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Translation of 大明高僧傳
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- pramana-mt · Machine translation by Gemini 3.8 Flash (2026-10-21) of in.bauddha.taisho.2062 · Machine output without human authorship: no copyright is claimed (CC0 1.0). The original text keeps its own…
Contents
Text
1.1
Preface to the Biographies of Eminent Monks of the Great Ming
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Noted by the śramaṇa Shi Ruxing of Ciyun Chan Monastery on Mount Tiantai under the Imperial Ming.
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Śākyamuni, the Bhagavat, was born in Western India in the jiayin year of King Zhao of the Zhou dynasty, attained awakening, and entered nirvāṇa. Over a thousand years later, during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Han dynasty, Kāśyapa Mātanga and Dharmaratna first arrived in the Central Plains. For them, the emperor first founded the White Horse Monastery to house them. From then on, the Buddhadharma flourished and the ranks of monks gradually grew. Thus there were Kang Senghui of Wu, and Shi Dao'an, Baozhi, Sengti, Zhi Dun, and Dharmakṣema of the Jin. Divine monks and eminent renunciants left their spiritual tracks and fragrant footprints throughout the realm; subtle words and resonant teachings, lofty discourses and fine stratagems filled tablets and scrolls. How could historians restrain themselves? Therefore, Venerable Yuan of Mount Lu under the Six Dynasties, Vinaya Master Xuan of the Tang, and Zanning and his contemporaries of the Song compiled monastic histories and biographies of eminent monks, each in several fascicles. Furthermore, Great Master Bodhidharma, discerning from afar that the faculties in the land of Cīnasthāna were ripe, did not deem tens of thousands of miles too far to come, specially conferring the purport of a special transmission outside the teachings. Transmitted through six generations down to Caoxi, this Way flourished greatly; transmitted further down to Qingyuan, Nanyue, Mazu, and Shitou, its branches divided and trunks spread, its currents overflowed and springs deepened. It may well be said: "Lu changed once and reached the Way." Thereafter Baizhang arose, and monasteries were fully provided with regulations. With opening the hall, entering the room, raising the fly-whisk, and taking up the mallet, the one thousand seven hundred gongan entangled like vines spread throughout the realm. Beginning with Chan Master Daoyuan, and scholars like Yang Danian and Prince Consort Li Zunxu, they compiled the records of the transmission of the lamp, each in several fascicles. Entering our Imperial Dynasty, the Literate Emperor Chengzu, in the leisure moments among his myriad administrative affairs, culled marvels from the monastic histories and records of the transmission of the lamp, separately entitling them Biographies of Divine Monks, also in several fascicles. Ah! This may indeed be called a splendid canon! When Confucius compiled the Spring and Autumn Annals, rebellious ministers and traitorous sons took fright; when the Grand Historian compiled historical biographies, the unworthy throughout the realm felt shame. Now that our Buddhist lineage has this work, it will not only prevent the śramaṇas of the world from becoming worms within the lion's body, but will also lead many to see virtue and strive to emulate it, tacitly tallying with what lies beyond words and escaping the loss of the trap [after catching the fish]. How could its benefits be measured? Yet monastic histories began with Emperor Ming of the Han, and transmissions of the lamp trace back to the seven Buddhas, all ending in the Song; only the Biographies of Divine Monks stopped with the Shundi reign of the Yuan. Since the rise of the Ming and the founding of the dynasty by the High Emperor Taizu, the governance of the realm has surpassed that of the Three Dynasties, and the flourishing of the Buddhadharma has outshone that of the Tang and Song. Yet works of monastic history and transmission of the lamp alone have remained sparse and unheard of—a matter truly worthy of lament! Still, those among our peers who have the power do not turn their thoughts to it, and those who have the will lack the conditions. Could it really be that the notable figures of our Imperial Dynasty do not equal those of the Tang and Song? In the gengzi year, I proofread and carved the Jintang bian of previous dynasties; this year, I further compiled those who protected the Dharma under our Imperial Dynasty to supply what was lacking. In histories, gazetteers, and literary collections, various eminent monks were often recorded in between. Thereupon, rejoicing in their deeds, I recorded them. From the Southern Song down to the present, I gathered several persons, entitling it Biographies of Eminent Monks of the Great Ming, to serve for collection by future historians. Thus it is said.
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Written on an auspicious morning in midsummer of the dingsi year of the Wanli era of the Great Ming, at the Prajñā Hall of the Śūraṅgama Monastery in Jiaxing.
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Compiled by the śramaṇa Shi Ruxing of Ciyun Chan Monastery on Mount Tiantai under the Imperial Ming.
