高僧傳 12

English (machine translation) 12

Language: English

12.1

Compiled by the Śramaṇa Shi Huijiao of Jiaxiang Temple in Kuaiji under the Liang

12.3

Shi Sengqun (1)
Shi Tancheng (2)
Shi Fajin (3)
Shi Sengfu (4)
Shi Fayu (5)
Shi Huishao (6)
Shi Sengyu (7)
Shi Huiyi (8)
Shi Sengqing (9)
Shi Faguang (10)
Shi Tanhong (11)

Shi Sengqun: it is not known where he was from. He was pure and poor, maintaining moral discipline, eating vegetarian food, and reciting sūtras. Later he moved to Mount Huo in Luojiang County, where he built a thatched hut. The mountain stood isolated in the sea; atop it was a stone basin several zhang across, with water six or seven chi deep, continuously flowing with clear water. The elders handed down the tradition that this was the dwelling of immortals. Sengqun drank the water and felt no hunger, so he gave up grain. Later, Tao Kui, the Grand Administrator of Jin'an, heard of this and sought some. Sengqun sent Kui the water, but as soon as it left the mountain it turned foul; this happened three or four times. Kui crossed the sea in person; the sky was very clear and sunny, but when he reached the mountain, wind and rain made it dark and overcast. He stayed for several days, but ultimately could not reach the summit, whereupon he sighed, 'A worldly mortal is, in the end, blocked from the sages and worthies!' and returned with regret.

12.5

Sengqun's thatched hut was separated from the basin by a small ravine, and he always used a single log as a bridge to fetch water across it. Later, a duck with a broken wing suddenly appeared, spreading its wings across the bridge, pecking at Sengqun with its head. Sengqun wanted to lift his pewter staff to nudge it away, but fearing he might injure it, he turned back and refrained from drinking water. After several days he passed away, at the age of one hundred and forty. As he was dying, he told people that in his youth he had once broken a duck's wing, and he took this event to be its immediate karmic retribution.

12.6

Shi Tancheng was a native of Hebei. From youth he was humane and loving, extending his kindness even to insects. At the end of the Jin dynasty he came to Pengcheng, where he saw an eighty-year-old man and his wife in dire poverty and distress; he thereupon gave up his precepts to become their slave, performing menial service for several years. Yet inwardly he cultivated virtue without ever neglecting it, and his neighbors sighed in admiration. When the two elderly people died, the wages he earned from hired labor were entirely dedicated to generating merit for them, and he planned to use them to redeem himself. When this was completed, he wished to re-enter the monastic path, but the required ritual implements were not yet prepared.

12.7

At the beginning of the Song dynasty, there was a plague of tigers below Mount Jia in Pengcheng; villagers were killed, one or two each day. Tancheng then said to the villagers, 'If the tigers eat me, the disaster will surely subside.' The villagers bitterly remonstrated, but he would not listen; that very night he sat alone among the grass and made this vow: 'May I use this body of mine to satisfy your hunger and thirst, causing you from now on to extinguish malicious thoughts of harm, and in the future to attain the unsurpassed food of the Dharma!' Knowing the purity of his resolve, the villagers each wept, bowed, and returned. Around the fourth watch, they heard a tiger take Tancheng. The villagers pursued it to the southern mountain; the tiger had devoured his entire body, leaving only his head. Thereupon they buried it and erected a stūpa, and thereafter the tiger disaster finally ceased.

12.8

Shi Fajin—also called Daojin or Faying—had the secular surname of Tang and was a native of Zhangye in Liangzhou. From youth he was diligent and ascetic in study and recitation, possessing transcendent virtue, and was held in high regard by Juqu Mengxun. After Mengxun died, his son Jinghuan was defeated by Hu raiders and asked Fajin, 'I now wish to turn around and raid Gaochang; will I succeed?' Fajin said, 'You will surely be victorious, but one should worry about disaster and famine.' Upon turning his army back, he indeed pacified it.

12.9

Three years later, Jinghuan died, and his younger brother Anzhou succeeded him. That year there was a famine, and countless people died. Since Anzhou served Fajin, Fajin repeatedly begged from him to relieve the poor and starving. When the state's reserves gradually ran out, Fajin sought no more. He then bathed cleanly, took a knife and salt, and went to the deep caves where the starving gathered, where he administered the three refuges to them in turn. He then hung his robe and bowl on a tree, threw himself before the starving people, and said, 'I offer myself for you to eat together.' Though starving and exhausted, out of righteousness they could not bear to accept it. Fajin then cut his own flesh, mixed it with salt, and gave it to them to eat. When the flesh on both thighs was gone, he grew faint and could no longer cut himself, so he told the starving people, 'If you take my skin and flesh, it will still suffice for several days; if the king's envoys arrive, they will surely take it away, so just take it and store it.' The starving people were grief-stricken, and none could bring themselves to take it. In a short while, his disciples arrived, and the king's men also came to see him. The whole state rushed thither, crying and wailing one after another. Thereupon they carried him back to the palace on a litter. Anzhou decreed that three hundred hu of wheat be given to the starving, and opened other granaries to relieve the poor. By the next morning Fajin passed away; they carried him out north of the city to cremate him. The smoke and flames shot up into the sky and subsided only after seven days. His corpse and bones were completely consumed, but his tongue alone did not decay. Thereupon, a three-story stūpa was built on the spot, and a stele was erected to its right.

12.10

Fajin's disciple Sengzun had the secular surname of Zhao and was a native of Gaochang. He was well versed in the Sarvāstivāda-vinaya, observed a vegetarian diet with disciplined conduct, and recited the Lotus Sūtra, the Śrīmālādevī-sūtra, and the Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra. He also earnestly encouraged his disciples, constantly making repentance his primary practice.

