高僧傳 8
English (machine translation) 8
- Language
- English
8.1
Compiled by the śramaṇa Shi Huijiao of Jiaxiang Temple in Kuaiji under the Liang.
8.2
Shi Sengyuan 1
Shi Tandu 2
Shi Daohui 3
Shi Sengzhong 4
Shi Daosheng 5
Shi Hongchong 6
Shi Zhilin 7
Shi Fayuan 8
Shi Xuanchang 9
Shi Sengyuan 10
Shi Senghui 11
Shi Sengrou 12
Shi Huiji 13
Shi Huici 14
Shi Huilong 15
Shi Sengzong 16
Shi Fa'an 17
Shi Sengyin 18
Shi Fadu 19
Shi Zhixiu 20
Shi Huiqiu 21
Shi Sengsheng 22
Shi Zhishun 23
Shi Baoliang 24
Shi Fatong 25
Shi Huiji 26
Shi Tanfei 27
8.3
Shi Sengyuan was originally of the Zhao clan, a native of Yingchuan, and a descendant of Yan, the Minister of Works of the Wei. In his youth he loved reading books. After taking full ordination, he devoted himself to Buddhist doctrine. At first he traveled through the region of Xu, staying at Baita Temple, where he studied the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra and the Abhidharma under Sengsong. Before three years of study had passed, his achievement surpassed ten years of labor, and the fame of his wisdom and understanding spread far and wide. Sengyuan had a grand and imposing physique, his waist measuring ten hand-spans around; his spirit was clear and aloof, and his discourse was completely uninhibited. The recluse Liu Yinzhi gave up the mountain where he lived to provide it as a monastery for him.
8.4
Tandu, Huiji, and Daodeng all received their instruction from Sengyuan. Huiji was additionally versed in the counting-treatises, and Daodeng was skilled in the Nirvāṇa and Saddharmapuṇḍarīka; both were held in high esteem by Yuan Hong, ruler of Wei, and were famous throughout the state of Wei.
8.5
Sengyuan died in the fifth year of the illegitimate Taihe era (481), at the age of sixty-eight; this was the third year of Jianyuan under the Qi.
8.6
Shi Tandu was originally surnamed Cai and was a native of Jiangling. From his youth he was respectful and prudent in deportment, and had always been renowned for his disciplinary standards. His spirit and disposition were quick and perceptive, his clarity of insight surpassing ordinary men. Later he traveled to study in the capital, thoroughly mastering the various scriptures. In the Nirvāṇa, Saddharmapuṇḍarīka, Vimalakīrtinirdeśa, and Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā, he probed the subtle and concealed, expressing ideas that went beyond words. Because of a foot ailment he traveled west, reaching Xuzhou, where he studied the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra further under Dharma Master Sengyuan. He then attained complete mastery of this text, standing peerless in his day. Yuan Hong, ruler of Wei, heard of his reputation and longed to meet him, sending an envoy to summon and invite him. Once he arrived in Pingcheng, he opened a great lecturing assembly. Yuan Hong paid homage below his seat and personally managed the subtle flavors of the doctrine. Thereupon he remained in the Wei capital, continuously carrying out Dharma transformation, with disciples arriving from afar numbering more than a thousand. He died in the state of Wei in the thirteenth year of the illegitimate Taihe era (489), which was the sixth year of Yongming under the Qi. He composed the *Comprehensive Commentary on the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra* in eight fascicles, which circulated widely in the northern lands.
8.7
Shi Daohui was surnamed Wang, a native of Yuyao, residing in Jianye. At the age of eleven he left household life as a disciple of Sengyuan, staying at Lingyao Temple. When he reached fourteen, he read the *Collected Works of Huiyuan* of Mount Lu; thereupon he sighed deeply with regret that he had been born too late, and consequently journeyed upstream a thousand li with his friend Zhishun to observe the traces left by Huiyuan. He then rested at the West Temple of Mount Lu, and after three years had passed, he returned to the capital. At that time Wang Huo was debating the meaning of the 'three characteristics' and held a great gathering of doctrinal monks. Daohui was seventeen years old at the time and posed several rounds of questions; his speech was profound and subtle, and his textual citations were well ordered. The assembly all marveled at him.
8.8
Later he studied under the two Dharma Masters Daomeng and Sengbin. Daomeng was once lecturing on the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra. Zhang Rong constructed successive difficult challenges. Daomeng claimed illness and pleaded an inability to deal with so many arguments, so he instructed Daohui to respond to him. Because of Daohui's youth, Rong harbored some disdain. Seizing the opportunity, Daohui blunted his sharpness, his words consistently reaching ultimate principle; in the exchanges back and forth, he had ample leeway. He was skilled in the Mahāyāna, clear on the counting-treatises, and lectured continuously, his disciples being extremely numerous. In differentiating categories of doctrinal meaning, he was the first to establish chapters and sections. Chu Cheng and Xie Chaozong, both men of great renown at the time, regarded him with high esteem and deference.
8.9
Because his mother was aged and he wished to support and care for her, Daohui moved to reside at Zhuangyan Temple. His mother was moved by his aspirations and also entered the religious life, renouncing her residence to create merit by founding an abode. Daohui died in the third year of the Jianyuan era of the Qi dynasty at the age of thirty-one. Approaching the end, he called for his chowry and handed it to his friend Zhishun. Shun wept bitterly and said: "That such a man has not reached forty—how regrettable!" He then placed the chowry inside the coffin and performed the encoffining. Daohui was buried on the south of Mount Zhong. Xie Chaozong of Chen commandery composed his stele inscription.
