宋高僧傳 10
English (machine translation) 10
- Language
- English
10.1
Compiled under Imperial Order by Śramaṇa Zanning and others, Bestowed the Purple Robe, Grand Master Tonghui of Tianshou Temple of the Left Street of the Song
10.2
Chapter 3, Part 3: Practice of Dhyāna (sixteen primary biographies, eight appended)
10.3
Tang: A Biography of Daoyi of Kaiyuan Temple in Hongzhou (Zhizang)
10.4
Shi Daoyi, surnamed Ma, was a native of Hanzhou. A flower, used to illustrate nature, does not grow on high plateaus; a wave, used to distinguish consciousness, reveals itself in the vast ocean. From birth he was dignified and grave, looking like a tiger and walking like an ox. His tongue reached past the tip of his nose, and the soles of his feet bore wheel-shaped marks. Although sense organs and dust are identical with the Dharma body, his external marks were uniquely extraordinary among illusory forms; since he was said to be in the realm of ordinary beings, he also responded to teachings suited to capacities. While still a young child, he grew weary of mundane tracks, shed love and attachment, walked leisurely in tranquility, shaved his hair under Venerable Tang of Zizhou, and received the full precepts under Vinaya Master Yuan of Yuzhou. Instructed in the principles of deportment, he understood the origins of permissions and prohibitions; washing robes and refining gold, all gates of contemplation were arrayed, but like a great naga or fragrant elephant, he was difficult to tether. His expedient adaptations knew no bounds, awaiting only the proper conditions. Hearing that Chan Master Rang resided on Mount Heng—who followed directly upon the Sixth Patriarch of Caoxi—he departed from the deep barriers of Min, E, and Yulei to visit the quietude of sacred cassias and virtuous bamboo. As soon as he met Master Rang, he merged with him without boundary; the sudden gate did not wait for three requests, and this author stood equal with the seven men. Considering that the Dharma is detached from words, yet still handed down through moth-eaten dews, and that the sage has no fixed locus, yet also rests at Qingyuan, he then traveled without obstruction between the two mountains of Mount Qi in Linchuan and Mount Gonggong in Nankang, transforming people wherever he gathered them. Previously, spirits and demons gathered among these peaks and caverns, and no one dared approach; anyone who violated them met with immediate disaster. When Daoyi rested here in peace, a spirit wearing purple garments and a black cap paid respects and said, 'I surrender this land to become a pure Buddhist sanctuary.' Having finished speaking, it vanished. From then on, ferocious beasts and venomous insects changed their hearts and became docile; the greedy and deceitful turned away from hatred, instantly practicing frugality and yielding. Prefect Duke Pei of Hedong served the true faith in his family, and personally consulted him with diligence. Laying aside the gravity of his brilliant and exalted status, he plumbed the limits of intellectual capacity and insightful understanding. Whenever sea mists vanished into the sky and the mountain moon shone motionless, mind and realm grew quiet together, and the Way deepened along with enlightenment. One who illuminates oneself aims to encompass all things; one who gives broadly hopes to deliver the multitude. Before long, Duke Pei was transferred to govern the two prefectures of Lujiang and Shouchun; in his spiritual advancement he remained diligent, and his leadership in transformation never flagged. During the Dali era, imperial grace extended widely, and [Daoyi's] name was registered at the Kaiyuan Monastery. At that time, Regional Commander Duke Lu heard of his wind and admired him; seeing Zhongling as a vast territory and profound commandery, where governance was like tuning a lute and people gathered like spokes to a hub, and that if the Chan lineage resided there, blessings brought down would be manifold, he followed along without opposition. [Daoyi] dwelt there for nearly ten years; like the sun approaching the Fusang tree, the high mountains are illuminated first; like clouds rising an inch at a time, the great rain is distributed equally. In the Jianzhong era, an imperial edict ordered monks to return to their registered places, and he was about to return to his former home. Commander-in-chief Duke Bao secretly detained him and did not send him back. In the wuchen year, his movements were as usual, but after requesting a bath, he solemnly sat cross-legged and returned to stillness, enjoying a lifespan of eighty and a saṅgha age of fifty. Earlier, on a rugged mountain in Jianchang named Shimen, surrounded by sheer precipices and opening into cavernous ravines, with flat ground in the center, secluded and quiet for long ages, he had planned the gathering for firewood and fire in this dust kalpa, without concern for the auspiciousness of the mound's geomancy. Vice Censor-in-Chief and Surveillance Commissioner Duke Li of Longxi, whose command was severe, had long revered him; thereupon he led disciples to take refuge and fondly assisted him. In thereby cultivating blessings, the Way lay in observing transformation and feelings lay in embellishing the end; halting the banners of feudal lords, he provided the canopies of the sons of Śākya. At that time day turned between brightness and darkness, people gathered from near and far, oars covered the water to turn it into land, and torches through the night made it into day. Like children flocking to their father, people arrived at the mountain gate, material offerings accumulating like mounds; monks were offered meals throughout towns and villages, the fragrance of rice permeating everywhere. In the past, when Huayan passed into reality at Songyang, and Shandao was entombed in a stupa on the Qin Range, people observed mourning rites like those for parents, emptying entire cities; the grandeur of the sorrowful send-off was now threefold. First he walked in meditation in the forest, giving