續高僧傳 1.16

1.16

Shi Fatai was of unknown origin. His learning comprehended the Buddhist tradition, outshining all in the Huai and Hai regions. He resided at the Great Monastery in the capital of Yangdu, and together with Huikai, Sengzong, Faren, and others, was renowned during the Liang dynasty, their doctrinal fame reaching high and far as leading masters of the time. There was an Indian śramaṇa, Paramārtha, who carried the Dharma on a solitary journey to transform the distant eastern borders. It happened that ferocious northern bandits invaded and destroyed [the realm], and he lived as an exile and vagrant for over ten years, without translating anything at all. When he was about to return to his homeland, his path took him south of the ridges, where he was detained by Ouyang Wei, the regional inspector of Guangzhou. Wishing then to transmit his teachings, he sought throughout the land for doctrinal companions to examine the new texts. Fatai, together with [Seng]zong, [Hui]kai, and others, not dreading hardship and toil, sought out the Tripiṭaka master from afar. At Zhizhi Monastery in Guangzhou, he took down the texts and meanings brush in hand for nearly twenty years. In all, they produced over fifty works along with doctrinal commentaries, all of which had never existed in this land before. Although Fatai was widely versed in doctrinal tenets, he laid special emphasis on noble conduct; where the Vinaya and decorum were concerned, by nature he never transgressed them. Paramārtha also translated the *Vyakhyāyukti* (*Vinayadvyāviṃśatinidāna*) with Fatai, which explains the twenty-two great topics of the Vinaya, together with a commentary in five fascicles; Fatai inscribed it beside his seat and reverently put it into practice. In the third year of the Taijian era of the Chen dynasty, Fatai returned to Jianye, carrying with him the newly translated scriptures and treatises to introduce their doctrinal principles for the first time, astonishing his contemporaries. Among those works were the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* and the *Abhidharmakośaśāstra*, whose words and expressions were comprehensive and rich, their principles and tenets profound and subtle; their thought transcended common sentiments, and few could grasp their purport. Previously, Emperor Wu of the Liang had revered the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* while also taking pleasure in the *Satyasiddhiśāstra*, and prominent scholars had flocked [to them] like the wind bending the grass. Emperor Wu of the Chen, wishing to differ from the previous dynasty, widely promoted the *Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā* and paid special veneration to the Three Treatises. Therefore, although Fatai repeatedly expounded [the new texts], neither clergy nor laity would receive them, causing the Dharma seat to remain without a successor, silent and unheard. It happened that the śramaṇa Jingsong of Pengcheng had taken refuge from worldly troubles in Jinling. His reputation for learning had long been celebrated as uniquely preeminent across a thousand years. Yearning for these correct principles, he discussed them throughout the day in regular lectures and inquired into the new tradition by night. As time elapsed and seasons changed, Fatai gave voice to the profound approach, his lucid mind reaching great attainments. Whenever Jingsong examined dubious points, they penetrated the ultimate subtlety, and Fatai, following each capacity and adhering to the text, explained and expounded them without reserve. This matter appears in the biography of [Jing]song. Fatai extensively consulted Paramārtha and transmitted his teachings to Master Song; 'Those who know me are few'—the common saying truly applied here. His end is unknown. Zhikai, whose secular surname was Cao, resided at the Yangdu Monastery. Initially, he set out at a different time from Fatai and the others, yet went together with them beyond the ridges to pay reverent homage to Paramārtha. Zhikai had long accumulated the manner of the Way, and his verbal power was rich and abundant; thus he participated in translating the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*, personally receiving the text. Within seven months, both the text and commentary were completed, totalling twenty-five fascicles. Later, he again participated in translating the *Abhidharmakośaśāstra*, which was finished in ten months, the text and commentary totalling eighty-three fascicles. Paramārtha said: 'Had I met you earlier, of the scriptures and treatises I compiled and translated previously, none would have been lacking. Now that these two treatises have been translated, their phrasing and principles are fully complete; I have no regrets.' Later, [Zhi]kai invited Paramārtha to return to Xianming Monastery in Guangzhou to reside in his original quarters, and requested him to lecture again on the *Abhidharmakośaśāstra*, but they managed only a single round. During the Guangda era of the Chen, Sengzong, Fazhun, Huiren, and others crossed the ridges to seek learning from Paramārtha. Because they had not yet heard the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*, he lectured on it for them once more, beginning on the fourth day of the fourth month and finishing a single round only on the eighth day of the twelfth month. The following year, [Seng]zong and the others again requested [Zhi]kai to lecture on the *Abhidharmakośaśāstra* at Zhihui Monastery. More than seventy renowned scholars came together to pay homage and consult him. The lectures had reached the ninth fascicle of the commentary on the 'Chapter on Karma', with the text still unfinished, when on the twentieth day of the eighth month he fell ill. Realizing he would not recover, he asked for paper and inscribed a poem: 'A thousand autumns are truly hard to fulfill; / The three seasons by principle easily decline. / A flint's spark has no lasting flame; / A flash of lightning does not shine for long. / Posthumous writings fill the baskets in vain; / To no purpose do they leave later generations in the dark. / The road to the springs is just now dark and choked; / The cold burial mound faces desolation. / One morning, expiring with the dew, / There is only the sound of pines at night.' He then put down the brush, shook hands to bid farewell to the eminent bhadantas, sat upright in dignified contemplation, and suddenly passed away. His age was fifty-one, in the second year of Guangda. He was buried on the