續高僧傳 8.28

8.28

Śramaṇa Huirong, surnamed Gu, was a native of Shanyin in Kuaiji. During the Datong reign of Gaozu of the Liang, he took leave of his parents to go out and attend lectures. At that time, Jianchu and Pengcheng flourished in promoting the Chengshi lun. Although he had never set out an outline before, he gave full vent to pure eloquence; the entire congregation was moved to sigh in admiration, and his fine reputation immediately opened. By nature he was expansive and open-minded, taking no notice of worldly affairs; he devoted himself solely to the work of the Dharma, leaving everything else unaddressed. His parents in his home village, sorrowful at his early departure, repeatedly sent letters via travelers. Rong received them and burned them. Looking around to his companions, he said, 'How could I not yearn for them? But it would disrupt my studies. In the letters there are only two words; why should I open them?' When asked what they were, he replied, 'Good fortune and bad fortune.' Thus he accumulated effort for over thirty years, vowing never to retrace his steps until he was hailed as an 'Elephant of Doctrine.' From then on he applied himself single-mindedly with the armor of vigor, and his fame spread ever farther. Thereupon he lectured and expounded his realizations, and scholars flocked to him. When he reached the age of fifty, his disciples were still thus. He then broadly opened Dharma assemblies, extensively inviting both monastics and laity. At that time, the Crown Prince of the Liang was in attendance, having never known him before, and ordered someone to ask, 'What is the lecturer's name?' Rong raised his voice and said, 'Huirong of the Cave of Yu, unique in Jiangdong! If the Crown Prince does not know me, what kind of heir apparent is he?' The entire assembly covered their ears, thinking he was excessively arrogant. Rong remained leisurely as before, acting as if no one were there. Later, he returned to his home village with his disciples. His mother was still alive, but the rest had all passed away. He sighed with emotion and said, 'At fifteen I took leave of my neighbors of old; / At fifty I return to my old neighborhood. / The young do not recognize me, / And not a single elder remains.' The monastics and laity of his native district wished to highlight his worth, yet resented his sharp words. They gathered a great assembly to make him defend a thesis. Rong said, 'My learning is extensive. If I establish a proposition at will, it might evoke idle words. I leave it to the assembly to raise the topic, after which I shall establish the proofs.' Because he was broadly versed and arrogant, the assembly had him defend the eighty secondary marks, thinking he would surely be unable to recite and hold them all. Rong said, 'In the entire assembly, there is no real man! This is merely a text of many words; its meaning is readily known.' Thereupon he divided the sections above and below, keeping to the thread of the Dharma. In an instant he registered the numbers, listed the names, and extracted the essentials. Although all attempted difficult challenges, none succeeded. In his later years he went out to the capital again, continuously lecturing and teaching. In the late years of the Zhide reign, he passed away in the capital of Yang.