佛祖統紀 12.6

12.6

Dharma Master Shangxian was a native of Siming. He was bestowed the title Guangzhi. Relying on Fazhi, he studied doctrine and contemplation. Hearing an exposition of the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa, he suddenly awakened to the essential meaning of nature and characteristics. Having served [his teacher] for a long time, he attained the highest seat. In the sixth year of Tiansheng (under Renzong), he succeeded Fazhi as abbot of Yanqing. His teaching and conversion flourished greatly. Chan Master Xuedou Xian heard of his reputation and left the mountain to visit him, putting up notices and boiling tea to offer congratulations, which people passed down as a grand event. Once, entering the repentance hall at dawn, he saw a tiger crouching before a desk; the Master walked straight forward and spread his niṣīdana upon its back, whereupon [the tiger] vanished into nothingness. The Japanese National Master sent Shaoliang and others bearing a golden-lettered Lotus Sūtra as an introductory present, requesting to study under him. After three years of study, having attained completion, they took leave to return to Japan and greatly propagated this path. During the Mingdao era (under Renzong), Jingjue, residing at Lingzhi, sent a letter to the Master debating that the meaning of the 'three thousand' in the Zhiyao jie was merely the dharma of the conventional truth inherent in mind-nature, and not the foundation of the Middle Way, requesting that the Master join him in going against the teacher's transmission. The Master cited Jīngxī's passage stating that the 'three thousand' are identical to emptiness, conventionality, and the Middle, asking why it must be confined solely to conventionality, thereby supporting Siming's doctrine that the 'three thousand' are fully substance and fully function; scholars came to rely upon this (the two exchanged letters both appear in the Guangzhi yibian). His authored Yibian, as well as the Shi Jinbi (lost) and Shi shilei (that is, the oral explanations of the two masters Guangzhi and Fazhi recorded by Master Zhong of Fuzong), rendered meritorious service in supporting the great teaching. The chapter on the essence of the sūtra especially shed light [on the teaching], continuing the posthumous purport of the Miaozong [chao]. He also once composed the Chanyou zhi, using the seven kinds of two truths to explain the Suvarṇaprabhāsa as the king of sūtras (the upright of the four teachings and the side-accommodations of the three). Fazhi approved of his explanation, and when he later composed the Guangming ji, he accordingly adopted it (see the chapter on the essence of the sūtra in the oral explanations).