釋鑑稽古略續集 1.200

1.200

元叟禪師　諱行端。號元叟。族臨海何氏出家化城院。參徑山藏叟得旨。大德庚子出世湖之資福。名聞京師。特旨賜慧文正辨之號。平章張閭公。舉中天竺遷居靈隱。有旨設水陸齋於金山。命師說法峻事入覲。奏對稱旨。加佛日普照之號。南歸退處西菴。至治壬戌眾請補處徑山。璽書金斕三被人以為榮。師宴如也。先是宋度宗設醮秦章天庭遇上帝。為定徑山四十八代住持事。四十四代虎巖。謂住持豈苟然哉。皆預定之天庭。師聞頗心非之。及師適當其次云。

Chan Master Yuansou: His taboo name was Xingduan, and his appellation was Yuansou. He belonged to the He clan of Linhai. He left home at Huacheng Cloister, visited Cangsou of Jingshan, and attained the purport. In the geng-zi year of Dade (1300 CE), he appeared in the world to preside at Zifu in Huzhou. His renown reached the capital, and a special imperial decree bestowed upon him the title 'Right Discernment of Wise Literature.' Grand Councilor Lord Zhang Lu recommended him to Central Tianzhu, and he later moved to Lingyin. There was an imperial decree ordering a Water and Land Retreat to be held at Jinshan, commanding the Master to preach the Dharma; when the business was concluded, he was granted an imperial audience, and his replies met with imperial approval. The title 'Buddha Sun Shining Universally' was added to him. Returning south, he retired to live at West Hermitage. In the ren-xu year of Zhizhi (1322 CE), the assembly invited him to occupy the abbot's seat at Jingshan; with an imperial decree and a gold-striped robe thrice draped over him, people considered it an honor, but the Master remained tranquil. Prior to this, Emperor Duzong of Song had performed a Daoist offering in Qinzhang, where his heavenly presence met the Supreme Thearch, who predetermined the matter of the abbots of Jingshan for forty-eight generations. The forty-fourth generation, Huyan, said: 'How could being an abbot be a casual matter? It is all predetermined in the Heavenly Court.' When the Master heard this, he inwardly disapproved of it; yet it so happened that the Master's turn arrived in due sequence.