續高僧傳 6.41

6.41

Shi Sengxun was surnamed Ming and was the nephew of Ming Shanbin, Palace Cadet to the Crown Prince. When he had just reached the age for learning the rites, he once listened to Shanbin conversing and debating with guests, following and comprehending their back-and-forth without missing anything. Shanbin patted his head and said: 'The one who will keep our family tradition from falling into decay today—could it be you?' His father, Fengbo, had sincere faith in the Great Dharma; knowing that his son was intelligent, talented, and could be expected to fathom profound mysteries and permanently ford the sea of passions, an imperial decree ordered him to enter pravrajyā at the age of twelve, becoming a disciple of the vinayadhara Sengbian of Fengcheng Monastery. Bian was pure and upright by nature, kept the precepts with icy strictness, loved benevolence, practiced fidelity, and was energetic and courageous, frequently lecturing on the Sarvāstivāda-vinaya. Later, Xun resided at Zhicheng Monastery, maintaining lofty personal conduct and an assiduous love of learning. He sought instruction in the sūtras and treatises from Fayun of Guanghai Monastery, living quietly in the saṅghārāma without occupying himself with miscellaneous affairs. Renowned and virtuous figures of the time all praised him. What passed through his ears he did not forget, and what passed before his eyes he was sure to remember; he was constantly able to repeat what he had learned like water poured from one vessel into another. People of the time admired his lucid eloquence, and both lay and monastic folk valued his untiring zeal. Whatever he heard he completely annotated and recorded; although he did not possess extraordinary genius, his synthetic organization was profound and thorough. There were none among his fellow students and disciples who did not copy and circulate his writings. In the sixteenth year of the Tianjian reign he passed away, at the age of thirty-five. At that time there were also Daosui and Daobiao, both natives of Hailing, who both received instruction under Fayun; their learning in sūtras and treatises was comprehensive, extensively organized, and well-ordered.