[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [續高僧傳](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060) › 11.24 # 續高僧傳 11.24 續高僧傳 11.24 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [11.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.11.24) 釋保恭。姓崔。青州人也。晉永嘉南遷止于建業。父超道本州刺史。十一投炅法師。將欲試其神采。乃以觀音誦之。初夜一時須臾便度。自謂聞之如經月頃。即度出家。會炅亡沒。夢見兩蛇從師脚出入恭脚中。忽爾驚覺。自覺心志弘雅身相安怗。便往開善徹法師所聽採成論。義疏極細狀如蠅頭。一領八紙不遺一字。眾齊五百莫不推先。受具已後隨惠曉禪師綜習定業。深明觀行頻蒙印可。又聽成實謂有餘悟。反求所明翻成疑阻。即以問諸講匠皆無通者。逢高昌嵩公開揚地持十地。因從受學。不逾年稔大義皆明。於前疑中。又削其半。乃行依地持偏講法華。控引宗歸。得其奧旨。陳至德初。攝山慧布。北鄴初還欲開禪府。苦相邀請建立清徒。恭揖布慧聲便之此任。樹立綱位引接禪宗。故得栖霞一寺道風不墜至今稱之詠歌不絕。恭又從布聽採三論善會玄言。於前諸疑都並消釋。及布之亡委以徒眾。既承付屬率誘如初。而德素尊嚴見者皆憚。整理僧務功在護持。仁壽末年獻后崩背。帝造佛寺綜御須人。僉委聲實以狀聞奏。下勅徵入為禪定道場主。綱正僧網清肅有聞。迄于隋代常蒞斯任。隋齊王暕。奉其道德禮以為師。既受戒已施衣五百領。一無所受乃從餘散。唐運初興歸心泉石。遂避官於藍田悟真寺。栖息林岫將事終焉。而御眾攝持聲光帝里。武德二年。下勅召還依舊檢校。仍改禪定為大莊嚴。及舉十德統攝僧尼。京輦諸僧懾憚威嚴遂不登及。高祖聞之曰。恭禪師志行清澄可為綱統。朕獨舉之。既位斯任諸無與對。遂居大德之右。專當剖斷。平恕衷詣眾無怨焉。以武德四年十二月十九日卒于大莊嚴寺。春秋八十。初恭弱年入道志力兼常。不以利傾不以威動。敦肅嚴毅深有大猷。曾經山行虎伏前道。從邊直過情無顧及。大業中年梟感起逆。僧有競者言與同謀。于時正在堂中登坐竪義。兵衛奄至圍遶階庭。合眾驚惶將散其席。恭曰。自省無事。待論義訖當自辯之。從容談敘都無異色。斯例甚眾。略陳一二。由茲風問陳隋唐代。三國天子之所隆焉。葬于京郊之西南。其碑唐祕書監蕭德言製文。 > Shi Baogong, surnamed Cui, was a native of Qingzhou. During the Yongjia era of the Jin dynasty, \[his family\] moved south and settled in Jianye. His father, Chaodao, was the inspector of their native province. At the age of eleven, \[Baogong\] went to Dharmabhāṇaka Jiong, who, wishing to test his mental acuity, had him recite the Guanyin \[sūtra\]. Within a single hour during the first watch of the night, he was already ordained, having felt that what he heard was as if a month had passed. Thereupon he was ordained into the monastic life (pravrajyā). Around the time Jiong died, \[Baogong\] dreamed that two snakes came out from his master's feet and entered his own. Startled awake, he felt his mind become broad and elegant, and his bodily appearance grew calm and composed. He then went to Dharmabhāṇaka Che of Kaishan \[Temple\] to hear and study the Chengshi lun (Tattvasiddhi-śāstra). Its doctrinal commentary was written in extremely fine script, resembling fly heads; yet he took in eight sheets of paper at a time without missing a single word. Among the congregation of five hundred, none did not yield precedence to him. After receiving full ordination, he followed Dhyāna Master Huixiao to cultivate the practice of concentration. He clearly comprehended the practices of contemplation and repeatedly received certification. He also listened to the Chengshi lun, thinking he would gain further awakening, but when he investigated what he had understood, it turned into doubts and obstacles instead. Thereupon he questioned various lecturing masters, but none could resolve them. Meeting Venerable Song of Gaochang who was expounding the Bodhisattvabhūmi (Dichi) and the Daśabhūmika (Shidi), he followed him to study. Before a full year had passed, all the major doctrines became clear. Of his former doubts, half were eliminated. He then took the Bodhisattvabhūmi as his basis and lectured specifically on the Lotus Sūtra, drawing together the essential tenets and attaining its profound meaning. At the beginning of the Zhide era of the Chen dynasty, Huibu of Mount She, having newly returned from Ye in the north, wished to open a dhyāna community; he earnestly invited \[Baogong\] to help establish the pure assembly. Baogong respected Bu's reputation for wisdom and accepted the appointment, establishing the monastic leadership and guiding the followers of the Dhyāna tradition. Thus, the tradition of Qixia Temple did not decline and is still praised and chanted down to this day. Baogong also heard and studied the Three Treatises under Bu, coming to skillfully understand their profound discourse, whereupon all his previous doubts completely vanished. When Bu died, he entrusted his disciples to \[Baogong\]. Having