8.10
At that time at Zhuangyan Temple there were also Xuanqu and Sengda, both renowned for their learning and understanding. Qu was broadly versed in various scriptures and was refined in both the inner and external [texts]; he was especially skilled on the lecturer's seat, possessing an admirable deportment. Da had white hair in his youth, so contemporaries called him "White-headed Da"; he was also broadly knowledgeable in various canons and especially refined in dialectical exchange. Yet he was unyielding by nature and offended others, so he was banished to Changsha.
8.11
Shi Sengzhong, surnamed Sun, was a man of Lu Commandery. He left home at sixteen, living in poverty while practising the Way. He once arrived in Shouchun, where Master Dao met him and marveled at him. Ye, the Prince of Qiao Commandery, respected his moral resolve and made him the four requisites offerings. Later, the prince invited him to lecture on the *Śata-śāstra*. Dao went to listen and said to people: "That 'the younger generation inspires awe' is indeed not an empty phrase!" Zhong was wonderfully adept in the *Tattvasiddhi-śāstra*, the Three Treatises, the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra*, the *Daśabhūmika*, and other texts. Later he travelled south to the capital and stayed at Zhongxing Temple. In the beginning of the Yongming era, the Wei envoy Li Daogu came on a diplomatic mission and met him in the temple. Because of Zhong's virtuous renown, the Emperor decreed that he engage in debate. The exchanges lasted for some time, and in his speech there was no misstep. When the shadows lengthened and it was a bit late, Zhong did not eat. Gu asked: "Why do you not eat?" Zhong replied: "By the Dharma of the ancient Buddhas, one does not eat after noon." Gu asked: "Why take up the role of a śrāvaka?" Zhong replied: "To those who should be delivered as a śrāvaka, I manifest as a śrāvaka." People of the time considered it a famous reply. Thereafter he remained lecturing, and his disciples gathered in crowds. Crown Prince Wenhui and Prince Wenxuan of Jingling of the Qi dynasty repeatedly invited him to take the south-facing seat. He died in the seventh year of the Yongming era of the Qi dynasty at the age of sixty.
8.12
At that time, those who equalled Zhong in fame and matched him in virtue were Tanxian, Tanqian, Sengbiao, Sengzui, Minda, Sengbao, and others; all were adept in scriptures and treatises and were respected by Prince Wenxuan, taking turns mounting the lecture seat.
8.13
Shi Daosheng, surnamed Zhu, was a man of Pei Commandery. He left home in his youth and devoted himself to study, becoming skilled in the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* and the *Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa*, while also comprehending the *Zhouyi*. He first resided in Xiangzhou. Emperor Ming of the Song dynasty, hearing of his reputation, ordered him to come down to the capital, where he stayed at Pengcheng Temple. Xie Chaozong met him once and treated him with the respect due to a teacher. Sheng then wrote the *Discourse Recounting Friendship* (Shu jiao lun) and the *Discourse on the Original Lack of Source for Birth and Death* (Shengsi ben wuyuan lun). Later he stayed at Tianbao Temple, and Emperor Gao of the Qi dynasty decreed that he replace Tandu as monastic director. Shen Wenji, Governor of Danyang, had always revered the Huang-Lao tradition and repudiated the Buddha Śākyamuni. He established the Monastic Bureau to enforce directives, demanding monastic registers to screen and purge monks and nuns; but thanks to Sheng's capable leadership, the matter was peacefully resolved. Later, Wenji purposely held a gathering at Tianbao Temple and arranged for Lu Xiujing to debate with Sheng. As Sheng possessed superior reasoning and his diction was sharp and inspiring, banter was exchanged without his discourse faltering for an instant. Xiujing's meaning could not be articulated, so he withdrew in shame. Sheng died during the Yongming era of the Qi dynasty at the age of sixty-odd.
8.14
Shi Hongchong was a native of Liangzhou. In his youth he had ambition and strength; he was versed in the *Zhuangzi* and *Laozi*, and understood the scriptures and vinaya. At the end of the Daming era, he crossed the Yangtze River and initially stayed at Duobao Temple. He was skilled in propounding objections, and senior scholars were often bested by him. Later he opened his own Dharma assembly, where sharp points of contention clashed. As Chong's thought reached the profound and subtle, and his eloquence was divinely effortless, he cleared away doubts and resolved difficulties without leaving any defect. Whenever he lectured on the *Lotus Sūtra* and the *Daśabhūmika*, the hall was filled with listeners. The Song Grand Tutor, Yigong, Prince Wenxian of Jiangxia, deeply respected him. When Emperor Ming ascended the throne, he built Xianggong Temple and invited Chong to act as director, whereupon Chong moved his residence there.
8.15
At that time, Xianggong Temple also had the monk Faxian, who was likewise intelligent, discerning, and powerful in thought, sharing equal renown with Chong. Chong died in the Yongming era of the Qi dynasty at the age of seventy-two. He annotated the *Mañjuśrīparipṛcchā-bodhi-sūtra* and the *Śūraṅgama-sūtra*.
8.16
Shi Zhilin was a man of Gaochang; when he first left home, he became a disciple of Master Liang. From youth he venerated reason and loved learning, carrying his book-satchel to Chang'an and shaking his monk's staff across the Jiang and Yu regions, gathering broadly from various texts and being particularly skilled in the *Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya-śāstra*. When Master Liang was exiled, twelve disciples all followed him beyond the mountain ridges. Lin then rested his feet in Panyu, purifying and transforming the coastal regions.
