續高僧傳 9.24.2

9.24.2

學既探幽隨覽綴述。 各有部類。 名如後列。 時屬儉歲糧粒無路。 造卜書一卷。 令占之取價。 日米二升以為恒調。 既而言若知來。 疑者叢鬧。 得米遂多。 裕曰。 先民有言。 舐蜜刃傷。 驗於今矣。 索取卜書對眾焚之。 日別自往。 須臾獲價。 卷席而歸。 所得食調及時將返。 用供同厄遂達有年。 大隋運興。 載昌釋教。 裕德光先彥即預搜揚。 開皇三年相州刺史樊叔略。 創弘講會延請諸僧。 並立節前標遺法明寄。 一期影嚮千計盈門。 裕當元帝允副玄望。 有勅令立僧官。 略乃舉為都統。 因語略曰。 統都之德。 裕德非其德。 統都之用。 裕用非其用。 既其德用非器。 事理難從。 僉謂。 捨於此人則薦失綱要。 後更伸請。 乃潛遊燕趙。 五年行化道振兩河。 開皇十年在洺州靈通寺。 夜於庭中得書一牒。 言述命報厄在咸陽。 初莫測其然也。 至于明年。 文帝崇仰釋門遠訊髦彥。 皆云。 裕德覆時望矣。 因下詔曰。 敬問相州大慈寺靈裕法師。 朕遵崇三寶歸向情深。 恒願闡揚大乘護持正法。 法師梵行精淳理義淵遠。 弘通玄教開導聾瞽。 道俗欽仰思作福田。 京師天下具瞻四方輻湊。 故遠召法師共營功業。 宜知朕意早入京也。 裕得書惟曰。 咸陽之厄驗於斯矣。 然命有隨遭。 可辭以疾。 又曰業緣至矣。 聖亦難違。 乃步入長安不乘官乘。 時年七十有四。 勅遣勞待令住興善。 仍詔所司咸集僧望評立國統。 眾議咸屬莫有異詞。 裕笑曰。 當相通委何用云云。 遂表辭請還。 置言詳覈。 帝覽表究情。 依即聽返。 僕射高頴等。 意存統重。 又表請留。 帝即下勅。 令且住此。 裕曰。 一國之主義無二言。 今復重留情所未可。 告門人曰。 王臣親附久有誓言。 近則侮人輕法。 退則不無遙敬。 故吾斟酌向背耳。 尋復三勅固邀。 裕較執如上。 帝語蘇威曰。 朕知裕師綱正。 是自在人。 誠不可屈節。 乃勅左僕射高頴右僕射蘇威納言虞慶則總管賀若弼等諸公詣寺宣旨。 代帝受戒懺罪。 并送綾錦衣服絹三百段。 助營山寺。 御自注額可號靈泉。 資送優給有逾常准。 力步而歸達于本邑。 顧而言曰。 往返之弊厄不亡乎。 由是勅問屢馳。 䞋錫重沓。 稽疑請決者不遠而至餐風沐道者復結於前矣。 裕末又住演空寺。 相州治西。 秉操彌堅履行逾肅。 帝聞之又下詔曰。 敬問演空寺大德靈裕法師。 朕遵仰聖教重興三寶。 欲使生靈咸蒙福力。 法師捨離塵俗投旨法門。 精誠若此。 深副朕懷。 其為國主思問如此類也。 及仁壽中年。 分布舍利諸州起塔。 多有變瑞。 時人咸嘉為吉徵也。 裕聞而歎曰。 此相禍福兼表矣。 由雜白花白樹白塔白雲。 相現吉緣。 所為凶兆。 眾初不信之也。 俄而獻后文帝相次昇遐。 一國素衣。 斯言有據。 相州刺史內陽公薛胄所住堂礎忽變為玉。 胄謂為善徵也。 設齋慶之。 裕曰。 斯琉璃耳。 宜慎之戒之。 可禳之以福。 胄不從其言。 後楊諒起逆。 事有相緣。 乃流之邊裔。 追悔昔言不慎之晚矣。 又於寒陵山所造九級浮圖。 仁壽末歲止營四層。 裕一旦急催曰。 一切無常事有障絕。 通夜累構將結八重。 命令斷作。 僅得施座安橙。 值晉陽事故。 生民無措其手足。 裕命復懸於後載。 其先見之明皆若此也。 於時鄴下昌言。 裕師將過世矣。 道俗雲合同稟歸戒。 訪傳音之無從。 裕亦信福命之云盡。 乃示誨善惡勵諸門人。 從覺不愈。 至第七日援筆制詩二首。 初篇哀速終曰。 今日坐高堂。 明朝臥長棘。 一生聊已竟。 來報將何息。 其二悲永殞曰命斷辭人路。 骸送鬼門前。 從今一別後。 更會幾何年。 至夜告侍者曰。 痛今在背。 吾將去矣。 至于三更忽覺異香滿室。 內外驚之。

Having probed the profound [aspects of] studies, he composed treatises as he read; these each formed categories, whose titles are listed below. At that time there occurred a year of famine, and there was no way to obtain grain. He composed a divination book in one fascicle and had someone use it to divine and charge a fee, setting two sheng of rice a day as his constant quota. Before long, his words proved prescient, and those with doubts gathered in clamour, so that the rice he obtained became plentiful. [Ling]yu said, "The ancients had a saying: 'Licking honey brings a blade's wound.' This is verified today." He asked for the divination book and burned it before the crowd. Daily he went by himself; in a moment he gained the price, rolled up his mat, and returned. The food and supplies he obtained were promptly brought back, using them to provide for those in the same distress, thus getting through the years. When the Great Sui dynasty arose, the Buddhist teachings flourished anew. [Ling]yu's virtue shone among earlier worthy men, and he was promptly sought out and promoted. In the third year of the Kaihuang reign-era, Fan Shulüe, the regional inspector of Xiangzhou, initiated and promoted lecture assemblies, inviting various monks, and in setting up the principles he placed him foremost to entrust clearly with the bequeathed Dharma. At each session, followers gathered by the thousands, filling the gates. [Ling]yu was regarded as the foremost authority, truly answering their profound expectations. An imperial edict commanded the establishment of monastic officials, and [Fan] Shulüe thereupon recommended him as metropolitan leader (dutong). He then spoke to [Fan] Shulüe, saying, "As for the virtue of a metropolitan leader, [Ling]yu's virtue is not such virtue; as for the utility of a metropolitan leader, [Ling]yu's utility is not such utility. Since neither my virtue nor my utility suits the vessel, both principle and circumstance make it hard to comply." All said that to omit this man would be to forfeit the chief principle in recommendation. Later, [Fan Shulüe] renewed his invitation, so [Ling]yu slipped away to travel in Yan and Zhao. For five years he carried out conversions, his Way shaking both rivers. In the tenth year of Kaihuang, while at Lingtong Temple in Mingzhou, he