12.11

Shi Sengfu had the secular surname of Shan and was a native of Gaoyang. His father, Ba, was the magistrate of Lantian. Sengfu lost his father in his youth and lived in poverty, yet he was tireless in his dedication to study, collecting firewood for torches to illuminate his reading. By the time of his capping ceremony, he was fully conversant with the classics and histories. He possessed handsome features and was skilled in discourse. Later, he met Yang Yong, General of the Guard of the illegitimate Qin, who supplied him with clothes and provisions, and Xi Zuochi joined him in shared aspiration for study. When he heard Master Dao'an lecture on the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra, he developed a devotion to the path; thereupon he shaved his head and took instruction under Dao'an. After Dao'an passed away, Sengfu returned to Tingwei Temple in Weijun, lowered his blinds in contemplation, and severed all ties with worldly affairs.

12.12

At that time there were bandits in the village who captured a small child, intending to take out his heart and liver to offer as a sacrifice to the spirits. Sengfu was strolling at the crossroads when he encountered the bandits. Inquiring into their intent, he took off his clothes to exchange them for the small child, but the bandits refused. Sengfu said, 'Can an adult's five internal organs also be used?' Thinking Sengfu could not sacrifice his own life, the bandits replied that empty talk was cheap. Sengfu then thought to himself, 'This phantom, illusory body of mine must one day die; if by dying I can save another, though dead I shall yet live.' He immediately took a bandit's knife and slashed his chest down to his navel. The bandits blamed one another and fled in all directions, and the child was sent back home.

12.13

At that time a traveler passing through the crossroads saw Sengfu in this state and asked him the reason. Although Sengfu was faint and exhausted, he could still speak, so he recounted the incident in detail. Heartbroken with grief, the traveler returned home to get a needle, sutured the skin of Sengfu's abdomen, and applied effective medicine. He carried Sengfu back to the temple to rest, and in a short while he recovered. It is not known how he ended his life later.

12.14

Shi Fayu was a native of Jizhou. He left household life at age fifteen as a disciple of Huishi. Huishi established an ascetic practice and cultivated dhūta deeds. Fayu maintained a valiant resolve and deeply understood this path. He constantly wished to emulate the exemplar of Bhaiṣajyarāja by burning his body as an offering. At that time Yao Xu, Prince of Jin of the illegitimate Qin, was stationed at Puban. Fayu reported his intention to Xu. Xu said, 'There are many ways to enter the path; why must you burn your body? I dare not firmly oppose you, but I hope you will think it over thrice.' Since Fayu's vow was deep and firm, he consumed fragrant powders, wrapped his body in cloth, recited the 'Chapter on Giving Up the Body' to the end, and set himself on fire. Among monastics and laypeople who watched, none failed to mourn and admire him. He was forty-five years of age at the time.

12.15

Shi Huishao's clan origin is unknown. When he was an infant, whenever his mother fed him fish or meat he would vomit, but he swallowed vegetables without hesitation; thereupon he ate vegetarian food. At the age of eight he left household life as a disciple of Sengyao. He was diligent and self-disciplined, setting a standard with his ascetic conduct.

12.16

Later, he followed Sengyao to stay at Chaoti Temple in Linchuan, where he secretly harbored the intention to burn his body. He constantly hired men to cut firewood and stacked it in a stone grotto on the Eastern Mountain; several zhang high, an alcove was opened in the center just large enough to accommodate his body. He then returned to the temple to take leave of Sengyao, who bitterly remonstrated with him, but he would not comply. On the day of his self-immolation, he held an eightfold poṣadha retreat for the great assembly on the Eastern Mountain and bade farewell to his friends. On that day, the entire district rushed thither in crowds; carriages, horses, spectators, and those carrying gold and jewels were countless. When it reached the first watch of the night to practice the path, Huishao personally offered incense; when the incense offering was complete, holding a torch, he set fire to the wood, went inside, sat down, and recited the 'Chapter on the Ancient Deeds of Bhaiṣajyarāja'. When the assembly could no longer see Huishao, they realized he had departed; before their bows were finished, they all rushed to the woodpile. The pyre was already blazing brightly, but the sound of his chanting had not yet ceased. When the fire reached his forehead, he was heard to chant 'Single-mindedness', and with those words he expired. The great assembly all saw a star, as large as a dou measure, descend straight into the smoke and, after an instant, rise into the sky. Those watching at the time all said that the heavenly palace had come to welcome Huishao. After three days, the woodpile was finally burnt out.

12.17

On the verge of death, Huishao said to his fellow disciples, 'Where my body is burned, a parasol tree will grow; take care not to cut it down.' Three days later, it indeed grew there. Huishao burned his body in the twenty-eighth year of Yuanjia, at the age of twenty-eight. Huishao's master, Sengyao, was also pure, prudent, and possessed of admirable virtue; he passed away in the temple at the age of one hundred and sixty.

12.18

Shi Sengyu had the secular surname of Zhou and was a native of Yuhang in Wuxing. He left household life at capping age, his practice pure and unmixed. In the fifteenth year of Yuanjia, together with his fellow students Tanwen, Huiguang, and others, he built a monastery on the southern ridge of Mount Lu, naming it Zhaoyin. Sengyu always believed that entanglement in the three evil destinies was due to emotion and bodily form; since emotion was nearly extinguished, the bodily form should also be discarded. Why should the footprints of Bhaiṣajyarāja alone be considered distant? Thereupon he repeatedly made spoken vows and first resolved to burn his body.

