高僧傳 4.7

4.7

Zhi Xiaolong was a man of Huaiyang. In his youth he was esteemed for his graceful manner, and furthermore his spiritual brilliance was preeminent, his lofty discourses matching the times. He constantly perused and savored the Xiaopin (Aṣṭasāhasrikā), regarding it as the core essential. Ruan Zhan of Chenliu and Yu Ai of Yingchuan both formed friendships of intimate understanding with him, and people of the time referred to them as the 'Eight Free Spirits'. Someone once mocked him, saying: 'The great Jin has arisen like a dragon, taking all under heaven as its family. Why does a śramaṇa not keep his hair and skin intact, cast off the kāṣāya, remove barbarian clothing, and wear damask and silk?' Long said: 'Embracing the One to wander freely, only through tranquility can sincerity be attained. Shaving the hair and disfiguring the countenance, altering garments and transforming form—they call this my disgrace, but I discard their glory. Thus, having no mind for nobility, one becomes all the more noble; having no mind for sufficiency, one becomes all the more sufficient.' His timely wit and eloquence were all of this kind.