續高僧傳 10.34

10.34

釋慧最。瀛州人也。初聽涅槃遊學鄴下。因聞即講曾未經遍。而言議綸綜綽爾舒閑。故為同席諸賢之所歎仰。周滅齊日南奔江表。復習慧門頗通餘論。且自北僧在陳。多乖時俗。惟最機權內動。不墜風流。多為南方周旋膠漆。隋室定天中原安泰。便觀化輦掖參聽異聞。後住光明。時傳雅導而好居靜退。非賢不友。神志宏標氣調高遠。不妄受辱必清瑕累。其立志也如此。仁壽年中。勅遣送舍利于荊州大興國寺龍潛道場。昔者隋高作相。因過此寺遇一沙門深相結納。當時器重不測其言。及龍飛之後追憶舊旨。下詔徵之。其身已逝。勅乃營其住寺。彫其舊房。故有興國龍潛之美號也。並出自綸言。帝之別意。又道場前面步廊自崩。僧欲治護。控引未就。及舍利既至。將安塔基。巡行顯敞。惟斯壞處商度廣狹恰衷塔形。有識者云。豫毀其廊用待安塔。及四月八日。舍利院內忽然霧起。齋後便歇。日光朗照。有雲如蓋正處塔空。仍下細雨不濕餘處。又感鳧鶴眾鳥塔上飛旋。又見雲間紫色狀如花炬。又雨天花如雪紛紛而下。竟不至地。後又送舍利於吉州發蒙寺。掘深八尺。獲豫章板一條古塼六枚銀瓶二口。得舍利一枚。浮水順轉。又得一寶。體含九采。人不識之。具以聞奏。寺有瑞像。宋大明五年。寺僧法均。夢見金容希世。梵音清遠。因行達于三曲江。見像深潭光浮水上。與太守周湛等接出。計有千斤而輕同數兩。身長六尺四寸。金銅所成。後長沙郡送光趺達都。文帝勅遣還安像所。宛然符合。總高九尺餘。佛衣緣下有梵書十餘字。人初不識。後有西僧。讀云。此迦維羅衛國育王第四女所造也。忽爾失去。乃在此耶。梁天監末。屢放光明照于一室。武帝將請入京。因事遂止。大同七年佛身流汗。其年劉敬宣為賊燒郡。及寺並盡。惟佛堂不及。至于十年像又通汗。湘東王乃迎至江陵祈福放光。十二年還返發蒙至寺。放光三日乃止。陳天嘉六年更加莊飾。故世傳其靈異。處處模寫。最躬事頂禮圖于光明。而骨氣雄幹。誠為調御之相。今時所輕略故也。後卒于住寺。

Śramaṇa Huizui was a native of Yingzhou. When he first heard the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, he was on a study tour in Ye. Hearing it, he was immediately able to lecture on it, though he had not previously studied it through even once. His discourse and analysis were comprehensive, expansive, and untroubled; hence he was admired and praised by the worthy fellows of his assembly. When the Zhou destroyed the Qi, he fled south to the region beyond the Yangtze. There he further practiced the doctrinal methods and became quite conversant with the other treatises. Moreover, though northern monks who were in the Chen dynasty mostly clashed with contemporary customs, Huizui alone was inwardly stirred by expedient adaptability and did not compromise his refined character; in the south, he often moved in close intimacy [with the local elite]. When the Sui dynasty pacified all under Heaven and the Central Plains were at peace, he went to observe the transformative influence in the capital area and participated in hearing unusual teachings. Later, he resided at Guangming Monastery. From time to time he imparted elegant guidance, yet he took delight in dwelling in tranquil retirement. If someone was not worthy, he would not befriend him. His spiritual aspirations were grand and pre-eminent; his demeanor was lofty and far-reaching. He did not accept insults lightly, and he was certain to purge flaws and encumbrances. Such was his determination.