12.19

On the third day of the sixth month in the second year of Xiaojian of the Song dynasty, he gathered firewood to make a pyre, invited monks to hold a vegetarian feast, and took leave of the assembly. On that day, clouds and mist merged in darkness, and dense rain fell steadily. Sengyu then vowed, 'If my aspiration is to be fulfilled, heaven should become clear and bright; if there is no divine resonance, let torrential rain pour down, so that these fourfold assemblies may know that spiritual response is never unperceptive.' As soon as he finished speaking, the clouds parted and the sky cleared. At the end of the first watch of the night, he entered the pyre alcove, sat cross-legged with palms joined, and recited the 'Chapter on Bhaiṣajyarāja'. Even when the flames closed in, he kept his palms joined without slackening. Monastics and laypeople who knew of it rushed over, filling the mountain, and bowed with their heads to the ground in homage, wishing to establish a karmic connection. All saw a purple vapor soar into the sky, which ceased only after a long time. He was forty-four years of age at the time.

12.20

Fourteen days thereafter, twin wutong trees sprouted in [Seng]yu's chamber. Their roots and branches were lush and thick, equal in girth and size, piercing the earth and soaring straight up to become wondrous trees. Those of reasoned understanding considered them to be precious sāla trees. Being able to shine brilliantly upon Nirvāṇa was what [Seng]yu had aspired to, and thus this proof manifested. Because of this, he was titled the "Twin Wutong Śramaṇa." Zhang Bian of Wujun, who was Senior Clerk of Pingnan, witnessed this event in person and composed a biography and encomium in full detail. The encomium says:

Vast and boundless is the arcane pivot; / wide and deep is the ultimate Way. / Transcending life and death, / what counts as the wondrous jewel? (First) / From antiquity, the Medicine King / effected a distinctive transformation beyond compare. / Formerly we heard of his preaching; / now we behold this very man. (Second) / Outstanding is this śramaṇa, / firm in wisdom, dhyāna, and heart. / Condensing his spirit in purple vapor, / manifesting his traces through the twin trees. (Third) / Delightful is his virtue; / precious is his moral conduct. / In composing this writing, / his presence flutters as though in faint semblance. (Fourth)

12.21

Shi Huiyi was a native of Guangling. He took pravrajyā at an early age and accompanied his master to reside in Shouchun. During the Xiaojian era of the Song, he went out to the capital and rested at Zhulin Temple. Diligent and ascetic, he vowed to burn his body. Among the multitudes who heard of this, some condemned it while others praised it. In the fourth year of the Daming era, he began to give up grains, feeding only on hemp and wheat. By the sixth year, he gave up wheat and the like as well, consuming only clarified butter and oil. After a while, he also ceased the butter and oil, ingesting solely incense pills. Although his four great elements were weak and frail, his spirit and consciousness were alert and proper. Emperor Xiaowu deeply revered and marveled at him, sending solicitous inquiries and dispatching Grand Preceptor Yigong, Prince of Jiangxia, to visit the temple to dissuade [Hui]yi. [Hui]yi's vowed intention remained unswerving.

12.22

On the eighth day of the fourth month in the seventh year of the Daming era, when he was about to submit himself to the flames, a cauldron was set up and oil was prepared south of Mount Zhong. On the morning of that day, he rode in an ox cart pulled by men, traveling from the temple to the mountain. Considering that an emperor is someone upon whom the myriad people rely and the Three Jewels are entrusted, he strained his strength to enter the imperial palace. Upon reaching the Yunlong Gate, unable to walk down, he had someone announce to the throne: "The religious man Huiyi is now relinquishing his body. He has come to the gate to pay his respects and bid farewell, deeply entrusting the Buddhadharma [to Your Majesty]." When the emperor heard this, his countenance changed, and he went out to the Yunlong Gate in person. Once [Hui]yi saw the emperor, he repeatedly entrusted the Buddhadharma to him, and then bade farewell and departed. The emperor also followed after him. The princes, consorts, empress, religious and laymen, and commoners filled the valleys, casting down garments and discarding treasures in incalculable quantities. [Hui]yi then entered the cauldron, seated himself upon a small stool, wrapped himself in robes and cloths, put a tall cap on top, and poured oil over himself, preparing to light the fire. The emperor ordered the Grand Preceptor to go to the cauldron to dissuade him, saying: "The practice of the Way has many paths; why must you end your life? Please think it over thrice and take another road." [Hui]yi's lofty resolve was resolute and firm, without a single thought of regret. He then replied: "Why is my minuscule body and lowly life worthy of being detained by Your Majesty? If the imperial heart's sage compassion is boundless, I wish that twenty men be permitted to receive pravrajyā." An imperial decree was issued granting this at once. [Hui]yi then held a torch in his own hand to light his cap. When the cap caught fire, he discarded the torch, joined his palms, and recited the 'Chapter on the Medicine King'. When the fire reached his eyebrows, the sound of his chanting was still distinct; when it reached his eyes, it became indistinct. Noble and base lamented and wailed, their cries shaking the secluded valley; there was none who did not snap their fingers, invoke the Buddha, and shed tears in desolation. The fire did not burn out until the next morning. At that time, the emperor heard pipes and reed instruments in the sky and smelled an extraordinary, fragrant scent. The emperor did not return to the palace until the day was spent. That night, he dreamed that he saw [Hui]yi arrive shaking his mendicant staff, once again entrusting the Buddhadharma to him. The next day, the emperor held an assembly to ordain monks, ordering the host of the vegetarian feast to proclaim aloud and describe the auspicious signs in full. The place where he burned his body was named Yaowang Temple, after the original events.

