佛祖統紀 14.39

14.39

Dharma Master Zeqing was a native of Tiantai. He was naturally clever, broadly learned, and of powerful memory. He received instruction from Cibian at Upper Zhusheng. He once said, “I have already obtained the essential purport of Siming; only with regard to initiating the teachings and contemplation does my faith not yet reach, yet I dare not disbelieve.” At first he presided over Shousheng at Chexi (Chexi belongs to three prefectures and four counties; to the east is Chongde County of Xiuzhou, named Qingzhen in Tang times, with an ancient pagoda. In the second year of the Yuanyou period, Shousheng Cloister was first built, and the Master was invited to found the mountain; during the reign of Emperor Gaozong it was changed to Guangfu). He never humbled himself before the noble and wealthy. Gathering three hundred disciples, donors came on their own. After the age of thirty, he discarded books and sat in dhyāna. In his later years he resided at Chexi; whenever he lectured, he merely had his attendant provide the lecture portfolios day by day, and his eloquent explanations flowed freely, completely convincing his listeners. Tan-ying of Huijie led thirty disciples to Chexi and encountered him lecturing on the *Anantanirdeśa Sūtra*. Hearing him raise a difficulty, he said, “Miaole stated: ‘That which can produce the one reality is another name for the Lotus; that which is produced in boundless quantity is the preface to the Lotus.’ I do not know whether ‘that which can produce the one reality’ is the perfect [teaching] that separates from the partial or the perfect that is identical to the partial, and whether ‘that which is produced in boundless quantity’ is the expedient of the identical body or the expedient of a different body.” Ying said to his fellows, “This master’s words have exemplary model; he is worthy to be asked of the Way.” They promptly sought to rely on him. There were some who did not follow the regulations, and the rector reported it. When asked of their names, he pointed to Masters Peng and Guan. The Master said, “These two are great talents of the doctrinal school; do not interrogate them.” He once sat at night in the abbot’s quarters and heard heavenly music in the corridors. He sent someone to trace it, and the sound came from Master Peng's room. The Master peeked through a crack in the wall and saw several people, including Peng and Guan, playfully raising their hands before a lamp to make soundless music. The Master found them all the more extraordinary. He was fond of tea in daily life. Near the time of his passing, he said to his disciples, “When the morning bell strikes, come and report.” When the time came, he sipped a bowl of tea, wrote a verse, and passed away. This was in the middle of winter in the second year of the Daguan period. A stupa was erected for him at the Furongpu south of the cloister.