[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [宋高僧傳](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2061) › 7.4 # 宋高僧傳 7.4 宋高僧傳 7.4 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [7.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2061.7.4) 釋志遠，俗姓宋氏，家于汝南。其父早喪，孤侍孀親，承顏之禮，匪遑晨夕。母常念《法華經》，精通五卷。遠識度明敏，孤標卓然。年二十八，辭親從師，歸依荷澤宗風，晤解幽旨，經營僧事，聯綿六秋。凡諸取給，未嘗混互。自爾辭師尋禮，復經八年，雖博贍兩宗，情猶繫滯。聞天台一枝，該通妙理，定、慧雙融，解進於行。十乘境觀，起自一家。修性三德，清涼盛演。因命同輩追遊五峯，棲遁林泉，履歷前躅，曉六凡四聖之理，了開示悟入之門，百界千如，包羅性相。即遮即照，破立同時。依正圓融，凡聖平等，豁開心目，物我雙亡。僅四十年，闡揚獨步。遠業精道邈，志苦神和，臥不解衣，食非別請。時歲不稔，樵炊屢乖，每掬水漱流，將期永日。體有瘡疥，手不塗摩，戒檢遵修，警慎心口。常以四種三昧鍊磨身心。至於緘札題尺，頗閑辭翰蟲篆之美。每有緇素負才學者，異其辯說，或傍搜僻隱，欲為挫銳，伺之瑕玷，求其勝負。進雖傲然踞席，退乃踧踖𧹞容，來高我山，去隨四悉。洎會昌四年，春秋七十七，僧臘四十八，忽絕食數朝，而說法罔憚。以二月十七日誡門人曰：「吾自生修進，不欺心口，今獲二種果報。臥安、覺安而無痛惱。」又曰：「天台宗疏，務在宣傳，《法華疏》十卷，本、迹二門，三周記別，開近顯遠。《玄文》十卷，五義判釋。《止觀》十卷，境、觀雙修，不定頓、漸，八教麁、妙，遮、照平等，行、解圓明，一多相即一藏文句，瑩玉摐金，將踐聖階，降茲罕及。禮懺方等，必假精誠，志之永懷，副吾之意也。」于時龍象雲萃，櫛比座隅，咸讚希奇，同稱佛號。慈誨之際，奄至遷靈，風慘雲愁，山昏水咽，林巒色變，徒屬悽傷。闍維日，諸子奔馳，罔知所詣。雖學者如林，達其法者唯元堪，即扶風馬氏之裔也。氣度沖邃，道風素高，蓋遠傾其解脫之瓶，注以醍醐之器，可謂一燈之後復然一燈。及武宗澄汰之際，稟師先旨，哀慟累夕，以其章疏文句，祕之屋壁。及宣宗再闡釋門，重葺舊居，取其教部，置之影堂，六時經行，儼若前製。《法華》妙經，積歲傳唱；《摩訶止觀》，久而敷揚。嗣繼之心已極師、資之禮也。 > Śramaṇa Zhiyuan, whose secular surname was Song, had his family in Runan. His father died early, and as an only son he attended upon his widowed mother, serving her respectfully without resting morning or evening. His mother regularly recited the Lotus Sūtra and was thoroughly versed in five scrolls of it. Zhiyuan possessed clear and acute discernment, with an outstanding, lofty character. At the age of twenty-eight, he took leave of his parent to follow a master and took refuge in the tradition of Heze, comprehending its profound tenets. He managed monastic affairs continuously for six autumns. In providing supplies, he never allowed confusion or error. From then on he took leave of his master to seek instruction and pay respects, spending another eight years. Although broadly accomplished in both traditions, his mind still felt tethered and obstructed. Hearing that the Tiantai branch thoroughly encompassed the wonderful principles, with dhyāna and wisdom harmoniously fused and understanding advancing into practice; that the ten vehicles of contemplative discernment arose uniquely from this one school; and that the three virtues of cultivated and original nature were grandly expounded by Qingliang, he accordingly asked companions to journey together to the Five Peaks. Reclusing themselves among forest and springs and treading in the footsteps of predecessors, he came to understand the principles of the six ordinary and four noble realms, and realized the gate of opening, demonstrating, awakening to, and entering \[the Buddha-knowledge\]. The hundred realms and thousand suchnesses encompassed both nature and characteristics. Refutation was itself illumination; destruction and establishment were simultaneous. Dependent and primary results were completely integrated; ordinary and holy were equal. His mind and vision were opened wide, and both object and self were forgotten. For nearly forty years, his propagation of the teaching was without equal. Zhiyuan’s practice was refined and his attainment of the Dao lofty; his resolve was rigorous while his spirit was harmonious. He did not loosen his garments when lying down, nor did he eat at private invitations. In years of poor harvest, gathering firewood and cooking were repeatedly disrupted; each time he would merely scoop water to rinse his mouth, aiming to sustain himself throughout the day. When sores and scabies afflicted his body, his hands did not apply ointments; observing and cultivating the monastic regulations, he guarded mind and mouth with vigilance. He constantly tempered body and mind with the four kinds of samādhi. As for letters and correspondence, he was quite skilled in the literary elegance of seal script and belles-lettres. Whenever