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Section One: Translators of Scriptures (One main biography, two appended)
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Biography 1: The śramaṇa Shi Shes rab dpal of Qingshou Monastery in the Yuan Capital of Yan (appendices: La wen bu and Ga luo si ba)
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Shi Shes rab dpal was a native of Jining in the Western Regions. While still a boy with his hair in tufts, he relied upon Imperial Preceptor 'Phags pa to undergo tonsure and dyeing of robes, studying the abhiṣeka rituals of the various divisions. He also studied the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna under Guru Zhuolichi. At that time there was La wen bu, who was well versed in Yamāntaka; his Esoteric Teaching was widely praised by contemporaries. Shes rab dpal went to him and fully attained his teachings. Thus he was skilled in the Tibetan language, spoke various wondrous teachings, and also understood the scripts of various lands. Later, recommended to Emperor Shizu by Imperial Preceptor Ga luo si ba, he was ordered to translate various exoteric and esoteric scriptures not yet extant in China, each in several fascicles. His words and expressions were clear and eloquent, and he was specially bestowed the title of Great Eloquence and Broad Wisdom. At that time, although the monastic administration flourished, moral discipline was declining into abuse; officials could not serve as a protective wall for the bequeathed teachings or resist external insults, and instead brought harm upon the monks. Whenever Emperor Shizu discussed this, he was deeply troubled, so he selected capable persons to rectify their shortcomings. Thus he specially appointed the Master as Supreme Controller of Buddhist Affairs for Jiangzhe and other circuits. The Emperor personally encouraged and saw him off. Upon reaching the south of the Yangtze, he abolished all troublesome and harsh regulations, making leniency and generosity his standard; thus monastic communities near and far relied on him for peace. He was subsequently reassigned to oversee Fujian and Guangdong. Because the Master's character was upright, his virtue dignified, and his conduct strict and impartial, he frequently clashed with his peers. He once sighed to himself: "What trouble is there in the world? We people merely disturb ourselves. The more officials the imperial court appoints, the more troublesome worldly affairs become; how much more so for the Buddhist teaching! The distress of monks today has no other cause than an excess of officials and vexatious affairs. It is indeed just as they say: 'Ten sheep and nine shepherds'—need one say more?" He then memorialized the throne with this proposal. An imperial edict was obtained to abolish the controllers of all circuits, and the empire rejoiced. The Master then retired to the countryside, building a dwelling and planting trees, intending to live out his days there. During the Zhida era, he was summoned back to Yanjing and appointed Grand Master of Splendid Happiness and Grand Minister of Education. The Crown Prince and the various princes often inquired of him on the essentials of the Dharma. By imperial decree, he was granted grain allowances and lodged at Qingshou Monastery. The scriptures he translated were all published by the imperial court. On the fifth day of the tenth month in the first year of the Yanyou era, he manifested illness. He was bestowed ten thousand strings of paper money, and the Grand Preceptor Prince of Shen was imperial decreed to attend to his medicines, but he declined them. He eventually faced the Buddha, sat upright, and transformed. The Emperor mourned him with deep sorrow, granted funds for his burial, and dispatched imperial messengers via post-relay to escort his remains back to his native place, where a stūpa was built. The appraisal says: The flourishing of scripture translation was never greater than under the Six Dynasties and High Tang with the likes of Kumārajīva and Śikṣānanda. Entering the Five Dynasties and the Northern Song, it gradually dwindled. How much more so after Prince Kang crossed the Yangtze, the barbarian horses drank from southern waters, and the imperial carriages fled! After the Chunxi era, even if there was a brief moment of respite, how could they attend to this? Only with Emperor Shizu of the Yuan, when Chinese and barbarians were unified under one rule, were commands to translate scriptures issued once again. Entering our Imperial Dynasty, since the establishment of the Hongwu era, because the Tripiṭaka was quite sufficient and no one like Kāśyapa Mātanga had arrived, this practice was halted. Now, within Yuan history, only this single person has been obtained; thus this opening section is not left vacant, yet he stands almost alone.
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Section Two, Part One: Exponents of Meaning (Thirty-nine main biographies, nine appended)
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Biography 1: The śramaṇa Shi Jingzhen of Xingsheng Monastery in Songjiang
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The secular surname of Shi Jingzhen is unknown. Following Dharma Master Ruoping of Xingsheng Monastery in Songjiang, he underwent tonsure and dyeing of robes, studying the Xianshou school. In the third year of the Jiaxi era, he traveled to various monasteries in Zhejiang. Because the embankment on the Qiantang River was breached and the river surges overflowed, bringing disaster to the common people, the Master presented a gāthā to Pacification Commissioner Zhao Duanming, saying: / "The boiling sea and raging rivers join as one; / The people's homes are swept away, their distress ever deeper. / Throwing my body, I go straight into the Dragon Palace, / Resolved to still the alarming surges whose waves strike heaven." / He then cast his body into the sea and returned three days later, telling the residents: "I expounded the Dharma in the Dragon Palace, and the dragon spirits listened and accepted it. This embankment will not be breached again." Having spoken, he threw himself into the sea once more. Zhao Duanming was moved by his virtue and reported the matter fully to the court. An imperial decree bestowed on him the title of Dharma Master Jingzhen, Protector of the Realm, and a shrine was erected for him at the Assembly Shrine in Hangzhou.
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Biography 2: The śramaṇa Shi Zujue of Zhongyan Monastery in Meizhou
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Shi Zujue, also styled Chi'an, was a son of the Yang family of Jiazhou. His intelligence manifested early, and he took special delight in the Buddhist vehicle. Thoroughly investigating the doctrines of the Xianshou school, he fully attained their subtleties. Later, by imperial order, he went forth to preside over Zhongyan in Meizhou. Scholars from the four directions gathered like clouds and rushed like rivers to arrive. Daily, at opening the hall, he taught and instructed without weariness, drawing forward later students and exhausting his compassions. The single school of Qingliang, down to the Master, may be called exceptionally flourishing. Beyond taking up the mallet, he thoroughly researched all ancient and modern books, histories, and the classics and ordinances of the various philosophers; he could recite them upon a single glance. He once compiled the Monastic History of the Northern Song, together with the Collected Explanations of the Avataṃsaka, Commentaries on the Diamond Sūtra, and Rituals for the Water and Land Retreat, all circulating in the world.
