宋高僧傳 26.21

26.21

釋子瑀字真瑛，姓沈氏，吳興德清人也。其先亡國於沈，因以為氏，春秋沈子之後也。瑀生而聰慧，不以師授。年未總角，辭親出家，以如意年中大赦度人，壞衣削䰂，煤炱世事，於洛京大福先寺受戒。勤勤祈請，不遑假寐。三日之夕，見有神人儼然在目，倏往忽來，或同或異，得非至誠乎？於是燭如來燈，佩菩薩印。證聖中歸于大雲道場，堅執律柄，僧綱釐舉，不亦宜哉！瑀素履純厖，無咎無譽。使天下之士有外道焉！有闡提焉——心如飄風，言若泉涌，撓我聖教，擠我妙門——，瑀示以從容，誘以方便，莫不稽首挫色而聞命焉！常禮一萬五千佛名兼慈悲懺，日夜一匝，或二日、三日一匝。夜有聖僧九人降於禮懺之所，相與行道，彈指而去。或夜無燈燭，心口是念，圓光照室，如坐月中。如此則往往有之。瑀慨德清徧邑，未有塔寺，遂銳懷營構。一唱齊和，乃成精宇。前後寫經三藏，凡一萬六千卷。天寶初，臨安足法師死，經三宿，將入地獄，冥中見瑀引至王所，謂王曰：「此人能講《涅槃經》，王宜宥之。」王曰：「唯聞巖崙師能講，不聞此師名，何也？」如是再三，王不能屈，因赦之。曾是，鄉人施𤛒牛者——天然不孕——，因而出乳，其通感如是。以十一年秋禪坐而終。十二年春，將啟靈龕，欲焚之，容色不變，如生，雖少林孕髭，蘄春育髮，何獨嘉也？大理評事攝監察御史姚淡、主客郎中姚泲、刺史楊慧才偕歸信焉。

Śramaṇa Ziyu, styled Zhenying, was surnamed Shen and was a native of Deqing in Wuxing. His ancestors were from the extinguished State of Shen and took it as their surname, being descendants of the Master of Shen in the Spring and Autumn period. Yu was naturally bright and intelligent from birth, not requiring instruction from a teacher. Before reaching the age of bound hair, he took leave of his parents to renounce the household life. During the Ruyi era, an imperial amnesty was granted to ordain people; donning dyed robes and shaving his hair, he regarded worldly affairs as soot and ashes, and received ordination at Dafuxiang Temple in the eastern capital of Luoyang. He prayed diligently without resting or sleeping. On the evening of the third day, he saw a divine being solemn before his eyes, coming and going suddenly, appearing the same or different—was this not the result of supreme sincerity? Thereupon, he kindled the lamp of the Tathāgata and donned the seal of the Bodhisattva. During the Zhengsheng era (695), he returned to the Dayun Bodhimaṇḍa; firmly grasping the handle of the vinaya, he organized and elevated the monastic regulations—was this not fitting? Yu's conduct was pure and solid, free from blame or praise. If gentlemen of the realm were non-Buddhists or icchantikas—their minds like swirling winds, their words like gushing springs, disturbing our holy teachings and barring our wondrous gates—Yu would instruct them with composure and guide them with skillful means, so that none failed to bow their heads, humble their expressions, and obey his instructions. He regularly bowed to the fifteen thousand Buddha names and performed the Compassion Repentance, completing a cycle every day and night, or one cycle every two or three days. At night, nine holy monks descended to the place of his repentance ritual, circumambulated the Way together with him, and departed snapping their fingers. Sometimes when there was no lamp or candle at night, as he recited in his mind and mouth, a circular light illuminated the chamber, as if he were sitting in the moonlight. Events like this happened frequently. Yu lamented that throughout the entire county of Deqing there was no stupa or monastery, so he enthusiastically resolved to build them. With one call all joined in harmony, and an exquisite sanctuary was accomplished. Across his life, he copied the Tripiṭaka, in all sixteen thousand fascicles. In the beginning of the Tianbao era, Dharma Master Zu of Lin'an died; after three nights, just as he was about to enter hell, he saw Yu in the netherworld leading him to the king's presence, saying to the king, "This man can lecture on the Nirvāṇa Sūtra; the king should pardon him." The king said, "I have only heard that Master Yanlun can lecture on it, but I have not heard this master's name; why is that?" This exchange was repeated two or three times; the king could not overcome him, and consequently pardoned Zu. Previously, a villager donated a barren cow—one that naturally could not conceive—which thereupon produced milk; such was his supernatural resonance. In the autumn of the eleventh year (752), he passed away in meditative sitting. In the spring of the twelfth year, when they were about to open the sacred coffin to cremate him, his facial complexion had not changed, appearing just like when he was alive; even if Shaolin grew a beard or Qichun sprouted hair, why should only they be praised? Yao Dan, Reviewing Officer of the Court of Judicial Review and Acting Investigating Censor; Yao Ji, Director of the Reception Bureau; and Yang Huicai, the Regional Inspector, all came to place their faith in him.