續高僧傳 20.20

20.20

釋靜琳。俗姓張氏。本族南陽。後居京兆之華原焉。幼齡背世清附緇門。初誕之日有外國道人曰。此兒當貴。若出家者大弘佛法。七歲投僧出家。役以田疇無乖道訓。不果本望。深惟非法也。自顧而言曰。此而未捨。與俗何殊。更從一師服膺正化。遭周滅法且附俗緣。年在弱冠希期無怠。會隋氏啟運。即投曇猛法師。乃以二事相攝經于五年。猶事沙彌未敢受具。慶蒙開法欲廣見聞。辭其本師南遊樊鄧。便於彼部奉進大戒。既爰初受法未曉清規。遠赴青齊聽於律禁。後發前至為諸聽先。又於覺法師所聽受十地。迴趾鄴都。炬法師所採聽華嚴楞伽思益。皆通貫精理妙思英拔。舊傳新解往往程器。時即推令敷化。講散幽旨並驚所未聞。而胸臆所憶猶謂不足。展轉周聽博遍東川。蓄解尋師又至蒲晉。有沙門道遜道順者。聲名大德也。留講十地經于涼燠。雖復聽徒欣泰。而志逾煩梗。下坐處房撫膺審曰。法本治病。而今慢法更增。且道貴虛通。而今耽著彌固。此不可也。即捨講業專習禪門。初學不淨念處等法。又嫌其瑣小煩稽人慮。乃學大乘諸無得觀。離念唯識彌所開宗。每習一解陶練十年。精其昔知更新後習。而弊食麁衣。情欲斯絕。後入白鹿山。山糧罕繼。便試以却粒之法。孤放窮巖又經累載。山中業定昏睡惑心。乃臨峭絕懸崖下望千仞。旁生一樹纔得勝人。以草藉之加坐其上。於中繫念動逾宵日。怖死既重專深弘觀。後聞泰岳特多靈異。便往尋之。既達彼山。夜見火炬周環高曜峯巖。即事追求累日方至。乃見五六尼眾匡坐論道。琳初通訊問。共議唯識等理。未盡言間忽然不見。惆悵久悟法誠爾也。後入關中遇曇遷禪師講開攝論。一聞如舊慧不新聞。仁壽四年。下勅送舍利於華原石門山之神德寺。琳即於此住。居靜課業。行解之盛名布京師。大業三年。有沙門還原等。延請帝城。在明輪妙象諸寺。講揚攝論識者歸焉。尋即降勅召入道場。既達東都禪門更擁。齊王暕情深理定。每就諮欵請至本第從奉歸戒。鴻臚蘇[蒠-心+(冗-几+(止*(ㄇ/又)))]。學高前古。舉朝冠蓋。稟宗師訓為舟為梁。高陽道雄道體。趙郡道獻明則等。並釋門威鳳。智海明珠。咸承理味酌以華實。襄陽洪哲。德高楚望風力俊駭。聞琳聲穆時彥。故來相架。乃致問云。懷道者多。專意何業。琳見其詞骨難競。聊以事徵告云。山谷高深意定何在。哲云。山高谷深由來自爾。琳曰。若如來言。餘處取土填谷齊山為定高不。哲悟此一言致詞歎伏。由是秀頴附津。稽疑重沓。故令譽風宣彌繁賞。會琳以象教東漸法網雖嚴至於僧儀正度猶未光闡。欲遍遊閻浮備殫靈迹。以十三年內具表聞帝。當蒙恩詔令使巡方。并給使人傳國書信。行達襄土方趣海南。屬寇賊交侵中國背叛。途路梗澁還返南陽。義寧二年。被召入京。住大總持如常弘演。光陰既積學者成林。武德三年。正平公李安遠。奏造弘法。素奉崇信。別令召之。琳立意離緣攝慮資道。會隋末壅閉唐運開弘。皂白歸依光隆是慶。乃削繁就簡。惟敷中論為宗。餘則維摩起信。權機屢展。夜則勗以念慧每事徵研。並使解出自心不從他授。玄琬律師道王關河躬承令則。自餘法侶歲獻奇倫。任城王及太妃楚國太妃安平公主等。皇家帝葉請戒第宅。隆禮頻繁。國子祭酒蕭璟。工部尚書張亮。詹事杜正倫。司農李道裕等。並誓為弟子。備諸法物恒令服御。久以徒侶義學爰缺律宗。乃躬請智首律師敷弘四分。一舉十遍身令眾先。故使教法住持京輦稱最。乃至沙彌淨人咸明律相誠其功矣。忽以貞觀十四年秋初染疾。至十月二十六日平旦疾甚。有沙門法常者。盛名帝宇。素與周旋。故來執別。琳曰。不戀此生未貪來報。緣集則有。緣散則無。而神氣澄湛由來不亂。曾病。有問疾者。答云。以己之疾愍於彼疾。因而流淚。想諸苦趣故也。便總集僧眾并諸門人告曰。生死道長有心日促。各宜自敬無累爾神。即右脇而臥。尋卒於本寺。春秋七十有六。餘處通冷惟頂極熱。迄於焚日方始神散。而形色鮮軟特異常比。送於終南至相寺燒。惟舌獨存。再取燒之逾更明淨。斯即正言之力矣。弟子等四十餘人。奉跪慈顏無由欽仰。百日之內通告有緣共轉大乘。總四萬餘卷。并造千粒舍利木塔舉高五丈彫飾之美晃發中天。廣布檀那用酬靈澤。初琳居世。化以實錄著名。每述至理玄凝。無不垂泣歎奉。言無非涉事不徒行。有通事舍人李好德者。曾於雒邑受業於琳。後歷官天門。弊於俗務逃流山藪。使弟子度之。若准正勅罪當大辟。後有嫉於德者。罔以極刑。及下獄徵琳。初無拒諱。監獄者深知情量。取拔無由。事從慮過釋然放免。識者以實語天梯至死知量是莫加焉。自爰初問法。無憚夷險。衣服壞則以紙補之。床席暖則坐於簣上節之。又節量力強羸。名利不緣。語默沈靜。修攝威儀。有異名稱。涕涶莫顯於口鼻。飲食未言於美惡。敬慎之極夫又何加。兼以行位難測。蚤虱不歷於身縱輒投者尋便走散。斯負既抵。故所報類希焉。嘗居山谷須粒有待患繁。乃合守中丸一劑。可有斗許。得支一周。琳服延之乃經三載。便利之際收洗重服。故能業定堅明專注難拔。時值儉歲緣村投告。隨得隨施安樂貧苦。嘗在講會。俗士三人謀害一怨。兩人往殺。其一中悔從琳受戒。歲紀經久並從物故。而受戒者忽死心煖。後從醒寤備見昔怨及同謀者論告殺事。其受戒人稱枉不伏。引琳為證。王即召追。證便有告。琳生他方金粟世界。王既感證。因放此人。又琳一生所至伽藍撝謙自牧。逮至名高福重䞋錫日增。並委侍人口無再問。及後為福方恨無財。出以示之。琳曰。都不憶有此物也。斯寔據道為務情無世涉。可書季代足為師鏡。自住弘法敷化四方。學侶客僧來如闤闠。招慰安撫隨事憂承。而度雜公私憲章有敘。故使外雖禁固內實通流。山林望而有歸。軌道立而垂則。逮于歿後此法彌崇。所以京室僧寺五十有餘。至於敘接賓禮僧儀邕穆者。莫高於弘法矣。又寺居古墌惟一佛堂。僧眾創停仄陋而已。琳薰勵法侶共經始之。今則堂房環合厨庫殷積。客主混同去留隨意。裕法師云。以道通物。物由道感。惠由道來。還供道眾。故僧實由客。深有冥功。裕語有琳近之矣。

Śramaṇa Jinglin, whose lay surname was Zhang, was originally from Nanyang and later resided in Huayuan of Jingzhao. In his youth he turned his back on the mundane world and purely attached himself to the monastic community. On the day of his birth, a foreign monk said, “This child will be noble. If he enters the monastic life, he will greatly propagate the Buddha-Dharma.” At the age of seven, he turned to the monks and underwent pravrajyā. He was set to work in the fields, which did not accord with the guidance of the Path; failing to fulfill his original aspiration, he deeply reflected that this was contrary to the Dharma. Looking back at himself, he said, “If I have not abandoned this, how am I different from the worldly?” He then followed another master and devotedly received the correct transformation. When the Zhou dynasty suppressed the Dharma, he temporarily accommodated to mundane conditions. In his twentieth year, his lofty aspirations never waned. Meeting with the rise of the Sui dynasty, he immediately went to Dharmabhāṇaka Tanmeng. Tanmeng accommodated him with the two provisions (material support and Dharma) for five years; Jinglin still served as a novice and did not yet dare receive full ordination. Rejoicing that the Dharma was reopened, he wished to broaden his learning, so he took leave of his original master and traveled south to Fan and Deng, whereupon he received the full precepts in that region. Having newly received the Dharma, he was not yet versed in the pure regulations, so he traveled far to