續高僧傳 3.8.3

3.8.3

Whom does this speak of? Dharma Master Huijing was that very man. The Dharma Master was endowed with pure and harmonious vital energy, a refinement sent down by the rivers and peaks. His spiritual understanding merged within, while his mental subtleties shone outward. In his tender youth he faced the sun; in his childhood years he investigated the arcane. His roots rose aloft, branching dense and luxuriant; to brush the clouds, his ladder was made of ordinary rungs. Great billows stretched boundlessly vast; to bathe the sun, his path began from the dimming springs. Moreover, his torch of wisdom shone early on, and his boughs of dhyāna flourished betimes. Overlooking the flowing river, he was touched with anxious thoughts; gazing at the waters of absorption, he gladdened his spirit. Lamenting those who toil in worldly life, he awakened to this eternal bliss. The profound purports of the Three Vehicles melted brilliantly away like ice; the Dharma gates of the two truths were harmoniously and smoothly aligned with principle. Soon thereafter, he set forth on his journey from the eastern land and leaned on his monk's staff in western Qin. Arriving at lecture halls and Dharma assemblies, upon hearing of his fine reputation, people flocked thither like echoes. Resolving doubts and analyzing difficulties, they submitted to his lofty principles and followed him like shadows. The bright mirror reflected repeatedly without tiring; the great bell awaited striking and thereupon resonated. Exhausting their capacities and filling their measures, they went empty and returned full. Truly he was a pillar of the Buddha's Dharma, verily the leader of the monastic assembly. Formerly, when I travelled to the imperial capital, I was able to express my admiration. In that quiet, pure realm, parting the clouds one saw the radiant light; in that secluded, tranquil dwelling, entering the chamber white radiance naturally arose. The Dharma Master guided me with the limit of reality (bhūtakoṭi) and drew me in with suchness (tathatā). Scooping the ocean, one knew not its shallows or depths; looking up at the scholarly mountain, one merely gazed in awe at its lofty peak. Once, during the Dharma Master's leisure from expounding the scriptures, we deliberated upon the forest of letters. Such as the compositions on garden willows and celestial elms, or the chants of storied pavilions and patterned lattice windows; the King of Wei's 'Northern Mountain' and Chen Si's 'Southern State'; Sizong's rhapsody on the bright moon, and Pengze's depiction of the gentle rain; down to Yan and Xie blossoming with ornate verse, and Ren and Shen displaying vigorous style—these were fully capable of harmonizing with the eight tones and conforming in expression to the four beginnings. Each in turn inherited and transmitted them, magnificently serving as turtles and mirrors. How could they only bring glory to past ages without successors to follow in their footsteps? In recent times, men of letters have appeared with exceptional talents from time to time. Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou exerted his heroic ambitions, leveling the Zhang and Fu rivers; Emperor Gaozu of the Sui concealed his brilliant stratagems, pacifying the Jiang and Huai rivers. Standardizing scripts and tracks, they opened wide the schools. Wen and Xing enjoyed high renown in the eastern land; Xu and Yu were prized dearly in southern Jing. Minister of Works Wang was uniquely eminent in his day; Gentleman Shen stood out as an extraordinary figure across generations. How could any of these illustrious talents be lacking? Ever since the foundation was laid in the realm of Can, the brilliant light has shone twice over; greatly promoting cultural virtue, their path surpasses that of former kings. Gentlemen living in seclusion were moved by the zeitgeist; guests from forests and ravines gathered like clouds. Thus they were able to outshine Han Che and give birth to Cao Pi; elegant literature flourished luxuriantly, reaching its zenith at this time. Though I am not clever, I secretly harbored this intention. Soon afterward, the boat moved unseen in the night valley; mourning that hills and valleys shift and trade places, and seeing that the sun and moon easily pass into evening, I grieved that human life is hard to make constant. Therefore, I earnestly requested the Dharma Master to temporarily turn his clear discernment toward collecting poetic pieces and weeding out superfluous growth. For a gentleman is not always aloof and solemn; editing the poems would not be a blemish. Continuing after the 'Poetic Garden' compiled by Chamberlain for Law Enforcement Liu, he edited and supplemented it. Yu Chusun of Yingchuan possessed scholarship encompassing the ancient classics, and his conduct rivaled that of Yan Hui and Min Ziqian. Wei Shanfu of Jingzhao was upright and possessed rare integrity; widely read, he synthesized the various schools of thought. Interacting with the Dharma Master, their affection surpassed that of glue and lacquer. Witnessing this splendid undertaking, they