12.23

Shi Sengqing, surnamed Chen, was a native of Anhan in Baxi. His family had served the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice for generations. Sengqing attained awakening on his own from birth. He took pravrajyā at thirteen and resided at Yixing Temple. Purely cultivating brahmacarya, he made vows seeking to see the Buddha. First he severed three of his fingers, and finally he vowed to burn his body. He gradually abstained from grain and foodstuffs, consuming only fragrant oil. On the eighth day of the second month in the third year of the Daming era, in front of the image of Vimalakīrti that he had made, to the west of Wudan Temple in the city of Shu, he burned his body in offering. Regional Inspector Zhang Yue went out in person to observe, and the populace—both immigrants and locals—emptied the city to watch. Drifting clouds gathered in gloom; cold rain mournfully fell. Shortly afterward, clear skies opened up and the heavens became serene and pure. Something resembling a dragon was seen ascending to heaven from the funeral pyre. He was then twenty-three years of age. Pei Fangming, Governor of Tianshui, gathered his ashes and erected a stūpa.

12.24

Shi Faguang was a native of Longxi in Qinzhou. He had faith from his youth. Only at the age of twenty-nine did he take pravrajyā and engage in dhūta asceticism. He did not wear silk padding, renounced the five grains, and fed only on pine needles. Later he vowed to burn his body, whereupon he ingested pine resin and drank oil for half a year. On the twentieth day of the tenth month in the fifth year of the Yongming era of the Qi, within Jicheng Temple in Longxi, he gathered firewood and burned his body to fulfill his former vow. When the fire reached his eyes, the sound of his chanting was still clear. When it reached his nose, it became indistinct, and he abruptly ceased. He was forty-one years of age. At the end of the Yongming era, there was a monk named Facun in Shifeng County who also burned his body in offering. Commandery Governor Xiao Mian dispatched the śramaṇa Huishen to erect a stūpa for his ashes.

12.25

Shi Tanhong was a native of Huanglong. From his youth he cultivated moral precepts and specialized in the Vinayapiṭaka. During the Yongchu era of the Song, he traveled south to Panyu and resided at Tai Temple. Later he went to Xianshan Temple in Jiaozhi. He recited the Amitāyus Sūtra and the Visualization Sūtra, dedicating his mind to Sukhāvatī. In the second year of the Xiaojian era, he gathered firewood on the mountain, secretly went into the pyre, and burned himself with fire. His disciples caught up with him, embraced him, and carried him back; half of his body was already charred, but after a month he slightly recovered. Later, an assembly was held in a neighboring village, and the whole monastery went to attend. On that day, [Tan]hong entered the valley again to burn his body. When the villagers pursued him, his life was already extinguished. Thereupon they added firewood and stoked the flames, which were completely consumed by the following day. On that day, the villagers all saw [Tan]hong's body golden in color, riding a golden deer and heading west in great haste, having no time to exchange greetings. Only then did the religious and laypeople realize his divine anomaly; together they collected his ashes and bones to erect a stūpa.

12.26

The assessment says: What is valued by the embodied is the body; what is treasured by sentient consciousness is life. For this reason, men consume fat and drink blood, ride well-fed steeds, and wear light furs, wishing to delight themselves. They ingest atractylodes and swallow cinnabar to protect life and nourish nature, wishing for longevity. Yet when it comes to plucking a single hair to benefit the world, they are parsimonious and will not do it; when it comes to giving up a single meal to prolong another's remaining life, they grudge it and will not bestow it. Their shortcomings are extreme indeed! However, there are those of vast knowledge and penetrating insight who disregard themselves to aid others. They realize that the Three Realms are a mansion of the long night, and awaken to the four modes of birth as a realm of dreams and illusions. Their spiritual essence soars like flying feathers; their bodily husk is trapped within a jar or valley. Therefore, offering from crown to foot never weighs on their minds; discarding kingdoms, cities, wives, and children is like tossing away dry tares. Those treated in this section are such persons. Sengqun's heart was concerned for a single duck, so he cut off his water and lost his life. Sengfu solely saved a single youth, slashing his belly to preserve the boy's life. Fajin sliced his flesh to feed people, and Tancheng fed himself to a ravenous tiger. These are all instances of esteeming the way of universal rescue and forgetting oneself to benefit living beings. In antiquity, the prince cast down his body, gaining merit exceeding nine kalpas; slicing his flesh to ransom a bird shook the three thousand [worlds]. Only such persons can truly be transcendent and lofty! From Fayu down to Tanhong, all turned their bodily husks to ash and discarded what they cherished. Some prayed with devotion for Sukhāvatī; others vowed to be born in Tuṣita. Thus the twin wutongs appeared in the chamber, and a pavilion manifested in the sky. Auspicious omens shone brightly, appearing from time to time.

12.27

However, sacred teachings differ, and allowances and prohibitions vary. If it is a great skillful means undertaken for the sake of beings, moving in accord with the times, the benefits manifested are myriad, beyond the control of ordinary regulations. Thus the sūtra states: 'One who can burn a single finger of the hand or foot surpasses the dāna of kingdoms and cities.' Yet for ordinary monks who have entered the monastic life, their original purpose is to guide beings through dignities and deportment. Now, if they mutilate their bodily husks and destroy the marks of a field of merit, examining this in debate, there are both gains and losses. The gain lies in forgetting the body; the loss lies in transgressing the precepts. Thus Nāgārjuna said: 'Bodhisattvas of new practice cannot simultaneously perform all the perfections in full. Some fulfill dāna yet run contrary to filial piety, such as the prince throwing himself to the tigress; some fulfill wisdom yet run contrary to compassion, such as scrutinizing others to the point of cutting off their food.' These are all because their practice is not yet completely consummate, not without excess and deficiency.

