宋高僧傳 29.48

29.48

釋玄晏，江夏人也，姓李氏。祖善而博識多學，注《文選》，行講集於梁、宋之間。考邕，北海太守，《唐書》有傳。晏穉昧之齡，決志離俗，至德初年，誦經高第，依僧崇真剃落，配住開元寺。大曆三年，從大闍梨真悟受具足法，便尋律範，目不視靡曼，足不履邪徑，於四儀中，無終食之間違教。儀形峭拔，眉目秀朗，如孤鴻野鶴，獨立逈澤，望風瞻想，自有遠致。性多分劑，苟與惡比丘共住，遑遑然如以佉陀羅炭浴身也。不出戶牖，焚香掃地，端坐盡日。人不堪其憂，而晏居之，以為三禪之樂不敵也。晏少習毘尼，長學金剛，解空破相，臻極玄奧。而聞律藏有一時外學之說，或賦詩一章，運思標拔，孤遊境外。彭城劉長卿名重五言，大嗟賞之。由是風雲草木，每有賦詠，輒為工文者之所吟諷也。晏房舍在寺之北隅，頗為湫陋，凡當時名士共營草堂，有若陳郡袁滋、趙郡李則、盧來卿、于文炫、蔡直偕檀捨同締構也。鄂嶽連帥何公旌其行業，請居晉安，不移其志。建中伊始，符載與楊衡、李演約晏為塵外之侶焉。以貞元十六年九月十四日示滅，春秋五十八，僧臘三十四。遷塔于黃鶴山南原也。

Śramaṇa Xuanyan was a native of Jiangxia, whose family name was Li. His grandfather, Li Shan, was widely erudite and learned, annotated the *Wenxuan* (Selections of Refined Literature), and lectured and taught between Liang and Song. His father, Li Yong, was Prefect of Beihai, and has a biography in the *Tang shu* (Book of Tang). In his youthful years, Yan resolved to renounce worldly life. In the early Zhi-de era, having attained high distinction in reciting the scriptures, he had his head shaved under the monk Chongzhen and was assigned to reside at Kaiyuan Temple. In the third year of the Dali era, he received the complete precepts (upasampadā) from the great ācārya Zhenwu and immediately investigated the standards of the vinaya: his eyes never looked upon seductive beauty, and his feet never trod on deviant paths; throughout the four deportments, he did not violate the teachings for even the space of a single meal. His physical appearance was imposing and lofty, with fine and bright eyebrows and eyes, like a lone wild goose or a free crane standing solitary on a distant marsh; gazing upon him from afar inspired deep veneration and naturally conveyed an aura of lofty transcendence. By nature, he maintained strict boundaries: if forced to dwell together with immoral monks, he felt anxious and distraught as if bathing his body in burning khadira-charcoal embers. He did not step beyond his doors and windows, but burned incense, swept the floor, and sat upright throughout the entire day. Others could not endure such hardship, yet Yan lived in it, considering even the bliss of the third dhyāna no match for it. In his youth Yan studied the vinaya, and when grown he studied the *Vajracchedikā* (Diamond Sūtra), understanding emptiness, shattering marks, and penetrating the utmost profound mystery. Yet hearing that the vinaya piṭaka allows for temporary study of non-Buddhist learning, he would occasionally compose a poem; his thought was lofty and exceptional, wandering solitary beyond ordinary realms. Liu Changqing of Pengcheng, whose fame was preeminent in five-character verse, greatly praised and admired him. Because of this, whenever he composed verses on the wind, clouds, plants, and trees, they were always recited and chanted by skilled men of letters. Yan's chamber was situated in the northern corner of the temple and was rather damp and cramped; consequently, contemporary notables joined together to build a thatched hall for him, including Yuan Zi of Chen commandery, Li Ze of Zhao commandery, Lu Laiqing, Yu Wenxuan, and Cai Zhi, who all gave alms and contributed to its construction. Lord He, the Surveillance Commissioner of E'yue, commended his conduct and invited him to dwell in Jin'an, but Yan did not waver in his resolve. At the very beginning of the Jianzhong era, Fu Zai, together with Yang Heng and Li Yan, pledged with Yan to be companions beyond the dust of the world. On the fourteenth day of the ninth month in the sixteenth year of the Zhenyuan era, he showed his demise, at the age of fifty-eight, with a saṅgha age of thirty-four. His stūpa was relocated to the southern plateau of Mount Huanghe.