續高僧傳 30.20

30.20

Śramaṇa Lishen was a native of Jinling south of the Yangzi. His aspirations and resolve were heroic and decisive, never entangling himself in superficial trivialities. His imposing presence was stern, inspiring awe and trepidation in those who saw him. He was skilled in composition and adroit in dialectical dialogue. At that time, literati south of the Yangzi often sponsored Dharma gatherings, frequently assembling eminent monks for multi-night Dharma convocations, with the task of guiding and elucidating being what held their foremost interest. When Shen ascended the high seat and first cleared his throat, it boomed like thunder; clergy and laity straightened their collars, their hair standing on end as they composed themselves. When it came to narrating karmic causes and laying out corresponding retribution, it was so chill and vivid as if seen face to face, causing people to cherish both revulsion [for saṃsāra] and vigorous resolve. In his later years, he entered the Huiri Monastery, and generous gifts increased daily. During the early Daye era, his cantillation and proclamation were held in especially high esteem. Because the power of his voice and eloquence moved his heartfelt feelings, the Emperor bestowed upon him four hundred bolts of silk and forty felt mats. His nature was inherently pure and frugal, possessing no redundant savings; he promptly ordered his disciples to divide it all equally among themselves. Following the imperial entourage to the Eastern Capital, he eventually passed away there. He was then over eighty years old. At that time, the official provisions at Xingshan Monastery in the Western Capital sustained ordinary cantillators, each person having their own faction and followers. Among the pre-eminent were Huining, Kuangshou, Fada, and Baoyan; their roaring vigor was formidable, yet their faculty for adapting to circumstances remained unmanifested. Since they may be seen in ordinary society, they are not elaborated here.