12.28

Moreover, the Buddha taught that the body contains eighty thousand families of parasites, which share the same breath of life with the human. When a human's life ends, the parasites also perish. Therefore, only after an arhat dies does the Buddha permit the burning of the body. Now, burning before death may perhaps involve the loss of the lives of these parasites. Some might say: 'Arhats even enter the fire-samādhi; what is so strange about this?' To this it is replied that those who enter the fire-samādhi have first surrendered their lives, and using the power of spiritual wisdom, only afterward burn themselves. Yet bodhisattvas on the stages of nature are also not free from retribution bodies; sometimes they cast their forms into a mass of fire, and sometimes they tear apart their flesh to distribute to people. One must know that the argument concerning the killing of parasites has been treated with utmost thoroughness in the ultimate sense.

12.29

The three poisons and four inversions are the roots of saṃsāra; the seven factors of awakening and the eightfold path are the vital roads to nirvāṇa. Why must one roast and burn the bodily husk before being freed from suffering? If one's stage borders on the attainment of patience (kṣānti) and one lowers one's traces to mingle with the common, or at times relinquishes the body for living beings, this is beyond the reach of verbal debate. But as for ordinary people whose discernment is not broad, they never know how practicing the Way for the entirety of their lives compares to casting away body and life. Some wish to seek temporary acclaim; some wish to let their names flow for myriad generations. When they face the fire and approach the firewood, regret and terror press upon them simultaneously. Yet because their declared words have spread wide, they are ashamed to compromise their resolution. Thereupon they reluctantly carry on with the act, vainly suffering myriad torments. If this is the case, it is not what was intended.

12.30

The encomium says:

These persons established their resolve; / metal and stone were not as solid. / Melting what they held dear, / they prayed for that jewel city. / The fragrant wutongs grew luxuriant; / the purple pavilion floated lightly. / Rising smoke radiated brilliance, / sending forth portents and harboring auspiciousness. / For a thousand autumns their excellence is admired; / for ten thousand generations their fragrance is transmitted.

12.31

Chanting the Sūtras, Seventh (Twenty-one persons)

12.32

Shi Tansui (1)
Shi Faxiang (2)
Zhu Fachun (3)
Shi Sengsheng (4)
Shi Fazong (5)
Shi Daojiong (6)
Shi Huiqing (7)
Shi Puming (8)
Shi Fazhuang (9)
Shi Huiguo (10)
Shi Fagong (11)
Shi Sengfu (12)
Shi Huijin (13)
Shi Hongming (14)
Shi Huiyu (15)
Shi Daosong (16)
Shi Chaobian (17)
Shi Fahui (18)
Shi Senghou (19)
Shi Huimi (20)
Shi Daolin (21)

12.33

Shi Tansui, whose origins are not known in detail, took pravrajyā when young and resided at Baima Temple in Heyin. Eating vegetarian food and wearing coarse cloth, he recited the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, usually once every day. He also thoroughly understood the sūtra's meaning and explained it to others. Once in the night, he suddenly heard a knock at the door, saying they wished to invite the Dharma master to preach the Dharma for ninety days. Tansui did not consent, but upon persistent requests, he went along. Yet he was still as if in sleep; by the time he awoke, he found himself in the shrine of the spirit of the Baima barrier together with one disciple. From then on, he secretly went there every day, without anyone else knowing. Later, monks of the temple passed in front of the shrine and saw two high seats, with Tansui in the north and his disciple in the south, as if there was the sound of preaching. They also smelled an extraordinary fragrant aroma. Thereupon religious and laypeople passed the word along, all calling it a divine anomaly. When the summer ended, the spirit presented an offering of one white horse, five white sheep, and ninety bolts of silk. After the praṇidhāna was concluded, they parted ways. It is not known where Tansui ended his days.

12.34

Shi Faxiang, whose lay surname was Liang, was a person of unknown origins. He always dwelt in the mountains practicing austerities, reciting over one hundred thousand words of sūtras. Birds and beasts gathered around him, all as tame as domestic fowl. At the shrine on Mount Tai there was a large stone casket storing treasures. Once, while traveling through the mountains, Faxiang stayed overnight beside the temple. Suddenly he saw a man in black robes and a military cap, who ordered Faxiang to open the casket, and having spoken, vanished. The casket's stone lid weighed over a thousand jun. Faxiang tried lifting it, and it floated up lightly; he then took the wealth and distributed it to the poor. Later he crossed south of the Yangtze River and stayed at Yuecheng Temple. Suddenly he began wandering about licentiously, behaving like an actor and jester, or sometimes going naked, affronting court nobles. Sima Tian, General Who Guards the North of the Jin, detested his lack of restraint, invited him, and poisoned his drink. Faxiang repeatedly drained three cups, yet his demeanor was serene and calm, untroubled and undisturbed; Tian marveled greatly at him. He died toward the end of the Yuanxing reign period of the Jin, at the age of eighty.

12.35

At that time, there were also Zhu Dangai and Zhu Sengfa, both of whose austere practices led to miraculous responses. Dangai was able to pray for rain with divine dhāraṇīs and was revered by Sima Yuanxian, Inspector of Yang Province. Sengfa was also skilled in divine dhāraṇīs; Sima Daozi, Prince of Kuaiji and Chancellor of the Jin, built Zhicheng Temple for him.

