續高僧傳 6.37

6.37

釋法開。姓俞。吳興餘杭人。稚年出家住北倉寺。為曇貞弟子。貞清素澄嚴殊有解行。開少聰敏家業貧窶。身服不充食噉麁澁。同學僧流曇誕。家有盈財。服翫奢麗。並從貞受業。屢有年勞。及鉤深造微。未有逮開者也。而流誕自恃優饒甚相輕忽。開懷快然遂負帙。西遊住禪岡寺。仍從柔次二公學成實論。衣不蔽形食趣支命。而不避寒風暑雨。以晝係夜。歷業既優精解無礙。終日遊談未嘗暫息。心性躁銳無敵不攻。有時竊發潛登以掩不備。當其鋒者罕不結舌。由是顯名。吏部尚書瑯瑘王峻。永嘉太守吳興丘墀。皆揖敬推賞願永勗誡。後還餘杭止于西寺。先相陵駕之者望風飲氣。永相隱避以至于死。開因爾講筵相接道俗嘆服。沙門智藏。後遊禹穴講化成論。開往觀之。鯁難累日賓僚飡悅。藏曰。開法師語論已多自可去矣。吾欲入文。開曰。釋迦說法多寶踊現。法師指南命眾而遣客何耶。藏有慚色。以普通四年卒。春秋六十五矣。

Shi Fakai, whose secular surname was Yu, was a native of Yuhang in Wuxing. He renounced household life at a tender age and dwelt at Beicang Temple as a disciple of Tanzhen. Zhen was simple, pure, serene, and strict, possessing exceptional understanding and practice. Kai was intelligent from his youth, but his family was destitute; his clothing was insufficient and his food was coarse and meager. His fellow student Sengliu and Tanzan had abundant wealth, and their clothes and belongings were luxurious and beautiful. All received instruction under Zhen and had labored for many years; yet when it came to probing the depths and reaching the subtleties, none could match Kai. However, Liu and Zan, relying on their own abundance, treated him with great slight. Kai felt spirited and pleased [with his own resolve], and so, shouldering his book satchel, he journeyed west to dwell at Changang Temple. There he studied the *Tattvasiddhi-śāstra* under Masters [Seng]rou and [Hui]ci. His clothing did not cover his body, and his food barely sustained his life; yet he did not avoid cold winds or summer rains, continuing day and night. His study already superior, his refined comprehension was unobstructed; he debated and conversed all day long, never resting for a moment. By nature he was sharp and incisive, attacking every opponent. At times he made stealthy moves and subtle advances to catch them unprepared; those who met his sharp edge were seldom not struck dumb. On account of this, his renown spread. The Minister of Personnel Wang Jun of Langye and the Grand Administrator of Yongjia Qiu Chi of Wuxing both bowed with respect and appreciation, wishing to receive his perpetual exhortations. Later he returned to Yuhang and stayed at the West Temple. Those who had previously slighted and bullied him drank in their sighs from afar, permanently hiding away from him until their deaths. Kai then held consecutive lecture series, winning the praise and admiration of both monastics and laity. Later, the śramaṇa Zhizang traveled to Yuxue to lecture on the *Chengshi lun* (*Tattvasiddhi-śāstra*); Kai went to observe. He raised difficult questions for several days, delighting the assembled officials and guests. Zang said: 'Dharma Master Kai has spoken and debated much; you may leave on your own now. I wish to proceed with the text.' Kai said: 'When Śākya preached the Dharma, Prabhūtaratna sprang forth; why does the Dharma Master, while guiding the assembly, dismiss a guest?' Zang showed a look of shame. In the fourth year of the Putong reign, [Kai] passed away at the age of sixty-five.