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Biography 3: The śramaṇa Shi Ruone of Upper Tianzhu in Lin'an
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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.
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Biography 4: The śramaṇa Shi Liaoran of Bailian Monastery in Taizhou
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Shi Liaoran was styled Zhiyong. He went forth from home at Bailian Monastery in his prefecture. He lectured on the Tiantai doctrine and contemplation for more than twenty years, energetically encouraging later students and secretly cultivating pure karma. He ate only one meal a day and regularly sat upright until dawn. One night he dreamed that two dragons were playing amid clouds in the sky, when suddenly they transformed into divine beings, descending from the sky to call upon the Master. Drawing a letter from their sleeves, they showed it to him, saying: "Master, after seven days, you shall travel and return to the West." When Liaoran woke, he knew it was a response indicating rebirth [in the Pure Land]. Thereupon he struck the drum to assemble the community, ascended the seat to expound the Dharma, and bequeathed his final instructions. Soon after, he wrote a gāthā: / "By the power of recollecting the Buddha, I attain birth in the Land of Joy; / May all of you not indulge yourselves in laxity!" / He then requested a bath and changed his robes, instructing the assembly to chant the Amitābha Sūtra in unison. When they reached the "Western World", he suddenly transformed. The entire assembly heard the sound of celestial music filling the sky, and an auspicious light illuminated the heavens.
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Biography 5: The śramaṇa Shi Liaoxuan of Baolin Monastery in Mingzhou (appendix: Shanrong)
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Shi Liaoxuan was a native of Siming. He pursued his studies at Baolin. Yearning for the flourishing practice at Nanhu, he went to join it. He thoroughly investigated the purports of the three contemplations and ten vehicles, and in reading the Tripiṭaka teachings, there was none of the great import he did not comprehend. He cultivated the Lotus Repentance rite for twenty-seven years. He was close friends with the śramaṇa Shanrong, sharing common aspirations; in whatever cultivation and progress they made, they were always together. Shanrong once wrote the Lotus, Śūraṅgama, Vimalakīrti, and Perfect Enlightenment sūtras in gold ink, and Xuan assisted him. Whenever there was a Western Rebirth gathering, he would give people ink-wash paintings of Avalokiteśvara drawn with his own hand. The two made a mutual vow for rebirth in the Pure Land. Whenever expounding the Dharma, they earnestly urged everyone to seek birth in the Land of Peace and Sustenance. Many followed them in chanting the Buddha's name. One day, Xuan went to Rong's room and sat in silence. Rong deliberately asked him about it. He replied, "My return to the West has its date; I cannot forget our shared path of righteousness, and shall meet you again in the Pure Land." Rong said, "That is precisely my fortunate wish." Xuan then assembled the community to bid farewell, directing them to recite scriptures and chant the Buddha's name. Sitting upright, he wrote a gāthā: / "Nature and form forget emotional attachments; / The one and the three find no lodging. / The breath wind ceases to stir: / Mahā-śrī!" / Pressing his palms together, he passed away. It was then the height of summer. The casket remained for seven days; his facial complexion was rosy and moist, with slight moisture at the corner of his mouth. When onlookers blotted it with a handkerchief, an extraordinary fragrance struck them. The scholar-officials and commoners of the entire city came to blot it, and the fragrant moisture grew even more plentiful. At the jhāpita, the śarīra relics were countless. Three years after Xuan's entering quiescence, Rong suddenly took his scriptures and images and distributed them among his relatives and friends. He recited the Scripture on the Practice of Samantabhadra and the Shorter Amitābha Sūtra, having the community assist in chanting the Buddha's name. Sitting cross-legged, he said, "I go to fulfill the pact with Master Xuan." Having spoken, he shed his body and transformed.
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Biography of Śramaṇa Shi Xingcheng of Shangtianzhu in Hangzhou during the Yuan (with Yunmeng Ze)
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Shi Xingcheng, whose courtesy name was Zhantang and whose sobriquet was Yuexi, was a son of the Sun family of Kuaiji in Shaoxing. His father was Man, and his mother was of the Jiang family. She dreamt of the solar disk falling from the sky, and upon waking the sun's light was still illuminating her bed; she then gave birth to the master. At the age of four, he would often playfully take up a brush to draw Buddhist images; when presented with Buddhist scriptures, he was immediately able to recite them by heart as if from past practice. In the bingzi year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan (1276), he went to Vinaya Master Shu of Shimen to shave his hair and receive full ordination. Shimen told him, "Precepts are the foundation of all the Buddhas of the three times," and thereupon taught him to explore the Vinaya Piṭaka, thoroughly mastering the principles of proscriptive and natural [offences], paired and single, cessation and observance, and commission and breach. In the yiyou year (1285), he relied on Master Fojian Xian to study Tiantai doctrinal contemplation. He visited Dharma Master Yunmeng Ze at Pufu in Nantianzhu; Ze regarded him with deep esteem at first sight. He progressively occupied pure offices and essential posts. Because Guoqing on Mount Tiantai was originally a lecture monastery of the Tiantai school and was later converted to Chan, he traveled several thousand li without regarding the distance to reach the capital, presenting a full memorial detailing the monastery's initial establishment and the grounds of its former institution. Yuan Shizu (Kublai Khan) bestowed an imperial edict restoring it. Soon after, wishing to cross east over the Yalu River to travel through Goryeo in search of lost Tiantai texts, he abandoned the plan upon hearing that turmoil had arisen in that country. In the yisi year of the Dade era (1305), he emerged to reside at Dongtianzhu in Hangzhou. In the dingwei year (1307), a great drought struck Wu and Yue; the master led the assembly in expounding the Dharma and praying for rain, meeting with an efficacious response. It was a year of famine and the deceased people could not be encoffined; he then covered their remains and held