8.17
At the beginning of the reign of Emperor Ming of the Song dynasty, an imperial decree ordered that he be provided with supplies and dispatched to the capital, where he stayed at Lingji Temple. His lectures continued uninterrupted, and those receiving instruction flocked to him in crowds. He clarified that the doctrine of the two truths had three different lineages. At that time, Zhou Yong of Runan also composed the *Treatise on the Three Lineages* (San zong lun). Since it agreed with Lin's own views, Lin was deeply delighted and wrote a letter to Yong saying: "Recently I heard that you, dānapati, have articulated new meanings of the two truths and laid out the choices among the three lineages. The sound is distinct from ordinary tunes; though the advancement of beings may not be as rapid as this poor monk's humble wish, I consider that among the principles under heaven, only this one hits the mark. Were it not so, it would not be the true principle. It is for this reason that I urged you to put brush to paper quickly. Lately, seeing travelers coming and going, I have heard that your treatise is completed, and I am filled with rejoicing, holding it in exceptionally high regard. Furthermore, I have received word that you, dānapati, fear that proposing something extraordinary will offend the scholarly community, so that although the treatise is completed, you have determined not to publish it. Hearing this, I was so alarmed that I could neither sleep nor rise in peace. The import of this doctrine seems not to be expounded for the first time; yet this wonderful sound has been interrupted for sixty-seven years, and its principle so surpasses ordinary modes that none have been able to transmit it. When this poor monk was twenty, I had the fortune of attaining this doctrine. I always thought that by relying on this subtle awakening, one could attain the Way. In secret I was always joyful, but had no one to share it with. In my youth I met elders in Chang'an, and many said that among the eminent masters of Guanzhong, this doctrine had existed of old. When Dharma assemblies flourished, there were never many who could deeply grasp this import. Since it transgressed conventional feelings, fewer of the later generations came to listen and receive it; and of those who transmitted it across the river to the east, there was virtually no one. Since I took up the chowry over forty years ago, lecturing east and west, I have been mistakenly honoured for a time; my other theoretical frameworks have mostly been recognized and recorded, but concerning this particular path, not a single person among clergy or laity has grasped it. For many years I fell ill over this, and now, infirm with declining years, and moreover having to return west morning and night, I reflect that this Way will from now on be cut off and never spoken. Yet your inspiration arose without precedent, independently originating beyond the mundane, and unexpectedly this sound has entered my ears. Both joyful and comforted, there is truly no comparison. Establishing and clarifying this doctrine so that the lamp of the Dharma has continuity is truly the foremost merit in walking the Way. Even if one were to offer kingdoms, cities, wives, and children to the Buddha and the Saṃgha, the blessing and benefit would not surpass this. Since you have fortunately expounded it, I trust it is fitting to proclaim it broadly so that those who appreciate the tune may see it. In treatises clarifying the Dharma principles, one must not yield to another in doing what is right; how could you take pity on the hearts of the multitude so as to stifle this rare import? If this treatise, once completed, is then abandoned, I fear that in the future, dānapati, this might become a great obstruction for you. These past words are earnest, certainly not frivolous talk. I hope you will copy a manuscript to bestow on this poor monk, so that I may take it with me on my return to the west and propagate it everywhere. Recently I have had minor encumbrances, and thus have entered the mountains to write this; I look forward with deep anticipation to your granting it to me." Yong therefore published the treatise. Thus the essential purport of the three lineages has been transmitted down to the present day.
8.18
Lin was eight feet tall, of extraordinarily refined bearing; mounting the seat he roared like thunder, his conversation flowing like a stream. Later he took leave to return to Gaochang. He died in the fifth year of the Yongming era of the Qi dynasty at the age of seventy-nine. He wrote the *Discourse on the Two Truths* (Erdi lun) and the *Notes on the Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya* (Pi tan za xin ji), and annotated the *Dvādaśamukha-śāstra*, the *Mūlamadhyamakakārikā*, and other works.
8.19
Shi Fayuan, surnamed Xin, was a man of Longxi and a descendant of Xin Pi. His eldest brother, Yuanming, served the northern Wei as Grand Minister of the Masters of Writing. His second brother, Fa'ai, was also a śramaṇa, versed in scriptures and treatises as well as numerology and mantic arts; he served as the national preceptor of Rouran and was granted an income from three thousand households. Yuan was broad-minded from youth, unconventional and distinguished above the crowd; whenever he saw the poor and cold on the road, he would strip off his clothes to give them. When he first left home, he served the śramaṇa Zhu Huikai of Liangzhou. Kai's virtue was divine and efficacious, and people of the time said he had attained the first fruit. Kai said to Yuan: "With your emotional insight, you will surely be able to guide and unify the latter-day teaching; you should strive with effort to become broadly learned, and not just cultivate personal goodness." Thereupon, Yuan took leave of Kai to travel and study, journeying through Yan and Zhao, and passing back and forth through Ye and Luoyang. Encountering the rampant incursions of barbarian forces and the turmoil across Guan and Long, Yuan braved perils and walked through dangers, never neglecting his studies.
