宋高僧傳 8.17

8.17

釋曇璀，俗姓顧氏，吳郡人也。肇國著姓，其來彌光。丞相有佐命之勳，尚書有挺濟之譽。衣冠鼎胄，太嶽峻岱峯之高；令問徽猷，江漢為南國之紀。星象降精，靈祇効祉，德備胎教，香符夢徵。玄珪應上聖之祥，神寶蓄河汾之氣。特受異準，生而不凡，襁褓之日而童蒙來求，佩觽之時而忘身殉道。和敏而純素，溫恭而克明，神器夙昭，清風漸扇。遂勉節出塵，栖心物表，金經祕藏，一日萬言，不逾歲敘，而大經淹通。遂於晚年緬懷宗匠，始事牛頭山融大師。融醇懿瓌雄，東夏之達磨歟！梵幢寶柱，大海津梁，目以上根，乃誨之曰：「色、聲為無生之鴆毒，受、想是至人之坑阱。致遠多泥，子不務乎？」璀默而審之，直轡獨上，飡甘露味，飲蒲萄漿，猶金翅不食異類，帝釋無共鬼居。迺晦迹鍾山，斷其漏習，養金剛定，趣大能位，納衣空林，多歷年所。時淮南導首廣陵覺禪師、江左名德建業如法師，咸杖錫方來，降心義體，握珠懷寶，虛往實歸。則天皇母臨朝，龔行佛事，高其道業，周勤詔書。時棲霞約法師，梵門之秀傑，躬以敦勸朝天，抗詔皇明，恐未然也。璀曰：「支伯辭帝舜之師，干木謝文侯之命，玄暢以善論而抗宋主，惠遠不下山而傲齊后，彼何人哉！」由是遁北𭚖，踰東岡，考槃雲冥，後止于竹林之隩，葺宇簋缶而告老焉。既而紹列聖之鴻徽，繼前賢之能事，翼亮皇梵，保寧天人。俄端然入定，七日而滅，春秋六十二。是歲天授三年二月六日也。翌日，依天竺法火化，遺骸收灰建塔，士庶含酸，悉皆號慟。門弟子僧感、僧頵等刻石紀事，奉全師禮。正議大夫使持節潤州刺史汝南郡昇嚮風遐想，悅而久之，褒德尚賢，贊成厥美焉。

Shi Tancui's secular surname was Gu, and he was a native of Wujun. From the very founding of the state, his was a prominent clan whose renown grew ever brighter. A prime minister [among his ancestors] had the merit of assisting the dynasty's mandate, and a minister had the repute of outstanding succour. Wearing robes and caps as an eminent lineage, they rose as high as the peaks of Mount Tai; of noble renown and illustrious model, they stood like the Yangzi and Han rivers as a standard for the southern realm. The constellations sent down their essence, and the spiritual deities demonstrated good fortune; virtue was fully cultivated through prenatal instruction, and fragrant omens matched dream portents. The dark jade sceptre matched the auspicious signs of the ancient sages, and the divine treasure harboured the atmospheric resonance of the He and Fen regions. Distinctly endowed with extraordinary marks, he was extraordinary from birth. While still in swaddling clothes, ignorant children came to seek [guidance from him]; when of the age to wear an ivory bodkin, he forgot his body and devoted himself to the Way. Harmonious and perceptive yet pure and plain, gentle and reverent yet lucid, his vessels of divine capacity were early revealed, and his refreshing breeze gradually fanned out. Thereupon, exerting his resolve to transcend worldly dust, he lodged his mind beyond mundane things. From the golden sūtras and the secret canon, he could read ten thousand words in a single day; before the passage of a year, he was profoundly conversant in the great scriptures. Subsequently, in his later years, cherishing memories of master craftsmen of the lineage, he began serving Great Master Rong of Mount Niutou. Rong was pure, virtuous, magnificent, and heroic—a Bodhidharma of the Eastern Xia! A pillar of the Sanskrit banner and a jewel column, a ford and bridge across the great sea, he regarded [Tancui] as having superior faculties and instructed him, saying: 'Form and sound are deadly poisons to the unarisen; sensation and perception are pitfalls for the perfected man. The road that leads afar has much mud; will you not apply yourself?' Cui was silently discerning; giving free rein to his reins, he advanced alone. He tasted the flavour of amṛta and drank grape nectar, just as the garuḍa does not feed on other species and Śakra does not dwell with demons. Thereupon, he concealed his traces on Mount Zhong, cut off the habits of out-flows, nurtured the vajra-samādhi, and aspired to the stage of the Great Capable One, wearing patched robes in the empty forest for many years. At that time, Chan Master Jue of Guangling, leader of Huainan, and Dharma Master Ru of Jianye, of renowned virtue east of the Yangzi, both came from afar leaning on their khakkharas, submitting their minds to the essential reality; grasping jewels and cherishing treasures, they came empty and returned filled. When Empress Dowager Zetian ruled the court, she reverently performed Buddhist services, held his practice of the Way in high esteem, and repeatedly sent earnest imperial decrees. At that time, Dharma Master Yue of Qixia, an outstanding figure of the Buddhist fold, personally came to urge him to attend court, fearing that disobeying the sovereign's imperial decree would be impermissible. Cui said: 'Zhibo declined to be teacher to Emperor Shun; Duanmu Ganmu refused the command of Marquis Wen; Xuanchang resisted the Song ruler on account of his sound treatises; and Huiyuan did not descend the mountain, displaying lofty detachment before the Qi empress. What kind of men were they!' Thereupon, he fled to the northern mounds and crossed the eastern ridges, building his simple dwelling amidst gloomy clouds. Later, he stayed in the seclusion of Zhulin [Temple], repairing a hut and using simple vessels to announce his retirement. Subsequently, he carried on the grand emblems of the array of sages, continued the capable deeds of former worthies, assisted and illuminated the imperial Sanskrit teachings, and preserved the peace of gods and humans. Suddenly, he sat upright and entered samādhi, passing away after seven days at the age of sixty-two. This was on the sixth day of the second month in the third year of the Tianzhou reign era. On the following day, he was cremated according to the Indian method; his cremated bones were gathered and ashes collected to build a stupa. Gentry and commoners were filled with grief, and all wept aloud. His disciples Senggan, Sengyun, and others carved a stone to record these events, reverently fulfilling the rites for their teacher. The Grand Master of Closing Court, Emissary Bearing Credentials and Prefect of Runzhou, Duke Sheng of Ru'nan, gazed towards his noble style in long contemplation, rejoiced for a long time, praised his virtue, esteemed his worthiness, and aided in bringing his excellence to completion.