續高僧傳 14.18

14.18

釋道基。俗姓呂氏。河南東平人也。素挺生知譽標岐嶷。年甫十四。負帙遊于彭城。博聽眾師隨聞成德。討論奧旨則解悟言前。披折新寄則思超文外。故徐許騰其明略。河海重其義方。致使儕等高推前修仰止。隋太尉尚書令楊素。負材經國任總權衡。嘗奉清猷躬申禮敬。敘言命理噎歎而旋。顧諸宰伯曰。基法師佛法之後寄也。自見名僧罕儔其匹。即請於東都講揚心論。既夙承風駕體預當衢。遊刃眾部玄機秀舉。遂能談寫河傾響對雷動。于時大業初歲。隋運會昌。義學高於風雲。搢紳峙於山岳。皆擁經講肆問道知歸。踵武相趨遐邇鱗萃。乃纘雜心玄章并抄八卷。大小兩帙由來共傳。成得諸門自昔相導。皆經緯部裂詞飛戾天。控敘抑揚範超前古。自爾四海標領盛結慧日道場。皆望氣相師指途知返。以基榮冠望表韻逸寰中。大業五年勅召來止。遂即對揚玄論允塞天心。隋后解統玄儒將觀釋府。總集義學躬臨論場。鑾駕徐移。鳴笳滿於馳道。御筵暫止。駐驆清于教門。自大法東流。斯席為壯觀也。時仗辯之徒。俱開令譽。及將登法座各擅英雄。而解有所歸。並揖基而為玄宰。既居眾望經綸乃心。便創舉宏綱次光帝德。百辟卿士。咸異嚮而共嗟焉。有隋墜曆寇蕩中原。求禮四夷宣尼有旨。乃鼓錫南鄭張教西岷。於是巴蜀奔飛望煙來萃。莫不廓清遊霧。邪正分焉。敦閱大乘弘揚攝論。釐改先轍緝纘亡遺。道邁往初名高宇內。以聽徒難襲承業易迷。乃又綴大乘章抄八卷。並詞致清遠風教倫通故覽卷履軾若登龍門焉。信鴻漸之有日矣。故貞觀帝里。㝢內知名之僧。傳寫流輝實為符契。但以世接無常生涯有寄。將修論疏。溘爾而終。以貞觀十一年二月。卒於益部福成寺。春秋六十有餘矣。時彭門蜀壘復有慧景寶暹者。並明攝論譽騰京國。景清慧獨舉詮暢玄津。文疏抽引亟發英采。暹神志包總高岸倫儔。談論倚伏態出新異。數術方藝無學不長。自預比肩莫有淪溺。末年耽滯偏駮遂掩徽猷。故不為時匠之所班列。

