[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [續高僧傳](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060) › 8.27 # 續高僧傳 8.27 續高僧傳 8.27 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [8.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.8.27) 釋曇衍姓夏侯氏。南兗州人。初生之時牙齒具焉。世俗異之。七歲從學聰敏絕倫。十五擢為州都公事。有隙便聽釋講。十八舉秀才貢上鄴都。過聽光公法席。即稟歸戒。棄捨俗務專功佛理。學流三載績隣前達。年二十三投光出家。即為受戒。聽涉無暇乃捐食息。然於藏旨有疑。通諮碩學並辭罔逮。遂開拓寰宇置立規猷。顧諸徒曰。吾從師積年心悟未決。賴因遊意累日豁然有據。其猶低目面牆則冥無所解。延頸出戶則遠近斯見。由是講事無廢。毘讚玄理。聲辯雄亮言會時機。自齊鄭燕趙皆履神化。雖遭緣阻安苦無倦。常隨義學千僧有餘。出家居士近於五百。並恢廓道志戒禁居心。趙郡王高叡。上洛王高元海。膠州刺史杜弼。並齊朝懿戚重臣。留情敬奉。僕射祖孝徵奏為國都。緝諧道政不墜玄綱。而披散詞理言尚寡要。故經文繁富者。則指摘一句。用攝廣文。時人貴其通贍鎔裁而簡衷矣。常於暇日私恨曰。昔在俗流尊戒不見。遂令世人無知污我淨戒。若不爾者應有所得。以開皇元年三月十八日。忽告侍人無常至矣。便誦念彌勒佛聲氣俱盡。於時正中。旁僧同觀顏色怡悅。時年七十有九。卒於洺州盧氏宅。自衍之生也殊相感人。而立操貞直心用叡約。情及濟世。故積散所拯貧病為初。法利所被如行先授但見經像。必奉禮迎送。道遇貧陋。必悲憐垂泣。其謹質深信為若此也。又恒樂聽戒。生來兩闕。維摩勝鬘日緣一遍。辛腥臭物曾不臨矚。下氣逼流身出戶外。以清淨僧房不為熏勃故也。未終之前。有夢見衍朱衣螺髮頒垂於背。二童侍之昇空而西北高逝。尋爾便終。時共以為天道者矣。 > Śramaṇa Tanyan, surnamed Xiahou, was a native of Nan-Yanzhou. When he was born, his teeth were fully grown; the worldly thought this extraordinary. At age seven he pursued studies, with an intellect that surpassed his peers. At fifteen he was promoted to manage public affairs in the provincial capital; whenever he had free time, he would listen to lectures by Śākyan monks. At eighteen he was recommended as a Cultivated Talent and presented to the capital city of Ye. Passing by, he attended the Dharma assembly of Master Guang, whereupon he took the refuges and precepts. Abandoning worldly duties, he devoted all his efforts to Buddhist principles. After three years in this course of study, his achievements approached those of former masters. At age twenty-three, he turned to Master Guang to receive pravrajyā, and forthwith took the full precepts. Listening to and investigating texts without leisure, he even cast aside food and rest. Yet having doubts regarding the inner meaning of the canon, he consulted eminent scholars everywhere, all of whom excused themselves, unable to resolve them. Thereupon he opened up his perspective across the realm and established standard principles. Looking around to his disciples, he said, 'Having followed my master for years, my inner comprehension was still not settled. Fortunately, by giving free play to my reflections for days on end, suddenly I found solid ground. It is like lowering one's eyes and facing a wall: all is dark and one understands nothing; but craning one's neck and stepping out the gate: far and near are both seen.' From this point on, he never neglected lecturing, assisting in expounding the profound principles. His voice and eloquence were mighty and clear, and his words suited the needs of the moment. From Qi and Zheng to Yan and Zhao, all underwent his spiritual transformation. Though encountering obstacles of circumstance, he remained at peace amid hardships without weariness. He was constantly followed by over a thousand doctrinal students, while the upāsakas who left secular life \[under him\] approached five hundred. All broadened their resolve for the Way and held the precepts in their hearts. Gao Rui, Prince of Zhaojun, Gao Yuanhai, Prince of Shangluo, and Du Bi, Regional Inspector of Jiaozhou, were all illustrious relatives and heavy ministers of the Qi court who treated him with great reverence and devotion. The Vice Director Zu Xiaozheng petitioned for him to be appointed National Metropolis Overseer, harmonizing monastic and secular governance so that the profound guiding principles would not fall into ruin. In analyzing words and principles, he valued being concise; thus, where scriptural texts were voluminous, he would point out a single sentence to encompass the vast scripture. People of the time prized how he could integrate and condense extensively yet extract the essential meaning. Often on days of leisure, he would privately regret, saying, 'In the past, when I was in the secular stream, the venerable precepts were not upheld, which allowed ignorant worldly people to defile my pure precepts. Had it not been for that, I would surely have attained realization.' On the eighteenth day of the third month of the first year of the Kaihuang reign, he suddenly informed his attendants, 'Impermanence has arrived.' He then recited the name of Maitreya Buddha, and his voice and breath ceased together. It was just midday. The surrounding monks all watched, his expression calm and joyful. He was seventy-nine years of age, and died in the Lu family residence in Mingzhou. From his birth, Tanyan's unusual marks stirred people, yet his moral discipline was upright and staunch, and his mind was perceptive and restrained. His sentiment lay in saving the world; hence, of what he amassed and distributed, relieving the poor and sick came first, and when bestowing the benefits of the Dharma, he granted them according to practice. Whenever he saw a scripture or an image, he unfailingly paid reverent obeisance, escorting and welcoming them. Meeting the poor and lowly on the road, he unfailingly shed tears of sorrow and pity. Such was his scrupulous nature and profound faith. Furthermore, he always delighted in listening to the Vinaya, having missed it only twice in his entire life. He recited the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa and the Śrīmālādevī once every day. Pungent, gamey, or foul-smelling things he never even set eyes upon. When flatulence pressed to discharge, he would step outside the door, so that the pure monastic chambers would not be fouled by the fumes. Before his passing, someone dreamed of Tanyan in red robes, with spiral-braided hair hanging down his back, attended by two youths, ascending into the sky and departing far to the northwest. Shortly thereafter he passed away. People at the time all regarded him as having gone to the celestial realms. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 8.26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.8.26) - [Next: 8.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.8.28) - [Up: 8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.8) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060~en-mt.8.27) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [華嚴經傳記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2073.2.10) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.8.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.8.27) · Pramāṇa