all joined in praising and assisting it. Yet life has a limit; Lord Yu passed away forever. Grieving incessantly over this transformation into death, tears unwittingly soaked my lapel. Recently, observing his surviving writings, they have long become old relics; now they are also arranged on the soiled bamboo slips to be handed down to posterity. The Dharma Master, formally following the ancient statutes, compiled this magnificent achievement. Taking advantage of my leisure days, I respectfully recount his fragrant virtues, so that the songs of Ying and airs of Chu may resonate together with strings and pipes, and spring blossoms and autumn fruits may endure as long as heaven and earth. Thereupon, the seven nobles bowed to his fine principles, and the fivefold assembly rejoiced in his wise understanding. Anyone counted among the capable kept a copy in their household. From that time forth, whenever the state held a grand gathering, he was always among the foremost. Whenever he entered the royal palaces, he frequently ascended to the highest seat. Held in regard in the emperor's heart, he was respected by all officials. The Crown Prince had long admired his pure virtue, and so in the thirteenth year of Zhenguan, he assembled the various officials and scholars of the three teachings at the Hongwen Hall, inviting Huijing to expound the Lotus Sūtra. The Daoist Cai Huang was fond of setting himself apart when expounding Daoist treatises; Xuanzong issued an order dispatching him to debate Huijing. Huang then composed his countenance and asked: 'The sūtra says: "Introduction, Chapter One." I do not know which division "Introductory" refers to.' Huijing said: 'The Tathāgata entered samādhi, manifested auspicious omens, emitted light, displayed wonders, shook the earth, and rained down flowers. Using the distant to reveal the near, this served as the grand foundation for breaking the two [vehicles] and formed the gradual course for illuminating the one [vehicle]; therefore it is called the Introduction. "Order" (di) means position; "One" (yi) means the beginning. The Introduction occupies the very foremost place; hence it is called Chapter One.' Huang said: '"Order" (di) means a younger brother (di). If it is an order, it cannot be called "one"; if one speaks of "one", it cannot be called an "order". The two words contradict each other—how can they be reconciled?' Huijing said: 'Did I not just say that "order" means position, and "one" means beginning? Since you did not comprehend the previous thesis and erroneously raised a subsequent objection, this is objecting against yourself—how can it count as objecting against another?' Huang said: 'If you say I did not comprehend it, please explain it again.' Huijing addressed the Crown Prince: 'In the past there were two persons: one was named Snake Slave, who spoke of the broom but forgot how to sweep; the other was named Śāriputra, who, upon hearing once, understood a thousand things. Thus Snake Slave did not awaken even after hearing twice, whereas Śāriputra comprehended as soon as it was uttered once. This was not because the transmission of the teaching was unclear, but merely because the recipient of the Dharma was not sharp.' Huang said: 'The Dharma Master's words did not leave his lips; what was there to comprehend?' Huijing said: 'When the Bodhisattva preaches the Dharma, his voice shakes the ten directions. The Daoist sits in his seat as though bewildered and drunk. How could it be that merely his physical body is deaf and blind? His intellect must also be likewise.' Huang said: 'When a jackal preaches the Dharma, how could it ever be heard?' Huijing said: 'The heavenly palace is strictly guarded, where tracks of beasts are utterly cut off by principle. The Daoist's spirit is so bewildered that he takes a human to be a beast.' At that time, the Chancellor of the Directorate of Education Kong Yingda, harboring bias toward the Daoist faction, covertly fanned the flames with buzzing words like a bluebottle fly, saying: 'The Buddhist house is free of dispute; why does the Dharma Master fabricate this?' Huijing addressed the Crown Prince: 'Even when the Tathāgata was in the world, there were already such matters. When the Buddha refuted non-Buddhists, the non-Buddhists could not answer and instead said to the Buddha: "You always say of yourself that you are impartial. Now that you have refuted me with objections, that is partiality—how can you call it impartiality?" The Buddha answered them: "Using my partiality, I refute your partiality. If you attain impartiality, that is my impartiality." Now it is also like this: using Huijing's dispute, I refute his dispute. When he attains non-dispute, that is Huijing's non-dispute.' Thereupon the Crown Prince said to the Chancellor: 'Since you plagiarize words, you truly belong to the Daoist faction.' Huijing addressed the Crown Prince: 'Huijing has always heard that a gentleman does not form factions in his wisdom; does the Chancellor also form a faction?' The Crown Prince smiled broadly and laughed, and the entire assembly rejoiced.