續高僧傳 29.17

29.17

釋慧達。姓王。家于襄陽。幼年在道。繕修成務。或登山臨水。或邑落遊行。但據形勝之所。皆厝心寺宇。或補緝殘廢。為釋門之所宅也。後居天台之瀑布寺。修禪繫業。又北遊武當山。如前攝靜。有陳之日癘疫大行。百姓斃者殆其過半。達內興慈施。於楊都大市建大藥藏。須者便給。拯濟彌隆。金陵諸寺數過七百。年月逾邁朽壞略盡。達課勸修補三百餘所。皆鎣飾華敞有移恒度。仁壽年中。於楊州白塔寺建七層木浮圖。材石既充付後營立。乃泝江西上。至鄱陽預章諸郡。觀檢功德。願與眾生同此福緣。故其所至封邑。見有坊寺禪宇靈塔神儀。無問金木土石。並即率化成造。其數非一。晚為沙門慧雲邀請。遂上廬岳。造西林寺。重閣七間欒櫨重疊。光耀山勢。初造之日誓用黃楠。闔境推求了無一樹。僉欲改用餘木。達曰。誠心在此。豈更餘求。但至誠無感。故訪追不遂。必心期果決。松散並變為楠。如求不獲。閣成則無日矣。眾懼其言四出追索。乃於境內下巢山。感得一谷並是黃楠。而在窮㵎幽深無由可出。達尋行崖壁忽見一處晃有光明。窺見其中可通材道。惟有五尺餘並天崖。遂牽曳木石至於江首。中途灘澓𥱼筏並壞。及至廬阜不失一根。閣遂得成。宏冠前構。後忽偏斜向南三尺。工匠設計取正無方。有石門㵎當于閣南。忽有猛風北吹還正。于今尚在。晚往長沙。鑄鍾造像。所至方面若草從焉。傾竭金貝者。兢兢業業恐其不受。達任性造真言無華綺。據經引喻篤勵物情。然其形服弊麁殆不可覩。外綜繁殷內收理靜。傍觀沈伏似不能言。而指撝應附立有成遂。斯即處煩不撓。固其人矣。又為西林閣成。尊容猶闕。復沿江投造修建充滿。故舉閣圓備。並達之功。大業六年七月晦日。舊疾忽增。七日倚臥。異香入室旋繞如雲。閣中像設並汗流地。眾見此瑞審達當終。官人檢驗具以聞奏。達神志如常。累以餘業。奄爾長逝。年八十七矣。

Śramaṇa Huida. His surname was Wang, and his family was from Xiangyang. In his youth he entered the Way, making temple repair and construction his dedicated pursuit. Whether ascending mountains and overlooking waters, or traveling through villages and towns, wherever there was a scenic landscape, he would set his mind on building a temple or hall there, or repair dilapidated and abandoned ones to serve as dwellings for the Buddhist monastic community. Later he resided at Pubu Temple on Mount Tiantai, cultivating meditation and tying his mind to karmic practice. He also traveled north to Mount Wudang, gathering his mind in quietude as before. During the Chen dynasty, a great epidemic broke out, and more than half of the common people perished. Da internally aroused compassionate giving, establishing a great medicine dispensary in the grand market of the Yang capital [Jiankang], providing to whoever was in need, bringing ever more relief. The various temples of Jinling numbered over seven hundred; as months and years went by, they were nearly all decayed and ruined. Da encouraged and exhorted the repair of more than three hundred of them, all polished, decorated, magnificent, and spacious, surpassing their ordinary standard. During the Renshou reign-period [of the Sui], he built a seven-story wooden pagoda at Baita Temple in Yangzhou. Once the timber and stones were fully provided, he entrusted the subsequent construction to others. He then traveled up the Yangzi River westward, reaching various commanderies such as Poyang and Yuzhang, inspecting merit-making activities, vowing to share these causes of fortune with all sentient beings. Therefore, in whatever administrative territories he arrived, whenever he saw wards, temples, meditation buildings, efficacious pagodas, or divine images—regardless of whether they were of metal, wood, clay, or stone—he would promptly lead their transformation and construction, the instances of which were not few. In his later years, he was invited by Śramaṇa Huiyun to ascend Mount Lu and build Xilin Temple, erecting a two-story pavilion of seven bays with layered brackets and capitals, shining radiantly against the mountain contours. On the first day of construction, he vowed to use yellow nanmu wood. Throughout the entire region it was searched for, but not a single tree was found. All wished to switch to other timber. Da said: 'My sincere mind is fixed on this; how could we seek anything else? It is only that perfect sincerity has not yet moved [heaven], which is why our search has not succeeded. If our minds are firmly resolved, pine and cypress will all turn into nanmu. If we cannot obtain it, the day will never come when the pavilion is completed.' Fearful of his words, the assembly went out in all directions to search, and within the territory at Mount Xiachao, their sincerity elicited a valley entirely of yellow nanmu. However, it was deep within a remote ravine with no way to bring it out. While inspecting the cliffs and walls, Da suddenly saw a place shining with bright light; peering in, he saw a path through which the timber could pass, measuring only five feet or so, flanked by sheer cliffs. They then hauled and dragged the timber and stones to the head of the river. En route, at rapids and whirlpools, the bamboo rafts were all smashed, yet upon arriving at Mount Lu, not a single log was lost. The pavilion was thus completed, grandly surpassing earlier structures. Later, it suddenly tilted three feet toward the south. The craftsmen devised plans to straighten it, but had no method. There was a Shimen Ravine facing the south of the pavilion; suddenly a fierce wind blew northward and straightened it back. It still stands today. In his later years, he went to Changsha to cast bells and make statues; wherever he arrived, people followed him like grass bending before the wind. Those who depleted their gold and treasures in offerings were fearful and anxious lest he not accept them. Da followed his natural disposition and spoke truth, with no ornate embellishment. Citing sūtras and drawing analogies, he earnestly encouraged people's sentiments. Yet his appearance and clothing were so ragged and coarse as to be almost unsightly. Externally he managed bustling and numerous affairs, while internally he gathered quietude in principle. To onlookers he seemed reserved and taciturn, as though unable to speak, yet when he directed and gave instructions, compliance was achieved immediately. Such was his ability to abide in turmoil without being perturbed—truly he was such a man! Furthermore, when the Xilin pavilion was finished, the venerated statues were still lacking; he traveled along the river again, commissioning, repairing, and fully providing for them, so that the entire pavilion was complete, all through Da's effort. On the final day of the seventh month in the sixth year of the Daye reign-period [610 CE], his former illness suddenly worsened. For seven days he reclined against a support; an extraordinary fragrance entered the room, swirling like clouds. Inside the pavilion, the images all began to sweat, moisture dripping to the ground. Seeing this auspicious sign, the assembly knew that Da was about to die. Officials examined it and reported all the details to the throne. Da's mind was as composed as usual; having entrusted the remaining affairs, he suddenly passed away. He was eighty-seven years old.