During the Renshou era, an imperial decree dispatched him to escort relics to Daxingguo Monastery in Jingzhou, which had been the Daoist sanctuary [monastery] where [Emperor Wen] had lived prior to his ascension. Formerly, when the founder of the Sui was Prime Minister, he passed by this monastery and met a śramaṇa with whom he formed a deep bond. At that time, [Emperor Wen] valued him highly, yet could not fathom the monk's words. After his ascension to the throne, he recalled the former import and issued an edict to summon him, but the monk had already passed away. An imperial decree then ordered that the monastery where he had lived be rebuilt and his former room adorned; hence it was granted the splendid title of Xingguo Longqian [Monastery of the Flourishing State of the Pre-Ascension]. These all derived from imperial edicts and the Emperor's special intentions. Furthermore, the walkway veranda in front of the bodhimaṇḍa had collapsed on its own; the monks wished to repair and preserve it, but their pulling and supporting had not succeeded. When the relics arrived and they were about to install the pagoda base, they surveyed the clear and open grounds: only this ruined site, when measured for width and breadth, exactly suited the shape of the pagoda. Those with discerning insight said that the gallery had collapsed beforehand precisely to await the installation of the pagoda.

When the eighth day of the fourth month arrived, a mist suddenly arose within the relic courtyard, but subsided after the noon meal. The sunlight shone brilliantly, and there was a cloud like a canopy situated right above the pagoda in the empty sky; a fine rain then fell without wetting any other place. Moreover, ducks, cranes, and diverse birds were evoked to soar and wheel above the pagoda. In the midst of the clouds, purple colors shaped like flowering torches were also seen. Furthermore, heavenly flowers rained down like snow, falling in profusion without ever reaching the ground.

Later, he was again sent to escort relics to Fameng Monastery in Jizhou. Digging to a depth of eight feet, they obtained a plank of Yuzhang wood, six ancient bricks, and two silver vases; they obtained one relic that floated on water and rotated smoothly. They also obtained a jewel whose substance contained nine colors, which people could not identify. All this was reported to the throne.

The monastery possessed an auspicious image. In the fifth year of the Daming era of the Song dynasty, the monastery monk Fajun dreamt of seeing a golden countenance of rare beauty and hearing a pure, distant Indic voice. Traveling accordingly, he reached the Sanqu River and saw an image in a deep pool, its light floating upon the water. Together with the Commandery Governor Zhou Zhan and others, he received it out; it was estimated to weigh a thousand catties, yet was as light as a few ounces. Its body was six feet four inches long and made of gilded bronze. Later, Changsha Commandery sent an aureole and pedestal to the capital; Emperor Wen ordered them sent back to be installed where the image was, and they matched seamlessly. The total height was more than nine feet. Beneath the hem of the Buddha's robe were more than ten characters of Indic script, which at first no one could read. Later there was a monk from the West who read it, saying: 'This was made by the fourth daughter of King Aśoka of Kapilavastu. Having suddenly disappeared, is it actually here?' At the end of the Tianjian era of the Liang dynasty, it repeatedly emitted light illuminating an entire room. Emperor Wu was about to invite it into the capital, but due to circumstances this was halted. In the seventh year of the Datong era, the Buddha's body sweated; in that year, Liu Jingxuan was burned out by rebels along with the commandery, and the monasteries were all completely destroyed, only the Buddha hall remaining untouched. By the tenth year, the image sweated all over again; the Prince of Xiangdong then welcomed it to Jiangling to pray for blessings, and it emitted light. In the twelfth year, it returned to Fameng Monastery; it emitted light for three days before stopping. In the sixth year of the Tianjia era of the Chen dynasty, further adornments were added. Therefore, the world transmitted its wondrous marvels, and people everywhere copied it.

Huizui personally paid reverent homage to it and had it painted at Guangming Monastery. Its skeleton and constitution were mighty and stalwart, truly possessing the marks of the Tamer [Buddha]; this is because people of the present day slight and overlook such things. Later, he passed away at his residing monastery.