a Great Water and Land Retreat to universally deliver them. In the wushen year of the Zhida era (1308), he moved to Yanfu in Nantianzhu. In the xinyou year of the Zhizhi era (1321), he was summoned by postal relay to enter the capital. He was inquired of concerning the Way in the Mingren Hall. By imperial order, he resided at the Qingtasi to collate the Great Canon. The emperor’s carriage proceeded to the Mañjuśrī Pavilion, where he was granted an audience and consoled for his labors; he was bestowed several rolls each of scriptures such as the Amitāyus Sūtra. When the task was complete and he took his leave to return, he was specially granted a gold-brocade robe. Just as he was about to depart, an imperial edict suddenly ordered that a Great Unrestricted Water and Land Assembly be established at Bailian Monastery. At that time, the Chancellor and King Zhongxian of Dongping requested him to ascend the seat and preach the Dharma. When this was reported, the imperial favors became even more generous, and he was bestowed the title of Great Master Fohai (Ocean of Buddhas). In the jiazi year of the Taiding era (1324), he resided at Shangtianzhu for nine years. On the first day of the sixth month in the renshen year of the Zhishun era (1332), he suddenly beat the drum and announced to the assembly, saying: "I have thrice resided at renowned mountains for over thirty years; my self-cultivation has been without benefit, and worldly conditions are limited. Although I am ashamed of my lack of cleverness, the inspiring deeds of the ancients may still perhaps be aspired to." He finally shook out his sleeves and returned to the Yunwaizhai of Tianzhu. Over a year later, he returned to Foguo in Yue. Firmly aspiring to the Pure Land, he cultivated the threefold contemplation in a single mind for seven days and nights, repeatedly evoking auspicious responses. One day at the new moon, the assembly inquired after his health according to customary etiquette. The master abruptly bowed with hands clasped and said: "Had this old monk not hastened to step back earlier, in these twelve years I would nearly have been stranded halfway! Today I am here; tomorrow I fear I will not be. Can time be trifled with? I trouble you to take stock of my robes and bowls to signify impermanence." The assembly chanted the Buddha's name for him; he stopped them, saying: "The Buddha must be chanted by oneself. Tomorrow morning, however, bid me farewell." At dawn the assembly gathered, and he then sat upright and passed away. He had seen seventy-eight years of worldly life and spent sixty-four summer retreats. The casket remained for seven days with his complexion as if alive. His whole body was interred in the pagoda courtyard of Qingtai. What he authored includes the Diamond Sūtra with Collected Commentaries, the Heart Sūtra with Outlined Notes, Commentaries on the Sūtra for Dispelling Calamities, Sentence-by-Sentence Explication of the Amitābha Sūtra, as well as Outlines for the Benevolent King Sūtra and the Cintāmaṇicakra Dhāraṇī Sūtra, all circulating in the world.
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Biography of Śramaṇa Shi Mengrun of Xiazhu Monastery in Hangzhou (with Guyuan and Zhutang Chuan)
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Shi Mengrun, whose courtesy name was Yugang, was a native of Haiyan in Jiahe. His surname was Gu. His father Min was a reclusive gentleman. His mother, Lady Sun, was actually a niece of Dharma Master Guyuan Qing. Both during her pregnancy and at his birth, she experienced miraculous dreams. At the age of fourteen, Mengrun relied on Guyuan at Bailian in the commandery. Just as he was paying homage to the saṅghārāma guardian deity, the clay figures all fell prone; the entire assembly was astonished. When Guyuan taught him scriptures, he would immediately recite them by heart; Guyuan then ordered him to follow Master Xiang to shave his hair and advance to full ordination. Seeing his sharp acumen, Guyuan taught him the Tiantai Mohe Zhiguan, the Diamond Cleaver, the Ten Non-Dual Gateways, and other texts; he was immediately able to comprehend their great essentials. When Guyuan passed away into quiescence, he served Dharma Master Zhutang Chuan to complete his training. Because of his diligent study, he was afflicted with a strange disease; he cultivated the Repentance of Invoking Avalokiteśvara for seven times seven days. Having attained a spiritual response, his disease was cured, and his mind became doubly clear and keen. He was then able to share the seat at Yanfu in Nantianzhu. Master Zhantang Cheng came to preside over the assembly, and Mengrun occupied the head seat. Before long, he emerged into the world to preside over Decang at Danghu in Haiyan. In the summer he lectured on the Lotus Sūtra; the assembly once reached a thousand people, and butchers and vintners changed their occupations because of him. The traces of auspicious responses could not be fully recorded. When he moved to Yanfu, the ancestral style was all the more invigorated. After six years he retired from monastic duties and reclined loftily in the Bailian Hermitage on Fenghuang Ridge at Longjing, dedicating himself to the cultivation of the recollection-of-the-Buddha samādhi; those who relied on him grew more numerous by the day. The Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs insisted that he take up the Dharma seat at Xiazhu. The monastery had just suffered a fire, and only the Samantabhadra Hall stood prominently amid brambles, tiles, and rubble. He therefore sighed with deep feeling and addressed the assembly, saying: "This monastery was established by Ciyun; now that this hall still survives, our ancestral master’s power of vow resides here!" He then repaired and renewed it in sequence. Morning and evening he expounded the Dharma untiringly, leading the assembly to cultivate the Lotus Samādhi; they moved Samantabhadra to radiate light and manifest various auspicious signs. He resided there for three years. One day he called his disciples Shifa, Mingce, and others, revealing the essentials of calming and contemplation to pacify the mind. Soon after, he informed them, saying: "My worldly conditions are nearly exhausted; now is the time." He abruptly recited the Buddha's name several hundred times, and peacefully passed away. Throughout his life, Mengrun exerted himself in cultivation day and night without indolence; he once cultivated the Constantly Walking Samādhi, taking ninety days as a period, for seven times. In cultivating the Lotus, Golden Light, Great Compassion, and Pure Land repentances for seven times seven days, the number of periods was beyond counting. Therefore, his hidden virtue, secret practice, and secret realizations could not easily be glimpsed superficially.