instruction beneath his seat, bestowing the Dharma impartially without designating the four subjects, and peacefully announcing his end, setting the time for the second month—this showed the advance omen of Daoyi's passing. Manifesting illness and departing, he ordered that he be buried in the distant mountains; when the multitude clung to him, wishing to keep him near the outer city, he ultimately went to the remote and secluded place, formally complying with his reasonable instruction—this again showed the pristine sincerity of Daoyi's concealing his traces. When they were about to convey the sacred coffin, they sailed up shallow rapids, where human strength was insufficient and the boat moved slowly. Plentiful rain suddenly fell from the distant sky, and the shallow creek quickly turned into a deep crossing—this again showed Daoyi's miraculous resonance with the spirits. Daoyi alone knew that the real resides in emptiness and is without self in existence; leaving both behind, he provisionally used the one vehicle. In demonstrating birth and death, humans can become Buddhas; in distinguishing heterodoxy from orthodoxy, māras can also resemble sages. The Great Being did not linger in manifesting a body; the wise man suddenly withered with hands behind his back. Disciples Zhizang, Gaoying, Chongtai, and others conducted his funeral rites. Emperor Xianzong posthumously bestowed the title Chan Master Daji. Duke Bao Ji of Danyang composed a stele account, and Quan Deyu wrote the stupa inscription. His portrait hall still exists today in Haichun County. Furthermore, Shi Zhizang of Xitang in Qianzhou during the Tang was surnamed Liao, a native of Qianhua. Born with extraordinary marks, his relatives marveled at his great capacity. At the age of eight he followed a master, his aspiration for the Way being lofty and far-reaching. Following Daji, he relocated to Mount Gonggong, and later visited Chan Master Guoyi of Jingshan; conversing and interacting with him, everyone changed their view of him. It happened that Commander-in-chief Lu Sigong invited Daji to reside in the prefecture, so Zang returned to the prefecture and received Daji's transmission of the patched kāṣāya. At that time, Vice Censor-in-Chief Duke Li Jian, Grand Councilor Duke Qi Ying, and Palace Gentleman Pei Tong all devoted their hearts to following his teaching. On the eighth day of the fourth month of the ninth year of Yuanhe, he died at the age of eighty, with a summer age of fifty-five. He was then relocated to a stupa. Remonstrance Consultant Wei Shou inquired into Zang's words and deeds and compiled them into the *Tujing*. Prefect Li Bo requested public commendation, and in the first year of Changqing he was posthumously titled Chan Master Dajue.
10.5
Tang: A Biography of Zhiman of the Lingtangquan Hermitage in Xuanzhou
10.6
Śramaṇa Zhiman, whose lay surname was Kang, was a native of Luoyang. When he was young, his family hired the śramaṇa to hold a Buddhist gathering; Man was delighted and would not leave it, whereupon he went to Longxing Temple in Yingchuan to go forth from the household. Hearing of the flourishing Dharma seat of Chan Master Shenhui in Luoyang, he attained the essentials of the mind. Traveling south, he arrived at the location of the Lingtang Spring on Mount Huang, where he built a thatched hut and stayed. Later, while gathering Chinese goldthread (coptis), the locals were overjoyed to see Man. Man asked, "What place is this?" The locals said, "This is Mount Huanglian, belonging to Xuancheng. We wish the Master would abide here, but what can be done about the tigers and leopards that cause so much harm?" Man said, "Tigers also have the Buddha-nature." He then burned incense and said prayers to subdue them. From this they ceased, and it eventually became a great Chan monastery. Later he showed his demise at the age of ninety-one. In the first year of the Yongzhen reign era (805), he was interred in a stūpa.
10.7
The biography of Guangyao (with Daojian) of Baozhen Cloister in Yizhou during the Tang.
10.8
Śramaṇa Guangyao, whose lay surname was Zhou, was a native of Beijing (Taiyuan). In his youth he suffered the bitter grief of losing his parents and, overwhelmed with sorrow, swore a vow to go forth from the household. Abandoning the lecture halls, he entered the Chan groves; wherever there was a lineage master, he went to them seeking spiritual benefit. In the end he met Chan Master Shenhui, who removed the film over his eyes with a golden probe, allowing him to see clearly throughout the ten directions. Later he arrived at Mount Meng in Yishui, thatched grass to make a hut, and sat in serene contemplation. The people of Kuai and Fei followed his transformation in great numbers. At that time, the magistrate of Shen County deeply respected him and first established a Chan monastery for him; next, Minister Wang Liao, the Military Commissioner of Yanzhou, personally invited him into the prefecture to conduct conversions, memorializing the throne to bestow the placard name "Baozhen." Students flocked to him in great numbers, many receiving great benefit. In the second year of the Yuanhe reign era (807), he showed his demise at the age of ninety-two. Also, Śramaṇa Daojian of Ci'en Temple in Xiangzhou during the Tang had the lay surname Wang and was a native of Danyang. He first generated the aspiration for enlightenment under Chan Patriarch Huizhong of Mount Niutou. In the first year of the Dali reign era (766), he dwelt in seclusion on Mount Nanquan in Chizhou. Later he went to the Xiang and Han rivers and stayed at Ci'en Temple. In the beginning of the Yuanhe reign era, Chancellor Duke Yan, governing Hannan, deeply revered him, inquired diligently about the Way, and presented him with abundant offerings. Thereupon, outside the Fenglin Pass, he built a temple and invited him to dwell there. In the second year (807), he showed his demise at the age of seventy-three.
10.9
The biography of Lingtan of Hualin Temple in Yangzhou during the Tang.