south ridge of Xiyin Monastery in Guangzhou. As for the rest of the treatise's text, Paramārtha continued the lectures until the third fascicle of the 'Chapter on Defilements', when he became indisposed and the Dharma assembly was abandoned. In the beginning of spring the next year, the Tripiṭaka master also passed away. Paramārtha had a disciple in the bodhisattva precepts named Cao Pi, who was the son of [Zhi]kai's uncle. He was clever, profound, and possessed an elegant and far-reaching character. Taken south in his youth, he studied the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*, and in consulting on and receiving the various texts, he achieved meritorious results in all. In the third year of Taijian, Pi invited the monastic rector Dharma Master Mingyong of Jianxing Monastery to continue lecturing on the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*, and more than fifty eminent monks accomplished in learning attended. Later, he resided in Jiangdu, synthesizing and practicing what he had previously studied, frequently expounding the treatises at Baita and other monasteries. Wearing the cap, shoes, robe, and tunic, he dressed like a worthy gentleman; ascending the seat to speak, he consistently brought forth profound insights. Those seated around him were all illustrious guests; Sengrong of Zhanding Monastery, Fakan of Riyan Monastery, and others all relied upon his learning. At that time, there was the śramaṇa Zhijiao of Pingdeng Monastery in Xunzhou. In his youth, he listened to the *Satyasiddhiśāstra* under Masters Dao and Yuan of Yanzuo Monastery, and went to the northern land to listen to the *Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā-śāstra* under the śramaṇa Faming. He also went to the two bhadantas Xi and Jian to hear the *Vibhāṣā* and the *Mūlamadhyamakakārikā*. In all cases he plumbed the depths with utmost refinement and thoroughly examined the essential tenets. Only after he found a root teacher whose spoken words during lectures were free of superficiality and whose meaning was clear and unimpeded did he leave him. The rest followed this standard. When the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* was being translated, [Zhi]jiao was invited by the regional inspector of Guangzhou and General Pacifying the South, Duke of Yangshan, [Ouyang] Wei, to conduct the retreat at his residence, so he could not study it exclusively. Later, when the *Abhidharmakośaśāstra* was translated, he was finally admitted to the assembly. When [Zhi]kai lectured on this treatise, [Zhi]jiao, together with Daoni and twenty others, collected the texts and commentaries, listening and receiving them in the hall. When [Zhi]kai passed away, Paramārtha beat his breast in deep grief and went into Fazhun's room, leading twelve men including [Dao]ni, [Fa]xiang, and [Zhi]jiao to pass the incense together, bidding them to propagate the two treatises, the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* and the *Abhidharmakośaśāstra*, swearing that they would never cease. They all revered the instruction together, determined not to let it fail. After the Tripiṭaka master passed away, the Dharma companions withered and scattered, and the lineage was on the verge of waning. In the ninth year of Taijian, [Zhi]jiao continually set forth and propagated the teachings, having the most peers; among those who attended Paramārtha's lectures together, none surpassed him. In the second month of the eleventh year of Taijian, there was Huige, a disciple of the Tripiṭaka master [Dharma]bhadra, who originally resided in the Central Plains. Facing the suppression of the Dharma by Emperor Wu of the Zhou, he fled to take refuge in the Chen. Later, following the envoy Liu Zhang to the Southern Sea, he obtained the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-śāstra*. [Zhi]jiao had previously lectured on this sūtra, and delighting in his previous study, he submitted himself to request instruction. Huige then expounded it for him, but only reached the preface and the first thirteen chapters of profound meaning in the chapter on lineage. Later, Huige returned to Mount Heling in Yuzhang; [Zhi]jiao, together with Dharma Master Ji, followed him. Huige then expounded the third part for them, fully transmitting the ten seas and the ten paths, and proceeded to the remaining text. Huige then fell ill and was unable to continue teaching, so he instructed [Zhi]jiao to go down to the capital to seek Dharma Master Haichao to thoroughly plumb the treatise's tenets. In the fourteenth year, [Zhi]jiao arrived in Jianye, but could not find the one he sought. Instead, he met Dhyāna Master Xiao of Qixuan Monastery, who gave him Tanlin's commentary explaining the latter part of the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra*; the text included the purport of the treatise but was not complete. He then returned to his old monastery and regularly lectured on the meaning of the thirteen chapters of the new text, nearly twenty times. In the twelfth year of Kaihuang, Wang Zhongxuan staged a rebellion, burning the administrative seats of the prefectures and [Zhi]jiao's monastic quarters, destroying all texts and commentaries. That year, [Zhi]jiao was appointed to monastic administration over Guang and Xun prefectures, and for five years he neglected his Dharma duties. After being relieved of his monastic duties, he then lectured exclusively on the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* more than ten times at Daochang Monastery in his native prefecture. Among his audience, twenty-five attained deep understanding, and [monks such as] Ji, Shan, and Kan were all capable of being leading masters. In the first year of Renshou, he fell ill and passed away at his home monastery. [Zhi]jiao compiled a record of Paramārtha's translations, verifying the beginning and end, and giving a detailed account of the fascicles, texts, dates, and people involved, composing an extensive narrative. Daoni originally resided in Jiujiang. Seeking out the lineage of Paramārtha's teachings, he raised lectures on the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha*, his fame soaring in the capital. In the tenth year of Kaihuang, an imperial decree summoned him to enter [the capital]. Having arrived in the imperial chariot of Chang'an, he enlightened very many people. From this time onward, there were no longer lecture masters in the south; even if any were said to expound the teachings, they were hardly worth taking note of.