宋高僧傳 12.38

12.38

釋慧寂，俗姓葉，韶州湞昌人也。登年十五，懇請出家，父母都不聽允止。十七再求堂親，猶豫未決。其夜有白光二道從曹溪發來，直貫其舍。時父母乃悟是子至誠之所感也。寂乃斷左無名指及小指，器藉跪致堂階曰：「答謝劬勞如此！」父母知其不可留，捨之，依南華寺通禪師下削染。年及十八，尚為息慈。營持道具，行尋知識。先見耽源，數年，良有所得。後參大溈山禪師，提誘哀之。棲泊十四五載，而足跛，時號跛脚驅烏。凡於商攉，多示其相。時韋宙就寂請伽陀，乃將紙畫規圓相，圓圍下注云：「思而知之，落第二頭。云不思而知，落第三首。」乃封呈達。自爾有若干勢以示學人，謂之仰山門風也。海眾摳衣得道者，不可勝計。往往有神異之者，倐來忽去，人皆不測。後勅追諡「大師」，曰智通，塔號妙光矣。今傳《仰山法示成圖相》，行于代也。

Shi Huiji, whose secular surname was Ye, was a native of Zhenchang in Shaozhou. When he reached the age of fifteen, he earnestly begged to leave the household, but his parents would not permit it at all. At seventeen, he petitioned his parents again, but they remained hesitant and undecided. That night, two rays of white light emanated from Caoxi and shone straight into their house. His parents then realized that this had been evoked by the son's utmost sincerity. Ji then severed his left ring finger and little finger, placed them on a tray, and knelt before the steps of the hall, saying: 'This is to repay my debt to your toil!' Knowing that he could not be kept, his parents let him go, and he took tonsure under Chan Master Tong at Nanhua Temple. When he reached eighteen, he was still a novice. Carrying his requisite implements, he traveled to seek out spiritual friends. First he visited Danyuan, and over several years he made genuine gains. Later, he visited the Chan Master of Mount Dagui, who took pity on him and guided him. He stayed there for fourteen or fifteen years; being lame in one foot, he was called at the time 'the lame crow-chaser.' Whenever they engaged in discourse, he would often manifest these forms. At that time, Wei Zhou requested a gāthā from Ji. Ji then took paper, drew a perfect circle, and inscribed beneath the circle: 'If you know it through thought, you fall into the second head; if you say you know it without thought, you fall into the third head.' He then sealed and presented it. From then on, there were several postures to demonstrate to students, known as the Yangshan style. Those of the great assembly who lifted their robes and attained the Way were beyond count. Frequently there were supernatural figures who came and went abruptly, baffling everyone. Later, an imperial decree posthumously bestowed the title of 'Grand Master Zhitong,' and his stūpa was named Miaoguang. Today, The Circular Figures for Illustrating the Dharma Handed Down by Yangshan circulates in the world.