續高僧傳 14.26

14.26

釋慧稜。姓申屠氏。西隆人。胎中父亡。惟母鞠育。三歲懁慧。思願聞法。母氏憐其孤苦。相從來聽襄陽閏法師三論。文義之間深有領覽。年至八歲其母又終。無師自發。獨詣邑西檀溪寺誕律師而出家。十六乃往荊州茅山明法師下。依位伏聽。問經大意深有奇理。召入房中。三年曲教惟陳不有有也稜於此義深會其旨。隋末還襄。又逐安州暠師入蜀凡有法輪皆令覆述。吐言質樸談理入微。時人同號得意稜也。及暠下獄。稜亦同繩。身被桎梏於成都縣。一獄囚徒請講三論。周於五遍。勅遂釋放。便逐暠還。既達安州糧粒勇貴。旦往隨州巡里告索。暮達暠所如常採聽。往還三百深有足功。然其報力雄猛。生無一患。門學所推。及暠力微四大退貶。令代講涅槃。咸怪其言謂違暠義。時席端俊異者三十餘人。將往副水百有餘日。惟講三論。後暠患愈還返安州。常於暠房敘經大意。外有側聽皆為漫語白暠曰。稜於初章全若不解。明日上講。請為定之。及時告曰。欲定初章者出來。時問侶蓋眾者二十五人。一一誦呈。皆云不是。稜最後述句。句雖異皆云得意。由是靡伏莫敢輕者。暠之將終告曰。稜公來。吾今付囑最後續種。自吾講來惟汝一人得經旨趣。乃握稜手曰。夫講說者應如履劍。不貪利養不憚劬勞。欲得燈傳多於山寺。讀經法事並為物軌。如為一人眾多亦然。如此可名報佛恩也。又曰。共公同涉苦辛。年載不少。惟以無相為本。然後言矣。語已而終。初未囑前。稜夢神人失兩眼。又見一人著青衣執寶鏡放光來印。稜心既受訣已。百日懷戀。後還襄州紫金寺。講論五年。眾有三百。貞觀八年又還須彌。講涅槃大品惟度等經。至十二年三月。夢鷹入寺群鳥飛去。因即散眾。及司功搜訪。一無所獲蔣王臨襄。佛法昌顯。請於梵雲相續齋講。道俗翕習又復騰涌。至十四年正月半。有感通寺昶法師。曰夢見閻王請稜公講三論。拔公講法華如何。稜曰。善哉。慧稜發願。常處地獄教化眾生講大乘經。既有此徵。斯願畢矣。至九月末。蔣王見稜氣弱。送韶州乳二兩。逼令服之。其夕夢見一衣冠者曰。勿服此乳。閻羅王莊嚴道場已竟大有乳藥。至十月半黃昏時。遂覺不悆。告弟子曰。吾五藏已崩無有痛所。四更起坐告寺主寶度曰。憶年八歲往龍泉寺借觀音。未至耆闍已講三遍皎如目前。言未訖。外有大聲告曰。法師早起燒香。使人即到。度曰何人。答曰。閻羅王使迎。稜即起燒香洗浴懺悔禮佛訖。還房中與度別。食粥未了。便取一生私記焚之曰。此私記於他讀之。不得其致矣。至小食時異香忽來。稜斂容便卒。即十四年十月十六日也。春秋六十有五。合境僧眾七日七夜法集功德。蔣王贈絹五十疋。送於鳳林山。玄素同集五千餘人。開講設齋。終日方退云。

