宋高僧傳 29.58

29.58

釋法真，不知何許人也。器識悠深，學問宏博，研窮梵典，旁賾儒書。講導之餘，吟詠情性。公卿貴士，無不宗奉。洎長慶中，帝頗銳懷佛事，真屢膺召命，內殿祗奉。四年，赴禁中道場。睿武昭愍皇帝御于法席，顧問三寶功能，真得應對，而辯給圜轉，援據粲然。帝悅，因請云：「久廢壇度僧，未全法者皆老朽。」蓋兩江間兵革未偃之故。尋詔兩街佛寺各置僧尼受戒壇場，自三月十日始至四月十日停，仍令兩街功德使各選擇有戒行僧謂之大德者，考試僧尼等經，僧能暗誦一百五十紙，尼一百紙，即令與度。真頻奉勅修功德，故遂奏請。真之德望，實唱導之元。罔知終所。

Śramaṇa Fazhen—it is not known where he was from. His capacity and insight were profound and far-reaching, his learning vast and broad; he thoroughly probed the Sanskrit scriptures and also deeply investigated Confucian texts. In his spare time after lecturing and guiding, he composed poems to express his feelings. High officials and noble gentlemen all revered him. When it came to the Changqing era, the Emperor was quite enthusiastic about Buddhist affairs, and Zhen repeatedly received imperial summonses to serve in the inner palace. In the fourth year, he attended the palace chapel. Emperor Ruiwu Zhaomin took his seat on the Dharma platform and asked about the functions and merits of the Three Jewels. Zhen answered promptly, his eloquence flowing effortlessly and his citations shining brightly. The Emperor was pleased, whereupon Zhen petitioned, saying, 'For a long time the ordination platforms for ordaining monks have been abandoned, and those who have not fully attained the Dharma have all grown old and withered'—this was due to the warfare between the two rivers that had not yet ceased. Soon an imperial decree ordered that each Buddhist temple on the Two Streets establish an ordination platform for monks and nuns to receive the precepts, starting from the tenth day of the third month and ending on the tenth day of the fourth month. Moreover, the Commissioners of Merit and Virtue of the Two Streets were commanded to select monks endowed with disciplined conduct, known as Great Virtues (bhadantas), to examine the monks, nuns, and others on the scriptures: if a monk could recite one hundred and fifty pages from memory, and a nun one hundred pages, they were immediately to be granted ordination. Because Zhen had frequently undertaken the cultivation of merit by imperial edict, he submitted this memorial. Zhen's moral prestige truly made him the foremost among reciters and guides. It is not known where he passed away.