Qing and Qi to listen to the Vinaya prohibitions. Setting out later, he arrived earlier, leading all the listeners. He also heard and received the Daśabhūmika under Dharmabhāṇaka Jue. Turning his steps to the capital of Ye, he listened to and studied the Avataṃsaka, Laṅkāvatāra, and Viśeṣacintā under Dharmabhāṇaka Ju. In all of them he penetrated the subtle principles, his wondrous thought outstanding. Passing along old interpretations and establishing new ones, he frequently proved his caliber. He was immediately urged by the contemporaries to propagate and teach; when he lectured and expounded the obscure principles, everyone was astonished by what they had never heard before. Yet what he retained in his own mind he still considered insufficient. Traveling around to listen widely throughout Dongchuan, accumulating understanding while seeking teachers, he arrived at Pu and Jin. There were the śramaṇas Daoxun and Daoshun, eminent monks of great renown. He was detained to lecture on the Daśabhūmika Sūtra through cold and heat. Although the disciples who listened were delighted, his own intention became ever more obstructed and agitated. Descending from his seat to his room, he pressed his chest and examined himself, saying, “The Dharma is originally meant to cure disease, but now pride in the Dharma only increases. Moreover, the Path values vacant penetration, yet now clinging is ever firmer. This will not do.” He immediately abandoned lecturing and devoted himself exclusively to dhyāna. At first he studied the contemplation of impurity and the foundations of mindfulness, but he disliked their pettiness and trouble in checking human thought, and so he studied the Mahāyāna contemplations of non-attainment. Consciousness-only beyond conceptualization was what he most propagated as his principle. For every single insight he practiced, he cultivated and refined it for ten years, mastering his former knowledge while constantly renewing his later practice. Wearing shabby clothes and eating coarse food, sensual desires were eradicated. Later he entered Mount Bailu. Because provisions were rarely supplied in the mountains, he experimented with the method of abstaining from grain, dwelling alone on an extreme crag for several years. When his concentration in the mountains was troubled by torpor and sleep, he approached an abrupt precipice overlooking a chasm of thousands of paces. At its edge grew a single tree that could just hold a person; laying grass upon it, he sat cross-legged upon it. Binding his mindfulness there, he spent days and nights without stirring. Since the fear of death was intense, he concentrated deeply on the vast contemplation. Later he heard that Mount Tai had exceptional spiritual anomalies, so he went thither to seek them out. Arriving at that mountain, he saw at night torches surrounding and brightly illuminating the peaks and crags. Pursuing them, it took several days before he arrived. There he saw five or six nuns sitting erect discussing the Path. When Jinglin first exchanged greetings and discussed with them the principles of Vijñaptimātratā, before they had finished speaking they suddenly vanished. Melancholy for a long time, he realized that the nature of phenomena is truly like this. Later he entered the Guanzhong region and encountered Dhyāna Master Tanqian expounding the Mahāyānasaṃgraha. Hearing it once, it was like old knowledge, his wisdom seeing nothing new. In the fourth year of Renshou, an imperial decree ordered relics to be sent to Shende Monastery on Mount Shimen in Huayuan. Jinglin then resided there, dwelling in quietude and pursuing his practice. The fame of his practice and understanding spread throughout the capital. In the third year of Daye, śramaṇa Huanyuan and others invited him to the imperial capital, where he lectured on the Mahāyānasaṃgraha in Minglun, Miaoxiang, and other monasteries; those