12.36

Zhu Fachun was a person of unknown origins. He left household life in his youth and stayed at Xianyi Temple in Shanyin. He was virtuous in austere practice and excelled at reciting the Ancient Vimalakīrti-sūtra. During the Yuanxing reign period of the Jin, he went to Lanzhu on behalf of the temple to buy an old building. Returning at dusk, he encountered wind on the lake while in a small boat. Fachun single-mindedly relied upon Guanshiyin, reciting without cease. Soon he saw a large drifting boat; he boarded it and was saved. Reaching the shore, he inquired after the boat, but it had no owner, and in a moment it vanished. Clergy and laity alike marveled at this divine response. His end is not known.

12.37

Shi Sengsheng, whose lay surname was Yuan, was a native of Pi in Shu Commandery. He left household life in his youth and gained renown for his austere practices. Song Feng and others of Chengdu invited him to be the abbot of Sanxian Temple. He recited the Lotus Sūtra and practiced dhyāna meditation. While reciting sūtras in the mountains, a tiger came and crouched before him, leaving only when he finished reciting. Later, whenever he chanted, he consistently saw four people standing guard beside him. Though advanced in age, his vigor and diligence grew ever more earnest. Later, slightly ill, he said to his attendant, "I am about to depart; after my death you may cremate my body." His disciples followed his testamentary instructions.

12.38

Shi Fazong was a native of Linhai. In his youth he was fond of hunting. Once in Shan he shot a pregnant deer, causing her to miscarry; the mother deer, holding the arrow in her mouth, still fell to the ground to lick her fawn. Fazong then repented and realized that clinging to life and loving one's offspring is shared by all sentient beings. Thereupon he broke his bow and snapped his arrows, leaving household life to pursue the Path. He always sustained himself through piṇḍapāta, observed the practice of eating only one meal a day, and endured bitter greens throughout the six periods of the day to repent of his past transgressions. He recited the Lotus and Vimalakīrti sūtras. He often climbed up to a terrace to chant, and the sound could be heard far in all directions. Over three thousand gentry and commoners received the refuges and precepts from him, and he subsequently expanded his dwelling into a monastery. Taking his recitation as its name, it was called "Lotus Terrace." His end is not known.

12.39

Shi Daojiong, whose lay surname was Ma, was a native of Fufeng. When he first left household life, he became a disciple of Daoyi. When Daoyi fell ill, he once sent four men including Daojiong to Mount Huo in Henan to gather stalactites. Going several li into the cave, they straddled timber to cross the water; three men drowned and their torches went out, so Daojiong judged there was no hope of deliverance. Daojiong had long recited the Lotus Sūtra; he relied solely on the sincerity of this practice and contemplated Avalokiteśvara. After a short while, he saw a light like a firefly; unable to catch up to it, he nevertheless managed to exit the cave. Thereupon he advanced his practice of dhyāna, his disciplined conduct growing ever fresher. He performed the Samantabhadra poṣadha several times, and all had auspicious signs: sometimes he saw an Indian monk enter to sit, or saw a man on horseback arrive, both vanishing abruptly before exchanging pleasantries.

12.40

Later, together with four fellow students, he traveled south to the capital to observe its customs. Crossing a river by night on ice, the ice broke midway and three men drowned. Daojiong again took sincere refuge in Avalokiteśvara, and felt as if something under his feet was supporting him, and again saw a red light ahead; following the light, he reached the shore. Arriving at the capital, he stayed at Nanjian Temple, always taking the Pratyutpanna-samādhi as his practice. Once, while entering dhyāna in the middle of the night, he suddenly saw four men driving a carriage to his room, calling him to board. Daojiong, unaware of how it happened, suddenly saw himself at Shen Bridge behind the commandery headquarters. He saw a man sitting on a folding chair on the road with several hundred attendants, who, upon seeing Daojiong, stood up in surprise and said, "He is merely a dhyāna practitioner." The man then said to his attendants, "I only told you to find his whereabouts; why did you suddenly trouble and bother the Dharma master?" Thereupon he bowed, took leave, and had someone escort Daojiong back to the temple. They knocked at the gate for a long time before it opened; entering the temple, he found his room was still locked, and everyone was mystified. In the twentieth year of the Yuanjia reign period of the Song, Yiqing, the Kang King of Linchuan, took him to Guangling, where he died.

12.41

Shi Huiqing was a native of Guangling. He left household life and stayed at the temple on Mount Lu. He was learned in both the sūtras and vinaya, pure and upright in his preceptual conduct. He recited the Lotus, the Daśabhūmika, the Viśeṣacintā, and the Vimalakīrti. Whenever he chanted at night, the sound of snapping fingers and praise was always heard in the darkness. Once at Xiaolei he encountered wind and waves, and the boat was about to capsize. Huiqing merely recited sūtras without cease, and felt the boat amid the waves as if someone were pulling it, arriving at the shore in an instant. Thereupon he urged himself on with even greater diligence. He died toward the end of the Yuanjia reign period of the Song, at the age of sixty-two.

12.42

Shi Puming, whose lay surname was Zhang, was a native of Linzi. He left household life in his youth, was pure and uncorrupted by nature, ate vegetables, wore coarse cloth, and took repentance and recitation as his practice. He recited the two sūtras, the Lotus and the Vimalakīrti. When reciting them, he had separate robes and a separate seat, never allowing any defilement or impurity. Whenever he recited up to the chapter "Encouragement [of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra]," he would always see Samantabhadra riding an elephant, standing before him. Reciting the Vimalakīrti-sūtra, he would also hear heavenly music in the air. Furthermore, he was skilled in divine dhāraṇīs, and all whom he treated were healed. The wife of his fellow townsman Wang Daozhen fell ill, and invited Puming to chant spells. When Puming entered the gate, the woman fainted. Soon a creature like a leopard cat, several feet long, was seen emerging from the doghole, and she was cured as a result. Puming once walked past a shrine by the water, and the spirit medium said, "When the spirits saw him, they all fled." He died during the Xiaojian reign period of the Song, at the age of eighty-five.

