釋氏稽古略 3.182

3.182

Shi Jiaoran: His given name was Zhou, or by another account his style name was Zhou. He was a man of Huzhou, gifted with extraordinary talent. He was revered by Yan Zhenqing (Duke of Lu), Yu Di, Wu Jide, and other lords. When Lu Yu arrived, they engaged in pure conversation all day long. Literati admired his elegant bearing. Yet he was ashamed to be renowned in the world for literary composition. He once sighed, saying, 'Even if one had the vast erudition of Confucius and the extensive knowledge of Xuchen, boasting of the Way and indulging in righteousness before one's eyes all day long would merely suffice to disturb one's nature. How could it compare to the pine-clad crags, the clouds, and the moon, sitting together in meditation, joining with the Way without speech, perfectly quiet and one in nature? I shall retire to Mount Zhu.' Thereupon he wrapped up the poetry and prose he had composed and burned them. Later, Vice-Censor Li Hong served as prefect of Huzhou; he deigned to visit Mount Zhu and asked for his poetry and prose. Zhou said, 'This poor monk has toiled with brush and inkstone for over twenty years and attained nothing; profound searches into the entanglements of things merely give rise to self and other. Now I have discarded them long ago.' Hong searched among the people and obtained only ten fascicles. When Zhou died, Prime Minister Yu Di prefaced them and submitted them to the court. Dezong decreed that they be stored in the Secret Archives. Later generations praised him, saying, 'Zhou of Wu was uniquely pure and graceful' (Gaoseng zhuan).