10.10
Śramaṇa Lingtan, whose lay surname was Wu, was a native of Wenshui in Taiyuan. He was a grand-nephew of Empress Zetian. His father was named Xuan and served as the magistrate of Luoyang County. His mother, of the Xiahou clan, when first pregnant with Tan, dreamed that a divine monk gave her a precious mirror, gleaming both inside and out, who said, "I entrust this to you; protect it well." When he was born, his mother suffered no pain. When barely seven years old, he had mastered all his reading and took the examination for child prodigies. At thirteen he entered official service, soon being promoted to Assistant in the Crown Prince's Office of Transmission. Thus he took unending delight in study, gaining an even deeper and thorough understanding of the books of the three teachings. Yet he constantly lamented the burning house and vowed to enter the gate of emptiness, having already prepared the provisions for the Mahāyāna, ultimately to reach the realm of nirvāṇa. At that time, Chan Master Shenhui of Heze Temple was spreading his teachings widely in the capital Luoyang, overshadowing the light of Puji and gradually superseding the way of Master Xiu; Tan went to consult him. Shenhui guided him skillfully, and Tan instantly perceived his own mind. Shenhui tacitly approved him and permitted him to attend upon him. Tan's parents could not change his mind. Flying free without restraint, he refined himself from beginning to end and was able to shatter his doubts and blockages. In the beginning of the Tianbao reign era (742), Shenhui called Tan and said, "I have a phrase, passed down from patriarch to patriarch to Caoxi; Caoxi entrusted it to me, and you must accept it attentively. I am about to encounter trouble." Tan then took his leave and traveled about. Not long after, an imperial decree indeed banished Shenhui to Yiyang. Tan then went to Fucha Temple in Luzhou to read through the Tripiṭaka. Later, hearing that National Preceptor Zhong had been summoned from Nanyang to the court, Tan paid homage to him in the fifth year of the Dali reign era (770). In the eighth year (773), when Tan wished to depart the passes, Zhong memorialized the throne: "This person is a fellow disciple of this poor monk, both being disciples of Shenhui." The Emperor bestowed the title "Dabei" (Great Compassion), together with an imperial handwritten decree. Traveling to convert beings, he reached Liangyuan, where Chancellor Duke Tian Shenggong made offerings to him. Continuing on his way, he reached Liuhe in Weiyang. Just as he was lamenting the decline of the Great Dharma, he suddenly heard a voice in the sky say: "Open the mind-ground." Then he saw a bodhisattva resembling the image of Mañjuśrī say, "I bestow upon you a verifying mark," and told him to raise his neck and pressed his palm against it; upon inspection, there were red marks of four fingers, and the imprint remained permanently visible. He also stayed at Mount Jin in the middle of the river in Runzhou, now known as Zexin. On the north face of the mountain was a dragon's cave that constantly spewed poisonous vapor like clouds; those who approached it mostly fell ill or died. Tan dwelt there, and the poisonous clouds vanished without a trace. He also built a hut on Mount Ding in Jiangyin; suddenly he heard the sound of praise. Looking, he saw two white turtles; Tan administered the refuge precepts to them. He also saw two great white serpents, several rods in length, and likewise administered the precepts to them and had them repent. He then went to Mount Lin in Wuxing to build an aranya; three gentlemen dressed in gold and purple walked up slowly and formally, praising the sanctuary as supremely good, and the village folk mostly cast aside their fishing nets. In the fifth year of the Yuanhe reign era (810), when Chancellor Duke Li Yong governed Guangling, he commanded his subordinates with severe laws and was stern, decisive, and lacking in mercy; yet upon seeing Tan, he treated him with great gravity and respect and invited him to dwell at Hualin Temple. Within the temple was the tomb of General Zhang Liao, and the monks of the temple were often bewitched and disturbed by ghosts. When Tan dwelt there, they vanished completely without a trace. Moreover, the people of Yangzhou were often troubled and deluded by mountain demons and tree monsters; Tan suppressed them all, and the people vied to take refuge in him with faith. In the tenth year (815), he suddenly saw two foreigners claiming to have come from the Kingdom of Kucha, stating that their land lacked the ultimate teaching and respectfully asking from afar that the Venerable Monk expound it. On the thirteenth day of the fifth month of the eleventh year (816), at the memorial vegetarian feast for Heze, he announced to the assembly: "I shall answer a distant invitation. In the seventh month I shall show illness, and in the ninth month I shall pass away; this is a forewarning." On the eighth day of the last month of autumn, he indeed passed away peacefully. His stūpa was moved to the south ridge of Xundizhai Ward to the west of Yangzhou; Zheng Zhan, assistant magistrate of Yuezhou, erected the stūpa. His reported age was one hundred and eight, and his saṅgha age was eighty-four. Tan was indeed a grandson of Caoxi and a son of Heze.
10.11
The biography of Daotong of Mount Ziyu in Tangzhou during the Tang.
10.12
Śramaṇa Daotong, whose lay surname was He, was a native of Lujiang. When he was a child, he was grave and spoke little; whenever he saw a Buddha image, he unfailingly made obeisance, praising and chanting without wanting to leave. Because his father held an official post in Nan'an in Quanzhou, he asked to abandon his childhood topknots and don the black robes. Passing the test in chanting the scriptures, he was ordained by imperial decree; this was in the beginning of the Tianbao reign era (742). At that time, Chan Master Daoyi had begun converting beings in Jianyang and gathering disciples at Fotiyan; Tong went there. When Master Yi moved to Mount Gonggong in Linchuan and Nankang, Tong followed him like a shadow. Yet he vowed to travel throughout the regions of Wu and Yue, climbing every valley of Tiantai and Mingzhou. When he turned his staff back to the gate of Letan Monastery in Jiangxi, he applied his mind to saṅgha duties without shunning toil or hardship. In the second year of the Zhenyuan reign era (786), he went to the Southern Peak and met Chan Master Shitou, which was like adding vermilion and indigo dye to gathered threads. In the fourth year (788), when Chan Master Daji was about to pass away, he declared openly: "Jade and stone enrich the mountains, bringing elegance and benefit; it will benefit your work in the Way, and when you encounter such a place you may dwell there." Hearing these words, Tong took them as a hidden prophecy, but did not understand them in detail. In the autumn of that year, he traveled together with Chan Master Zizai of Mount Funiu to the capitals Chang'an and Luoyang, and on their return arrived west of Tangzhou. There was a mountain whose solitary peak had dense woods, completely cut off from human habitation, possessing a truly other-worldly atmosphere. He asked the locals, who said this mountain was Mount Ziyu (Purple Jade). Tong only then remembered Daji's prediction: "I am destined to dwell on this peak." He then climbed the steep heights and saw on the ridge a square stone, its color lustrous like purple jade; he sighed and said, "To be called Purple Jade truly matches its name! My late master's words were no false prediction." He hung his staff and unpacked his bag, and students gathered like clouds. At first he cleared thatch and built a dwelling; later, Prefect Li Daogu took it upon himself to build a Chan monastery for him. In the eighth year of the Yuanhe reign era (813), his disciple Jinzang went out to pay homage to Chan Master Baizhang Huaihai and returned to see Tong. Tong said with a solemn countenance, "You have indeed come; this mountain now has its master." Trailing his staff, he directly departed, and the clergy and laity of Xiangzhou all welcomed him. On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, he died without illness at the age of eighty-three. Another account says that the late Chancellor Yu Di took refuge in him above all others, and Minister Li Ao deeply revered him.
