佛祖統紀 49.35

49.35

Yao formerly read the collected works of Elder Liao and saw a piece entitled 'Ode to the Gate of Existence,' but did not understand its purport. Two śramaṇas came knocking at my door, taking out from their sleeves the original trace of the 'Ode to the Gate of Existence' and two letters discussing this ode with Lecturer Master Mingzhi. Reading them, I had a sudden awakening. I then inquired about the teachings and contemplation of Tiantai, and only then did I come to know the four gates taught by the Great Master Zhiyi: the first is called the gate of existence, the second the gate of emptiness, the third the gate of both emptiness and existence, and the fourth the gate of neither emptiness nor existence. In reality, the one can pervade the four, and the four in reality return to the one. That his honor composed the 'Ode to the Gate of Existence' was precisely meant for this. In recent times, literati do not apply their efforts as the ancients did; in their study of Buddhism, they merely skim sūtras such as the Śūraṅgama, the Perfect Enlightenment, and the Vimalakīrti, as well as the Lamp records and recorded sayings, to aid their disputations. Figures such as Remonstrator Liang and others in the Tang, and Duke Yang Wen, Yang Wuwei, Zhang Wujin, and Elder Liao in our present dynasty, all paid close attention to the teachings and contemplation and deeply penetrated their purport. Reading this ode and letter, one can know the reality of what he attained. His honor's loyal words and high integrity shine brightly across a thousand years; his person suffered a hundred banishments, yet he viewed birth and death like daybreak. The effect of what he attained on his own through his daily learning was indeed naturally so. When he was in Danqiu, adverse conditions were especially numerous, yet his mind-ground was serene and deeply entered the non-dual Dharma gate. How could his honor's attainment of strength from studying Buddhism be easily fathomed? The two śramaṇas wished to engrave it on stone to transmit it to others; I respectfully write this at the end to attribute it to the names of the two śramaṇas, Miaoxun and Liaoyi. Mid-Autumn of the second year of the Qingyuan era [1196], inscribed by Lou Yao of Siming.