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Biography of Śramaṇa Shi Zhenjing of Shangtianzhu Monastery in Hangzhou (with Wuji Du)
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Shi Zhenjing, whose courtesy name was Ru'an, was a son of the Yao family of Huating in Yunjian. His mother, Lady Zhu, dreamt that the moon rose from the ocean and fell into her bosom; upon waking, she was pregnant. When he was born, auspicious light filled the room. A miraculous monk passing by pointed and said to his mother: "This child is the rebirth of Dharma Master Haiyue." At the age of nine, he relied on Dharma Master Ming Jingzhi of Huacheng Monastery; when taught the Lotus Sūtra, it entered his ears and he could recite it by heart. At sixteen he attained ordination. He extensively investigated the various vehicles, and his innate wisdom suddenly blossomed; he then dedicated himself to the study of nature. He first called upon Master Yunmeng Ze of Guangfu in Hangzhou; hearing that the transformative renown of Dharma Master Wuji Du was greatly flourishing, he went straight to his room and fully acquired his learning. During the Dade era of the Yuan (1297–1307), he emerged to reside at Decang in Haiyan, succeeding Wuji as his Dharma heir. That monastery was just then in ruins; Zhenjing exerted all his strength to support and establish it. The dispersed assembly gathered once again, and fields that had been usurped by powerful families were returned; in not many years, it harmoniously returned to its former stature. In the Zhizhi era (1321–1323), he moved to Chaoguo in Songjiang. In the yichou year of the Taiding era (1325), the Yuan Chancellor Toghon recommended him to reside at Xiazhu. He resided there for seven years, lecturing unweariedly. He opened up the path in front of the monastery, enlarged its gate, and inscribed "Buddha-Realm Mountain" to hang upon it. In the xinwei year of the Zhishun era (1331), Master Zhantang Cheng of Shangtianzhu requested retirement due to old age and recommended Zhenjing to take his place. Prior to this, Zhenjing was sleeping during the day due to an illness, and dreamt of the Great Being in White Robes holding a golden vase and pouring water into his mouth, saying: "Do not worry; before long you will naturally recover." When he asked about his future fortune and misfortune, she revealed: "Two years from now, you will avoid clamor beneath a great tree." Upon waking, his illness indeed cleared up; he secretly wondered whether avoiding clamor beneath a tree was an omen of entering extinction. When Cheng recommended him to reside at Shangtianzhu and he arrived to see that west of the sleeping hall was a great tree, with the hall’s plaque reading "Place of Tranquility," he finally realized what the dream had indicated. From then on, he exhausted his mind in propagating the Dharma, and his students regularly numbered several thousand fingers. The Yuan emperor admired his path and bestowed on him the title of Great Master Foxin Hongbian (Buddha Mind of Vast Eloquence) as well as a gold-patterned purple saṅghāṭī robe. Zhenjing was plain, dignified, and possessed the manner of the ancients; his conduct was free of frivolous speech or laughter. Rising early, he silently recited the Lotus Sūtra without break in cold or heat. In the winter of the guiyou year (1333), he foretold the time of his end, then ordered a boat to return swiftly to where he received his vocation. Shortly after, he manifested illness, wrote a verse, and passed away. He had seen seventy-two years of worldly life and spent fifty-six summer retreats. Jhāpita yielded an uncorrupted root of the tongue and parietal bone, and five-colored śarīra.
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Biography of Shi Pangu of Huiyin Monastery in Hangzhou
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Shi Pangu was styled Lishui and was a native of Haiyan. The master's appearance was unimposing, yet his aspiration was lofty and transcendent. He read widely in the sūtras and histories, and by nature indulged in the delight of mountains and rivers. During the Zhiyuan era (1264–1294), he traveled to renowned mountains and scenic places such as Wutai, Emei, Funiu, and Shaoshi. He once said: "My footprints cover half the world; my renown in poetry fills the realm of mortals." At that time, Prince Shen of Goryeo, an imperial son-in-law, heard of the master's virtue and prestige, and sent a letter formally inviting him to lecture on the grand essentials of the Avataṃsaka at Huiyin Monastery in Hangzhou. The master unfolded his fourfold unhindered eloquence, and the seven assemblies were utterly convinced and submissive. The prince was delighted, and the master’s reputation and esteem grew even weightier. Later he arrived at Song Commandery and built a hermitage, diligently cultivating pure karma and reciting the name of Amitābha Buddha as a daily devotion. Past seventy years of age, free from illness, he foretold his time; he sat upright and entered quiescence. His Poetry Collection of Mountain Travels in three fascicles circulates in the world.
