宋高僧傳 15.8

15.8

釋朗然，俗姓魏，世襲冠冕，其先隨東晉南渡，則為南徐人也。開元中入道，受業於丹陽開元寺齊大師。天寶初受具於杭州華嚴寺光律師。後徙靈隱寺，依遠律師，通《四分律鈔》，重稟越州曇一律師，精研律部，講訓生徒，四遠響應。肅宗至德二年，恩命舉移，隷名於慈和寺。上元中，刺史韋儇又請為招隱統領大德。即以其年講授之暇，著《古今決》十卷，解釋《四分律鈔》數十萬言，繁雜義例，條貫甚明，大行於世。觀其先列古人之義，有所不安，則判斷之，故號「決」也。《決》中自序：初依天竺威律師學習，復從遠、一二師也。凡戒壇則二十六登。皆為壇席之主。《律鈔》凡二十八過講。有饋遺者隨豐薄，受而轉施悲、信二田。凡於教理，披文究義，皆言宿習之力也。執持戒檢，斯須不違。大曆十二年冬癸卯，趺坐如常，恬然化滅，時年五十四，僧臘三十五。越十三年春辛酉，建塔於山西原，縗麻之徒泣血千計。高行弟子清浩、擇言等。請益弟子御史中丞洪府觀察使韋儇、吏部員外李華、潤州刺史韓賁、湖州刺史韋損、御史大夫劉暹、潤州刺史樊冕，皆歸心奉信。屯田員外郎柳識為碑頌焉。

Shi Langran, whose secular surname was Wei, belonged to a family of hereditary official rank; his ancestors had crossed the river south following the Eastern Jin, and so they became people of Nanxu. During the Kaiyuan era he entered the Way, receiving instruction under Master Qi of Kaiyuan Temple in Danyang. In the early Tianbao era, he received the full precepts under Vinaya Master Guang of Huayan Temple in Hangzhou. Later, he moved to Lingyin Temple, relying on Vinaya Master Yuan, mastered the *Four-Part Vinaya Commentary* (Sifenlü chao), and once more received instructions under Vinaya Master Tanyi of Yuezhou, meticulously examining the vinaya texts and lecturing to guide students, receiving responses from far and wide. In the second year of the Zhide era under Emperor Suzong, by imperial order upon recommendation for transfer, his registration was assigned to Cihe Temple. During the Shangyuan era, the Prefect Wei Xuan again invited him to be the Grand Virtuous Leader of Zhaoyin Temple. In that same year, in the leisure from his lecturing, he composed the ten-fascicle *Decisions on the Ancient and Modern* (Gujin jue), explaining several hundred thousand words of the *Four-Part Vinaya Commentary*; its complicated interpretations and precedents were clarified with great order, and it circulated widely in the world. Observing that he first set out the views of the ancients and, wherever there was something unsatisfactory, rendered a judgment on it, it was therefore named 'Decisions'. In his own preface to the *Decisions*, he wrote that he first studied relying on Vinaya Master Wei of Tianzhu, and further followed the two masters Yuan and [Tan]yi. In total, he ascended the ordination platform twenty-six times, serving each time as the master of the platform assembly. He lectured on the *Vinaya Commentary* a total of twenty-eight times. Whenever gifts were offered, whether abundant or meager, he accepted and redirected them as donations to the two fields of compassion and faith. Regarding the doctrinal teachings, whenever he opened texts and investigated their meanings, he always attributed his ability to the power of past habits. He upheld the restraints of the precepts without violating them for an instant. In winter, on the guimao day of the twelfth year of Dali, he sat cross-legged as usual and peacefully passed away, aged fifty-four, with a saṅgha age of thirty-five. In the following thirteenth year, in spring on the xinyou day, a stūpa was erected on the western plain of the mountain; those wearing mourning garments of hemp who wept tears of blood were numbered by the thousands. His disciples of noble conduct included Qinghao and Zeyan. Disciples who sought his guidance included Wei Xuan, Censor-in-chief and Surveillance Commissioner of Hongfu; Li Hua, Supernumerary of the Ministry of Personnel; Han Ben, Prefect of Runzhou; Wei Sun, Prefect of Huzhou; Liu Xian, Grand Censor-in-chief; and Fan Mian, Prefect of Runzhou; all took refuge in him and had faith in him. Liu Shi, Supernumerary of the Bureau of Agricultural Colonies, composed the stela inscription and eulogy for him.