Śramaṇa Huileng was surnamed Shentu and was a native of Xilong. His father died while he was still in the womb, and he was nurtured solely by his mother. At the age of three he was clever and wise, with a wish to hear the Dharma. His mother pitied his solitary hardship and accompanied him to listen to Dharma Master Run of Xiangyang on the Three Treatises; he had a deep comprehension of the text and its meaning. At the age of eight, his mother also passed away. Without a master, his own aspiration arose; he went alone to Tanxi Temple west of the town to take the tonsure under Vinaya Master Dan. At sixteen he went to Jingzhou to study under Dharma Master Ming of Mount Mao. Submitting to his position, he listened reverently; when asking about the great themes of the sūtras, his inquiries contained profound and wondrous principles. Ming summoned him into his chamber, and for three years gave him detailed instruction, explaining only 'not being and being.' Leng deeply grasped the import of this doctrine. Toward the end of the Sui, he returned to Xiang[yang], and then followed Master Gao of Anzhou into Shu. Wherever the wheel of Dharma was turned, Gao always had him summarize and repeat it. His speech was plain, but his discourse on the principles penetrated the subtle; the people of that time all called him 'Leng Who Grasps the Meaning.' When Gao was imprisoned, Leng was bound along with him. Shackled in Chengdu County, the prisoners in the jail asked him to lecture on the Three Treatises, which he completed five times. By imperial decree they were subsequently released, and he then followed Gao back. Having reached Anzhou, grain had grown exceedingly expensive; in the morning he went to Suizhou, going through the hamlets to beg, and in the evening he returned to Gao's quarters, taking in the lectures as usual. Traveling back and forth three hundred [li], he showed great ability in walking. His karmic retribution power was mighty, and in his whole life he suffered not a single illness, being respected by all his fellow disciples. When Gao's strength waned and the four great elements declined, he ordered Leng to lecture on the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] in his stead. Everyone was surprised by his words, considering them contrary to Gao's doctrine. At that time, more than thirty outstanding members of the assembly went to Fushui for over one hundred days, lecturing solely on the Three Treatises. Later, when Gao recovered from his illness, he returned to Anzhou. Leng often expounded the great themes of the sūtras in Gao's room; those listening from outside regarded it as careless talk and reported to Gao: 'Leng does not understand the opening chapter at all. Tomorrow, when you take the high seat, please settle it for him.' When the time came, Gao announced: 'Those who wish to settle the opening chapter, step forward.' At that time, twenty-five prominent scholars among the assembly each recited and presented their views, but Gao said none of them were correct. Leng spoke last, and although his phrasing was different, Gao said he had grasped the meaning. Thereupon all bowed in submission, none daring to slight him. When Gao was about to die, he said: 'Come, Master Leng. I now entrust to you the final continuation of the lineage. Since I began lecturing, you alone have grasped the purport of the sūtras.' He then took Leng's hand and said: 'One who lectures and expounds should be like walking upon a sword, neither greedy for profit and support nor shrinking from toil. If you wish the lamp to be transmitted, reside mostly in mountain temples; chanting sūtras and performing Dharma services should all serve as models for beings. As for one person, so also for the many. Only thus can one be called one who repays the Buddha's kindness.' He also said: 'You and I have undergone hardships together for not a few years. Take only formlessness as the foundation, and speak thereafter.' Having spoken, he passed away. Earlier, before the entrustment, Leng dreamt that a spirit lost both eyes, and also saw a person wearing green clothes holding a precious mirror radiating light to seal him. Once his mind had received the instruction, he cherished yearning for a hundred days. Later he returned to Zijin Temple in Xiangzhou, lecturing and debating for five years before an assembly of three hundred. In the eighth year of Zhenguan, he returned to Xumi [Temple], lecturing on the Nirvāṇa, Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā, and other sūtras. In the third month of the twelfth year, he dreamt that a hawk entered the temple and a flock of birds flew away; thereupon he dispersed the assembly. When the administrative officer came searching, he found nothing. When the Prince of Jiang governed Xiang, the Buddha-Dharma flourished; he invited Leng to Fanyun [Temple] for continuous fasting assemblies and lectures, and monastics and laypeople gathered in surging crowds. At the middle of the first month of the fourteenth year, Dharma Master Chang of Gantong Temple said he dreamt that King Yama had invited Master Leng to lecture on the Three Treatises, and Master Ba to lecture on the Lotus; what did he think? Leng said: 'Excellent! Huileng has made a vow always to abide in hell to teach living beings and lecture on the Mahāyāna sūtras. Since there is this omen, this vow will be fulfilled.' Toward the end of the ninth month, seeing Leng's vitality weakening, the Prince of Jiang sent two ounces of Shaozhou milk, pressing him to take it. That evening, he dreamt of a man in court robes who said: 'Do not take this milk. King Yama has already adorned the bodhimaṇḍa, and there is abundant milk and medicine.' In the middle of the tenth month at dusk, he felt unwell and told his disciples: 'My five viscera have collapsed, yet there is no place of pain.' At the fourth watch he sat up and told Baodu, the abbot of the temple: 'I remember at the age of eight going to Longquan Temple to borrow the Avalokiteśvara [text]; before reaching Gṛdhrakūṭa I had already lectured on it three times, vivid as if before my eyes.' Before he finished speaking, a loud voice outside called out: 'Dharma Master, rise early to burn incense; the messenger will arrive at once!' Du asked: 'Who is it?' The reply was: 'The messenger sent by King Yama to welcome him.' Leng immediately rose, burned incense, bathed, repented, and paid homage to the Buddha. Returning to his chamber, he bid farewell to Du. Before finishing his porridge, he took the private notes of his lifetime and burned them, saying: 'If others read these private notes, they will not grasp their essence.' At the time of the morning meal, an extraordinary fragrance suddenly wafted in; Leng composed his expression and passed away. This was the sixteenth day of the tenth month of the fourteenth year, at the age of sixty-five. The monks of the entire district gathered for seven days and nights of Dharma assemblies to accumulate merit. The Prince of Jiang donated fifty bolts of silk to escort him to Mount Fenglin. Over five thousand monastics and laypeople gathered together; after opening lectures and hosting a vegetarian feast, they dispersed only at the end of the day.