of discernment took refuge in him. Soon after, an imperial decree summoned him to enter the imperial chapel. Arriving in the Eastern Capital, his dhyāna quarters were even more crowded. Prince Jian of Qi had a deep love for principle and dhyāna; he often came to inquire intimately and invited him to his mansion to receive the refuges and precepts. Honglu [Qing] Su Kui, whose learning surpassed the ancients and who was revered by the entire court of officials, received the master's teachings as a boat and a bridge. Daoxiong and Daoti of Gaoyang, Daoxian and Mingze of Zhaojun, all majestic phoenixes of the Buddhist gate and bright jewels in the sea of wisdom, received the taste of principle and drew from its flowers and fruit. Hongzhe of Xiangyang, whose virtue was esteemed throughout Chu and whose energetic spirit was astonishing, heard that Jinglin's reputation was solemn among contemporary talents, and came expressly to confront him. He then questioned him: “Many embrace the Path; on what practice do you concentrate your mind?” Seeing that his words were rigid and contentious, Jinglin casually tested him by referring to concrete things, saying: “The mountains and valleys are high and deep; where does your mind fix them?” Zhe replied: “Mountains are high and valleys are deep; it has always been naturally so.” Jinglin said: “If it is as you say, were one to take earth from elsewhere to fill the valley level with the mountain, would it still be fixed as high?” Zhe was awakened by this single phrase, and spoke words of praise and submission. From this, outstanding figures attached themselves to his ford, and those consulting him on doubts came in crowds, so that his fair reputation spread abroad and his assemblies became ever more flourishing. Considering that since the simulated teaching moved east, the disciplinary net was strict, yet correct standards of monastic deportment were not yet widely clarified, Jinglin wished to travel everywhere in Jambudvīpa to visit all the sacred traces. Within the thirteenth year, he submitted a full memorial to the Emperor. He was favored with an imperial decree ordering envoys to tour the regions, and was provided with couriers to transmit official state credentials. He traveled as far as Xiangyang, heading toward the southern seas. Just then, bandits and rebels invaded, and the Central Plains revolted; the roads were blocked, and he returned to Nanyang. In the second year of Yining, he was summoned to enter the capital and resided at Dazongchi Monastery, propagating the Dharma as usual. As time passed, students gathered like a forest. In the third year of Wude, Li Anyuan, Duke of Zhengping, memorialized to build Hongfa Monastery. Having long revered and believed in him, he specifically had Jinglin summoned. Jinglin intended to abandon external conditions, gather his thoughts, and foster the Path. Meeting with the reopening and expansion under the Tang dynasty after the blockage of the late Sui, monastics and laypeople took refuge, rejoicing in its glorious prosperity. He then cut away the complex and adopted the simple, lecturing solely on the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā as his central tenet, while also expounding the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa and the Awakening of Faith according to people's capacities. At night, he urged them with mindfulness and wisdom, scrutinizing everything, and causing understanding to arise from their own minds without depending on transmission from others. Vinaya Master Xuanwan, whose virtue reigned over the Yellow River region, personally received his excellent guidelines; among the rest of the Dharma companions, extraordinary peers were offered up year after year. The Prince of Rencheng, the Grand Dowager Consort, the Grand Dowager Consort of Chu, Princess Anping, and others of the imperial lineage requested