高僧傳 6.64

6.64

俄而師子國有一婆羅門，聰辯多學，西土俗書，罕不披誦，為彼國外道之宗。聞什在關大行佛法，乃謂其徒曰：「寧可使釋氏之風獨傳震旦，而吾等正化不洽東國？」遂乘駝負書來入長安。姚興見其口眼便僻，頗亦惑之。婆羅門乃啟興曰：「至道無方，各尊其事，今請與秦僧捔其辯力，隨有優者，即傳其化。」興即許焉。時關中僧眾，相視缺然，莫敢當者。什謂融曰：「此外道聰明殊人，捔言必勝，使無上大道，在吾徒而屈，良可悲矣。若使外道得志，則法輪摧軸，豈可然乎？如吾所覩，在君一人。」融自顧才力不減，而外道經書未盡披讀，乃密令人寫婆羅門所讀經目，一披即誦。後剋日論義，姚興自出，公卿皆會闕下，關中僧眾四遠必集。融與婆羅門擬相詶抗，鋒辯飛玄，彼所不及。婆羅門自知辭理已屈，猶以廣讀為誇。融乃列其所讀書，并秦地經史名目卷部，三倍多之。什因嘲之曰：「君不聞大秦廣學，那忽輕爾遠來。」婆羅門心愧悔伏，頂禮融足，數日之中，無何而去。像運再興，融有力也。

Soon after, there was a brāhmaṇa from Siṃhala who was clever, eloquent, and learned, having perused almost all secular texts of the Western lands, and was the foremost leader of the non-Buddhists in that country. Hearing that Kumārajīva was broadly propagating the Buddhadharma in Guanzhong, he said to his followers, "How can the teachings of the Śākya clan alone be transmitted to China while our orthodox transformation does not reach the eastern realm?" He then rode a camel loaded with books and arrived in Chang'an. Yao Xing, seeing his glib speech and shifty eyes, was quite intrigued by him. The brāhmaṇa then addressed Yao Xing, saying, "The ultimate Way is non-exclusive; each respects his own practice. Now I request to contend in eloquence with the Qin monks; whichever proves superior, his teaching shall be propagated." Yao Xing granted this. At that time, the monastic community in Guanzhong looked at one another in dismay, none daring to face him. Kumārajīva said to Daorong, "This non-Buddhist is extraordinarily clever, and in a contest of words he is certain to win. If the unsurpassed Great Way were to be humbled through our disciples, it would be truly lamentable. If the non-Buddhist achieves his aim, the axle of the Dharma wheel will be broken; how could we allow this? As I see it, the task rests upon you alone." Daorong considered his own talent to be no less, yet he had not fully perused the non-Buddhist texts. He secretly had someone copy down the catalogue of scriptures read by the brāhmaṇa, and memorized them at a single glance. Later, on the appointed day for debating the doctrine, Yao Xing attended in person, and the ministers and dukes all assembled before the palace; the monks of Guanzhong and from all four directions gathered in full force. Daorong engaged the brāhmaṇa in debate, his sharp eloquence soaring into the profound, reaching heights the other could not match. The brāhmaṇa, knowing his arguments were defeated, still boasted of his extensive reading. Daorong then listed the books the brāhmaṇa had read, along with titles and fascicle counts of scriptures and histories of Qin, exceeding his by threefold. Kumārajīva teased him, saying, "Have you not heard of the extensive learning in Great Qin? Why did you come from afar so heedlessly?" The brāhmaṇa felt ashamed and submitted in defeat, prostrated at Daorong's feet, and left after a few days without achieving anything. In the revival of the semblance Dharma, Daorong played a great part.