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Biography of Śramaṇa Shi Yunruo of Yunmen Monastery in Shaoxing (with Dashan Hui, Tian'an Ji, and Wo'an Wu)
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Shi Yunruo, whose courtesy name was Jiheng and whose sobriquet was Fuxiu, was later also styled Ruoye because Mount Yunmen borders the Ruoye Stream. He was a native of Xiangli in the commandery. At nine years old, he could comprehend the grand principles of the Spring and Autumn Annals; his parents deeply doted on him. When he grew slightly older, he had a transcendent aspiration to abandon the dust of the world; he then relied on Upādhyāya Yuan of Yunmen. At fifteen he shaved his hair and became a fully ordained monk. He then crossed the roaring river, first calling upon Dharma Master Dashan Hui at Xingfu in Hangzhou. Shan taught him texts such as the Tiantai Fourfold Teachings Outline, the Diamond Cleaver, the Ten Non-Dual Gateways, and the Explication of Essentials; upon one perusal he knew their grand essentials. Hearing that Zhantang presided over Nantianzhu, he went to rely on him. All the texts established by Fazhi—such as contemplating the aggregates, the distinct principle following conditions, the six identities, dung beetles, the principle poison, and the inherent possession of nature—he thoroughly investigated without exception. As for the concurrent practices of Siqing, the aberrant views of Zhaoyuan, the partisan heresy of Qirun, and the departure from correctness of Renyue, he also discerned their falsities. Thereupon Zhantang deeply esteemed him and put him in charge of guests. In the early Zhizhi era of the Yuan (1321), Zhantang received an imperial decree to enter the capital Yandu to collate the Great Canon; he memorialized Ruo's conduct and practice, and Ruo was granted the title of Ciguang Yuanzhao (Compassionate Light of Perfect Illumination), and was immediately ordered to emerge and preside over the Jingsheng Hermitage in Changyuan. The hermitage was rather dilapidated; he made great efforts to manage it, cultivating overgrown fields and repairing ruined rooms; in three years it became a great monastery. Zhantang summoned him again, and when he returned, ordered him to occupy the head seat to govern the monastic standards. During the Taiding era (1324–1328), he again emerged to preside over Xinghua in Hangzhou. At that time, alongside the three masters Tian'an Ji, Wo'an Wu, and Yuting Han, his doctrinal prestige stood tall on the West Lake; the world called them the Four Reliances of Qiantang. Soon after, he retired to Yunmen in Yue, and along with Duanjiang En and Xiugeng Yi, chanted poetry in the wind unaware that the evening sun had reached the trees; the world also called them the Three Lofty Ones of Yunmen. In the Zhizheng era (1341–1368), he resided at Yuantong in Yue and moved to Shangtianzhu. On that mountain, there was an ancient Yingluo Spring that had long been dried up; when Ruo arrived, he held his tin staff, struck the crag, and prayed, saying: "If my conditions lie here, this spring ought to return once for me; otherwise, let it remain dry as before." As soon as he finished speaking, the spring gushed forth, deep, cold, and gradually filling. At that time, Gong Shitai, Minister of Revenue, compared it to Ciyun's revitalization of the juniper, and named it the Re-arriving Spring. He retired once more to Yunmen and built a hermitage, solely cultivating the Lotus Samādhi as his pure karma in his late years. It coincided with great chaos under heaven and the turmoil of war; the assembly wished to escort Ruo away to flee, but Ruo rebuked them, saying: "Can calamity be avoided by improper means? My retribution is about to arrive, and I await it to pay it back." The assembly fled, while Ruo sat upright alone. When the bandit band entered his hermitage, Ruo stood resolute and unyielding, his words and expression both stern. The bandit leader recognized him as a man of the Way and restrained his followers to withdraw. One bandit alone was enraged, stepped forward brandishing a blade, and struck him. White milk welled up and flowed onto the ground; it was truly the twenty-ninth day of the second month in the nineteenth year of the Zhizheng era of the Yuan (1359). His worldly age was eighty, and his Dharma age was sixty-five. After the bandits withdrew, the assembly returned and held his jhāpita; śarīra like beans were beyond counting. Throughout his life, Ruo's demeanor was restrained and detached, without frivolous speech or laughter; Zhao Mengfu called him "the Censor among monks." His Dharma-inheriting disciples included several persons: Youkui of Jiqing, Liangjin of Yanfu, Ruying of Yanqing, Farang of Longde, and Yuanzheng of Jingsheng. Huang Jin wrote the preface for his Collected Internal and External Works.