10.13
The biography of Huihui of Zhangjing Temple in the capital Yongjing during the Tang.
10.14
Śramaṇa Huihui, whose lay surname was Xie, was a native of Quanzhou. His roots planted in past lives were deep, and his aspiration to transcend the worldly dust was far-reaching; by the time he received full ordination, he esteemed cloud-like wandering. In the beginning of the Zhenyuan reign era, he paid homage to Chan Master Daji in Hongzhou and instantly understood the essentials of the mind. At that time, Liu Ji of Pengcheng respected Hui's virtue greatly, and they corroborated their insights with each other. Later he concealed himself on Mount Qulai, and next resided at Lingyan Temple in Qizhou. He then moved and selected Mount Baijia, where the springs and rocks were secluded and wondrous. Suffering from the noisy influx of inquiries from Chan students, he climbed Mount Zhongtiao to practice the Chan method; those seeking the Dharma followed his footsteps, and the people of Pujin were all transformed. In the third year of the Yuanhe reign era (808), Emperor Xianzong summoned him to reside in the Vairocana Cloister of Zhangjing Temple, where by decree in the Dali reign era all the world's eminent monks and great virtues who were thoroughly versed in the three trainings had been assembled, and where during imperial birthdays vegetarian feasts were often held and monks ordained. Once Hui resided in the upper cloister, he taught the essentials of Chan to others, and court officials and celebrated scholars came daily to consult him. He was again summoned into the Linde Hall and bestowed a vegetarian meal, being advanced to occupy the seat of honor. In the winter of the tenth year of the Yuanhe reign era, the year yimei (815), he showed illness, and on the eleventh day of the twelfth month he passed away at the age of sixty-two. In the second month of the following year, his disciples Zhilang, Zhicao, and others conveyed his whole body and buried it on the northern plain of Baqiao. An imperial decree posthumously bestowed the title Chan Master Daxuanjiao (Great Propagator of Teaching) and erected a stele at the temple gate, with Jia Dao, the granary officer of Yueyang, composing the text recounting his virtue.
10.15
The biography of Weikuan (with Baoxiu) of Xingshan Temple in Jingzhao during the Tang.
10.16
Shi Weikuan's secular surname was Zhu, and he was a native of Xin'an in Quzhou. His grandfather was named An, and his father was named Jiao. When he was thirteen years of age, he saw living creatures being slaughtered and, feeling pained sorrow, could not bear to eat [meat]. He withdrew to renounce household life, seeking tonsure from the monk Tan, receiving the śīla from the monk Chong, studying the vinaya under the monk Ru, verifying the Mahāyāna Dharma in śamatha-vipaśyanā, and perfecting the Supreme Vehicle under Daji Daoyi. In the sixth year of Zhenyuan, he first carried out conversion work between Min and Yue; within a year or so, those who turned their minds and changed their robes numbered in the hundreds. In the seventh year, he subdued a ferocious tiger in Kuaiji and established the Teng Family Bodhimaṇḍa. In the eighth year, he conferred the refuges and precepts upon a mountain spirit in Poyang and established the Dedication Bodhimaṇḍa. In the thirteenth year, he moved non-humans [to devotion] at Shaolin Temple. In the twenty-first year, he performed conditioned meritorious deeds at Weiguo Temple. The following year, he bestowed unconditioned meritorious deeds at Tiangong Temple. In the fourth year of Yuanhe, Emperor Xianzong, Zhangwu, summoned him to Anguo Temple. In the fifth year, [the Emperor] inquired about the Way in the Linde Hall. In that year, he restored the numinous spring at the pool of Tripiṭaka Master Bukong. On the last day of the second month in the twelfth year, having concluded a great sermon in the Dharma-transmission Hall, he suddenly transformed. His report-age was sixty-three, and his saṅgha summers were thirty-nine. He was returned for burial on the western plain of Baling. An imperial edict bestowed the posthumous title Dache Chanshi ('Dhyāna Master of Great Penetration'), and his stūpa was named Yuanhe Zhengzhen. Earlier, Kuan had preached the Dharma of the mind essentials for thirty years, delivering monastics and laypeople numbering nearly hundreds of thousands and myriads; prescribing medicine according to the sickness, how could he ever be exhausted? When Bai Letian served as Palace Sponsor, he encountered Kuan; he visited the Dharma Hall four times, presenting a question each time he came, and Kuan replied fluently without hesitation, so Lord Bai served him as a master. His disciples numbered nearly a thousand; thirty-nine attained the Dharma, and those who entered his chamber to receive his bequeathed transmission were named Yichong and Yuanzhao. Shi Baoxiu of Mount Luofu under the Tang had the secular surname Zhou and was a native of Zizhou. He followed a master at Chunde Temple; aspiring to seek the profound truth, he resolved deep doubts with the Dharma heirs of Grand Master Ren of Qizhou. Later, fond of dwelling in a stone chamber on Mount Luofu, dānapatis built a Buddhist sanctuary for him, which flourished into a great monastery. One day, he told his disciples, "Causes and conditions are pressing upon me," looking sorrowful and unhappy, so that the assembly was bewildered. Emperor Shunzong deeply revered the Buddhist school; knowing Xiu's fame, he summoned him to the capital to engage in dialectical inquiries with Tripiṭaka masters and to answer on the meaning of translations, which he did clearly, smoothly, and fluently. He was then detained to dwell in the capital. In the third year, he passed away in a capital monastery.