12.43

Shi Fazhuang, whose lay surname was Shen, was a native of Huainan. He left household life at the age of ten, becoming a disciple of Huiyuan of Mount Lu. In his youth he was renowned for his austere discipline. Later he traveled to Guanzhong, studying under Master Rui. Early in the Yuanjia reign period he went to the capital and stayed at Daochang Temple. By nature plain and simple, he ate only one midday meal. He recited the Mahāparinirvāṇa, the Lotus, and the Vimalakīrti. Whenever he chanted in the latter part of the night, the neighboring rooms always heard the sound of weapons and an escort outside Zhuang's door; it was actually heavenly spirits who came to listen. Early in the Daming reign period of the Song, he died at the temple, at the age of seventy-six.

12.44

Shi Huiguo was a native of Yu Province. In his youth he dedicated himself to a simple diet of bitter greens. Early in the Song, he traveled to the capital and stayed at Waguan Temple. He recited the Lotus and the Daśabhūmika. Once in the latrine he saw a ghost pay respect to him, saying, "In the past I served as the karmadāna for the saṃgha, but slightly failed to act in accordance with the Dharma, and fell among the dung-eating pretas. Dharma Master, your virtue is inherently exalted, and you are mindful of compassion; I pray that you will aid me with a means of deliverance." He also said that in the past he had buried three thousand coins under a persimmon tree, and wished that Huiguo would dig them up to make merit. Huiguo then told the assembly and dug them up, indeed finding three thousand coins; he commissioned a set of the Lotus Sūtra and hosted a gathering. Later he saw this ghost in a dream, saying, "I have already attained rebirth in a new life, far superior to past days." Huiguo died in the sixth year of the Taishi reign period of the Song, at the age of seventy-six.

12.45

Shi Fagong, whose lay surname was Guan, was a native of Yong Province. When he first left household life, he stayed at Anyang Temple in Jiangling. Later he went to the capital and resided at Dong'an Temple. In his youth his austere practices were extraordinary: he wore cloth garments, ate pulses and wheat, and recited over three hundred thousand words of sūtras. Whenever he chanted at night, there was always an extraordinary fragrance and rare aroma, which all who entered Fagong's room could smell. Furthermore, because his worn patched robe harbored fleas and lice, he always wore it to feed them. The three emperors Wu, Wen, and Ming of the Song, as well as Yixiu, the Wen King of Hengyang, and others all revered his virtuous simplicity. The offerings he received from the faithful he always distributed to the poor and sick, never hoarding them for personal use. During the Taishi reign period of the Song, he returned to the west and died there, at the age of eighty.

12.46

At that time at Wuyi there was also Senggong, whose virtue and achievements were noble and illustrious, overseeing the duties of the temple. He also did not eat non-glutinous grain, eating only beans and wheat.

12.47

Shi Sengfu was a person of unknown origins. Orphaned in youth, he was raised by servants. He left household life at the age of seven, becoming a disciple of Tanliang. He was versed in various sūtras, ate vegetables, and held dhāraṇīs. He recited the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā and the Lotus. Emperor Ming of the Song deeply valued him, ordering him to be the abbot of Pengcheng Temple, where he led the community with merit. He died toward the end of the Taishi reign period of the Song, at the age of sixty-six.

12.48

Shi Huijin, whose lay surname was Yao, was a native of Wuxing. In his youth he was valiant and uninhibited, behaving as a knight-errant. At the age of forty, he suddenly had an awakening, and consequently renounced the world to stay at Gaozuo Temple in the capital. Eating vegetables and wearing plain robes, he vowed to recite the Lotus Sūtra. Straining his mind with labor, he would fall ill whenever he held the scroll. Thereupon he made a vow to copy one hundred sets of the Lotus Sūtra in order to repent of his past karmic hindrances. When he had just gathered one thousand six hundred coins, bandits came and asked whether Jin had possessions; he replied, "There are only the coins for copying sūtras kept by the Buddha." The bandits, hearing this, left ashamed. He then gathered offerings from the faithful and was able to complete the sūtras, fulfilling the full one hundred sets. After the sūtras were completed, his illness also improved slightly. He was able to recite the entire Lotus Sūtra without impediment; his wish fulfilled, his disciplined conduct became ever firmer. He consistently dedicated all his meritorious deeds, wishing to be reborn in Anyang. Shortly before his death, he suddenly heard a voice in the air saying, "Your wish has been fulfilled; you will certainly attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land." In the third year of the Yongming reign period of the Qi, he died without illness, at the age of eighty-five.

12.49

At that time at Longhua Temple in the capital, there was also Shi Sengnian, who recited the Lotus and Suvarṇaprabhāsa sūtras, ate vegetables, and shunned the world.

12.50

Shi Hongming, whose original lay surname was Ying, was a native of Shanyin in Kuaiji. He left household life in his youth, was resolute, austere, and disciplined in his precepts, and stayed at Yunmen Temple in Shanyin. He recited the Lotus, practiced dhyāna meditation, and diligently performed prostrations and repentances, never ceasing throughout the six periods of the day. Every morning his water bottle would be full of itself; it was indeed heavenly youths who acted as his attendants. Hongming once sat in dhyāna at Yunmen, and a tiger entered Hongming's room and crouched before his bed; seeing Hongming upright and motionless, it left after a long while. At other times he also saw a young boy come to listen to Hongming recite sūtras. Hongming asked, "Who are you?" He replied, "In the past I was a śrāmaṇera in this temple and stole food from under the curtains; now I have fallen into the latrine. Hearing of your religious practice, Venerable, I have come to listen to your sūtra recitation, wishing that you would help me with skillful means to free me from this burden." Hongming immediately expounded the Dharma to convert him, and he vanished only after comprehending it. Later, while in samādhi at Stone Granny Crag in Yongxing, a mountain sprite again came to harass Hongming. Hongming grabbed it and tied it up with his waist cord; the ghost apologized humbly, pleading for release, saying, "I will never dare return." Upon being untied, it vanished without a trace.

