續高僧傳 17.21

17.21

釋玄景。姓石氏。滄州人。十八被舉秀才。至鄴都。為和王省事。讀書一遍便究文義。須便輒引曾無所遺。五載之中無書可讀。晚從和禪師所聽大品維摩。景既後來門側立聽。深鑒超拔將歸受學。和以定業之望參問繁廣。令依止慧法師授以大乘祕奧之極。既沃乃心便志存捨俗。二十有七。與諸妻子執別。告云。自臨漳已南屬吾所遊。名涅槃境。臨漳已比是生死分。爾之行往也。吾誓非聖更不重涉。還從和公剃落。授以正法。景晨霄思擇統解玄微。遭周滅法逃潛林薄。又以禪道內外相融。開皇初年就緣講導。儀設華約事事翹心。故二時法會必香湯洒地。熏爐引導前經後景初無一絕。洗穢護淨欽若戒科。常讀開經行不過五。尋訖更展。其例如前。故每振法鼓。動即千人屯赴。供施為儔罕匹。所以景之房內。黃紫緇衣上下之服各百餘副。一時一換。為生初善。經身一著便以施僧。其感利之殷為如此也。後因臥疾三日。告侍人曰。玄覺。吾欲見彌勒佛。云何乃作夜摩天主。又云。賓客極多。事須看視。有問其故。答云。凡夫識想何可檢校。向有天眾邀迎耳。爾後異香充戶。眾共聞之。又曰。吾欲去矣。當願生世為善知識。遂終於所住。即大業二年六月也。自生常立願。沈骸水中。及其沒後遵用前旨。葬于紫陌河深瀅之中。三日往觀。所沈之處返成沙墳。極高峻而水分兩派。道俗異其雅瑞。傳迹于今。玄覺孝慈居性祖學先謨。後住京師隷莊嚴寺純講大乘。於文殊般若偏為意得。榮觀帝壤譽顯當鋒。

Śramaṇa Xuanjing, surnamed Shi, was a native of Cangzhou. At eighteen he was recommended as an elevated talent (xiucai). Arriving at the capital of Ye, he served as a secretary for Prince He. Reading a book once, he thoroughly understood its text and meaning; when required, he could cite it at once without missing anything. Within five years, there were no books left for him to read. Later, he went to Dhyāna Master He to listen to the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā and the Vimalakīrti. Jing, arriving late, stood by the doorway to listen. Master He, profoundly perceiving his outstanding nature, intended to accept him as a student. Because of Master He's high renown in meditation, inquiries were frequent and widespread, so he had him rely on Dharmabhāṇaka Hui to be taught the ultimate secrets of the Mahāyāna. Once these had nourished his heart, he set his mind on renouncing the world. At twenty-seven, he bid farewell to his wife and children, saying, 'South of Linzhang belongs to my wandering, termed the realm of nirvāṇa; north of Linzhang is the sphere of birth and death, your path of coming and going. I vow not to step back here again unless I become a sage.' He returned to Master He to have his head shaved and was transmitted the correct Dharma. Jing contemplated and discerned morning and night, thoroughly understanding the profound and subtle. When the Zhou suppressed the Dharma, he fled and hid in the forests and thickets. Moreover, through the meditation path, internal and external harmonized within him. In the early years of the Kaihuang reign, following conditions, he lectured and guided others. His ceremonial arrangements were magnificent yet concise, and in every matter he devoted his mind. Therefore, at the assemblies of the two periods, scented water was always sprinkled on the ground, and censers led the way; before the scriptures and behind Jing, there was never any interruption. He washed defilements and maintained purity, revering the precepts. He constantly read the scriptural openings, pacing no more than five steps, and upon finishing would open it again, following the former precedent. Hence, whenever he struck the Dharma drum, as many as a thousand people would swarm to assemble; offerings made to him had few equals. For this reason, inside Jing's room, there were more than a hundred sets each of yellow, purple, and black upper and lower garments. He changed once each period to generate primary wholesome roots; once worn on his body, they were bestowed upon the monks. The abundance of his inspirational benefit was like this. Later, falling ill in bed for three days, he said to his attendant, 'Xuanjue, I wished to see Maitreya Buddha, so why have I become the lord of the Yāma Heaven?' He also said, 'There are very many guests; I must attend to them.' When someone asked the reason, he answered, 'How can the consciousness and thoughts of ordinary beings be examined? Just now, the heavenly multitudes came to welcome me.' After that, a wondrous fragrance filled the room, which everyone smelled. He further said, 'I am going; I wish to be born in every lifetime as a good spiritual friend (kalyāṇamitra).' He then passed away in his residence; it was the sixth month of the second year of the Daye reign. During his life, he constantly made a vow to sink his remains in the water. After his demise, they complied with his former instruction and buried him in the deep depths of the Zimo River. When people went to view it after three days, the place where he had sunk had instead turned into a mound of sand, extremely high and steep, with the water dividing into two streams. Clergy and laity marveled at this elegant auspicious sign, and the trace has been handed down to this day. Xuanjue, filial and compassionate by nature, inherited and learned the former models. Later he resided in the capital, affiliated with Zhuangyan Temple, lecturing exclusively on the Mahāyāna. In the Mañjuśrī Prajñā[-pāramitā Sūtra], he especially grasped the intent, gaining an illustrious reputation in the imperial capital and prominence at the forefront of his day.