10.17
Biography of Yize of Foku Cliff on Mount Tiantai under the Tang
10.18
Shi Yize had the secular surname Zhangsun and was a native of Chang'an in Jingzhao. His grandfather Lie was an administrative officer (sima) of Ezhou; his father Lishe lived as a recluse in Jinling. From youth, Ze did not mingle with the mundane, remaining calm all day long without worldly pursuits. He first studied cursive script under Zhang Huaiquan, singly exhausting the subtleties of the brush. He was gracefully fond of the classics and histories, and particularly delighted in Buddhist books, considering that they matched his mind. One morning he abandoned his family estate and followed Huizhong of Mount Niutou; Zhong was the so-called Sixth Patriarch of Niutou. Originally, Bodhidharma came from India with the essentials of Śākya's mind; those who transmitted his Way included Neng of Caoxi and Xiu of Mount Song. Those who studied under Neng were called the Southern School, and those who studied under Xiu were called the Northern School. Patriarch [Dao]xin in turn transmitted his Way to Huirong; Rong attained it, dwelt on Mount Niutou, and his disciples passed it on. From this, Bodhidharma's mind Dharma came to have the Niutou school. Once Ze had received Zhong's Way, he practiced subtle contemplation for a long time, coming to deem that heaven and earth are devoid of things, and I am devoid of things; though devoid of things, there has never been nothingness. In this way, sages are like shadows, the common people are like dreams—who is there to undergo death and birth? The perfected person is thereby able to shine alone and be the master of the myriad things; I have realized it! He thereupon traveled south to Tiantai and arrived at Foku Cliff; covering himself with creeping figs, sitting like a corpse on fallen leaves, drinking from mountain streams and feeding on tree fruits to fill his emptiness, taking tigers and leopards as guests, elk and deer as companions, remaining motionless as dry wood. Later, woodcutters saw him and spread the word to one another, and those who admired his Way said, "The man of the Way has no disciples yet." Gathering together, they built lodgings for him, painted Buddhist images, and settled monks, which grew into a flourishing vihāra. Hence, those who transmitted Ze's Way from the Yuanhe era onward referred to themselves as the "Foku School"; the designation "Foku" began with Ze. Sitting in meditation for forty years, when high officials and famous lords sent letters with greetings and generous alms, Ze never offered thanks in return, nor did he ever rise for those who made prostrations. In the gengxu year, on the thirteenth day of the late summer, he summoned his disciples and said, "Exert yourselves!" On the night of the fifteenth day, he passed away while sitting. That night, the people below the mountain heard a sound like a mountain collapsing, and at dawn they looked up to see colorful clouds soaring and resting above the cliff. The elders all wept, saying, "The master has died!" When they went to look, it was indeed so. In all, Ze became a monk at the age of twenty and passed away at fifty-eight saṅgha summers. He was skilled in composition; when he first transmitted the Way at Mount Zhong, he compiled and prefaced the writings of Patriarch Rong in three rolls, composed twenty-four chapters of the Explanatory Titles for Baozhi, the Preface to the Bequeathed Legacy of Mahāsattva Fu on His Southern Journey, and the Meaning of Non-arising and the Like. In all his writings, the expressions and principles were brilliant. His several dozen other songs and poems are all circulating in the world. Ze originally dwelt in the primary cloister of Foku west of Baobu Spring, where a shrine stūpa was erected. During the Huichang era, it was destroyed along with the rest, and the cloister came into the possession of the Daoists. Later, in the yiyou year of the Xiantong era, the Saṅgha Rectifier Faguang of Kaiyuan Temple moved the stele to its present location, with the stele inscription composed by the Governor of Henan, Han Yi.
10.19
Biography of Lingmo of Mount Wuxie in Wuzhou under the Tang (Zhixian)
10.20
Shi Lingmo had the secular surname Xuan and was a native of Piling. When he reached the age of adulthood, he took delight in learning and forgot weariness, aiming to pass the civil examinations by answering policy questions so as to bring glory to his parents and kinsmen. Hearing that Grand Master Ma of Yuzhang was gathering an assembly to expound [the Dharma], he went to the dhyāna gateway. Master Ma composed his demeanor and displayed signs; Mo silently tallied with the profound mechanism and promptly sought tonsure, just like a ripe abscess waiting for a lance. After receiving full ordination, he cultivated the practices diligently, steadfast and unyielding. In the early Zhenyuan era, he entered Mount Tiantai, which contained twelve āraṇyas of Zhiyi of the Sui; [Zhiyi] had left a prediction, saying, "This ground is solemn and wondrous, not a place for mixed vessels to perch; if one can dwell here, he is no different from me." Mo thereupon resided at the Baisha Bodhimaṇḍa for two years. A ferocious tiger became tame and came to give birth near the forest, seeming to rely upon him. He also resided at the East Bodhimaṇḍa, where the location was remote and people were few; one night the mountain spirit brought thunder and torrential rain, causing a sheer cliff to collapse. At dawn, a large tree had fallen over, its branches interlaced beside the hermitage, yet the thatch roof had suffered not the slightest damage. Far and near, those who heard of it all came to view it in admiration. Later, he traveled to Mount Dongbai, where he was suddenly poisoned; yet instead of seeking a physician, he closed the door and sat in peaceful meditation. Before long, the poison transformed into perspiration and dripped away, whereupon he returned to normal. Traveling on to Puyang, he converted many; Li Wang, a garrison commander of Yangling, invited Mo to dwell at Wuxie. In the early Yuanhe era, there was a severe drought, and the farmers were filled with panic. Mo walked along a ravine and saw a blue-green serpent writhing and staring with wide eyes as if looking at travelers, without moving. He scolded it, saying, "The streams of the common people have dried up, and their sprouts are dying; why do you not send down rain to save the people?" That night, heavy rain indeed fell, completely sufficing the whole district, and the people were grateful for his favor. It happened that Censor Meng Jian of Pingchang conducted an investigation in Zhedong and abolished the āraṇyas within his jurisdiction, causing the students to disperse. At that time, Li Zhou, magistrate of Jiyang, submitted a memorial recommending Ling mountain, and permission was granted to rebuild the cloister. On the twenty-third day of the third month in the thirteenth year, he bathed, burned incense, sat upright on a rope-bed, gave his final instructions to the assembly, and suddenly passed away. His lifespan was seventy-two, and his dharma age was forty-one. The eminent monk Zhixian, whose practice was lofty and steep and whose literary style was graceful and elegant, was also an outstanding talent of Jiangzuo, and he composed the account of Mo's conduct.