8.20
In the fifteenth year of the Yuanjia era, he returned to Liangzhou, then proceeded to Chengdu, and later travelled east to Jianye, relying on Huiguan of Daochang as his teacher. Devoted to the Mahāyāna, he also studied the Abhidharma treatises. He also perused the external classical canons. Later, he entered Mount Lu, maintaining stillness and savoring dhyāna, purifying his thoughts through the five gates, and roaming his mind in the three contemplations. After a while, Governor Yu Dengzhi invited him to emerge from the mountain to give lectures. Later, Emperor Wen sought someone who could expound Master Daosheng's doctrine of sudden awakening, and issued an imperial decree calling him down to the capital, so that the purport of sudden awakening was proclaimed anew in the Song era. When He Shangzhi heard it, he sighed and said: "I had always thought that after Master Daosheng died, the subtle words were forever lost. Today hearing again discourse that goes beyond the forms, one can say that Heaven has not let this culture perish!" The Emperor decreed that he become the preceptor of the five precepts for Prince Mu of Nanping, Shuo. When Emperor Xiaowu ascended the throne, he ordered him to become a friend to Prince of Xiyang, Zishang. Yuan pleaded illness, and after a long time was excused. He then built a hut on Fangshan and wrote commentaries on the *Śrīmālādevī-sūtra* and the *Weimi chi jing*. In the intervals of philosophical debate, he would occasionally discuss the *Classic of Filial Piety* and *Mourning Rites*. Later, when Tianbao Temple was rebuilt, they invited Yuan to reside there, whereupon he left the mountain, went into the city, and maintained the governance of the temple. When Governor Wang Jingwen visited him, Yuan happened to be lecturing on the *Mourning Rites*; Jingwen raised several rounds of questions and debates, praised him as excellent, and withdrew. When Emperor Ming newly completed Xianggong Temple, he set up a great lecture hall, selected outstanding monks, and issued a decree asking Yuan to act as the presiding master of the Dharma. The Emperor personally graced the Dharma assembly, and the high ministers gathered at their seats; it was a magnificent event of the time, and observers thought it glorious. Later, Crown Prince Wenhui of Qi also invited him to reside at Linggen Temple, so he moved to that temple. Wang Jian, the Grand Defender, had no indiscriminate social acquaintances, but treated Yuan as his master, showing utmost respect in all letters and conversations. Yuan died in the seventh year of the Yongming era of the Qi dynasty at the age of eighty-one.
8.21
At that time at Linggen Temple there were also Fachang and Zhixing, both broadly versed in the scriptures and treatises and frequently lecturing. Chang was especially skilled in lively, probing debates, and was feared by the masters of the day. Yet he was very unyielding and stern by nature, and did not mix well with common customs.
8.22
Shi Xuanchang, surnamed Zhao, was a native of Jincheng in Hexi. When he was young, his family clan was annihilated by the northern barbarians. The calamity was about to reach Chang, but the barbarian commander saw Chang and stopped [his men], saying: "The gaze of this boy's eyes shoots outward; he is no ordinary child." He was thereupon spared, and subsequently went to Liangzhou to receive pravrajyā. His original name was Huizhi. Later he met Xuan'gao and served him as a disciple. Gao always marvelled at him, and whenever he had affairs he would invariably confer with him; he therefore changed his name to Xuanchang in order to express the intention of entrusting the transmission to him. Later, when the tyrannical barbarians eradicated the Buddhadharma and killed the monks, only Chang managed to escape. On the seventeenth day of the intercalary fifth month in the twenty-second year of the Yuanjia reign era, he set out from Pingcheng. His route took him through Dai Commandery and Shanggu, crossed the Taihang Mountains eastward, passed through You and Ji, and turned south, about to reach Mengjin. In his hands he held only a bundle of willow branches and a handful of scallion leaves. Barbarian cavalry pursued him and were about to overtake him, so he struck the sand with the willow branches. The sand rose and darkened the sky, so that men and horses could not advance. After a while the sand settled, and the cavalry caught up again; he then threw himself into the river, merely putting the scallion leaves into his nostrils to breathe and cross the water. On the first day of the eighth month, he reached Yangzhou.
8.23
He had a penetrating comprehension of the sūtras and vinaya, penetrated deeply into the essentials of dhyāna, and when he made divinations of good and ill fortune, none failed to prove true. As for the ancient classics and the philosophers, he had extensively mastered them. Regarding worldly arts and miscellaneous skills, there were few that he did not possess. Earlier, the great text of the Avataṃsaka had vast and profound literary purports, and from antiquity to that time, no one had yet expounded and explicated it. Chang then exhausted his thoughts in researching and probing it, bringing out chapters and comparing sentences. From that time down to the present, Chang was the first to transmit and lecture upon it. He was also skilled in the Three Treatises, becoming the leader of scholars. Emperor Wen of the Song held him in deep esteem and praise, and requested him to be the tutor to the Crown Prince, but he firmly declined again and again. A disciple said to him: "The Dharma master is about to propagate the Way and save sentient beings, broadly proclaiming the famous teachings. Now the sovereign of the empire empties himself to invite you, and the imperial heir stores up propriety and cherishes respect. If the Way is promoted to the sagely lord, then the four seas will submit to his virtue. If you now loftily and proudly decline, might that not be [acting as] a śrāvaka?" Chang said: "This may be spoken to the wise, but is difficult to discuss with worldly people." Only when the event of Taichu occurred did they realize his foreknowledge. From then on, he moved to rest in Jingzhou, residing at Changsha Temple. At that time, the śramaṇa Gongdezhe produced the Nianfo sanmei jing and other texts; Chang corrected the phrasing, rendering the style and purport gentle and precise. Moreover, he could stretch out his hand and produce incense, or water would flow from his palm, and no one could fathom how it was done. Toward the final years of the Song, he took a flying boat on a distant journey and went west to Chengdu. At first he resided at Dashi Temple, where he painted with his own hand sixteen images of deities including Guhyapada-vajra. In the third year of the Shengming reign era, he travelled again to the western borders, gazing out at the Min Mountains; then, at Mount Qihou on the borders of Guangyang County in northern Minshan Commandery, he conceived the wish to spend the rest of his days there. Relying on the crags and bordering the valley, he thatched grass to make a hermitage. His disciple Faqi saw a divine being riding a horse, wearing an unlined blue-green robe, who circled the mountain once and returned to indicate the site for building a stūpa. On the twenty-third day of the fourth month in the first year of the Jianyuan reign era of the Qi, he erected the stūpa pillar and established a monastery, naming it Qixing; this was precisely the day when Emperor Taizu of the Qi received the imperial mandates of abdication. The timing of Heaven and the affairs of men coincided across ten thousand li.
