宋高僧傳 4.36

4.36

釋神楷，姓郭氏，太原人也，即漢末林宗之後。世襲冠裳，後隨父宦于秦，為京兆人也。昆弟六人，楷居其季。幼而聰敏，立志弗群，不樂浮榮，誓求翦落，禮明恂法師為弟子，即大乘恂也。洎乎年滿受具，於經論義理，大小該通，耳聞口誦，譬鮮㲲之易染。遂講《攝大乘》、《俱舍》等論，頴晤輩流罕有齊駕。後因講《淨名經》，見古師判處，喟然歎曰：「美則美矣，未盡善也！」乃於安陸白趙山撰疏，一云在越州剡石城寺述作。素有巧性，於剡溪南巖之下，映水塑貌。今有池，已涸矣。巖下石隙縫間幽暗，然中有木棺者，云是楷殯于此。遊人下窺，歷歷皆覩。又言楷因慈恩、西明等寺度公王出家。及翻經論，勅諸道高行才學僧並赴京師，遂應詔而入，配居崇業寺。至天后朝，方行其疏。後卒於此寺，弟子遷塔于南逍遙園焉，實大乘基之法門猶子也。

Śramaṇa Shenkai, surnamed Guo, was a native of Taiyuan, being a descendant of Linzong of the late Han. His family had inherited official robes for generations, and later followed his father's official posting to Qin, thus becoming people of Jingzhao. There were six brothers, and Kai was the youngest. From childhood he was clever and intelligent, with uncommon aspirations; taking no delight in fleeting glory, he vowed to seek tonsure. He took Dharma Master Mingxun as his master, who was indeed Xun of the Mahāyāna. When he came of age and received the full ordination, he thoroughly comprehended the doctrines of the sūtras and treatises, both the Great and Small [Vehicles]; hearing with his ears and chanting with his mouth, it was like fresh fine cloth easily dyed. He then lectured on treatises such as the Mahāyānasaṃgraha and the Abhidharmakośa; among his peers, rarely could anyone equal him. Later, while lecturing on the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa-sūtra, he saw the judgments of ancient masters, sighed, and exclaimed: 'Beautiful though they are, they are not yet fully perfect!' He then composed a commentary on Mount Baizhao in Anlu; another account says he wrote it at Shicheng Temple in Shan of Yuezhou. He was innately skilled in artistry, and beneath the southern cliff of the Shan Stream, he sculpted an image reflected in the water. Today there is a pond, which has already dried up. In the dark recesses between the stone crevices below the cliff, there was a wooden coffin within, said to be Kai's burial place. When visitors peer down, they can see it distinctly. It is also said that Kai, because princes and nobles were ordained at temples such as Ci'en and Ximing, and because an edict summoned monks of high conduct, talent, and learning from all circuits to proceed to the capital to translate sūtras and treatises, responded to the imperial call and entered, being assigned to Chongye Temple. It was only during the reign of the Heavenly Empress that his commentary came into circulation. Later he died at this temple, and his disciples moved his stūpa to the Southern Xiaoyao Garden; he was truly a spiritual nephew in the Dharma lineage of Ji of the Mahāyāna.