12.51

During the Yuanjia reign period, Meng Yi, Commandery Governor from Pingchang, valued his pure simplicity and invited him to come out and reside in the Daoshu Hermitage. Later, Jiang of Jiyang founded Zhaoxuan Temple in Yongxing District, and again invited Hongming to reside there. Toward the end of the Daming reign period, the Dong family of Taoli also founded Bailin Temple for Hongming in their village, inviting him to return and stay there to instruct them in dhyāna and precepts, and his disciples formed long rows. In the fourth year of the Yongming reign period of the Qi, he died at Bailin Temple, at the age of eighty-four.

12.52

Śramaṇa Huiyu was a native of Huanglong. He came to visit the capital and resided at Linggen Temple. In his youth he applied himself to learning, calling on teachers everywhere. He was skilled in discussion and had a refined demeanor. Whenever he heard others praising or criticizing people, he would stop up his ears and refuse to listen, or at times interrupt and halt it with different speech. His water-vase and robes were plain and simple, and he concluded [his meals] each day with a single noon repast. Through his diligent striving he set a standard of conduct, making the relief of suffering his primary duty. He recited the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, the Lotus Sūtra, and the Daśabhūmika-sūtra. He also practiced dhyāna, excelling in the five portals. He once saw in his sleep three men come and knock at his door, all with clean and neat clothing and caps, holding aloft parasols. Yu asked, "Whom do you seek?" They replied, "The Dharma Master is due to die; therefore we have come to welcome you." Yu said, "A few minor matters are not yet finished; can it be extended for one year?" They replied, "That may be done." When the next year completed one full cycle, he died. This was the seventh year of the Yongming era of the Qi, and his age was fifty-seven.

12.53

In the same temple as Yu was the śramaṇa Fapu, who also led a pure life and recited the sūtras.

12.54

Śramaṇa Daosong, surnamed Xia, was a native of Gaomi. He went forth from the household at the age of ten. In his youth he was profound, reserved, and possessed of resolve and capability. After receiving full ordination, he devoted himself to the study of the Vinaya. He recited three hundred thousand words of sūtras. In associating with superiors and inferiors, he never showed an expression of joy or anger. By nature he was fond of giving (dāna): whatever offerings he obtained, he gave them all to others. Apart from his water-vase and robes, he had virtually no extra possessions. During the Yuanhui era of the Song, he came to the capital and resided at Dinglin Temple on Mount Zhong. Guarding the quiet in a solitary chamber, his repentance and recitation were ceaseless. Whenever people visited him, he would expound the Dharma to instruct and encourage them, using this in place of food and drink. Those who followed him and requested the precepts were very numerous. Later he died in the mountains at the age of forty-nine.

12.55

Śramaṇa Chaobian, surnamed Zhang, was a native of Dunhuang. From childhood, his spiritual awakening arose exceptionally, and his conduct was profound and deep. He recited the Lotus Sūtra, the Diamond Sūtra, and the Prajñā-sūtra. Hearing that the Buddhadharma flourished in the capital, he crossed over from Xihe, traveled by way of Ba and Chu, and arrived in Jianye. Shortly thereafter, he went east to Wu and Yue to view the mountains and rivers, stopping for a short time at a temple beside the city of Shanyin. Later he returned to the capital and resided at Upper Dinglin Temple. Living quietly and cultivating simplicity, he dedicated the rest of his life to the mountain monastery. In reciting the Lotus Sūtra, his daily quota was once through; with a sharp mind and fluent mouth, he always had energy to spare. He prostrated to the thousand Buddhas for a total of more than 1.5 million prostrations, and his feet did not leave the gate for more than thirty years. In the tenth year of the Yongming era of the Qi, he died at the mountain temple, aged seventy-three. He was buried south of the temple; the śramaṇa Sengyou erected a stele at his tomb, and Liu Xie of Dongwan composed the inscription.

12.56

At that time there were also śramaṇa Faming of Linggen Temple, śramaṇa Sengzhi of Jetavana Temple, and śramaṇa Fading of Yizhou, all of whom recited over one hundred thousand words of sūtras, lived on simple vegetarian fare, and possessed the utmost virtue.

12.57

Śramaṇa Fahui, originally surnamed Xiahou, was in his youth steadfast in resolve and austere in practice, his vinaya conduct as pure as ice. At the end of the Daming era of the Song, he traveled east to Yu's Cave and lived in seclusion at Tianzhushan Temple. He recited one full copy of the Lotus Sūtra. Subsisting on vegetarian food and coarse cloth robes, his aspirations were set outside the worldly realm, and he did not descend from his upper story for more than thirty years. When princes and nobles rested their carriages [at the temple], they only bowed toward his room and returned. Only Zhou Yong of Runan, on account of his deep faith and understanding, was granted personal communion with him. At times there were those who admired his virtue and wished to pay him respects, and occasionally one would be granted an audience through Yong's intercession. In the second year of the Jianwu era of the Qi, he died at the mountain temple, aged eighty-five. At that time, at Mountain Xuanniu in Ruoye, there was śramaṇa Tanyou, who also subsisted on vegetarian food, recited sūtras, and made austere discipline his practice.

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高僧傳 — 慧皎, Classical Chinese