8.24
At that time, Fu Yan was garrisoning Chengdu in the west; admiring Chang's exemplary deportment, he treated him with the respect due to a teacher. After Chang founded the monastery, he sent a letter to Yan, saying: "This poor monk has lodged in Jingzhou for many years; advancing in years and accumulating ailments, I loathed and was sickened by the clamour of men, which is why I entrusted myself far off to the borders of Min and divined a dwelling on this hill. It is east of Guangyang, a thousand paces from the town. Winding and stretching far, it links overlapping ranges and closes off four ravines, extending along five peaks; embracing the outer wall and harbouring the town, it looks out afar across three directions; leaning against peaks and backing onto mountains, it gazes into the distance at the nine currents. On the twenty-third day of the fourth month of last year, we began the work and laid the first basket of earth. When I arrived here before the winter, I inquired and learned that that very day was precisely the day Your Majesty took flight like a dragon. I have heard that for one whose Dao matches the Supreme Ultimate, auspicious omens manifest naturally, and for one whose virtue equals the Two Principles, divine responses must become evident. This is why the Yellow River and Luo River shone with the portents of the Zhou, and the numinous stone revealed the omens of the Great Jin. I humbly maintain that the auspicious verification of this mountain—could it not be the numinous response of the Emperor of Qi? The dānapati's feelings of devotion to the state are profound, such that when the mandate coincided with the times, you could not banish it from your mind; how could you neglect this matter? I have ventured to compose an 'Eulogy on the Mountain' in one piece to reveal my foolish sentiments.
8.25
"The eulogy states:
'Towering is Mount Qi,
Born of the profound dark.
Hidden portents for how many ages,
The emperor's title remains illustrious.
The peak bears the sagely dwelling,
Presaging the auspicious name of good fortune.
The mountain's base is level with clouds,
The mountain summits even with the sunset glow.
Designing the crags to erect the stūpa pillar,
Crossing the ridges to establish the scripture hall.
On the day the work commenced,
The dragon took flight in the purple court.
His Dao equals the Two Principles,
The four seas are equally purified.
Good fortune lasting as long as heaven,
The virtue of the peak displays its numen.'"
8.26
Yan immediately submitted a memorial reporting the matter in full. An imperial decree exempted one hundred households from taxes to provide for his maintenance. Prince Yizhang, Xiao Ni, General of Agile Cavalry of the Qi, was stationed in Jingxia and sent envoys to summon him. The ruler of the Tuyuhun in Henan, admiring him with devotion from afar, dispatched several hundred cavalry to welcome him at Mount Qi. Finding that he had already departed eastward, they did not reach him. When Emperor Wu of the Qi ascended the throne, Prince Wenxuan, the Minister of Education, submitted a memorial from Jiangling and returned to the capital. Crown Prince Wenhui also sent to summon and welcome him; as the imperial decrees were repeated, he could not decline and obtain exemption. Thereupon he sailed down the river on a boat, but fell ill en route and arrived at the capital bearing his ailment. Disappointing the eager hopes of the crowds, he stayed at Linggen Temple. Soon after, he passed away at the age of sixty-nine. On the sixteenth day of the eleventh month in the second year of the Yongming reign era of the Qi, he was buried before Mount Dulong at Zhongfu. Prince Xian of Linchuan erected a stele, and Zhou Yong of Runan composed the inscription.
8.27
Shi Sengyuan, surnamed Huang, was a native of Chonghe in Bohai. His ancestors were of the Huangfu clan of Beidi, who fled hardship to the sea coast, and therefore dropped "fu" and kept "Huang". From his youth Yuan delighted in the Way. At the age of sixteen he wished to undergo pravrajyā, but his parents did not permit it. He therefore ate a vegetarian diet and continuously chanted repentance day and night, and only at the age of eighteen was he able to enter the Way. At that time there was the śramaṇa Daohui, of lofty talent and prominent virtue, whose fame covered the region of the sea and Mount Dai. Yuan studied under him, gaining a thorough understanding of the Abhidharma treatises and penetrating both the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna. During the Daming reign era of the Song, he crossed the Yangtze River and resided at Pengcheng Temple. In the Shengming reign era, he established a vihāra at Mount Niuluo in Little Danyang, naming it Longyuan.
8.28
When Yuan was thirty-one years old, he first faced south to deliver lectures at Suntai Temple in Qingzhou. His discourse was clear and fluent, and his deportment elegant and dignified; of the more than four hundred seated listeners, none failed to be delighted and convinced. Wang Sengda of Langye, possessed of noble talent in that era, took notice of Yuan's pure fame and invited him to reside at Zhongzao Temple. Yuan gave relief to the poor and aided the destitute, keeping no wealth for himself. There was a monk named Xuanshao who constantly gave him gold and cowries, but Yuan declined and would not accept them. Once, when walking through Qingyuan, he heard that someone in the neighborhood had contracted a seasonal epidemic, and out of pity went to visit him. Seeing several persons lying dead together alongside the sick, whom no one dared approach, Yuan felt deep grief and pity, and remained there unable to bear leaving. He thereupon solicited alms on their behalf, burying the dead and caring for the living, bestowing kindness exceeding that of kin. When Prince Xiaojing of Xin'an, Liu Ziluan of the Song, built Xin'an Temple for his deceased birth mother, Noble Consort Yin, an imperial edict ordered three provinces to select and summon eminent and wise monks. Yuan, along with Fayao of Xiaoshan and Xianliang of Nanjian, were all summoned, and all recommended Yuan as the foremost among the initial candidates.
