續高僧傳 18.22

18.22

釋靜端。一名慧端。本武威人。後住雍州。年十四投僧實禪師。受治心法。深所印可。經魏周隋。崇挹佛化闡弘不絕。以靜操知名。後歸于曇相禪師。習行定業。周滅法時。乃竭力藏舉諸經像等百有餘所。終始護持。冀後法開用為承緒。及隋開化。並總發之。經籍廣被。端之力也。重預出家還宗本習。擁徒結道綽有餘勳。而謙損儉退。無與時爭。服御三衣應法杖鉢。一床一食用卒生報。獲利即散餘無資畜。名行既著貴賤是崇。隋漢王諒。重其戒德數受弘訓。文帝獻后延進入宮。從受正法稟其歸護。遂留宮宿。端曰。出家之人情標離俗。宮中非宿寢之所。數引宮禁。常弘戒約。勅以牙像檀龕及諸金貨。前後奉賜令興福力。故今寺宇高廣。皆端之餘緒焉。所以財事增榮日懸寺宇。一無所受並歸僧庫。而常掩室下帷。靜退人物。仁壽年中。有勅送舍利於豫州。屢放白光變為五彩旋轉瓶側。見者發心。鑿石為銘。文至皇帝。鐫治將訖。乃變為金字。分明外徹。時以為嘉瑞也。屬高祖升遐隋儲嗣曆。造大禪定。上福文皇。召海內靜業者居之。以端道悟群心。勅總綱任。辭不獲免。創臨僧首。于時四方義聚人百其心。法令未揚。或愆靈化。而端躬事軌勉。咸敬而揖之。使夫饕惰之士悛勵而從訓勗者殷矣。以大業二年冬十二月二十七日。終于禪林本寺。春秋六十有四。瘞于京之東郊故禪林寺廟。猶陳五色。牙席千秋。樹皮袈裟存焉。由物希故觀者眾矣。

Shi Jingduan, also named Huiduan, was originally a native of Wuwei, and later resided in Yongzhou. At the age of fourteen, he placed himself under Dhyāna Master Sengshi to receive the method of mind-rectification, which was deeply authenticated [by the master]. Passing through the Wei, Zhou, and Sui dynasties, he revered the Buddhist transformation and propagated it without cease, becoming renowned for his tranquil conduct. Later he returned to Dhyāna Master Tanxiang to practice the karma of meditative concentration. When the Zhou proscribed the Dharma, he exerted all his strength to hide and store various scriptures and images in more than a hundred places, safeguarding them from beginning to end, hoping they would serve to continue the lineage after the Dharma was later restored. When the Sui revived civilization, he brought them all forth. That the scriptural texts were widely diffused was due to Duan's effort. He re-entered the monastic life and returned to venerating his original practice; assembling disciples and forming paths of practice, he had merits to spare. Yet he was humble, thrifty, and retiring, never contending with the times. He wore the three robes and carried the rule-abiding staff and bowl; with a single bed and a single meal, he spent his physical existence. Whatever gains he received he immediately dispersed, having no remaining wealth accumulated. As his reputation and conduct were already prominent, both noble and base revered him. Liang, Prince of Han of the Sui, esteemed his precept-virtue and frequently received his broad instruction. Emperor Wen and Empress Xian invited him into the palace, where they received the correct Dharma and took refuge under him, and thus had him lodge overnight in the palace. Duan said, 'The aim of one who has left home is to renounce the secular; the inner palace is no place to spend the night.' He was repeatedly summoned to the imperial palace, constantly promoting the monastic precepts. By imperial decree he was given an ivory image, a sandalwood shrine, and various gold goods, repeatedly presented to him to enable him to foster the power of merit; thus the current height and breadth of the temple buildings are all due to the remaining heritage of Duan. Therefore, while wealth and affairs increased in glory, day by day hanging about the temple buildings, he accepted none of it, all being remanded to the monastic treasury. He constantly closed his doors and lowered his curtains, tranquilly retiring from people and matters. During the Renshou era, there was an imperial decree to convey relics to Yuzhou; they repeatedly emitted white light, which changed into five colors revolving around the bottle. Those who saw it gave rise to the aspiration for enlightenment. When stone was chiseled to make an inscription, as the text reached the words 'August Emperor' and the carving was nearly finished, it changed into golden characters, clear and penetrating to the outside; at the time it was regarded as an auspicious sign. When Gaozu passed away and the Sui Heir Apparent succeeded to the throne, he built the Da Chanding Temple to bring blessings to Emperor Wen above, and summoned those who cultivated quietude throughout the realm to dwell there. Because Duan's spiritual realization enlightened the minds of the multitude, he was appointed by imperial decree to oversee the saṅgha's governance. He declined but could not obtain exemption, and thus first presided as head of the saṅgha. At that time, when teachers of doctrine gathered from the four quarters, each had a different view; the rules and laws had not yet been promulgated, and some transgressed the spiritual transformation. Yet Duan personally modeled and encouraged proper standards, so that all respected and bowed to him, causing greedy and indolent men to reform, exert themselves, and follow his instructions in great numbers. On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month in the winter of the second year of Daye, he died at his original temple of Chanlin, at the age of sixty-four. He was buried in the eastern suburbs of the capital at the shrine of the former Chanlin Temple. Five colors are still displayed there, with ivory mats lasting a thousand autumns, and his tree-bark kāṣāya remains preserved. Because such objects are rare, those who come to view them are numerous.