大明高僧傳 1.15

1.15

釋若訥奉旨住上天竺。常領徒千人。大弘三觀十乘五重六即之道。其詞辯若瀉懸河。實為當世四依也。南宋淳熙三年高宗幸上竺寺欲禮大士。訥迎。高宗問曰。朕於大士合拜不合拜。訥對曰。不拜則各自稱尊。拜則遞相恭敬高宗欣然致拜。又問歲修金光明懺其意為何。訥曰。昔佛為梵釋四王說金光明三昧。囑其護國護人。後世祖師立為懺法。令僧每於歲旦奉行其法為國祈福。此盛世之典也。上說授訥右街僧錄。賜錢即修其道。次年四月八日召訥。領僧五十入內觀堂修護國金光明三昧。賜齋罷訥登座說法。上問曰。佛法固妙。安得如許經卷。訥曰。有本者如是。高宗大悅進訥左街僧錄。號曰慧光法師。自是歲歲此日入內修舉佛事。賜絹帛五十疋。七年八月召訥入內賜齋說法稱旨恩寵隆渥加異。

Shi Ruone, by imperial decree, resided at Upper Tianzhu, regularly leading a thousand disciples. He greatly propagated the ways of the three contemplations, ten vehicles, fivefold [teachings], and six identities. His eloquent discourse was like a pouring cataract; he was truly one of the four reliances of his generation. In the third year of the Chunxi era of the Southern Song, Emperor Gaozong visited Upper Tianzhu Monastery wishing to pay homage to the Great Being. Ruone welcomed him. Gaozong asked, "Is it proper or improper for Us to bow to the Great Being?" Ruone replied, "If you do not bow, each claims their own nobility; if you bow, mutual reverence is observed." Gaozong bowed with joy. He further asked, "What is the meaning of performing the Golden Light repentance every year?" Ruone said, "Long ago, the Buddha expounded the Suvarṇaprabhāsa-samādhi for Brahmā, Śakra, and the Four Heavenly Kings, entrusting them to protect the realm and protect the people. In later generations, ancestral masters established it as a repentance ritual, commanding monks to carry out this rite at the start of every year to pray for blessings for the state. This is an ordinance of a flourishing age." The Emperor was pleased and appointed Ruone as Monk Official of the Right Street, bestowing funds for him to practice this path. On the eighth day of the fourth month of the following year, Ruone was summoned to lead fifty monks into the inner Contemplation Hall to perform the Suvarṇaprabhāsa-samādhi for the Protection of the Realm. After the bestowal of a vegetarian meal, Ruone ascended the seat and expounded the Dharma. The Emperor asked, "The Buddhadharma is indeed wondrous, but how could there be so many scripture fascicles?" Ruone replied, "Those with a deep root are like this." Gaozong was greatly pleased and promoted Ruone to Monk Official of the Left Street, bestowing the title Dharma Master Huiguang. From then on, every year on this day he entered the inner quarters to conduct Buddhist rites, receiving fifty bolts of silk. In the eighth month of the seventh year, Ruone was summoned into the inner quarters, bestowed a vegetarian meal, and expounded the Dharma in accordance with the imperial mind, receiving exceptionally deep imperial favour and extraordinary additions.