precepts at their mansions, bestowing lavish courtesies repeatedly. Xiao Jing, Libationer of the Directorate of Education; Zhang Liang, Minister of Works; Du Zhenglun, Supervisor of the Household; Li Daoyu, Minister of Agriculture; and others all vowed to become his disciples, providing all Dharma requisites and always seeing to his provisions. Long concerned that his disciples' doctrinal studies were deficient in the Vinaya school, he personally invited Vinaya Master Zhishou to expound the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya. At one stroke it was expounded ten times, with Jinglin leading the assembly in person; thus the maintenance of the teachings was praised as the foremost in the capital, so that even novices and pure men (śraddhāvats) understood the characteristics of the Vinaya, truly through his achievement. Suddenly in the early autumn of the fourteenth year of Zhenguan, he fell ill. At dawn on the twenty-sixth day of the tenth month, his illness worsened. Śramaṇa Fachang, who was renowned throughout the imperial capital and had long associated with him, came expressly to bid farewell. Jinglin said: “I do not long for this life, nor am I greedy for future retribution. When conditions gather, there is existence; when conditions disperse, there is non-existence.” His spirit remained serene and clear, never perturbed. Once, when he was sick and someone asked after his illness, he replied: “Because of my own illness, I feel pity for the illnesses of others; hence my tears flow, thinking of the various realms of suffering.” He then gathered all the monks and his disciples, telling them: “The road of birth and death is long; the days of those with mind are brief. Each should respect himself and not burden your spirit.” He then lay on his right side and shortly passed away in his monastery, at the age of seventy-six. The rest of his body was completely cold, only his crown extremely hot; it was not until the day of cremation that his spirit finally dispersed. His physical complexion was fresh and soft, remarkably unlike ordinary people. He was brought to Zhixiang Monastery on Mount Zhongnan to be cremated. Only his tongue remained intact; when burnt again, it became even brighter and purer. This was truly the power of his correct speech. His disciples, numbering over forty, knelt before his compassionate countenance with no further way to express their reverence. Within one hundred days, they notified those with karmic affinity to jointly turn the Mahāyāna scriptures, totaling over forty thousand scrolls, and built a wooden pagoda for one thousand relics, fifty feet high, its carvings and decorations brilliantly shining into mid-sky, widely distributed with donations to repay his spiritual grace. At first, when Jinglin was in the world, he was famous for transforming others through truthful conduct. Whenever he related the ultimate, profound principle, none failed to weep, praise, and revere him. His words never touched upon frivolous matters, and his actions were never in vain. There was Li Haode, a Court Gentleman for Communications, who had once received instruction from Jinglin in Luoyi. Later, while serving as an official in Tianmen, he was exhausted by worldly affairs and fled to the mountains, having a disciple ordain him. According to the imperial decrees, this crime warranted capital punishment. Later, someone jealous of Haode framed him for a capital crime. When Jinglin was summoned to prison for interrogation, he never denied or concealed anything. The prison warden, deeply knowing the circumstances, had no grounds to rescue him, but the matter was treated as an oversight and Jinglin was released. Those of understanding considered that his truthfulness was a ladder to heaven, and his knowing of measure even unto death could not be surpassed. From the time he first sought the Dharma, he feared neither