佛祖統紀 15.72

15.72

Dharma Master Fanguang was from the Yang family of Yin in Siming. He was granted the title Yuanzhao. His mother dreamed that an extraordinary monk entered her chamber, and after twelve months she gave birth to him; an unusual fragrance filled the room. At sixteen he took full ordination. He first studied the Vinaya under Tongzhao of Huxin, and again studied the doctrine under Shenzhi of Nanhu. Full of aspiration, he traveled widely, wandering through western Zhe. Thereupon he went to Bainiu to see Master Haihui Pu. Hearing the exposition of the 'Lifespan of the Tathāgata' chapter of the *Lotus Sūtra* extensively discussing the three bodies, he attained great awakening upon hearing those words. As he was about to return home, Haihui patted him on the back and said, 'You will surely greatly promote the seat of Fazhi.' When he returned, Prefect Wang Zishen appointed him to preside over Guangshou. In the spring of the fourth year of Zhenghe, Prefect Lü Cong invited him on behalf of Nanhu. At that time, among the assembly of Guangshou, one hundred and twenty wished to follow him. From then on, the assembly at Nanhu reached five hundred; even in Fazhi's time it had never been so flourishing. In the fourth year of Xuanhe there was a great drought. The prefecture requested him to preach the *Cloud and Rain Sūtra*. According to the Dharma, an altar was erected, and monastics and laity fully assembled. As the scroll was unrolled, clouds arose; when he stepped down from the seat, rain poured down. In the beginning of Jingkang, an envoy bearing tribute from Goryeo arrived in the region and came to pay respects, saying, 'The King of our country inquires after the Dharma Master. He looks up with longing to your virtue, having no way to pay homage in person. He respectfully sends this envoy to present a set of Dharma robes, along with two hundred rolls of commentaries and treatises on the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* composed by Dharma Master Hyo of our country.' In the third year of Jianyan, citing old age, he resigned and took up residence at Fusheng in Fenghua. Nanhu had suffered damage from warfare and had not recovered for many years. Prefect Chou Yu, considering that none but the Master could restore it, thereupon invited the Master to return again. All the officials assembled, standing in anticipation to hear his discourse. Lord Chou attended the gathering and praised him, saying, 'Your subtle words have uncovered what was hidden; how fortunate is my life!' In the twelfth year of Shaoxing, he nominated his disciple Daochen to succeed him, and thereupon retired to Zeyang, living as a neighbor to Transport Commissioner Lu Zhi, associating as friends beyond worldly affairs. In the spring of the following year, he bid farewell to Mr. Lu, saying, 'Having been old and sick for so long, I will entrust my post-mortem affairs to Yanqing.' He then traveled by boat to Nanhu, bathed, changed clothes, assembled the community to chant the *Contemplation Sūtra*, and wrote his final testament, entrusting it to Wuzhen Yicheng. As they chanted the 'Practices of Ease and Bliss', upon reaching deep absorption in dhyāna, seeing the Buddhas of the ten directions, he peacefully passed away. This was on the eighth day of the second month of the thirteenth year [of Shaoxing]. His age was eighty. He was buried beside the ancestral stūpa of Chongfa. By nature the Master was plain and simple, treating both noble and base with equal courtesy. When someone asked the reason, he said, 'My Dharma takes equality as mind and not slighting others as practice.' The Dai family of Changguo was disturbed by demons; they invited the Master to chant a dhāraṇī, and as soon as he reached their gate the haunting ceased. While he was at Fusheng, clergy and laity requested an amplification of the precept ritual; a son of the Wu family spoke through mediumship, saying, 'I am an ancestor of yours. Long abiding in the netherworld, I heard that Master Guang in the human realm was conferring precepts on the assembly. On this day, many of the strange kinds in the netherworld have gained deliverance; therefore I was able to return briefly.' Dharma Master Zhiqin was a native of Changshu in Gusu. His talent and eloquence were preeminent, and the whole world respected him. He presided over Dongling, gathering disciples up to five hundred, practicing the way of Fanci without the slightest deviation. Diligent in lectures and repentance rites, he never slackened by day. People of the time respectfully called him 'Dharma Master', comparing him to Fanci of Beichan.