宋高僧傳 7.12

7.12

Shi Guiyu was surnamed Mei and was a native of Shouchun. His father, Yuanxu, knew his son was sharp and clever, and taught him the *Book of Songs* and the *Book of Documents*; in recitation, reading, and memorization, he increasingly proved to surpass the crowd. After studying the various philosophers, he secretly wished to renounce the worldly dust; his parents granted his frequent requests, and so he bowed to Vinaya Master Daozong of Kaiyuan Temple in his home commandery as his tonsure master. Before a full year had passed, he had memorized and mastered the two sūtras, the *Lotus Sūtra* and the *Humane Kings Sūtra*. Upon reaching twenty years of age, he fully received the precepts; he rigorously observed the three practices, never was remiss in the four postures, listened to and studied new expositions, and soon mastered lecturing and teaching. Later, hearing that sūtras and treatises were flourishing in the capital Luoyang and the Sanfu region, he formed companionship to seek out masters. Within merely ten years, he cleared and mastered both nature and marks [traditions], became adept in the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, the single branch of doctrinal categories (*ming-shu*), and the single learning of logic (*hetuvidyā*); the *Abhidharmakośa*, *Vijñaptimātratā*, *Vimalakīrti*, and the *Rebirth [in Tuṣita]* were all stored deeply within him as though he were empty. He then went to Nan Yan to study under Master Hui, reviewing what he had learned, grinding cinnabar to make it even redder, yet he still lamented that the doctrinal commentaries were not yet fully perfect. Thereupon he went to present-day Xiangguo Temple in Dongjing, where he compiled the *New Commentary*, tirelessly lecturing and instructing, so that his disciples attained understanding. At that time, the Latter Lord of the Zhu Liang dynasty had been his fellow student in boyhood at school, sharing deep intimacy and affection, but they had been separated for many years. Half a year after ascending the throne, an imperial decree was issued to seek him out. Although Yu knew of their old acquaintance, he did not mention it throughout the year. As the matter could not be avoided, he entered only when summoned. When the emperor saw him, sorrow and joy mingled together, and he bestowed abundant gifts upon him. At that time, on the occasion of the Jiaqing Festival, an edict had once been issued prohibiting any further imperial favors promoting monks or Daoists throughout the realm; yet in that year, Yu alone was granted the purple robe and the title Grand Master Expounding the Dharma (Yanfa Dashi). The ceremonial escorts of the Two Streets welcomed and guided him to the temple, and an imperial decree also designated the Imperial Image Hall of the East Pagoda as the Hall of Prolonged Lecturing. At that time, the military commissioner of Min offered a complete set of the *Diamond Sūtra* and three hundred bolts of silk on the emperor's birthday, all of which were bestowed upon Yu, and his dharma companions considered it an honor. However, seeing that the old commentaries had defects and had not plumbed the ultimate principle, he searched out and extracted the essential meanings over three years, composing twenty scrolls entitled *Draft Notes of Essential Outlines*, and upon finishing the manuscript, presented it to the throne. The emperor read and praised it, ordering it to be entered into the Tripiṭaka, but Yu adamantly declined, and the emperor relented. In this way, over fifteen years, he guided recitation without indolence, and his disciples Jiarong and Master Shan successively transmitted and upheld his teachings. On the tenth day of the tenth month in the third year of Qingtai of the Later Tang, he said to his disciple Hongyan: "My strength is failing, and impermanence is about to arrive. You must abide well and advance in cultivation." Burning incense and pressing his palms together, he passed away in the early night, at the age of seventy-five, with a saṅgha age of fifty-five. On the eighteenth day of that month, his stūpa was relocated to the eastern ridge of the temple estate in the eastern suburbs of the capital.