10.21
Biography of Daowu of Tianhuang Temple in Jingzhou under the Tang (Chongxin)
10.22
Śramaṇa Daowu, whose lay surname was Zhang, was a native of Dongyang in Wuzhou. Having received the pure breath of heaven, he was a Dharma prince: born with a divine and extraordinary spirit, he grew up prudent and sincere. At fourteen, when the golden wings [of the garuḍa] were just sprouting feathers and the qilin had just grown its horns, he announced to his elders that he wished to leave the household life; but out of affection and love, they did not grant permission. Thereupon he reduced his ordinary diet to only a single meal a day; though his body and belly grew emaciated and starved, with the passing of a year his resolve grew all the firmer. His parents, having no choice, consented. He then went to a grand virtuous monk in Mingzhou to have his hair shaved off. At age twenty-five, he received full ordination under a grand virtuous monk of Zhulin Temple in Hangzhou. With heroic vigor, supporting a firm and stalwart mind, he cultivated all brahma-practices within the gate of the six pāramitās. He always believed that to heal a deep, fatal illness one relies on superior, marvelous medicine, and to open up darkness one seeks a good spiritual friend (kalyāṇamitra): without relying on a boat and oars, how could one cross over? He then rose vigorously, shook his staff, and turned to Chan Master Guoyi of Jingshan. As soon as Daowu had finished bowing at his feet, he secretly received the essential tenets. Through the spoken words, he recognized the jewel in the robe; body and mind opened wide, and both true and false were cast aside. Cutting off all doubts and hesitations, fearless and unconstrained, he saw directly into the Buddha-nature, without any impurity within. Serving diligently for five years, he was thereupon given the seal of transmission, so that his Dharma rain might moisten all the monasteries. Daowu accumulated power and retreated to obscurity, penetrating deep into remote and rugged terrains, truly hoping to soar in a single flight to touch the heavens. He then withdrew in seclusion to Mount Damei in Yuyao; this was in the eleventh year of the Dali era. Layered cliffs and sheer ravines, the pipes of heaven whistled mournfully, and far and wide there were no villages. For seven days he did not eat. Utmost sincerity penetrates, and when creatures respond, it is wondrous: gibbons, langurs, badgers, and apes took turns offering him acorns and chestnuts. One day, a rustic man wielding an axe came to cut brambles and brushwood; chancing to encounter him, he was shaken and held his breath in awe, rushing to tell his companions, calling it miraculous. In less than ten days to a month, those visiting became a bustling market. Leaning against clefts and clinging to steep precipices, they erected tall roofbeams, and provisions, grain, and offerings surrounded his square chamber. Fierce tigers glared greedily, wandering out in packs, but once arriving beside his seat, they withdrew and curled up their limbs; that their kind was tamed and tranquil could well be known. Now, when speaking of the Dharma there are no gradual stages, but in cultivating practice there is shallowness and depth: wood, upon being drilled, produces fire; a mirror, with diligent polishing, reveals the inner vitals. The principle is certainly thus. Therefore, he swept away worldly entanglements, retreated to rocky marshes, disciplined his body, forgot day and night, practiced with refined strictness without rest, and directed himself toward the unexcelled path—how meaningful this was! It was like this for three or four years. But when about to soar beyond the clouds, he feared his feathers might wither and shed; wishing to return to the jewel repository, he suspected his road might have gone astray. Hence he again went to consult and visit teachers, to harmonize with the true lineage. In the beginning of the Jianzhong era, he went to Grand Master Ma in Zhongling; in the autumn of the second year, he visited the Superior Man Shitou. Alas! From Jingshan to Mount Heng, he met wise masters three times in all. Arriving here, it was like Zaofu practicing charioteering, or the man of Ying wielding his axe: both emptying their minds, they joined together in seamless accord. The white moon reflecting the great sun shone with equal brilliance, and the mighty river flowing into the great ocean had a single flavor; it was like Confucius declaring Yanzi a second sage, or Dīpaṅkara bestowing a prophecy upon Śākyamuni. The root and fruit matured, and his name was heard everywhere, like Mount Sumeru standing preeminent in the great ocean. Thus approaching Buddhahood, he broadly extended superior causes; wherever lands were, whenever conditions converged, he responded. First he took up residence in Liyang, next dwelt at the mouth of the Jing River, and finally perched on Mount Chaizi in Dangyang, the very place where the five hundred arhats soared and wandered. Tamarisks and pines were lush and verdant, holding the wind; cliffs and jagged crags reached up to heaven; riding upon the shimmering purple mist, pillowed upon the clear and cold jade springs. Phoenixes do not gather in brambles, and perfected persons must dwell in superior sites; it was truly like this. The great bell awaits striking; the youthful and ignorant seek me out: streams flowed and stars converged; empty they went, and full they returned. Some walked step by step through the woods, while others stood shoulder to shoulder in the huts; the shoes outside the door filled the room in brilliance. Jingzhou was a mighty frontier commandery; the men and women of the capital numbered by hundreds of millions, and none failed to hold up their hands, kneel, and bow their heads, emulating his wind. The prior of Chongye Temple submitted a petition to the regional military governor to invite him; not defying the power of his vow, he came to answer the request. When his sandals reached the outskirts and his staff arrived at the metropolis, monks and laity rushed about for him, and banners and streamers were intertwined; generating the thought that he was rare to encounter, they attained what they had never had before. As for that Upagupta, how could he even be worth mentioning! There was Tianhuang Temple, situated to the left of the commandery, distinguished from other monasteries, renowned as a famous sanctuary; afflicted by a human fire, it had been reduced to ashes and cinders. The monastery's rector, Lingjian, consulted with his