續高僧傳 26.62

26.62

釋法顯。雍州扶風人。厥姓寗氏。生平志尚禪寂為宗。文字紙筆性不遊履。沈默寡欲不為世累。其師法開。定門幽祕。殆是不測。元魏之末。住京兆王寺。與實禪師齊駕朝野。兼以簡約清素。華貴傾屬。顯遇斯明匠承奉累年。傳習師宗頗接微緒。住日嚴寺。仁壽末歲。置塔隴州。下勅令送。顯發自帝京。奉輿至彼藥王寺內。然寺去州一十餘里。褊狹邪仄殊非形望。乃移近州北三王山下。背崖臨水。高勝博敞。仍構大塔。放大光明。闔境同觀。欣其罪滅。顯因其所利。即而利之。廣說法要。傾其心惱。當斯一會榮嘆成諠。晚還入京聚徒綜業。每年歲首受具者多。顯為開發戒緣。鼓行壇懺。引聚清眾即而惠之。後終時也。將八十矣。

Śramaṇa Faxian was a native of Fufeng in Yongzhou; his surname was Ning. In his life, his aspiration took dhyāna tranquility as its primary aim; by nature he never involved himself with written words, paper, or brushes. Silent and of few desires, he was not entangled by worldly cares. His teacher, Fakai, had dhyāna attainments that were profound and secret, almost unfathomable. At the end of the Northern Wei, [Fakai] resided at Jingzhaowang Monastery, rivaling Dhyāna Master Shi in both court and country; furthermore, because of his simplicity, purity, and plainness, the noble and eminent leaned toward him. Xian encountered this brilliant master and served him for many years, passing on and practicing his master’s tradition, inheriting quite a bit of his subtle lineage. He resided at Riyan Monastery.

In the final years of the Renshou era, a pagoda was to be established in Longzhou, and an imperial decree ordered him to escort [relics]. Xian set out from the imperial capital, escorting the palanquin to Yaowang Monastery there. However, the monastery was more than ten li from the prefectural seat; it was narrow, cramped, and inclined, entirely lacking an imposing appearance. Thus it was moved closer to the prefectural seat, beneath the Sanwang Mountain to the north; backing against the cliff and overlooking the water, it was lofty, scenic, wide, and spacious. There they constructed a great pagoda. It emitted a great light, which the entire commandery observed together, rejoicing in the eradication of their sins. Xian, taking advantage of what benefited them, benefited them accordingly, preaching the essentials of the Dharma at length and overturning their worries of mind. At this one gathering, glorious praise rose into an uproar.

In his later years, he returned to the capital, gathering disciples to carry on their vocation. At the beginning of each year, those who received full ordination were numerous; Xian revealed the conditions of the precepts for them, energetically conducting the altar repentances, gathering the pure assembly and bestowing it upon them. When he died later, he was nearly eighty.