received this transmission, \[Baogong\] led and instructed them as before. His moral conduct was so austere and dignified that all who saw him stood in awe. In regulating monastic affairs, his merit lay in defending the Dharma (hufa). In the final years of Renshou, the Empress Dowager died. The Emperor built a Buddhist monastery and needed someone to supervise it; everyone attested to his reputation and reality and presented a memorial to the throne. An imperial edict was issued summoning him to become the director of the Zhanding Bodhimanda. He rectified the monastic order, and his purity and solemnity were widely known. Down to the end of the Sui dynasty, he constantly held this post. Prince Jian of Qi under the Sui dynasty revered his morality and took him as his master with full etiquette. After receiving the precepts, the prince offered five hundred sets of robes; \[Baogong\] accepted none of them and had them distributed to others. When the Tang dynasty first arose, he set his heart on mountains and streams, retiring from office to Wuzhen Temple in Lantian, intending to dwell among the forested peaks to end his days. Yet his leadership and discipline of the assembly shone with renown in the imperial capital. In the second year of Wude, an imperial edict summoned him back to inspect and oversee affairs as before, and Zhanding \[Temple\] was renamed Da Zhuangyan \[Temple\]. When the Ten Virtuous Ones (shide) were appointed to oversee the monks and nuns, the monks of the capital, intimidated by his majestic severity, did not dare recommend him. When Gaozu heard of this, he said: 'Dhyāna Master Gong's integrity and conduct are pure and serene; he is fit to be the supreme overseer. We alone nominate him.' Once he assumed this office, none could rival him. He ranked above the bhadantas and was exclusively in charge of judicial verdicts; his impartiality and thoroughness left the assembly without grievance. On the nineteenth day of the twelfth month in the fourth year of Wude, he passed away at Da Zhuangyan Temple at the age of eighty. In his youth when he entered the path, his resolve and strength exceeded the ordinary; he was not swayed by profit nor shaken by power. Sincere, solemn, and resolute, he possessed great principles. Once, while walking in the mountains, a tiger lay crouching in the road ahead; he walked straight past its side without a backward glance. In the middle of the Daye era, Xiaogan rose in rebellion, and a rival monk claimed \[Baogong\] was in league with him. At that time, he was sitting on the high seat in the hall establishing doctrinal propositions. Palace guards suddenly arrived and surrounded the steps and courtyard. The entire assembly was panic-stricken and on the verge of scattering from the session. Baogong said: 'I examine myself and find no guilt. Wait until the debate on doctrine is finished, and I will clarify it myself.' He continued the discussion with calm composure, showing not the slightest change in expression. Instances like this were numerous; here only one or two are briefly recorded. For this reason, his reputation was honored by the emperors of three dynasties: Chen, Sui, and Tang. He was buried in the southwest of the capital's suburbs. The inscription on his stele was composed by Xiao Deyan, Director of the Palace Library under the Tang. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 11.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.11.23) - [Next: 11.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.11.25) - [Up: 11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.11) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060~en-mt.11.24) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.11.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.11.24) · Pramāṇa