續高僧傳 12.26

12.26

釋善胄。俗姓淮氏。瀛州人。少出家。通敏易悟機達為心。預涉講會樂詳玄極。大論涅槃是所鑽注。齊破投陳。奔造非數。年屢荐餒告乞是難。日濟一餅纔充延命。形極羸悴眾不齒錄。行至一寺聞講涅槃。因入論義。止得三番。高座無解低頭飲氣。徒眾千餘停偃講席。於是扶舉而下。既至房中奄然而卒。胄時論訖即出。竟不知之。後日更造。乃見造諸喪具。因問其故。乃云。法師昨為北僧所難。乃因即致死。眾不識胄。不之擒捉。聞告自審退而潛焉。經于數日後得陳僧。將挾復往他講所。論義者無不致屈。斃者三人。由此發名振績。大光吳越。隋初度北依遠法師。止于京邑住淨影寺。聽徒千數並鋒銳一期。而胄覆述竪義神采秀發。偏師論難妙通解語。遠制涅槃文疏。而胄意所未弘。乃命筆改張剖成卷軸鑿深義窟利寶罔遺。遠聞告曰。知子思力無前。如何對吾改作。想更別圖可耶。胄曰。若待法師即世方有修定。則胄之虛名終無實錄。遠乃從之。疏既究成。分宗匠世。亟有陳異。遠亡之後。勅令於淨影寺為涅槃眾主。開皇將末。蜀王秀鎮部梁益。携與同行。岷嶓望德日歸成務。逮仁壽末歲。還返關中。處蜀道財悉營尊像。光坐嚴飾。絕世名士雖途經危險。而步運並達。在京供養以為模範。會文帝置塔。勅送舍利于梓州牛頭山華林寺。嚴輿將達。感猪八頭突到輿下從行至館。驅逐乃走。還來如故。漸至城治。黑蜂四枚形甚壯偉。隨輿旋遶數匝便去。既至州館夜放大光明徹屋上如火焰發。食頃方滅。又掘塔基入深丈餘。正當函處得古瓷瓶。無蓋有水。清澄香美。乃用盛於函內。寺有九層浮圖。從西南角第二級放光。上照相輪如五石瓮許。黃赤如火良久方隱。又堂內彌勒像亦放眉間紫光。并二菩薩亦放赤光通照寺院。前後七度。眾人同見。除不來者。及大業造寺。廣召德僧。胄應高選。又住禪定屢開法席。傳嚮相尋因感風疾。脣口喎偏。時人謂。改張遠疏之所及也。初遠以涅槃為五分。末為闍維分。胄尋之揣義改為七分。無有闍維。第七云結化歸宗分。自風疾多載。而問難尋常。為諸學者所共驚憚。後忽患損口如恒日。胄曰。吾患既差命必終矣。此不可怪。理數然也。大業十三年欲返本寺。眾不許之。乃以土塞口。欲自取死。寺眾見其志決。方復開許。以武德三年八月內終於淨影寺。春秋七十有一。初患篤謂門人曰。吾一生正信在心。於佛理教無心輕略。不慮淨土不生。即令拂拭房宇。燒香嚴待。病來多日委臥不起。忽爾自坐合掌。語侍人曰。安置世尊令坐。口云。世尊來也。胄今懺悔慚愧。如是良久曰。世尊去矣。低身似送。因臥曰。向者阿彌陀佛來。汝等不見耶。不久吾當去耳。語頃便卒。葬于城南韋曲之北崖。遵遺令也。弟子慧威住大總持。講尋宗迹著名京室。

