高僧傳 6.20

6.20

He worked untiringly for the Way, making the propagation of the Dharma his prime concern; whenever he met a guest from the Western Regions, he would earnestly consult and question him. Hearing that Kumārajīva had entered the passes, he immediately dispatched a letter to establish friendly relations, saying: 'Shi Huiyuan bows his head. Last year, I received a letter from General of the Left Yao, and learned in detail of your virtues and wellbeing. In the past, you were separated in distant realms and traversed foreign territories; at that time, voice and translation had not yet intersected, yet hearing of your fame, I was delighted. But with rivers and lakes difficult to cross, I could only sigh over our bodily separation. Recently I learned that, taking advantage of the opportune moment, you have journeyed here bearing treasures; when news arrived of your stopping place, my mind galloped toward you nine times a day. In vain does my heart relish your refined taste, yet having no means to reach you completely, looking upon the path merely increases my anxious waiting. I constantly rejoice in the widespread propagation of the Great Dharma and that our three regions meet in it; although our lives have fallen in its latter age, our aspirations are identical to those of the past. Truly, I have been unable to knock at the marvelous gate of the ford and achieve resonance with the remaining spirit [of the Buddha]. Yet as for opening my heart to an unseen covenant, there is not a day I do not cherish it. When a sandalwood tree is transplanted, different things share its perfume; when a maṇi jewel emits radiance, various treasures naturally accumulate. This is merely the way teachings harmonize, like going empty-handed and returning full; how much more so for the singular, imageless principle whose response is free of worldly sentiment! Therefore, those who shoulder the Great Dharma must take having no reward as their mind; those who gather friends through benevolence must cause the achievement to belong not to themselves. If the wheel of the Dharma does not halt its axle on the path of the Eightfold Noble Path, and the Three Jewels do not cease their voice in the era of impending exhaustion, then Pūrṇa will not monopolize beauty in bygone ages, and Nāgārjuna will not have acted well alone in former footsteps. I now send cut cloth for a monastic robe, wishing you will wear it when ascending the high seat, along with a water-filtering vessel; since these are Dharma objects, I use them simply to express my feelings.'