found a document in the courtyard at night, stating that the distress of his life's retribution lay in Xianyang. At first no one could fathom how this could be. By the next year, Emperor Wen revered the Buddhist gate and inquired far and wide for eminent men. All said that [Ling]yu's virtue covered the expectations of the age. Thereupon [the Emperor] issued an edict saying: "We respectfully inquire after Dharma Master Lingyu of Daci Temple in Xiangzhou. We revere the Triratna, our devotion being profound. We constantly wish to expound and spread the Great Vehicle and protect and maintain the true Dharma. The Dharma Master's brahma conduct is refined and pure, and his principles and meanings are profound and far-reaching; he broadly disseminates the profound teachings and guides the deaf and blind. Both monastics and laity admire and look up to him, yearning to make him a field of merit. The capital is looked up to by all under Heaven, where the four quarters converge. Therefore, from afar We summon the Dharma Master to build meritorious works together. You should understand Our intention and enter the capital promptly." Upon receiving the letter, [Ling]yu reflected and said, "The distress of Xianyang is verified herein! Yet life has its vicissitudes; I can decline on account of illness." But he also said, "Karmic conditions have arrived; even a sage finds them hard to oppose." He then walked on foot into Chang'an without riding in the official carriages. He was seventy-four years of age at the time. An edict was sent to console and attend to him, ordering him to reside at [Da]xingshan [Temple]. [The Emperor] further ordered the relevant authorities to assemble the monks of note and deliberate on appointing a national leader (guotong). The assembly's deliberations were unanimous, with no dissenting voice. [Ling]yu smiled and said, "I should explain it thoroughly to you; what is the use of such chatter?" He then submitted a memorial declining and requesting to return, setting forth his words with meticulous care. The Emperor examined the memorial, probed the circumstances, and accordingly permitted him to return. The vice directors of the Department of State Affairs, Gao Jiong and others, wished him to retain the grave position of leader and again submitted a memorial requesting his retention. The Emperor thereupon issued an edict commanding him to stay there for the time being. [Ling]yu said, "A lord of a state does not go back on his word. Now to retain me once more is not permissible in my feelings." He told his disciples, "For a king's ministers to draw close, there has long been a pledge: if too close, they despise the person and belittle the Dharma; if they withdraw, they do not lack distant respect. Therefore I must weigh adherence and withdrawal." Soon three edicts arrived in succession firmly inviting him. [Ling]yu held fast to his resolve as before. The Emperor said to Su Wei, "We know that Master [Ling]yu has integrity and uprightness; he is a man of self-mastery, who truly cannot be made to compromise his principles." He then ordered the Left Vice Director Gao Jiong, the Right Vice Director Su Wei, the Palace Secretary Yu Qingze, the Area Commander He Ruobi, and other lords to go to the temple to announce the imperial decree, receive the precepts and repent sins on behalf of the Emperor, and present three hundred pieces of damask, brocade, garments, and plain silk to help construct a mountain temple. The Emperor himself inscribed the plaque: "It may be named Lingquan." The provisions and gifts were exceptionally generous, exceeding ordinary regulations. He walked with all his might and returned, reaching his home district. Looking back, he said, "Has not the distress of going and returning passed away without harm?" From this point, imperial inquiries