高僧傳 1.37

1.37

Bo Yuan, styled Fazu, had the original surname of Wan and was a native of Henei. His father, Weida, was well-known for his Confucian elegance and declined all summonses from the provincial authorities. Early on, Bo Yuan conceived the thought of awakening and petitioned his father to enter the religious life; his words and reasoning were so pressing that his father could not dissuade him, and he subsequently took the robes to follow the Way. Bo Yuan's intellectual acumen was extraordinary, sharp and bright beyond compare; he could recite eight or nine thousand words of sūtras each day, savouring the Vaipulya sūtras and subtly penetrating their hidden nuances. He was thoroughly versed in worldly classics and ancient texts. He then built a monastery in Chang'an, making lecturing and study his calling; monks and laity who looked to him numbered nearly a thousand. Toward the end of Emperor Hui of the Jin's reign, the Grand Tutor and Prince of Hejian, Sima Yong, garrisoned Guanzhong; he held Bo Yuan in humble reverence, according him the respect due a master and friend, and whenever he had a quiet hour or a tranquil night, they would converse upon virtue and the Way. At that time the Western Headquarters was newly established, full of talented and eminent men; all the eloquent scholars yielded to his farsighted comprehension.