高僧傳 2.39

2.39

頃之，至青州東萊郡，聞鳩摩羅什在長安，即往從之，什大欣悅，共論法相，振發玄微，多所悟益。因謂什曰：「君所釋不出人意，而致高名何耶？」什曰：「吾年老故爾，何必能稱美談。」什每有疑義，必共諮決。時秦太子泓欲聞賢說法，乃要命群僧，集論東宮。羅什與賢數番往復，什問曰：「法云何空？」答曰：「眾微成色，色無自性，故雖色常空。」又問：「既以極微破色空，復云何破微？」答曰：「群師或破析一微，我意謂不爾？」又問：「微是常耶？」答曰：「以一微故眾微空，以眾微故一微空。」時寶雲譯出此語，不解其意，道俗咸謂賢之所計，微塵是常。餘日長安學僧復請更釋，賢曰：「夫法不自生，緣會故生。緣一微故有眾微，微無自性，則為空矣。寧可言不破一微，常而不空乎？」此是問答之大意也。秦主姚興專志佛法，供養三千餘僧，並往來宮闕，盛修人事，唯賢守靜，不與眾同。後語弟子云：「我昨見本鄉，有五舶俱發。」既而弟子傳告外人，關中舊僧，咸以為顯異惑眾。

Shortly afterwards, he arrived at Donglai Commandery in Qingzhou. Hearing that Kumārajīva was in Chang'an, he went at once to join him. Kumārajīva was greatly delighted. They discussed the characteristics of phenomena, uncovering the subtle and profound, and gained much realization and benefit. [Buddhabhadra] thereupon said to Kumārajīva, "Your explanations do not exceed common understanding, yet why have you attained such high renown?" Kumārajīva replied, "It is merely because I am old; why must it be that I am worthy of such fine praise?" Whenever Kumārajīva had doubtful points, he would always consult and resolve them with him. At that time, the Qin crown prince Yao Hong wished to hear [Buddhabhadra] preach the Dharma, so he invited the host of monks to assemble and debate in the Eastern Palace. Kumārajīva and [Buddhabhadra] engaged in several exchanges. Kumārajīva asked, "How are dharmas empty?" [Buddhabhadra] replied, "Aggregations of subtle particles form matter. Matter has no intrinsic nature; therefore, though it is matter, it is ever empty." [Kumārajīva] asked again, "Since matter is reduced to emptiness by means of infinitesimal particles, how then do you break down the particles?" He replied, "Various masters may break down and analyze a single particle, but my view is not so." [Kumārajīva] asked again, "Is the particle eternal?" He replied, "Because of one particle, the many particles are empty; because of many particles, the one particle is empty." At that time, Baoyun translated these words, but did not understand their meaning, so both clergy and laity all claimed that [Buddhabhadra] maintained that subtle dust particles are eternal. On another day, the scholar-monks of Chang'an again requested a further explanation. [Buddhabhadra] said, "Dharmas do not arise of themselves; they arise through the conjunction of conditions. Conditioned by one particle, there are many particles; since particles have no intrinsic nature, they are empty. How could one say that without breaking down a single particle, it is eternal and not empty?" Such was the main drift of their question and answer. Yao Xing, the ruler of Qin, was devoted to the Buddhadharma and supported more than three thousand monks, all of whom frequented the palace halls and engaged actively in secular affairs. Only [Buddhabhadra] preserved stillness and did not join the crowd. Later he said to his disciples, "Yesterday I saw five ships depart together from my homeland." The disciples then relayed this to outsiders, and the senior monks of Guanzhong all considered it a display of abnormalities to delude the masses.