8.29
In the ninth month of the sixth year of the Daming reign era, the relevant officials submitted a memorial: "Your ministers have heard that the sovereign's solemn and secluded dwelling does not seek merely grandeur and loftiness; and do bowing, kneeling, and prostrating stop at mere respect and reverence? They are meant to manifest the Four Cardinal Principles and establish order throughout the Eight Realms. Therefore, although the Confucian and Legalist branches diverge, and the Ming and Mohist currents divide, when it comes to exalting kin and revering superiors, their principles never err. Only the Buddhist teaching comes from afar from the Naga lineage. Its ultimate principle is remote, its subtle words have sunk into obscurity; clinging to the letter and obscured from the Way, in its latter days it has flourished all the more. Consequently, they transgress the canonical codes and assume an attitude of pride before the exalted and sovereign. They have lost the wondrous traces of adapting to circumstances and are blind to the profound beauty of institution and transformation. Now, the Buddhadharma takes modesty and frugality as self-cultivation, and regards grace and devotion as the Way. The Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta bow[s] whenever he encounters someone; the śramaṇa Maudgalyāyana pays homage whenever he meets his elders. How could they bend their knees to the four assemblies while withholding etiquette from their two parents, or prostrate before those of advanced monastic age while stiffening their bodies before the Lord of Ten Thousand Chariots? Therefore, in the Xiankang era the proposal was initiated, and in the Yuanxing era it was restated; yet the matter was thwarted by factional prejudice, and the Way was frustrated by excessive leniency. Now the vast source has washed afar, and all streams gaze up to the mirror; the nine immortals offer treasures, and the hundred spirits attend to their duties. Yet within the imperial domain there dwell subjects who do not act as vassals, and among the court seats guests are received on terms of equality. We fear this is not the way to unify moral customs and clearly demonstrate illustrious regulations. Your ministers have deliberated together and consider that whenever śramaṇas are granted an audience, they ought to perform the full rites and gestures of reverence and respect. In accordance with original customs, the court ceremonies will possess order, and the reach of dynastic transformation will encompass what is distant." Although the Emperor had some faith in the Dharma, he had long been arrogant and willful; therefore, on the day the memorial was submitted, he issued an edict granting approval.
8.30
Yuan sighed at that time, saying: "I am a shaven-headed śramaṇa; I originally left household life to seek the Way—what business have I with emperors and kings!" That very day, he pleaded illness and retired, concealing his traces in Upper Dinglin Mountain. When the Jinghe era arrived, this regulation was again suspended, and the old ordinances were restored.
8.31
When Emperor Ming of the Song ascended the throne, he invited Yuan to be his master, but was ultimately unable to bring him forth. Thereafter, recluses dwelling in the mountains and persons of lofty spirit who looked down upon the world all climbed up to the mountain gate in succession and paid homage at his dhyāna chamber. He Dian of Mount Lu, Zhou Yong of Runan, Ming Sengshao of Qi Commandery, Wu Bao of Puyang, and Zhang Rong of the state of Wu all threw themselves at his feet and sought instruction in his vinaya models. Later, Prince Jingsu of Jianping of the Song, considering that Qixuan Temple was founded by his late father, and that it was equally detached from the human realm, wished to invite Yuan to reside there. Despite earnest entreaties repeated several times, Yuan ultimately did not descend the mountain.
8.32
When Emperor Taizu of the Qi was about to ascend the throne, he entered the mountains to look for Yuan. Yuan firmly declined on account of old age and illness, not letting his feet hang down from his bed. Taizu personally humbled himself with etiquette and inquired of him in detail. After he acceded to the throne, the imperial carriage again graced the place, intending to go to Yuan's quarters. The chamber and walkways were narrow and small, unable to accommodate the palanquin and canopy. Taizu wished to see Yuan, but Yuan maintained his integrity and did not stir. Taizu sent an attendant to inquire about his health, and only then turned his carriage and departed. Yuan paid no heed whatsoever. When he took to his bed with illness, Crown Prince Wenhui and Prince Wenxuan submitted themselves as disciples, frequently visiting to inquire after him. The noble lords and gentlemen of the time came and went without end.
8.33
Yuan maintained a vegetarian diet for more than fifty years and drank from mountain streams for over twenty years. Letting his mind wander in the grove of the Dharma and fixing his thoughts on what lies beyond the human world, he paced loftily through the mountain gates, aloof and detached beyond material things. In the first month of the second year of the Yongming reign era of the Qi, he passed away at Upper Dinglin Temple at the age of seventy-one. The Emperor sent a letter to the śramaṇa Faxian, saying: "Having received word of Master Yuan's passing, this disciple had already known it in the night. In departing this time, Master Yuan has reached a very good place. The many auspicious signs were not just one, so grief should no longer be increased. Only when I see the Dharma master in person can I relate the auspicious dream. We are presently performing meritorious deeds for him; you may prepare a detailed list of what is required." Prince Wenxuan of Jingling also wrote: "Dharma Master Yuan was a renowned virtuous figure of an entire era, pure and lofty in will and integrity. He concealed himself in the mountains and established beauty, and the four seas admired his influence. This disciple is dim and ignorant, but mistakenly received his masterly instruction. Just as I wished to respectfully receive his benevolent transformation to wash away my troublesome worries, I did not expect that recent illness would suddenly cause our separation between worlds. The sorrow and pain in my heart are especially unbearable. Master Yuan's deeds and practice were perfectly penetrating, rare across kalpas. This disciple's wish is that his bodily remains and traces not be mingled among the graves of the multitude of monks. If another separate piece of land can be divined, that is my desire. We shall erect a stūpa pillar to mark his rarity and carve a stone to commemorate his virtue." They immediately prepared a tomb for him south of the mountain and erected a stele to praise his virtue. Wang Jian, Grand Defender and native of Langye, composed the inscription.
