宋高僧傳 17.8

17.8

Śramaṇa Huili, originally named Zili—Emperor Gaozong changed it to Huili—had the secular surname Zhao and was a native of Tianshui. A distant ancestor, on account of official service, relocated to reside in Xinping; hence he became a person of Bin. From his grandfather down to his father, both enjoyed high renown. Huili was the third son of Yi, who served the Sui dynasty as Diary Scribe and Attendant Officer of the Metropolitan Commandery. Born extraordinarily intelligent, he had the intention to abandon the secular life. At the age of fifteen, in the third year of the Zhenguan era, he underwent pravrajyā and resided at Zhaoren Temple in Binzhou; this temple was precisely the battlefield where Xue Ju was crushed. Huili was quick-witted and exceptionally talented; his spirit was pure and his religious practice elevated. He emulated the lofty style of [Zhi] Dun and [Hui]yuan, and possessed the intellectual capacity of [Seng]zhao and [Dao]rong. His fame resounded far and wide; an imperial decree summoned him to serve as Translation Virtuous One at Da Cien Temple, next he was appointed Grand Karmadāna of Ximing Temple, and later he was appointed Abbot of Taiyuan Temple; all were bestowed by imperial edict, ordering him to oversee these monastic duties. In the reign of Emperor Gaozong, because he broadly investigated Confucianism and Buddhism, elegantly composed works, and his wondrous debates flew like clouds while his prolific ideas welled up like a spring—added to which he spoke straightforwardly with an upright countenance, undaunted by imperial awe, braving fire and treading into boiling water without flinching—he was frequently summoned to enter the palace to debate face-to-face with Daoists. He always conformed to the imperial will; the matters are recorded in a separate biography. Huili, considering that Dharma Master Xuanzang had sought scriptures in India, and that without a record later generations would rarely hear of it, thereupon composed the Biography of the Cien Tripiṭaka Master, but died before it was completed. Later, Śramaṇa Yanzong of Guangfu Temple continued and finished it, making ten fascicles in all. Hence the original title read: "Drafted by Śramaṇa Huili, annotated by Śramaṇa Yanzong." When Huili finished paring his tablets, he feared omitting its various excellences and thus hid it underground, so that none in the world heard of it. Thereafter, when his end approached, he ordered his attendants to dig it up and open it; just as it was brought out, he then passed away. Earlier, when Huili saw that Lü Cai, Palace Physician Attendant, had rashly fabricated the Illustrated Commentary on Buddhist Logic in three fascicles, rejecting and criticizing the correct doctrines of the masters, Huili sent him a letter reprimanding him. Its striking lines included: "The Attendant Officer has slight leisure in secular affairs, and thereupon assumes that the True Doctrine can be comprehended. How is this different from a field mouse, seeing that a cauldron and stove can be climbed, declaring that Mount Kunlun is not difficult; or a spider, seeing that a bramble thicket is easily webbed, also thinking that Fusang can be netted? Without measuring one's proper limits, how does it differ from this?" Due to this, Cai ceased his efforts. When Liu Xuan, Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, heard that the matter had subsided, he turned with faith and wrote a letter titled "Manifesto to the Scripture-Translating Monastic Assembly," saying, "In defending against insult from without, he is the Jilu of the Buddhist fold!"