repeatedly arrived, and donations and gifts were bestowed layer upon layer. Those seeking clarification of doubts and requesting decisions came from afar, and those hungering for the wind and bathing in the Way again gathered before him. Later in life, [Ling]yu also resided at Yankong Temple, west of the seat of Xiangzhou. He upheld his conduct even more firmly and practiced his discipline even more austerely. When the Emperor heard of it, he again issued an edict, saying: "We respectfully inquire after the Bhadanta Dharma Master Lingyu of Yankong Temple. We revere the sacred teachings and renew the Triratna, wishing to enable all living beings to partake in the power of merit. The Dharma Master has abandoned worldly dust and committed himself to the Dharma gate. Being so refined and sincere, you deeply fulfill Our intent." Such were the solicitous inquiries made of him by the ruler of the state. In the middle of the Renshou reign-era, when relics were distributed to various prefectures to raise stupas, many transformed omens appeared, and the people of the time all praised them as auspicious signs. When [Ling]yu heard of it, he sighed and said, "These signs portend both misfortune and fortune. Because there were mixed white flowers, white trees, white stupas, and white clouds, though the signs manifest auspicious conditions, they constitute ill omens." The crowd at first did not believe it. Soon, Empress Xian and Emperor Wen passed away in succession, and the entire state donned white mourning clothes—his words proved true. The stone base of the hall where the Regional Inspector of Xiangzhou, Duke of Neiyang Xue Zhou, resided suddenly turned to jade. Xue Zhou considered it an auspicious sign and held a vegetarian feast to celebrate it. [Ling]yu said, "This is merely vaidūrya; you should be cautious and take heed, and you may avert it through merit." Xue Zhou did not heed his words. Later, when Yang Liang rebelled, [Xue Zhou] was implicated in the affair and was exiled to the frontier borderlands. Regretting his earlier failure to be cautious, it was already too late. Furthermore, regarding the nine-tiered pagoda he built at Mount Hanling, by the end of the Renshou reign-era, only four tiers had been constructed. One morning, [Ling]yu urgently urged them, saying, "All is impermanent; affairs encounter hindrances and stops." Building continuously through the night, they were about to complete the eighth tier when an order was given to halt construction; they were only able to set up seats and arrange benches. Just then, the incident at Jinyang occurred, and the common people had nowhere to turn; [Ling]yu's life was also left in balance the following year. His prescient foresight was always like this. At that time, it was widely rumored in Ye that Master [Ling]yu was about to pass away. Monastics and laity gathered like clouds to receive the refuges and precepts together. They sought where the report had originated, but found no trace; [Ling]yu also believed that his merit and lifespan were exhausted. He then showed and instructed on good and evil, admonishing all his disciples. From the moment he felt unwell, upon reaching the seventh day, he took up a brush and composed two poems. The first lamented his swift end: / "Today I sit in the high hall, / Tomorrow morning I lie among the long thorns. / One life is now casually completed; / When will the coming retribution cease?" / The second grieved over his eternal demise: / "When life ends, I take leave of the mortal way; / My corpse is sent before the ghost gate. / After this single parting, / In how many years will we meet again?" / In the night, he told his attendant, "The pain is now in my back. I am about to depart." When the third watch came, a strange fragrance suddenly filled the room, startling all within and without.