釋氏稽古略 3.102

3.102

National Preceptor An of Mount Song: His taboo name was Hui'an. He was a son of the Wei family of Zhijiang in Jingzhou. In his youth he left home and was tonsured. In the seventeenth year of the Kaihuang reign era of Emperor Wen of the Sui, he hid away and resided in mountain valleys. During the Daye reign era of Emperor Yang, when laborers digging the Jiqu canal were starving to death, the master begged food to keep them alive. Emperor Yang heard of it and summoned the master, but he did not go; he secretly entered Mount Taihe and ascended Mount Heng to practice dhūta austerities. During the Zhenguan era of Emperor Taizong, he went to Huangmei in Qizhou to visit the Fifth Patriarch, whereupon he attained the essentials of mind. In the first year of the Linde reign era of Emperor Gaozong, he traveled to the Stone Wall of Mount Zhongnan and settled there. Gaozong summoned him, but he did not arise; he went again to the Song and Shaoshi mountains, saying, 'This is where I shall end my days.' Chan practitioners converged like spokes on a hub. The Empress Dowager sent an envoy to summon the master for an audience; together with Chan Master Xiu of the North, he received her deep reverence. The Empress Dowager honored the master as a National Preceptor. In the second year of the Shenlong reign era of Emperor Zhongzong, he was bestowed a purple kaṣāya. For his sake, twenty-eight disciples were ordained, and he was invited into the palace to receive offerings. At this time, Emperor Zhongzong sent the palace attendant Xue Jian to summon the Sixth Patriarch, but the Patriarch did not respond to the summons; after more than three years, Emperor Zhongzong again presented the master with a patch-robed monastic garment. Taking his leave, he returned to Mount Song. On the third day of the third month of the third year of the Jinglong reign era, he instructed his disciples, saying, 'When I am dead, take my corpse into the forest and wait for wild fire to cremate it.' On the eighth day, he reclined his body and passed into silence. His years were one hundred and twenty-eight. His disciples obeyed his instructions, and indeed wild fire naturally cremated him. They obtained eighty relics, five of which were large and purple, which were presented and kept in the imperial palace. In the first year of the Xiantian reign era of Emperor Ruizong, his disciples built a pagoda. The world called him Old National Preceptor An. His dharma-inheriting disciples were Renjian, Pozhaoduo, and Gui of Mount Song (Chuandeng lu).