高僧傳 6.83

6.83

Sengzhao replied by letter, saying: 'Not having met you in person for so long, my longing thoughts have been arduous. Having received your former letter and inquiries, I unfolded and re-read them repeatedly, rejoicing as if face-to-face with you for a brief moment. Now that the season of cool winds has arrived, how have you been keeping of late? This impoverished monk is constantly troubled by illness and fatigue; the great assembly here is as usual, and Master Kumārajīva is in excellent health and spirit. The Qin ruler possesses an innate Dao-nature, his natural endowments surpassing the worldly; he serves as a fortress for the Three Jewels and devotes himself to propagating the Dao. Because of this, rare scriptures and eminent monks have arrived from afar, and the spirit of Vulture Peak has gathered in this land. The Dharma master [Zhi] Ling's distant journey has truly served as a bridge spanning a thousand years: he has brought back from the Western Regions more than two hundred new Vaipulya scriptures. Master Kumārajīva is translating the newly arrived scriptures at the Da Temple; the Dharma store is profound and vast, with new teachings heard daily. The Dhyāna Master is teaching dhyāna at Waguan Temple to several hundred disciples who apply themselves day and night without wearying, harmonious, solemn, and filled with personal joy. The Tripiṭaka Master is translating the Vinaya-piṭaka at the Zhong Temple, its foundations and details so thoroughly clarified that it is as if witnessing the Buddha's original enactments. The Vibhāṣā Master is bringing forth the Sanskrit manuscript of the Śāriputrābhidharma at Shiyang Temple; though it has not yet been translated, when inquiries are made into matters within it, his statements are novel and extraordinary. In this lifetime, I have undeservedly shared in this wonderful fortune and encountered this flourishing spiritual transformation; my only regret is not having personally witnessed the assembly at the Jetavana Grove of Śākyamuni—what other regret could I have? I only regret that I cannot share this Dharma gathering together with a gentleman of superior virtue such as you. Having praised it so deeply, I have taken the liberty of writing at length; yet your inquiries are so subtle and penetrating that it is difficult to find a craftsman of Ying who could answer them. My intellect does not penetrate the subtle, and I am moreover clumsy in written expression; furthermore, the ultimate truth is wordless—when words are used, they deviate from the principle. If one continues to talk on and on, what can ultimately be discriminated? I merely offer these wild words as a tentative response to your esteemed inquiries.'