8.34
At that time, Upper Dinglin Temple also had Faling and Huitai, both of whom were adept in the sūtras and treatises, continuing Yuan's renown.
8.35
Shi Senghui's secular surname was Huangfu, and he was originally a native of Chaona in Anding. He was a descendant of the eminent scholar [Huangfu] Mi. His ancestors had fled hardships and lodged in Xiangyang, where they were a prominent family for generations. Hui went forth from home at an early age, staying at Zhulin Temple in Jingzhou and serving Tanshuan as his teacher. Shun was a disciple of Huiyuan of Mount Lu and had long enjoyed a high reputation. After submitting himself [to Shun], Hui devoted his mind to doctrinal studies. By the age of twenty-five, he was able to lecture on the Nirvāṇa, Saddharmapuṇḍarīka, Daśabhūmika, Vimalakīrtinirdeśa, and Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya. Naturally possessed of a powerful memory, he did not need a prompter (dujiang); his analysis of passages and phrases was incisive, and his exposition flowed smoothly. He was also skilled in the Zhuangzi and Laozi, becoming a teacher revered by scholars of the western region. He was friendly with the eminent scholars Zong Bing of Nanyang, Liu Qiu, and others. Bing often praised him, saying: 'That the wheel of the Dharma in the Western Xia does not cease to turn—is it not perhaps due to Master Hui!' Zhang Chang of the state of Wu, when traveling through the western lands, went to visit Hui and asked to form a friendship with him. At the beginning of the Qi dynasty, he was appointed by imperial order as the monastic rector (sengzhu) of Jingzhou. His demeanor was refined and elegant, and in assisting the Dao and aiding the world, his meritorious benefits won him praise far and wide. In his declining years, he often rode a palanquin to the lecture hall. Onlookers called him the 'Bald-Headed Official.' He lived at the same time as Xuanchang, and people of the era referred to them as 'the two outstanding figures in black robes.' He died in the fourth year of the Yongming era of the Qi dynasty (486 CE) at the age of seventy-nine.
8.36
Later there was Shi Huichang, whose disposition was likewise pure and upright. He succeeded Hui as monastic rector and continuously achieved successful results. Hui's disciple Sengxiu was also prominent for his learning; he exerted himself so strenuously that he contracted an illness involving hemoptysis and died.
8.37
Shi Sengrou's secular surname was Tao, and he was a native of Danyang. Pure and upright from youth, he already possessed the deportment of one who transcends the world. At the age of nine, he traveled for study following his uncle. His family had been impoverished for generations, not even having enough coarse greens and beans to eat; yet his resolve grew ever firmer, and his adherence to principle remained unchanged despite his poverty. Later, he went forth from home to become a disciple of Hongcheng. Cheng's secular surname was Lü, and he was a native of Linwei in Luoyang; his learning mastered both sūtras and treatises, and his fame had become manifest early on. After submitting himself [to Cheng], Rou diligently observed the precepts and thoroughly practiced dhyāna and wisdom (prajñā). Across the Fangdeng (vaipulya) scriptures and the various works of both the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, he completely penetrated their abstruse origins and profoundly grasped their essential doctrines. As soon as he passed the age of twenty, he mounted the lecture seat. The renowned guests of an entire generation all bowed facing north to study under him. Later, he traveled east to the Cave of Yu, where he met Dharma Master Huiji, who invited him to stay beside the city walls to lecture and discuss for one summer. Subsequently, he entered the Lingjiu Temple on Mount Bai in Shan. On the night before his arrival, the śramaṇa Sengxu dreamt that he saw spirit beings, clad in white armor and holding red banners, emerging across the mountain. Xu asked the reason, and they replied: 'A Dharma master is about to enter; therefore, we have come out to welcome him.' The next morning they waited for the person, and it was indeed Rou who arrived. Soon he swept and adorned the mountain gate, intending to live out his days there. He expounded the sūtras and pursued learning, and scholars gathered like a forest.
8.38
At the beginning of Qi Taizu's founding of the dynasty, as well as on the day when Shizu succeeded to the throne, both established monasteries (cāturdiśa) and sought out scholars of doctrine far and wide. Because Rou had long been known for his seniority and purity, imperial summons reached him year after year. Only after the Prince of Wenxuan and other princes repeatedly invited him did he return to the capital. He stayed at Dinglin Temple and personally served as the foremost master. Those from all four directions admired and submitted to him, and both humans and spirits praised him. Crown Prince Wenhui and the Prince of Wenxuan both submitted to him and entered his chamber. Rou upheld virtue and presided as head, accepting the position without declining.
8.39
He constantly vowed to be born in the Land of Peaceful Nurture (Sukhāvatī). Whenever the sun set toward the west, he would compose his face and join his palms. When the day of his death arrived, his body had no lingering ailment; he only told his disciples: 'I must go.' He then spread a mat on the ground, reverently paid homage toward the west, and suddenly passed away. This was the first year of the Yanxing era (494 CE), at the age of sixty-four. He was then buried on the southern side of the mountain.
8.40
The śramaṇa Shi Sengyou had dwelt in the mountains with Rou from youth to adulthood, living together with him for a long time. Having frequently imbibed his resolve for the Dao and received the flavor of the Dharma from him, he erected a stele at the tomb site. Liu Xie of Dongguan composed the text.
