宋高僧傳 13.21

13.21

釋慧稜，杭州海鹽人也，俗姓孫氏。初誕纏紫色胎衣。為童齓日，俊朗抗節，於吳苑通玄寺登戒。已聞南方有禪學，遂遊閩嶺，謁雪峯，提耳指訂，頓明本性。乃述偈云：「昔時謾向途中學，今日看來火裏氷。」如是親依，不下峯頂，計三十許載。冥循定業，謹攝矜莊。泉州刺史王延彬召稜住昭慶院，禪子委輸，唯虞後至。及於長樂府，居長慶院，二十餘年，出世不減一千五百眾。稜性地慈忍，不妄許人。能反三隅，方加印可。以長興三年壬辰五月十七日長往，春秋七十九，僧臘六十。閩國王氏私誄之「大師」，號超覺。塔葬皆出官供。判官林文盛為碑紀德云。

Shi Huileng was a native of Haiyan in Hangzhou; his secular surname was Sun. When he was born, he was enveloped in a purple caul. In his childhood, he was brilliant and unyielding in moral integrity. He received the complete precepts at Tongxuan Temple in Wuyuan. Having heard that Chan learning existed in the south, he traveled across the mountains of Min to call upon Xuefeng, who personally instructed and corrected him, whereupon he instantly illuminated his original nature. He then composed a verse: / "In the past, I vainly studied along the road; / Looking at it today, it is like ice within fire." / In this manner, he closely attended upon him, not descending from the peak for roughly thirty years. He silently adhered to his disciplined vocation, maintaining prudence and dignity. Wang Yanbin, prefect of Quanzhou, invited Leng to reside at Zhaoqing Cloister, where Chan followers gathered in submission, fearing only to arrive last. Coming to Chang'le Prefecture, he resided at Changqing Cloister for over twenty years; those who left the household under him were no fewer than fifteen hundred. Leng's nature was compassionate and patient, and he did not recklessly approve people; only after one could deduce the other three corners from one would he confer authorization. On the seventeenth day of the fifth month in the renchen year, the third year of Changxing (932 CE), he passed away at the age of seventy-nine, with a saṅgha age of sixty. The Wang clan of the state of Min privately eulogized him with the title "Grand Master," named Chaojue. His pagoda and burial were all funded by official provision. Administrative Assistant Lin Wensheng composed a stele recording his virtues.