community, deeming that if a fulfilled person dwelt there, he would surely bring them blessings. Now, carrying the great burden, he disregarded minor flaws: in the middle of the night, he went quietly and carried him there on a shoulder-litter. The two monasteries had a loss in the evening and a gain in the morning; fierce disputes arose, reaching the high officials. Heavy deliberations ensued back and forth, and in the end, he was settled in his place. The Governor of Jiangling, Right Vice-Director of the Department of State Affairs Lord Pei, was a pure and dignified official of the gentry who held the military tally and led the masses; his reputation and demeanor were the standard of the time. Driving his carriage with full etiquette, he diligently inquired about the Dharma. Daowu's spiritual temperament was easy and unconstrained, dwelling in calm and leisure; slowly, with gentle words, he responded to him, unfailingly hitting upon the subtle and abstruse, piercing straight through the joints and sinews. Moreover, he always maintained upright integrity, without cultivating obsequiousness; treating the humble and noble entirely alike, he merely remained seated, bowing with folded hands to respond. Lord Pei marveled at his loftiness and examined his principles, saying, 'Should the resolve to resist the mundane be as upright and unbending as this?' Daowu considered, 'This Dharma is equal, seeing neither host nor guest; how could one emulate mundane truth, dwelling with people and becoming narrow and constricted?' Lord Pei's understanding merged implicitly with the intention; he cast away his pride and took refuge. Once having seen the benevolent one, my mind was subdued, like receiving a wash when heated, so that agitated confusion dissolved like ice. From this time, the flourishing of the Chan school was never greater than this! In the dinghai year of the Yuanhe era, he suffered an ailment of back pain. He ordered his disciples to announce his end ahead of time, and on the last day of the fourth month of summer, he quietly entered extinction. His worldly age was sixty, his saṅgha age thirty-five. On the fifth day of the eighth month of that year, he was buried at the eastern corner of the commandery; a spirit shrine and stupa were erected, in accordance with the rites of monks. Daowu's body was seven feet tall; his spiritual demeanor was solitary and outstanding; the lines of his hands showed leaping fish; the crown bone rose like a rhinoceros horn. His conduct was grounded in the Yingluo jing, and his aspiration was set on the Avataṃsaka Sūtra; in delivering people and explaining the Dharma, he was bold, vigorous, and sharp. One of his tenets said: 'Defilement and purity dwell together; water and waves share the same essence. Stirred by sensory realms, one is confused and attached, boundlessly forgetting to return. The three times are equal, originally pure. When a single thought does not arise, one immediately sees the Buddha-mind.' His awakening and insight were so transcendent and sudden as this. Before this, in the wake of the fire, the temple halls were not standing; seeing that the monastic robes lacked a place for worship, he secretly thought of construction, yet knew not how to begin. During his Chan meditation, it was as if he encountered a spirit being, who said of itself that its shrine was beside the river waters: 'All within my boundaries is rich in pine and catalpa; I wish to fell them all and give them to the saṅghārāma.' He sent workers to scout it out, and it matched like a tally. Thereupon they cut huge beams, fashioned tall pillars, braced cliffs and shored up ravines, assembling like clouds into well-ordered structures. At the time, it was the end of autumn, and the water was completely dried up; the disciples wringing their hands, despondent and without a plan. It chanced that one evening rain arrived, and ten thousand logs surged forth together, departing the riverbank in the morning and arriving at the temple gate by dusk. In the course of chiseling and carving, there was nothing lacking in their activities. As for the rest of the corridors, verandas, beds, and tables, none lacked unseen assistance. Since these matters border on speaking of the bizarre, they are omitted and not recorded. His supernatural resonance and sway over spirits were all of this kind. Bhikṣus Huizhen, Wenben, and others, Chan students of secluded calm, were all those who entered his room and attained awakening; some succeeded him at the seat of the bodhimanda, while others branched out to teach and transform. At that time, Fu Zai, Master of Harmony in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, composed an essay praising his virtues. The world called this the Tianhuang lineage style. Furthermore, Śramaṇa Chongxin of the Longtan Chan Cloister in Lizhou under the Tang had an unknown clan and family. When in the lay world, Chongxin was the son of a sesame cake maker in Zhugong; at a tender age he was remarkably unusual, with an expansive spirit. Formerly, Chan Master Daowu of Tianhuang Temple hid his radiance and concealed his light, so that people could not fathom him. Chongxin lived in the temple lane, and every day he carried a basket of cakes to offer to Master Daowu for his midday meal. After eating, Daowu would always leave behind one cake, saying, 'I bestow this on you to shade your descendants.' One day Chongxin thought to himself, 'The cakes were brought by me; why do you send one back to give to me? Could there be another meaning?' He then clasped his hands and asked about it. Master Daowu said, 'You brought it here; what fault is there in returning it to you?' Hearing this, Chongxin seemed startled and wondered, whereupon [Daowu] urged him to leave the household life. He then asked to be accepted, and [Daowu] said, 'In the past you revered (chong) blessings and goodness; now you have faith (xin) in my words.' Therefore he named him [Chongxin]. From then on, he personally attended to the well and mortar, offering up diligent service. He then asked Daowu, saying, 'I have not yet received your instruction on the mind essential.' Master Daowu said, 'I show it to you from time to time.' Chongxin received and took in these words like a traveler returning home, or a poor man finding treasure. Direct from Jingzhu, he went to stay at Longtan in Liyang. Because Minister of the Right Li Ao inspired and promoted him, he then emerged into the world. Later, Master Jian of Deshan emerged from his gate, and the ancestral style flourished greatly.
