宋高僧傳 16.40

16.40

釋希覺，字順之，姓商氏，世居晉陵。覺生於溧陽，家系儒墨，屬唐季喪亂，累被剽略，自爾貧窶。嘗傭書于給事中羅隱家，偶問名居，隱曰：「毘陵商家兒，何至於此！」歎息再三，多與雇直，勸歸鄉修學。至年二十五，歎曰：「時不我與。或服冕乘軒，皆一期爾！」忽求出家于溫州開元寺，文德元年也。龍紀中受戒，續揣摩律部，稟教于西明寺慧則律師，時在天台山也。則乃法寶大師之高足。廣明中，關中喪亂，避地江表，覺始窺其牆，終見室家瓌富。以則出《集要記》解南山鈔，不稱所懷。何耶？古德妄相穿鑿，各競師門，流宕忘返，覺遂著記廣之，曰《增暉錄》，蓋取曹植云「螢燭末光，增暉日月。」謙言增暉《集要》之日月也，二十卷成部。浙之東西，盛行斯錄。暨乎則公長往，乃講訓于永嘉。武肅王錢氏季弟鏵牧是郡，深禮重焉。尋為愚僧所誣愬，釋而不問，徙於杭大錢寺。文穆王造千佛伽藍，召為寺主，借紫，私署曰文光大師焉。四方學者騁騖而臻。覺外學偏多，長於《易》道，著《會釋記》二十卷，解《易》，至上、下〈繫〉及末文甚備。常為人敷演此經，付授于都僧正贊寧。及乎老病，乞解見任僧職。既遂所懷，唯嘯傲山房，以吟詠為樂。年八十一，然猶抄書籍異本，曾無告倦。未終之前，捨衣物，作現前僧得施，復普飯一城僧。自此困憊，每睡，見有一人純衣紫服，肌膚軟弱如綿纊焉，意似相伴。纔欲召弟子將至，此人舒徐下床，後還如故。親向贊寧說此，某知是天人耳。囑託言畢而絕，享年八十五。生常所著擬江東《讒書》五卷，《雜詩賦》十五卷，注林鼎《金陵懷古》百韻詩、雜體四十章。覺之執持，未嘗弛放，勤於講訓，切於進修。學則彌老而不休，官則奉身而知退，可謂高尚其事，名節俱全，長者之風，藹然如在。所居號釋氏西齋，慕吳兢之蘊積編簡焉。

Śramaṇa Xijue, styled Shunzhi, was surnamed Shang; his family had resided in Jinling for generations. Jue was born in Liyang; his family lineage belonged to Confucian and Mohist scholars. Meeting with the turmoil of the late Tang, they were repeatedly plundered and looted, and from then on became impoverished. He once worked as a copyist for Supervising Secretary Luo Yin. When [Luo] happened to ask about his name and residence, Yin remarked, 'A son of the Shang family of Piling—how did you come to this!' He sighed repeatedly, gave him generous pay, and urged him to return home to pursue his studies. When he reached the age of twenty-five, he sighed, saying, 'Time waits for no man. Whether wearing the ceremonial cap or riding a carriage, it is all merely a temporary phase!' Suddenly he sought to renounce household life at Kaiyuan Temple in Wenzhou; this was the first year of Wende. During the Longji era, he received the full precepts, continued to examine the vinaya texts, and received instruction from Vinaya Master Huize of Ximing Temple, who was at Mount Tiantai at that time. Ze was a senior disciple of Grand Master Fabao. During the Guangming era, the Guanzhong region was in turmoil, and [Huize] fled to Jiangbiao. Jue only then glimpsed his outer walls, but ultimately saw the magnificent wealth of his inner chamber. Because Ze produced the Jiyao ji (Record of Collected Essentials) commenting on the Nanshan lüchao, it did not satisfy what he had in mind. Why? Ancient virtuous masters had made far-fetched and baseless interpretations, each contending for his own lineage, drifting away and forgetting to return. Jue thereupon composed a commentary to expand upon it, entitled Zenghui lu (Record of Enhancing Brilliance), taking Cao Zhi's line: 'The faint light of a firefly and candle enhances the brilliance of the sun and moon.' It modestly claimed to enhance the brilliance of the sun and moon that was the Jiyao [ji]; it formed a work in twenty fascicles. This record circulated widely throughout Eastern and Western Zhejiang. When Master Ze passed away, [Xijue] lectured and instructed in Yongjia. Hua, the younger brother of King Wusu of the Qian lineage, governed this commandery and treated him with profound courtesy and respect. Soon he was falsely accused by an ignorant monk, but was exonerated without question, and relocated to Daqian Temple in Hangzhou. King Wenmu built the Qianfo (Thousand Buddhas) Saṅghārāma and appointed him as temple abbot, granted him the purple robe, and privately conferred on him the title of Grand Master Wenguang. Scholars from the four directions rushed to gather there. Jue possessed extensive secular learning and excelled in the Way of the Yijing (Book of Changes); he authored the Huishi ji (Record of Collected Explanations) in twenty fascicles, explaining the Yijing, being extremely comprehensive down to the Upper and Lower Xici (Appended Remarks) and the concluding texts. He constantly expounded this scripture for others and transmitted it to the Chief Saṅgha Rectifier Zanning. When he grew old and ill, he petitioned to be relieved of his current monastic duties. Once his wish was granted, he merely whistled proudly in his mountain chamber, finding joy in chanting and writing poetry. At the age of eighty-one, he still copied variant editions of books without ever complaining of fatigue. Before his end, he renounced his robes and belongings, making an offering for the present saṅgha, and further provided a general meal for the monks of the entire city. From this point he became weary and frail; whenever he slept, he saw a person wearing pure purple clothing, whose skin was soft and delicate like raw silk, appearing to keep him company. As soon as [Xijue] tried to call his disciples to come, this person slowly stepped down from the bed, and afterwards it was as before. He personally related this to Zanning, and I knew it was a deva. After completing his final entrustments, he passed away, having lived for eighty-five years. During his life he authored the Ni Jiangdong chanshu (Imitation of the Slanderous Book of Jiangdong) in five fascicles, Miscellaneous Poetry and Rhapsodies in fifteen fascicles, and annotated Lin Ding's hundred-rhyme poem Jinling huaigu (Meditations on the Past at Jinling) and forty miscellaneous compositions. Jue's discipline was never lax; he was diligent in teaching and instructing, and earnest in advancing his practice. In study, he did not cease even in old age; in office, he preserved his integrity and knew when to retire. He can truly be said to have elevated his pursuits, keeping both his name and integrity intact; the demeanor of an elder seemed gracefully present. His dwelling was called the Western Study of the Śākya Clan, admiring Wu Jing's accumulation of scrolls and texts.