高僧傳 8.3

8.3

釋僧淵，本姓趙，頴川人，魏司空儼之後也。少好讀書。進戒之後，專攻佛義。初遊徐邦，止白塔寺，從僧嵩受《成實論》、《毘曇》。學未三年，功踰十載，慧解之聲，馳於遐邇。淵風姿宏偉，腰帶十圍，神氣清遠，含吐灑落。隱士劉因之捨所住山給為精舍。

Shi Sengyuan was originally of the Zhao clan, a native of Yingchuan, and a descendant of Yan, the Minister of Works of the Wei. In his youth he loved reading books. After taking full ordination, he devoted himself to Buddhist doctrine. At first he traveled through the region of Xu, staying at Baita Temple, where he studied the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra and the Abhidharma under Sengsong. Before three years of study had passed, his achievement surpassed ten years of labor, and the fame of his wisdom and understanding spread far and wide. Sengyuan had a grand and imposing physique, his waist measuring ten hand-spans around; his spirit was clear and aloof, and his discourse was completely uninhibited. The recluse Liu Yinzhi gave up the mountain where he lived to provide it as a monastery for him.