續高僧傳 26.90

26.90

Śramaṇa Zhiyi, surnamed Kang, was originally a descendant of the kings of Kangju. Due to national turmoil they came east; the Wei enfeoffed them in Xiangyang, where they consecutively resided for over ten generations. At age seven he began his studies; he fathomed texts to the end and awakened on his own without a master. Revering the Buddhist tradition, though by day he temporarily complied with worldly conditions and followed fellow students, at night he privately recited the Lotus Sūtra until he was thoroughly proficient in the text. His parents knew nothing of it at first. At thirteen, he bowed in farewell and received tonsure. He further consulted on the great treatises, his inclination becoming ever more pronounced. At twenty-four he at last received the full precepts. Carrying his book-satchels to the banks of the Luo River, he relied upon Huiyuan, transmitting his vocation in the Daśabhūmika and the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra], both of which he could expound and guide others in. Later he entered the Pass and resided at Jingfa Monastery. When the Renshou pagodas were established, he received an imperial decree summoning him to escort relics to Chongjiao Monastery in Guazhou. Upon first arriving to determine the foundation, a yellow dragon appeared in a large pool beside the province; its fangs, horns, body, and tail were seen by the entire territory. A memorial was submitted to report it to the throne. Yi resided at the monastery for many years, constantly contemplating dhyāna and wisdom. Unless it was a matter of great importance, he did not step beyond his courtyard; thus those who went to visit rarely caught sight of his face. In his late years, as his age advanced, his zeal for his vocation became all the more elevated. He declined all monastic duties and community tasks. In the early Tang he passed away, aged over seventy.