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Biography 11: The Śramaṇa Shi Bicai of Yanfu Monastery in Hangzhou
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Shi Bicai, whose courtesy name was Dayong, had the surname Qu. He was a native of Linhai in Taizhou. His father, Zhe, was thoroughly versed in the Great Classics and was a Confucian scholar who pursued the civil examination track. His mother, Lady Zhao, loved virtue and revered the Buddha with the utmost devotion. When she had been pregnant with Bicai for ten months, she dreamed one night that an Indian monk entered the hall vibrating a khakkhara. She awoke and gave birth to him. As soon as he could speak, he could recite a fascicle of the Classic of Filial Piety from memory. At the age of seven, he was adept at composing verse, completing poems effortlessly as soon as he opened his mouth. His rhymes and phrases were harmonious and graceful, distinctly revealing thoughtful literary talent. At that time, Master Qu from Jiangxi resided at Bao'en [Monastery] in Yue. He was indeed a descendant in the lineage of Master Shan'yuan Xian and was thoroughly versed in the Tiantai doctrine and contemplation. At the age of twelve, Bicai went to study under him, carrying his book satchels. Before long, [Master Qu] tonsured him, and he received the full precepts. At sixteen, he traveled out to Hulin and paid homage to Zhandang Cheng at South Zhú. Whenever Zhandang spoke with him, [Bicai's responses] struck right to the core. [Zhandang] immediately regarded him as a vessel of the Dharma and appointed him to manage the guest quarters. At that time, Master Yugang Run occupied the head seat, and students flocked to him like clouds. Bicai also took up the texts and entered his room. Even in the sweltering heat that could melt metal or the biting cold that could snap glue, his feet did not cross the threshold for ten years. Whenever the abstruse teachings and contemplative essentials of the Mountain School (Tiantai) were pointed out and instructed, his mind understood and his heart melted into them; there was none of their inner sanctum he did not reach. Yugang sighed in admiration and said, 'Had this boy not already practiced this at the assembly on Vulture Peak, how could he have reached this point?' Among his peers at that time, such as Wo'an Wu and Juezong Ji, all had eminent reputations and great renown that surpassed the contemporaries of their day. Yet when it came to dissecting the essential tenets and analyzing the doctrinal writings, they always deferred to Bicai as the foremost. When Yugang went forth to serve as abbot of Dezhang in Haiyan, he ordered Bicai to take a shared seat and expound the teachings. His eloquence was like pouring rain or a surging river, flowing freely in all directions without hindrance, and those who listened praised him. In the first year of the Taiding era, Yugang moved to Yanfu Monastery. The Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs invited Bicai to succeed him at Dezhang. At that time, Zhandang's renown resounded far and wide, both within and outside the capital, and everyone expected that Bicai would surely wish to become his heir. But when he ascended the seat, he burned incense to inherit the lineage of Yugang. Gentlemen deemed that he understood propriety. In the second year of the Zhizheng era, he was transferred to Xingfu Monastery in Hangzhou. In the third year, he filled the vacancy at Yanfu Monastery. Kangli, a high official of the Yuan, frequently consulted him to resolve essential mind matters. Earlier, the monastery had been reduced to ashes by warfare; Bicai progressively renovated it, building the Ten Thousand Buddhas Pavilion, which was over one hundred and thirty feet high. As a person, Bicai was solemn and quiet, and his contemplative practice was meticulous and strenuous; he diligently cultivated and advanced without a moment of laxity. He treated others with compassion and instructed people untiringly. A hundred of his disciples came to occupy lion seats. Emperor Shundi specially conferred upon him the title 'Fojian Yuanzhao' (Buddha-Mirror of Perfect Illumination). One day, he suddenly felt heavy and dizzy in his head and eyes, and so he told the assembly, 'My karmic affinities are exhausted.' He then burned incense, sat upright facing west, and loudly recited the name of Amitābha Buddha. After a full day and night, he told the assembly again, 'Do not say that cultivation has no verification. My conditions for the Pure Land have matured, and the samādhi has manifested before me.' He then requested a bath, changed his robes, and wrote letters of farewell to his acquaintances. Thereupon, he joined his palms and passed away. His casket was carried out for jhāpita. A five-colored light emanated from within the casket. Two relics remained indestructible after the fire: the root of his tongue, which was like a red lotus flower, and his teeth, which were like mother-of-pearl shells. Śarīra covered the ground; the assembly competed to collect them, and in a moment they were all gone. Those who arrived last dug into the ground about a foot deep, and among those who searched, some still obtained them. A stūpa was erected for him to the south of the monastery. He had lived sixty-eight years and completed fifty-six summer retreats. His writings include: Supplementary Text Assisting and Expanding the Sublime Profundity, Words and Phrases, and Cessation and Contemplation; Lecture Notes on the Lotus and Nirvāṇa Sūtras; Ritual Texts for Zhang'an, Jingxi, and Fazhi; as well as poems and gāthās, which all circulate in the world.