monastics or laypersons endowed with talent and learning were amazed by his eloquence, some would search into obscure and remote matters wishing to blunt his sharpness, watching for flaws to contest victory. Though they stepped forward arrogantly taking their seats, they retreated in shame and trepidation; they came with the mountain of pride held high, and left conforming to the four Siddhāntas. By the fourth year of Huichang, at seventy-seven years of age and forty-eight years of saṅgha age, he suddenly ceased eating for several days, yet preached the Dharma without weariness. On the seventeenth day of the second month, he admonished his disciples, saying: 'Since my youth I have cultivated and advanced, never deceiving my mind or mouth; today I receive two kinds of retribution: peace while lying down and peace upon awakening, free from pain and distress.' He also said: 'The commentaries of the Tiantai school must be propagated. The ten scrolls of the Lotus Sūtra Commentary distinguish the two gates of origin and trace, the prophecies across the three cycles, opening the near to reveal the distant. The ten scrolls of the Profound Meaning classify and interpret through five meanings. The ten scrolls of Cessation and Contemplation cultivate both object and contemplation, without fixing sudden or gradual; they balance the coarse and wonderful across the eight teachings, holding refutation and illumination in equality, with practice and understanding completely luminous, and the one and many mutually subsumed. Across the phrases of the entire canon, like polished jade and chiming gold, one is about to tread the holy stages; below this, rarely can anything match it. The repentance ritual of the Vaipulya sūtras must rely on utmost sincerity; keep this in your intent forever, fulfilling my wish.' At that time, dragon-elephants gathered like clouds, crowding side by side around his seat; all praised this wondrous rarity and joined in reciting the Buddha's name. Amidst his compassionate admonitions, his spirit suddenly departed. The wind grieved and clouds turned sorrowful, the mountains grew dim and the waters choked, the hills changed color, and his followers mourned in sorrow. On the day of the jhāpita, his disciples rushed about, not knowing where to go. Although scholars were like a forest, the only one who mastered his Dharma was Yuankan, a descendant of the Ma clan of Fufeng. His demeanor was profound and deep, and his Dao style was inherently lofty; Zhiyuan had truly emptied his vase of liberation and poured it into this vessel of ghee; it could be said that after one lamp, yet another lamp was lit. When Emperor Wuzong carried out the suppression of Buddhism, following his master's prior instructions, he grieved and wept for many nights, and concealed the commentaries and textual works within the walls of a house. When Emperor Xuanzong reopened the gates of the Buddhist Dharma, he repaired the old dwelling, retrieved the doctrinal works, and placed them in the portrait hall, performing circumambulation at the six times of day just as in the previous rules. The wonderful Lotus Sūtra was chanted and propagated over accumulated years; the Great Cessation and Contemplation was expounded and unfolded over a long period. His heart of succession indeed reached the utmost of the etiquette between master and disciple. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 7.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2061.7.3) - [Next: 7.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2061.7.5) - [Up: 7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2061.7) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2061~en-mt.7.4) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2061.7.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2061.7.4) · Pramāṇa