10.23
Biography of Yuanji of Yedu under the Tang (Jueduo)
10.24
Śramaṇa Yuanji: it is not known what place he was from. He constantly took Chan contemplation as his task, cultivating diligently without remiss; he went to Chan Master Lao'an of Mount Song to resolve his mind's doubts, and all became clear and bright. Yuanji's teaching was practiced in Xiangbu, and those who relied on him were many. He resided for a long time on Mount Tianping and other mountains, visiting all the former traces of Chan Master Chou without exception. At that time, Grand Minister of Works Yan Shou was wholeheartedly devoted to him in faith and respect. He enjoyed a lifespan of one hundred fifty-five years, having been born in the yisi year, the second year of the Xianheng era. (Checking this, the second year of the Xianheng era was xinwei; it should say the second year of the Zongzhang era, which was yisi.)
10.25
The one called 'Upādhyāya Wusheng' (Unborn) by the world—is this he? Yuanji's high aloofness was such that he constantly did not wish people to pay homage or invite him; he invariably had an unapproachable expression, which people at times criticized. However, when the aspiration is cultured, one treats wealth and nobility with pride; when the Dao and righteousness are valued, one makes light of princes and dukes. This was not because he was arrogant or untamed, but because circumstances caused it to be so. Śramaṇa Jueduo was an Indian. Crossing the sandy desert, he yearned for the Divine Land; without inquiring of interpreters, he quickly became fluent in the Chinese language, and he esteemed Chan concentration. He went directly to visit Master Neng of Caoxi; when their faculties and teaching met, it was like a long-lost youth returning home. Jueduo traveled to Mount Wutai, passing through Dingxiang. Going through a village, he saw a Chan practitioner who had built a hut and was sitting alone. He asked him, saying, 'What are you doing here?' The monk said, 'I am observing quietude.' Jueduo said, 'Who is the one observing? What kind of thing is quietude? Is this not simply laboring your body and fatiguing your thoughts?' That monk was bewildered and merely folded his hands in silence; bowing several times, he asked for guidance. Jueduo said, 'From whose gate did you come forth?' The monk said, 'Grand Master Shenxiu.' Jueduo said, 'In my Western Regions, non-Buddhists are indeed numerous; even the lowest among them do not fall into this view. Sitting rigidly in emptiness, rotting the straw mat and exhausting the body, originally has no deep benefit. Do not give rise to such views or establish such arguments. Go quickly to Shaoyang to resolve what you doubt.' [Master] Neng said [to him], 'Why do you not observe yourself and quiet yourself? Not observing appearances, not observing suchness, as you wander about in daily functioning, you will naturally be at peace and ease.' It was entirely as Jueduo had said, without the slightest difference. That monk cleaved open the net. Later, it is not known where Jueduo went.
10.26
Biography of Zhenshu of Mount Yangqi in Yuanzhou under the Tang
10.27
Shi Zhenshu's place of origin is unknown. From childhood he was clever and intelligent, free-spirited and unconstrained. His mind and vision were luminous and clear, possessing the marks of a great person. Observing the wheel of birth and death, he saw the bewildered beings of the nine abodes like midges dwelling on the eyelashes of a mosquito. Experiencing supreme sensory pleasures was to him like chewing tasteless wax. Thereupon he cast aside his hairpin and shaved his head, donning the insignia of the Buddha to seek perfect awakening and the definitive meaning. He visited Chan Master Daji, and upon a single encounter with the profound mechanism, his myriad thoughts were utterly stilled. He then said: 'The fundamental source of all sentient beings is nominally called Buddha; though the body is exhausted and the form dissolves, it is never annihilated; though gold melts and the uncarved block disperses, it ever abides. Across the ocean of nature without wind, startled waves surge up of themselves. The mind is empty and devoid of signs, yet the ten thousand phenomena are illuminated equally. One who embodies this principle traverses the sandy realms without speaking, and without exertion assists profound transformation. How could one turn one's back on awakening and conversely unite with defilements, vainly imprisoning oneself in the aggregates and realms, wandering as a mere water-moon through the human and heavenly realms?' Shu saw the cluster of peaks of Mount Yangqi in Yichun converging from four sides, and sighed: 'The earth's foundation serves as a bulwark, erecting my citadel of Dharma.' No sooner had he spoken a word than a thousand crags echoed in reply: pines revealed lunar halls, stars spread out like cloud galleries, and within the green-misted realm a golden world was manifested. From the beginning of his seated meditation, for more than forty years, the entire room was bathed in golden radiance, shining constantly day and night. When his karmic conditions for transforming beings were completed, the responding mechanism could no longer be detained. On the thirteenth day of the first month in the gengzi year of the Yuanhe era, he suddenly cast aside the dusty realm and returned to the great concentration. His disciples Rutan, Liangbao, and others sank into an ocean of sorrow, their laments shaking the mountain, like the moon hidden from the sky and all the stars losing their radiance. They gathered vast amounts of wood, building a fragrant pyre to conduct the cremation, and recovered seven hundred grains of relics (śarīra). They erected a stūpa beneath the eastern peak. His senior disciple Renyun ordered Zhixian to compose an inscription to commemorate him.
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Linked texts (1)
- 宋高僧傳 — 贊寧, Classical Chinese