續高僧傳 15.19

15.19

釋慧璿。姓董氏。少出家在襄州。周滅法後南往陳朝。入茅山聽明師三論。又入栖霞聽懸布法師四論大品涅槃等。晚於安州大林寺聽圓法師釋論。凡所遊刃並契幽極。又返鄉梓住光福寺。會亂入城。盧總管等請在官舍講華嚴經。僧徒擁聚千五百人。既屬賊圍各懷翹敬。不久退散深惟法力。唐運斯泰又住龍泉。三論大經鎮常弘闡。兼達莊老史子談笑動人。公私榮達參問繁結。蔣紀諸王互臨襄部。躬申敬奉坐鎮如初。王出門顧曰。迎送不行。佛法之望也。由此聲譽又逸漢南。貞觀二十三年。講涅槃經。四月八日夜。山神告曰。法師疾作房宇。不久當生西方。至七月十四日講盂蘭盆經竟。斂手曰。生常信施今須通散。一毫以上捨入十方眾僧及窮獨乞人并諸異道。言已而終於法座矣。春秋七十有九。惟璿立性虛靜不言人非。賓客相投欣若朋友。面常含笑慈育在懷。涉獵玄儒通冠文釆。襄荊士素咸傾仰之。聞其長往無不墮淚。初住光福寺。居山頂引汲為勞。將移他寺夜見神人。身長一丈衣以紫袍。頂禮璿曰。奉請住此常講大乘。勿以小乘為慮。其小乘者亦如高山無水不能利人。大乘經者猶如大海。自止此山多佛出世。一人讀誦講說大乘。能令所住珍寶光明眷屬榮勝飲食豐饒。若有小乘前事並失。惟願弘持勿孤所望法師須水。此易得耳。來月八日定當得之。自往劍南慈母山大泉。請一龍王去也。言已不見。恰至來期七日初夜。大風卒起從西南來。雷震雨注。在寺北漢高廟下佛堂後百步許。通夜相續至明方住。惟見清泉香而且美。合眾同幸。及亡龍泉漸便乾竭。據斯以言亦感通之奇致矣。

Śramaṇa Huixuan had the secular surname of Dong. He entered monastic life at an early age in Xiangzhou. After the Northern Zhou abolished the Dharma, he went south to the Chen dynasty. He entered Maoshan to listen to Master Ming's lectures on the *Three Treatises*, and also entered Qixia to listen to Dharma Master Xuanbu lecture on the *Four Treatises*, the *Large Perfection of Wisdom* (*Dapin*), and the *Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra*. Later, at Dalin Temple in Anzhou, he listened to Dharma Master Yuan's exposition of the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa* (*Shilun*). In all these fields wherein he wielded his intellect, he matched the profoundest depths. He then returned to his hometown and resided at Guangfu Temple. Meeting with chaos, he entered the city. Area Commander Lu and others invited him to lecture on the *Avataṃsaka Sūtra* in official quarters. The assembly of monks gathered around him reached one thousand five hundred. Since they were besieged by bandits, everyone harboured reverent devotion; shortly thereafter [the bandits] retreated and dispersed, and they deeply attributed this to the power of the Dharma. When the fortunes of the Tang flourished, he resided at Longquan Temple, constantly propagating and expounding the *Three Treatises* and the great scriptures. In addition, he was thoroughly conversant with Zhuangzi, Laozi, the histories, and the philosophers; his conversation and wit were moving to people. Official and private dignitaries continuously paid visits and consulted him. Princes such as those of Jiang and Ji successively came to govern the Xiang region; they personally offered their respects, while he sat firmly as before. The prince stepped out the gate, looked back, and said: 'Neither welcoming arrivals nor seeing off departures—truly he is the hope of the Buddhadharma!' On account of this, his fame became pre-eminent south of the Han River. In the twenty-third year of the Zhenguan era (649), he was lecturing on the *Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra*. On the night of the eighth day of the fourth month, a mountain deity told him: 'Dharma Master, build rooms quickly; before long you will be born in the Western Pure Land.' On the fourteenth day of the seventh month, having finished lecturing on the *Ullambana Sūtra*, he folded his hands and said: 'All the offerings of the faithful received throughout my life must now be thoroughly distributed: everything down to the finest hair shall be renounced and given to the monks of the ten directions, the destitute and lonely, beggars, and various non-Buddhists.' Having spoken, he passed away upon the Dharma seat. His age was seventy-nine. Xuan was by nature serene and quiet, never speaking of the faults of others. When guests came to him, he rejoiced as if with friends. His face always bore a smile, and his heart was filled with compassionate nurturing. He dipped into the abstruse and Confucian teachings, excelling in literary grace. Literati and commoners of Xiang and Jing all looked up to him with admiration; hearing of his departure, none failed to shed tears. When he first resided at Guangfu Temple on the mountain peak, fetching water was laborious. Just as he was about to move to another temple, he saw a divine spirit at night, ten feet tall and clad in a purple robe. Bowing to Xuan, he said: 'I respectfully invite you to reside here and constantly lecture on the Mahāyāna; do not be concerned with the Hīnayāna. The Hīnayāna is like a high mountain without water, unable to benefit beings. The Mahāyāna scriptures are like the great ocean. Since my staying on this mountain, many Buddhas have appeared in the world. If one person recites and expounds the Mahāyāna, they can cause their dwelling place to be filled with precious jewels, radiance, flourishing retinue, and abundant food and drink. If there is Hīnayāna, all the former things will be lost. I only pray you will propagate and uphold it, and not disappoint our hopes. The Dharma Master requires water; this is easily obtained. On the eighth day of the coming month, you will certainly obtain it. I myself will go to the Great Spring of Mount Cimu in Jiannan to invite a dragon king.' Having spoken, he vanished. Exactly at the appointed time, at dusk on the seventh day, a great wind suddenly arose from the southwest, accompanied by thunderclaps and pouring rain, about a hundred paces behind the Buddha hall beneath the Han Emperor Gao Temple north of the monastery. It continued throughout the night, stopping only at dawn. There was only a clear spring, fragrant and delicious, and the entire assembly rejoiced together. When he passed away, the Dragon Spring gradually ran dry. Judging from this, it was also an extraordinary manifestation of spiritual resonance.