續高僧傳 20.27

20.27

釋慧熙。益州成都人。童稚出家善明篇韻。文筆所趣宛而成章。與綿州震響寺榮智齊名。俱為沙彌。卓異翹秀。後與成都大石寺沙彌道微。連韻賦詩。微有言隙。因即屏絕人事栖心禪業。年登受具周聞經律。摘採英華用為賞要。攝論雜心精搜至理。尤耽三論是所觀門。嘗難基法師塵識義。初問以小乘。基以大乘通之。熙笑曰。大無不攝。但失小宗。晚住州南空慧寺。立性孤貞不群諸偶。弊於食息專想虛玄。一坐掩關二十餘日。眾以不食既久。恐損身命。假以餘詞曰。國家搜訪藝能甚急。今不食閉門。世人謂聖。願息流言。可時處眾。熙懼矯飾便開門進食。由是迄今將三十載。一身獨立不畜侍人。一食而止不受人施。有講便聽。夜宿本房。但坐床心兩頭塵合。自餘房地惟有一蹤。餘並莓苔青絮衣服弊惡僅免遮羞。冬則加納夏則布衣。以冬破納懸置梁上。有聞熙名就房參拜。迎逆接候累日方見。時發幽問吐言高遠。預有元席皆共憚之。年九十卒。今見在具諸聞覩。

Shi Huixi was a native of Chengdu in Yizhou. Having gone forth from household life in his childhood, he was skilled and clear in metric composition; whatever his writing touched gracefully formed an essay. He shared renown with Rongzhi of Zhenxiang Monastery in Mianzhou; both being śrāmaṇeras, they were outstanding and preeminent. Later, when composing rhymed poems with the śrāmaṇera Daowei of Dashi Monastery in Chengdu, a rift in words arose with Wei. He thereupon cut off human affairs entirely and settled his mind in dhyāna practice. When he reached the age to receive the full precepts, he learned the sūtras and vinaya thoroughly, plucking their finest flowers to serve as the essentials of his appreciation. In the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* and the *Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya*, he meticulously investigated the ultimate principle, and was especially absorbed in the Three Treatises, which served as his gates of contemplation. He once challenged Dharmabhāṇaka Ji on the meaning of consciousness of dusts. At first, he questioned him using the Hīnayāna; Ji resolved it using the Mahāyāna. Huixi laughed and said, "The Great encompasses all, yet you have missed the lesser school." In his later years he resided at Konghui Monastery south of the prefecture. Standing firm and upright in character, he did not flock with the crowd. Weary of food and rest, he concentrated his thoughts on the profound void. Once he sat behind closed doors for more than twenty days. The assembly, seeing that he had not eaten for so long and fearing it would harm his life, used pretextual words, saying, "The state is searching most urgently for men of arts and skills. Now you fast and shut your door; the world calls you a sage. We pray you quell these rumors and join the assembly from time to time." Huixi, fearing it would seem an affectation, then opened the door and took food. From that time until now, nearly thirty years have passed; he has lived alone and independent, keeping no attendants. He ceased after a single meal, accepting no offerings from people. If there was a lecture, he would listen; at night he slept in his own room. He sat only in the center of the bed, where dust gathered at both ends. For the rest of the room's floor, there was only a single path of footprints; all else was green moss and green lichen. His clothing was ragged and foul, barely sufficient to cover his shame. In winter he wore an additional patched cloak; in summer, plain cloth. He suspended his torn winter cloak from the roof beam. When people heard Huixi's name and went to his room to pay homage, they would only see him after waiting and watching for several days. From time to time he posed profound questions, and the words he uttered were lofty and far-reaching; those attending the metaphysical sessions all held him in awe. He died at the age of ninety. His circumstances are now fully known and witnessed.