Shi Daoji, whose secular surname was Lü, was a native of Dongping in Henan. By nature he was born with innate wisdom, his reputation marked by precocious intelligence. When he was just fourteen, carrying his book satchel, he journeyed to Pengcheng, extensively listening to various teachers and perfecting his virtue with whatever he heard. When discussing profound meanings, he comprehended them before words were even uttered; when resolving new issues, his thoughts surpassed the text itself. Thus Xu and Xu praised his brilliant insights, and the rivers and seas revered his righteous model, causing his peers to hold him in high esteem and look up to him as an elder exemplar. Yang Su, the Grand Commandant and Director of the Department of State Affairs under the Sui, relied on his talents to govern the realm and held overall authority. He once admired Daoji's pure character and personally paid him respectful homage; after conversing on the principles of destiny, he sighed with admiration and turned back. Looking around at the various chief ministers, he said: 'Dharma Master Ji is the pillar of the Buddha's teaching for the future. Among the renowned monks I have seen, rarely is there anyone his equal.' He then requested him to lecture on and propagate the *Abhidharmahṛdaya-śāstra* in the Eastern Capital. Having long inherited the prestigious tradition and personally stood at the crossroads of learning, Daoji operated with ease throughout the various treatises, his profound insights strikingly evident. He was thus able to discourse as if a river were pouring down, answering objections like rolling thunder. At that time, in the early years of the Daye era, the fortunes of the Sui were flourishing. Doctrinal scholarship was higher than the wind and clouds, and the gentry stood like mountains. All clutching their scriptures to the lecture hall, they sought the Way and knew where to take refuge; treading in one another's footsteps, people from far and near gathered like fish scales. He then compiled the *Zaxin xuanzhang* (Profound Chapters on the *Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya-śāstra*) together with an abstract in eight scrolls. The large and small sets have traditionally circulated together, and their various divisions have guided students from of old. All of them systematically weave the sections together, their rhetoric soaring to the heavens; their control, narration, modulation, and standards surpassed those of former times. From then on, leaders from across the realm gathered grandly at the Huidi Daochang; all looked up to his aura to seek him as their teacher, pointing the way and knowing how to return. Because Daoji's glorious prominence surpassed expectations and his elegant manner was unique in the realm, an imperial decree summoned him to reside [there] in the fifth year of the Daye era (609). Thereupon he expounded profound treatises in response, thoroughly satisfying the imperial mind. The Sui empress, understanding the harmony of the mysterious [Daoism] and Confucianism, wished to observe the treasury of the Buddhist teachings; she gathered the doctrinal scholars and personally attended the debate arena. The imperial carriages moved slowly, and the sounding of pipes filled the imperial highway; the imperial procession paused for a while, its halt purifying the gate of the teaching. Since the Great Dharma flowed east, this assembly was truly a grand sight. At that time, the debaters all had glorious reputations; when about to ascend the Dharma seat, each showed his heroic prowess. Yet when the understanding was traced to its source, all yielded to Daoji as the profound master. Having met the expectations of the multitude, his mind was set on ordering [the doctrine]; he then first raised the grand outlines and next brought glory to the imperial virtue. The hundred ministers and high officials all turned toward him with distinct reverence and shared admiration. When the mandate of the Sui collapsed and bandits threw the Central Plains into turmoil, [remembering that] Confucius had the intention to seek rites among the four barbarian tribes, Daoji shook his monk's staff toward Nanzheng and spread the teachings in western Min. Thereupon the people of Ba and Shu rushed forward like flying birds, gathering like smoke; none failed to have their drifting mists cleared away, with the heterodox and orthodox clearly distinguished. He deeply studied the Mahāyāna and propagated the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*, reforming previous paths and editing what was lost or forgotten. His Way surpassed earlier times, and his name was exalted across the realm. Considering that students found it hard to inherit the tradition and were prone to lose their way, he further composed the *Dacheng zhangchao* (Abstract of Mahāyāna Chapters) in eight scrolls. Their style was pure and far-reaching, and their teaching was harmonious and comprehensive; thus, reading the scrolls and resting one's hands on the carriage-bar was like ascending the Dragon Gate. Truly the gradual ascent of the wild goose had its day! Therefore, in the imperial capital under the Zhenguan era, famous monks throughout the realm copied it and spread its radiance, which truly matched the truth. However, as the world encounters impermanence and life is merely a temporary lodge, he was about to write a commentary on the treatise when he suddenly passed away. In the second month of the eleventh year of the Zhenguan era (637), he passed away at Fucheng Monastery in Yibu, at an age of over sixty. At that time, in the strongholds of Pengmen and Shu, there were also Huijing and Baoxian, both of whom were well versed in the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* and whose reputations surged in the capital. Huijing's pure wisdom stood alone, thoroughly elucidating the profound ford; his textual citations constantly displayed outstanding brilliance. Baoxian's mind embraced everything, standing tall above his peers; his debates examined both sides, producing fresh and novel interpretations. In calculations and mantic arts, there was no study in which he did not excel. Having stood shoulder to shoulder [with Daoji], neither was eclipsed. But in their later years they became attached to eccentricities, which ultimately obscured their fine achievements; thus they were not placed in the ranks of the masters of the era.