smoothness nor hardship. When his clothes tore, he patched them with paper; when his bed was too warm, he moderated it by sitting on a bamboo mat. He also measured his strength, whether robust or frail; fame and profit never touched him. In speech and silence he was calm and still, training and restraining his deportment, with an extraordinary reputation. Phlegm and spittle never showed from his mouth or nose; he never spoke of food as good or bad. In the extreme of respect and prudence, what could surpass him? Moreover, his spiritual attainments were difficult to fathom; fleas and lice never stayed on his body, and even if any landed on him, they immediately ran away. Such debts having been canceled, his retributions were exceptionally rare. Once, living in a mountain valley where waiting for grain was troublesome, he concocted a dose of ‘Center-Preserving Pills’ of about a dou, which could sustain him for a year. Jinglin took them to prolong his sustenance for three years. At the time of excretion, he collected and washed them to take again; thus his dhyāna concentration was firm and bright, undistracted and unshakeable. When famine occurred, villagers came to rely on him; whatever he received he immediately distributed, comforting the poor and suffering. Once, at a lecture gathering, three laymen plotted to kill an enemy. Two went to commit the murder; one repented midway and took the precepts from Jinglin. After many years, all died. The one who took the precepts suddenly died while his heart remained warm; later, upon reviving, he saw the former enemy and co-conspirators bringing accusations of the murder. The precept-holder protested his innocence and refused to submit, citing Jinglin as a witness. The King [Yama] then summoned a witness, and a voice testified that Jinglin was born in the world of Golden Millet in another realm. The King, convinced by the testimony, released the man. Throughout his life, wherever Jinglin went in monasteries, he was humble and self-restrained. Even when his reputation grew lofty, his fortune heavy, and donations increased daily, he entrusted everything to his attendants without ever asking again. Later, when funds were needed for meritorious deeds and people regretted having no wealth, they brought them out to show him; Jinglin said, “I have no recollection of possessing such things at all.” His sole concern was based on the Path, without worldly entanglement; this is worthy of being recorded for the later ages as a model and mirror. From the time he resided at Hongfa Monastery and spread his teaching in the four directions, disciples and visiting monks arrived like a bustling market. He consoled and pacified them, taking care of them according to need; yet his management of public and private affairs followed proper regulations. Thus, though externally strictly guarded, internally things flowed smoothly. Those of the mountains and forests looked to him as a refuge, and established standards served as models. After his death, these regulations were even more respected. Therefore, among the fifty-odd monasteries in the capital, none was higher than Hongfa in welcoming guests with courtesy and maintaining harmonious monastic deportment. Furthermore, the monastery was located at an ancient foundation with only one Buddha hall, where the community originally stayed in cramped and poor conditions. Jinglin encouraged the Dharma companions to construct it together; now the halls and chambers surround it, and storehouses are abundant, where guests and hosts mingle freely, coming and leaving at will. Dharmabhāṇaka [Ling]yu said: “By the Path one reaches things, things are moved by the Path; benefits come from the Path, and return to support the community of the Path. Therefore, the monastic community truly relies on guests, which has profound, invisible merit.” These words of Yu were truly close to Jinglin.