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Biography 12: The Śramaṇa Shi Shanji of Jianfu Monastery on Mount Tiantai
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Shi Shanji was styled Juezong. He was a son of the Lou family in Zhuji, Yue. His mother, Lady Wang, dreamed that a divine monk gave her a white lotus, after which she became pregnant. When he was born, he could speak immediately. Whenever he saw his mother recite the Buddha's name, he was able to join his palms and chant in harmony. When he grew a little older, he followed his paternal uncle to Lingmi Monastery in Shanyin to study the Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals. Taking a clandestine look at the Buddhist scriptures, he sighed and said, 'The Spring and Autumn Annals is indeed fine, but it is merely a worldly teaching. Nothing compares to seeking the transmundane Dharma. Moreover, my body is like an accumulation of foam; of what use are official rank and nobility?' In the Dade era of the Yuan, he requested permission from his parents and was tonsured under Master Gong. The following year, he took the full precepts. Soon afterward, he followed Master Dashan Hui of Tianzhu to study the Tiantai teachings. Master Hui saw that his wisdom and understanding were extraordinary and once enjoined him, saying, 'Among the hundreds of people beneath my wheel, the only one who can inherit the Great Dharma is you. You must value and exert yourself.' When Dashan moved to Yanqing in Yunjian, Shanji immediately went to South Zhú to pay homage to Zhandang Cheng. As soon as Cheng saw him, he asked, 'To which method of contemplation does the "Gate of Non-Duality" belong?' Shanji replied, 'The three kinds of contemplation methods correspond to the three treatises. Since this text, together with Cessation and Contemplation, jointly constitutes the contemplation essence, it clearly pertains to practice.' Cheng asked again, 'Is the essence of the various sūtras delusion or awakening?' Shanji said, 'The essence is neither delusion nor awakening; delusion and awakening depend on the person. It also depends on what doctrinal meaning the sūtra conveys.' Joy overflowed across Master Cheng's countenance, and he said to the assembly, 'The turning of the Dharma wheel in days to come may indeed be hoped for from this boy!' He appointed him to occupy the head seat. When Cheng moved to Upper Zhú, Yugang Run took his place, and Shanji also occupied the head seat there. In the yisi year of the Tianli era, he went forth to reside at Liangzhu. Offering incense to inherit Zhandang's lineage, he daily lectured on the Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra. At night, he dreamed that Fazhi of Siming said to him, 'The sūtra you lecture on tallies with my understanding as if two halves of a tally.' From then on, he became even more diligent. In the renwu year of the Zhizheng era, the Yuan official Gaona Lin invited him to take charge of Jianfu Monastery on Mount Tiantai. Before long, he was transferred to Nengren [Monastery], where he expounded the Sublime Profundity and Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sūtra and explained the profound meaning of the Five Chapters. He once instructed the assembly, saying, 'Our patriarch said: The entire work of Cessation and Contemplation is the fish trap and rabbit snare of the Lotus Samādhi; the One Vehicle and Ten Contemplations are the true essence of the Lotus Samādhi. You must advance understanding and practice together, operating both primary and auxiliary practices simultaneously; then the perfect rank can be attained, and you will not disappoint the patriarch's intention in establishing our tradition.' Toward the end of the Yuan dynasty, when the empire fell into great chaos, he returned east to Huajing, where he devoted himself exclusively to cultivating pure karma, mindfulness of Amitābha never ceasing day or night. One day, he suddenly told the assembly, 'For Buddhas and patriarchs to propagate transformation, what is precious is the timing of causal conditions. If conditions go against the times, where can transformation find support? I am about to return.' He then sat upright and passed away. It was the twenty-second day of the seventh month in the dingyou year of the Zhizheng era. His worldly age was seventy-two, and his dharma age was sixty-three. When he was cremated, the root of his tongue remained unharmed. A stūpa was erected for him to the west of Lingmi. Among the disciples who obtained his Dharma were Huaigu of Lingshou, Zipeng of Yanqing, Shicheng of Chongshou, Dazhang of Guangfu, Jingyu of Leifeng, Ruqi of Yanfu, Sijin of Baozhong, Renrang of Chexi, Tancheng of Xiangji, and several others.
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Biography 13: The Śramaṇa Shi Ziwen of Baoyun Monastery in Mingzhou
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Shi Ziwen, courtesy name Zongzhou, was a native of Xiangshan in Siming. He was the foremost disciple of Master Beixi Wen. He went forth to become the abbot of Baoyun Monastery. He was erudite in the doctrine and contemplation, and kept the monastic discipline and rules very strictly. When speaking with people on ordinary occasions, he stammered as if unable to utter a word. But when he ascended the seat, [his eloquence] was like water poured from a tilted jug, impossible to stem. At the time of his death, he was lecturing on the Sūtra on the Contemplation of the Sixteen. Having finished the lecture, he was about to take his seat, bid farewell to the assembly, and enter extinction. Someone addressed him, saying, 'The master has not yet made arrangements for his posthumous affairs; why announce quiescence so abruptly?' Ziwen replied, 'A monk should go when it is time to go. Do not act like worldly men making calculations for children, so that there are posthumous affairs.' The assembly's entreaties grew more earnest. Thereupon, he descended from the seat, returned to the abbot's quarters, and laid down every detail point by point. He then joined his palms, recited the names of the Four Holy Beings of the Western Direction, and upon completing his dedication of merit and vows, entered extinction. The jhāpita yielded brilliant and innumerable śarīra. An extraordinary fragrance wafted over the crowd and only ceased after a whole day.
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Biographies of Eminent Monks of the Great Ming, Fascicle One
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Compiled by the Śramaṇa Shi Ruxing of Ciyun Chan Monastery on Mount Tiantai under the Imperial Ming
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Explicators of Meaning, Section 2, Part 2 (13 main biographies, 9 appended mentions)
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Biography 1: The Śramaṇa Shi Rongzhao of Yanqing Monastery in Songjiang
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Shi Rongzhao, courtesy name Huiguang, belonged to a family of Nanming in Yue. In his early years, he received instruction at Huazang. He set his mind on cultivating and studying the Tiantai doctrine and contemplation at Mount Anguo in Taizhou and at Tianzhu in Hangzhou. Later, he followed Master Yuansou Zhan, residing at Yanqing Monastery in Huating. He exerted himself vigorously in the doctrinal vehicles and diligently cultivated dhyāna-concentration, burning oil to prolong the daylight, unceasing day and night. Thus his learning was achieved through sheer resolve; he was an exemplar in the monasteries, and his rank rose above the assembly. For forty years his renown reached the capital. An imperial decree praised him and conferred upon him a master's title. Every year on New Year's Day, he led the assembly in cultivating the Golden Light Repentance to pray for blessings for the sovereign. Outside of expounding the Dharma, he devoted his efforts to repentance rituals, sweeping away dust and obscurations for all sentient beings and guiding them into roots of virtue. As he grew old, he became even more diligent. There were three people who obtained his Dharma: Jujian, Zongju, and Zongquan, all of whom were dragons and elephants of the Dharma gate.
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