續高僧傳 7.15

7.15

Shi Huiyong's surname was Huan. His ancestors were originally from Longkang in the Qiao Commandery. His grandfather, Fashi, served as the Minister of War and Magistrate of Qiantang; on account of this, he lived in seclusion at Mount Huqiu. Later, the family resided at Huan Hamlet in the Eastern District of Wu County in Wu Commandery. His father, Xian, passed away at an early age. His mother, Lady Zhang, once dreamed that she ascended a Buddhist pagoda and obtained two golden bodhisattvas. Soon after, she gave birth to two sons, both of whom entered the monastic order in their youth. The elder was Huicong, and Yong was the second. When he first went to Yangdu, he relied on Master Ze of Lingyao Temple as his preceptor. He concentrated his mind on dhyāna and recitation, disciplining his body with coarse vegetarian food. He received instruction from various masters without restricting himself to a single tradition. Is it not that gold ore must be carved and polished to become a treasure, and beautiful jade must await grinding and polishing? Indeed, there was a reason for this. Upon receiving the full precepts, he studied the *Daśādhyāya-vinaya* under Vinaya Master Feng of Jingzhong Temple. Master Sengchuo of Longguang Temple and Master Fachong of Jianyuan Temple were both eminent luminaries within the country whose renown resonated beyond the Indic lands; Yong submitted himself as their disciple and received the lineage of the *Tattvasiddhi-śāstra*. He disciplined his mind and sharpened his resolve, forgetting exhaustion in sleep and food; immersed in rigorous contemplation, as if on the brink of falling into an abyss. Passing through many winters and summers, his extensive learning achieved great mastery. By the age of thirty, he was already turning the wheel of the Dharma. From that time on, he drew students from afar and opened extensive lecture assemblies; commanding great respect in the capital, he stood out prominently. He lectured exclusively on treatises nearly ten times. Shortly thereafter, the Liang dynasty collapsed, and the populace was thrown into turmoil. He frequently contemplated retreating from the world, but knew not where to turn. At that time, Master Quan of Mount She maintained the singular vehicle without compromise and moved freely through mountains and the world; guiding people to awakening in accordance with their capacities, Yong wished to follow him. Once, while walking in front of Bao'en Temple, he suddenly saw a person who said, 'I have come from Mount She to give you a bamboo ruyi scepter.' Then, telling Yong, 'You shall soon fulfill your wish (ruyi),' the person suddenly disappeared. Within a couple of days, there was a lacquered box containing a set of the Three Treatises placed upon the window before his room. Upon inquiring, none knew where it came from. Delighted by this auspicious omen, his fervent courage could hardly be contained. Thereupon, he shook his robes, departed his hometown, and set out for the springs and crags. Yearning for the profound spiritual realm, he did not seek companions of the lute terrace; cultivating emptiness and practicing wisdom, he genuinely followed the exemplary style of Huiyuan of Mount Lu. He then took up residence at Zhiguan Temple, working diligently from dawn to dusk. Master Quan set aside the difference in their years, treating him as both a disciple and a friend, just as the musical notes of gong and yu harmonize together, or as indigo enhances blue. From then on, he parsed sentences and gathered subtle meanings; of all sūtras he expounded, none was omitted. That the Great Dharma was transmitted was truly dependent on him. In the fifth year of the Tianjia era (564 CE), Emperor Shizu (Emperor Wen) invited him to lecture at the Taiji Hall. The hundred ministers were fully present, and the seven assemblies gathered together. Those who looked up to him followed in rapid succession, and those who sought spiritual rest gathered in droves like shadows. From that time on, his fame flourished exceedingly. He resided at Da Chanzhong Temple for eighteen years. When he built a lecture hall, his disciples and audience accomplished it in no time. With eaves adjoining and flying pavilions, its construction was vast and open, inscribed with the name 'Prajñā Hall.' On the twenty-eighth day of the fifth month of the first year of the Zhide era (583 CE), he fell ill. Shortly thereafter, at daybreak, his spirit departed. His worldly age was sixty-nine. At the moment of his passing, his countenance did not alter, and his crown remained warm through the night; the assembly all marvelled at this. On the sixth day of the sixth month, he was buried at the western ridge of Mount She. From beginning to end, he lectured on the *Avataṃsaka*, the *Mahāparinirvāṇa*, the *Vaipulya*, the *Mahāsaṃnipāta*, and the *Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā* twenty times each; the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa*, the *Madhyamaka-śāstra*, the *Śata-śāstra*, and the *Dvādaśamukha-śāstra* thirty-five times each; and several other scriptures such as the *Lotus Sūtra* and the *Viśeṣacinti-brahma-paripṛcchā*, which were not recorded. Furthermore, having early on renounced loved ones, he was steadfast and austere from youth; his literary skill and eloquent speech were esteemed by his contemporaries. Up until his death, he remained undefiled and pure. Truly, he was a pillar of the image teaching and a repository of profound principles. His disciples, pursuing the deep respect due to a teacher, carved a stone stele for him. The text was composed by Jiang Zong, Palace Attendant and President of the Department of State Affairs, of Jiyang.