大明高僧傳 1.3

1.3

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.