winter month of the eighth year of Zhenyuan, he manifested nirvāṇa in a side chamber on Mount Jun, at the age of eighty-four. His teaching-transmitting disciple Tanhuan collected his extant writings into two hundred pieces, which circulate in the world. (In Junshan Township of Yixing County, Jingle Temple was where Jīngxī received his training; several li away is Nanyue Temple.)