續高僧傳 8.24

8.24

釋僧妙。一名道妙。本住冀州。後居河東蒱坂禁行精苦。聰慧夙成。遍覽群籍尤通講論。而稟性謙退。喜慍不干其抱。故每講下座。必合掌懺悔云。佛意難知。豈凡夫所測。今所說者傳受先師。未敢專輒。乞大眾於斯法義若是若非布施歡喜。時以解冠前彥行隆端達。覩其虛己皆服其德義眾益從之。後住蒲鄉常念寺。即仁壽寺也。聚徒集業以弘法樹功。擊響周齊甚高名望。周太祖特加尊敬。大統年時西域獻佛舍利。太祖以妙弘讚著續。遂送令供養。因奉以頂戴曉夜旋仰。經于一年。忽於中宵放光滿室。螺旋出窓漸延于外須臾光照四遠。騰扇其焰照屬天地。當有見者謂寺家失火。競來救之。及覩神光乃從金瓶而出。皆嘆未曾有也。妙仰瞻靈相涕泗交橫。乃燒香跪而啟曰。法界眾生已覩聖迹。伏願韜祕靈景反寂歸空。於是光還螺旋卷入瓶內。爾夜州治士女。燒香讚歎之聲。聞于數十里。寺有一僧睡居房內。眾共喚之惛惛不覺。竟不見光相。未幾便遇厲疾。咸言宿業所致。遂有感見之差。自妙之云亡光不復現。其本佛骨今仍在焉。昔齊武平末。鄴古城中白馬寺。此是石趙時浮圖澄所造。本為木塔年增朽壞。勅遣修之。掘得舍利三粒。一赤一白一青。寶瓶盛之。京邑貴賤共看。心至者颯然上涌。不信戲慢之儔傾亦不出。時俗迴邪者眾。齊王舅廣武王胡長邕。曾染佛宗。勅令還俗。雖居貴望不捨具戒。置舍利於水鉢。請乞行道。即見三枚相逐上水。旋器右行。七遍既滿一時沈下。邕與子弟更加深信。而妙講解涅槃以為恒業。敘略綱致。久學者深會其源。分剖文句。皆臨機約截遍遍皆異。所以學侶罕成。而為英傑者所美。化行河表重敬莫高。延及之鄉。酒肉皆絕。現生葱韮以土掩覆。並非由教令。而下民自徙其惡矣。有學士曇延。承著宗本更廣其致。具見別傳。

Śramaṇa Sengmiao, also named Daomiao, originally lived in Jizhou and later resided at Puban in Hedong, maintaining rigorous and ascetic practice. Gifted with early intelligence, he read extensively through diverse texts and was especially versed in lectures and disputations. Yet his nature was humble and deferential; neither joy nor anger ever disturbed his composure. Thus, every time he stepped down from the high seat after lecturing, he would invariably join his palms in repentance and say: "The Buddha's intent is difficult to fathom; how could an ordinary worldling measure it? What I have spoken today was transmitted from former masters; I would never dare presume to decide it on my own. I beg the great assembly, whether these doctrinal points be right or wrong, to bestow the gift of rejoicing." At the time, his understanding surpassed the former masters and his conduct was revered and upright. Seeing how he emptied himself of pride, all submitted to his virtue and doctrinal understanding, and the assembly gathered around him in ever greater numbers. Later he resided at Changnian Monastery in Puxiang, which is present-day Renshou Monastery. Gathering disciples and convening their training to propagate the Dharma and establish merit, his renown echoed across Zhou and Qi with immense prestige. Emperor Taizu of Zhou treated him with extraordinary reverence. During the Datong reign era, the Western Regions offered Buddha relics. Because Miao's widespread propagation was celebrated and enduring, Taizu had them sent to him to be venerated. Thereupon he reverently bore them atop his head and circumambulated and gazed upon them day and night. After a year, suddenly at midnight, a brilliant light filled the room; spiraling out through the window, it gradually spread outward, and within moments illuminated the four directions, fanning into flames that shone connecting heaven and earth. Those who saw it thought the monastery had caught fire and vied to run and extinguish it. When they saw that the divine radiance issued from a golden flask, they all sighed in praise of this unprecedented marvel. Looking up at the miraculous sign, Miao wept profusely. He burned incense, knelt, and addressed [the Buddha], saying: "The sentient beings of the dharmadhātu have already beheld this holy trace. I prostratingly pray that you veil this divine brilliance and return to quiescent emptiness." Thereupon the light spiraled back and curled into the flask. That night, the sounds of noblemen and common women of the prefecture capital burning incense and chanting praise were heard for several dozen *li*. In the monastery there was a monk sleeping in his room; the assembly called out to him together, but he remained dazed and unaware, and ended up not seeing the sign of light at all. Shortly thereafter he contracted a virulent disease; all said it was caused by past karma, which led to this disparity in what was spiritually perceived. After Miao passed away, the light appeared no more; the original Buddha bone remains there to this day. Formerly, at the end of the Wuping era of Northern Qi, in Baima Monastery within the ancient city of Ye—which was built by Fotudeng during the Shi Zhao era and originally had a wooden stupa that grew rotten with age—an imperial decree ordered its repair. Three grains of relics were unearthed: one red, one white, and one blue. They were held in a precious flask, and the noble and base of the capital came together to view them. For those whose minds were sincere, [the relics] sprang upward briskly; for the skeptical and disrespectful, though they tilted the flask, nothing came out. At that time, many among the populace held perverse views. Hu Changyong, the Prince of Guangwu and maternal uncle of the Qi king, had once been initiated into the Buddhist tradition, but had been ordered by imperial decree to return to lay life; though occupying a noble and prestigious station, he never abandoned his full precepts. He placed the relics in a water basin and requested to perform circumambulation (xíngdào); immediately, the three grains were seen pursuing one another across the surface of the water, revolving clockwise around the vessel. Having completed seven circuits, they all sank down together at once. Yong and his sons and younger brothers came to have even deeper faith. Now Miao made the expounding of the *Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra* his constant occupation. In outlining the essentials, long-time scholars profoundly grasped its source; when dissecting sentences and phrases, he adapted spontaneously to the occasion with concise cutoffs, each and every time different. Consequently, few fellow students could master it, yet he was praised by outstanding men. As his teaching spread beyond the Yellow River, none received higher reverence. Wherever his influence reached, wine and meat were entirely abandoned, and live scallions and leeks were buried under the earth; this was not by decree, but because the common people transformed away from their own vices. There was the scholar-monk Tanyan, who inherited his primary teachings and further expanded their import, as fully recorded in his separate biography.