Śramaṇa Shanzhou was surnamed Huai and was a native of Yingzhou. He left home in his youth. Quick-witted, easy to awaken, with an understanding heart, he took part in lecture gatherings and loved exploring the profound heights; the Da zhidu lun and the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra were where he focused his efforts. When the Qi fell, he fled to the Chen, rushing about repeatedly. Year after year of famine made begging for alms difficult; he survived on a single cake a day, barely enough to preserve his life. His body was so emaciated and haggard that the community did not deign to register him. Arriving at a temple, he heard a lecture on the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, whereupon he entered into debate. After only three exchanges, the [master on the] high seat had no explanation, hung his head, and choked back his words. The congregation of over a thousand suspended the lecture platform. Thereupon he was assisted down, and as soon as he reached his room, he suddenly died. Zhou left as soon as the debate ended, entirely unaware of it. When he returned another day, he saw funeral implements being prepared. Inquiring about the cause, he was told, "Yesterday the dharmabhāṇaka was refuted by a northern monk, and consequently died." The crowd did not recognize Zhou, so they did not seize him. Hearing this, he examined himself and withdrew into hiding. After several days, he was joined by a monk of Chen, who brought him along to other lecture assemblies; among those who debated with him, none failed to be defeated, and three died. Through this his name became known and his achievements resounded, greatly illuminating Wu and Yue. At the beginning of the Sui, he crossed to the north and relied on Master [Hui]yuan, staying in the capital and residing at Jingying Temple. The assembly of auditors numbered by the thousands, all sharp minds of the day, yet when Zhou recapitulated the doctrine and established propositions, his demeanor and talent were exceptionally prominent. When other masters posed difficulties in debate, he responded with wondrous mastery. Yuan had composed a commentary on the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, but there were parts Zhou wished to expand upon, so he took up the brush to revise and alter it, dissecting it into fascicles, digging into the caves of deep meaning without leaving any precious treasure behind. When Yuan heard of this, he told him, "I know that your intellect is unmatched, but how can you revise my work before my face? Would it not be better to plan something of your own?" Zhou said, "If I wait until after the dharmabhāṇaka passes away to make revisions, then my empty reputation will never have a true record." Yuan then assented. Once the commentary was completed, it became an authoritative model of the tradition, yet frequently presented divergent points. After Yuan's death, an imperial edict appointed [Zhou] master of the Mahāparinirvāṇa congregation at Jingying Temple. Toward the end of Kaihuang, King Xiu of Shu was sent to govern Liang and Yi prefectures, and brought him along. From the Min and Bo rivers, people admired his virtue, and every day people flocked to achieve their purposes. Towards the end of Renshou, he returned to the Guanzhong region. The wealth he had obtained along the roads of Shu was entirely used to create revered statues, adorned with aureoles and pedestals. Although the peerless eminent master encountered perilous paths, his porters and transport arrived safely. In the capital, they were offered and venerated as models. When Emperor Wen established stūpas, an imperial edict ordered him to escort relics to Hualin Temple on Mount Niutou in Zizhou. As the ornate carriage approached, it miraculously prompted eight pigs to rush under the carriage and follow along all the way to the lodgings; when driven off they fled, but returned as before. As they neared the prefectural capital, four black hornets of immense size circled the carriage several times and departed. Once at the prefectural lodging, that night a great light was emitted, illuminating above the building like rising flames, which subsided only after the time of a meal. When digging the foundation of the stūpa more than a zhang deep, an ancient ceramic jar was found right where the reliquary was to be placed; it had no lid and contained water, clear, fragrant, and pure. It was used to fill the reliquary. The temple had a nine-story stūpa, which emitted light from the second level at the southwest corner, shining up onto the finial rings like a five-stone jar, yellowish-red like fire, which faded only after a long while. Furthermore, the Maitreya statue within the hall emitted a purple light from between its brows, and the two bodhisattvas also emitted red light illuminating the entire temple; this occurred seven times in all, witnessed by everyone except those who had not come. When temples were built during the Daye era and virtuous monks were widely summoned, Zhou answered the high selection. He also resided in the Chanding [Temple] and frequently opened platforms for the Dharma; with invitations following one after another, he contracted a wind disorder, causing his lips and mouth to become twisted. People at the time said this was retribution for having revised Yuan's commentary. Originally, Yuan had divided the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra into five sections, ending with the cremation section; Zhou investigated and deduced the meaning, altering it into seven sections without a cremation section, the seventh being the section on concluding transformation and returning to the source. Although suffering from the wind disorder for many years, his debates remained ordinary, inspiring awe and trepidation in all scholars. Later, his mouth suddenly became normal as in former days. Zhou said, "Now that my affliction is cured, my life must come to an end. This is not strange; it is the natural course of principle." In the thirteenth year of Daye, he wished to return to his original temple, but the community would not permit it. Thereupon he stuffed his mouth with soil, intending to seek his own death. Seeing his firm determination, the temple community finally allowed him to leave. In the eighth month of the third year of Wude, he passed away at Jingying Temple at the age of seventy-one. When his illness became grave, he told his disciples, "Throughout my life, correct faith has resided in my heart; toward the principles and teachings of the Buddha, I have never had a slighting thought. I have no worry that I will not be born in the Pure Land." He then had his room swept clean, burned incense, and waited solemnly. After being bedridden for many days, he suddenly sat up on his own, joined his palms, and said to his attendants, "Arrange a seat for the World-Honoured One to sit." Then he said, "The World-Honoured One has arrived! Zhou now repents with shame and remorse." After a long while, he said, "The World-Honoured One is departing," bowing low as if seeing him off. Then, lying down, he said, "A moment ago Amitābha Buddha came; did you not see him? Before long, I shall depart." Shortly after speaking, he passed away. He was buried on the northern cliff of Weiqu south of the city, in accordance with his testamentary instructions. His disciple Huiwei resided at Da Zongchi Temple, where he lectured and sought out the teachings of the tradition, becoming famed in the capital.