8.41
Rou had a disciple named Sengshao, who was also upright and possessed of scholarly achievements. At that time, in the Shanci Hermitage on Mount Zhong, there were also Sengba and Huixi, both of whom were brilliant in their youth and attained high fame early on. Before their splendid endeavors were completed, they died young in succession. Ba composed the Treatise on the Seven Absolutes (Qixuan lun), which currently circulates in the world.
8.42
Shi Huiji's secular surname was Ou, and he was a native of Qiantang in the state of Wu. From childhood, his demeanor was outstanding and elegant, and his perceptive awakening surpassed others. At first, he relied on and followed Dharma Master Huiyi of Jetavana (Zhihuan) Temple. When he was fifteen, Yi commended his outstanding bearing and submitted a petition to Emperor Wen of the Song requesting permission for him to go forth from home. Emperor Wen granted an audience, consulted with him, and found him reliable and capable of bearing responsibility, whereupon he ordered a ceremony to be held at Jetavana Temple for him to go forth. The emperor's carriage visited in person, and the ministers and dukes all assembled. After Ji devoted his resolve to the Dharma gate, he practiced with rigor and asceticism, studying through night and day, his understanding thoroughly penetrating the scriptures.
8.43
Later, the Western Regions Dharma master Saṃghavarman, who widely propagated dhyāna and vinaya, came to travel in the Song territory. Yi then instructed Ji to enter his chamber and serve him. Having reached the age of twenty, he went to Caizhou to receive the full precepts. Varman said to Ji: 'You are destined to rule the Dao in the region east of the Yangtze; you need not linger long in the capital.' Thereupon, over the course of four or five years, he traveled among the lecture assemblies, visiting all the various masters. He was skilled in such scriptures as the Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā (Xiaopin), Saddharmapuṇḍarīka, Viśeṣacintibrahmaparipṛcchā, Vimalakīrtinirdeśa, Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā, and Śrīmālādevī-siṃhanāda. In all of them, he deeply contemplated their abstruse subtleties and clearly illuminated their hidden obscurities. In citing passages and pairing phrases, his eloquence was unmatched throughout the ages.
8.44
Ji's teacher Huiyi was already a revered master of virtue and ruled the Dao in the Jing region. Literati and commoners took refuge in him, and material support gathered abundantly; because Ji possessed admirable virtues worthy of praise, [Huiyi] brought him along to share living arrangements. When Yi died, his estate and assorted goods approached a full million. By the Dharma, Ji was entitled to receive half of it, but he gave it all away to generate merit, taking only coarse, old robes and bowls. Holding these, he returned east and went back to stay at Xianming Temple in Qiantang. Shortly thereafter, he advanced to Kuaiji and stayed at Fahua Temple in Shanyin. Those who favored learning followed his tracks to inquire about the Dao. Thereupon, he traveled throughout the Three Wu regions, lecturing on and expounding the sūtras and teachings, and more than a thousand disciples came. Emperor Taizong of the Song sent an envoy to invite him, but he pleaded illness and did not go. During the Yuanhui era, he was summoned again. Having just set out and crossed the Zhe River, his illness flared up again and he returned; he then established the Baolin Hermitage at Mount Gui in the city of Kuai[ji]. He piled bricks and stones with his own hands, directing the work in person, bridging the precipices and spanning the heights, crafting it to harmonize with the shape of the mountain. Initially, a three-tiered structure was erected, but the craftsmen were somewhat unskilled, and it was later destroyed by lightning. He repaired and embellished it further, ultimately exhausting all beauty and splendor. Ji once dreamt that he saw Samantabhadra, and accordingly asked him to be his preceptor (upādhyāya). After the temple was completed, he made an image of Samantabhadra along with a six-tusked white elephant, and held a three-week repentance fast at Baolin. Literati and commoners gathered like scales on a fish, offering gifts one after another. Later, when Zhou Yong governed Shan, he invited Ji to lecture and expound. Yong had long possessed scholarly training and was particularly deep in Buddhist principles; upon meeting Ji and examining doctrines with him, he found fresh and extraordinary insights daily. Liu Huan and Zhang Rong both treated him with the etiquette due to a teacher and honored his doctrinal instructions. Crown Prince Wenxuan, the Minister over the Masses, admiring his style and revering his virtue, sent a letter with earnest sentiments to inquire about the central tenets of the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka. Ji then composed the Commentary on the Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra (Fahua yishu) in three fascicles, as well as the Thirty-Three Clauses of the Preface to the Doctrinal Instruction of the Gate (Menxun yixu), along with a brief explanation of the intent behind expedient means, reconciling the two discourses on emptiness and existence; he also annotated the Bequeathed Teachings (Yijiao), all of which circulate in the world.
8.45
Because Ji's virtue covered the Three Wu regions and his fame spread across the realm, he was appointed by imperial order as monastic rector, placed in charge of ten cities. This was the beginning of monastic rectory (saṃghapradhāna) in the eastern lands. Thereupon, he relaxed into lecturing on the Dao and instructing in dhyāna and wisdom; those from all directions followed his manner, and the five assemblies submitted to him. Ji's nature was fierce yet gentle, his demeanor pure and serene, so that among those who belonged to his disciples, none were not awestruck. In the winter, the eleventh month, of the third year of the Jianwu era of the Qi dynasty (496 CE), he died at Chengbang Temple at the age of eighty-five.
8.46
When Ji first fell ill, his disciples dreamt of several Indian monks sitting on the stone steps. When asked where they had come from, they replied: 'We have come from the realm of the Mahāyāna to welcome Upādhyāya Ji.' He passed away several days later, and was subsequently buried on the southern side of Mount Fahua. Specially Promoted He Yin of Lujiang composed a stele inscription for him at Baolin Temple, commemorating his bequeathed virtue.
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Linked texts (1)
- 高僧傳 — 慧皎, Classical Chinese