佛祖歷代通載 15.25

15.25

子厚復題其碑陰曰。凡葬大浮圖無竁穴。其於用碑不宜。然昔之公室禮。得用碑以葬。其後子孫因宜不去。遂銘德行用圖久於世。及秦刻山石。號其功德亦謂之碑。而其用遂行。然則雖浮圖亦宜也。凡葬大浮圖。其徒廣則能為碑。晉宋尚法。故為碑者多法。梁尚禪。故碑多禪。法不周施禪不大行而律存焉。故近世碑多律。凡葬大浮圖。未嘗有比丘尼主碑事。今惟無染實來涕淚以求。其志益堅。又能言其師他德尤備。故書之碑陰。而師凡主戒事二十二年。宰相齊公映。李公泌趙公憬尚書曹王皐裴公胄侍郎令孤公峘或師或友。齊親執經受大義為弟子。又言師始為童時。夢大人縞冠素舃來告曰。居南嶽大吾道者必爾也。已而信然。將終夜有光明笙磬之聲。眾咸見聞。若是類甚眾。以儒者所不道而無染。勤以為請。故末傳焉。無染韋氏。女世顯貴。今主衡山戒法。

Zihou further inscribed the reverse of the stele, stating: "In burying a great Buddhist, there is usually no burial pit or tomb; thus using a stele is not standard. However, in the ancient rites of noble houses, it was permissible to use a stele in burials. Later generations, finding it fitting, did not discard it, and ended up inscribing virtuous deeds to perpetuate them in the world. When the Qin carved mountain rocks, heralding their merits and virtues, they also called them steles, and so this practice became widespread. Thus, it is fitting even for a Buddhist. In burying a great Buddhist, only if his followers are numerous can they erect a stele. Under the Jin and Song, the Dharma was esteemed; therefore steles mostly concerned the Dharma. The Liang esteemed Chan; therefore steles mostly concerned Chan. When the Dharma is not universally bestowed and Chan is not widely practiced, the vinaya endures; therefore in recent times steles have mostly concerned the vinaya. In burying a great Buddhist, there has never been a bhikṣuṇī directing the matters of the stele. Now only Wuran came in person, weeping and beseeching, her resolve exceptionally firm; moreover, she was able to recount her master's other virtues in full detail. Therefore I write this on the reverse of the stele. In all, the Master presided over preceptive matters for twenty-two years. The prime ministers Lord Qi Ying, Lord Li Mi, and Lord Zhao Jing, the ministers King of Cao Li Gao and Lord Pei Zhou, and the vice-minister Lord Linghu Huan were either his teachers or his friends. Qi in person held the sūtras and received their great meaning, becoming his disciple. It is also said that when the Master was a child, he dreamed of a tall person wearing a white cap and plain shoes who came and told him: 'The one who will dwell on Mount Heng and magnify our Way must be you.' Afterwards this indeed proved true. When he was about to pass away, throughout the night there were radiant lights and the sounds of mouth organs and chiming stones, which the assembly all saw and heard. Marvels of this sort were very numerous. Although Confucians do not speak of such things, because Wuran earnestly requested it, I have recorded them at the end. Wuran, née Wei, was of an illustrious clan for generations; she now presides over the preceptive Dharma of Mount Heng."