弘贊法華傳 3.15

3.15

釋緣光。新羅人也。其先。三韓之後也。桉梁員職圖云。其新羅國。魏曰斯盧。宋曰新羅。本東夷辰韓之國矣。光世家名族。宿敦清信。早遇良緣。幻歸緇服。精修念慧。識量過人。經目必記。遊心必悟。但以生居邊壤。正教未融。以隋仁壽年間。來至吳。會正達智者。敷弘妙典。先伏膺朝夕。行解雙密。數年之中。欻然大悟。智者即令就講妙法華經。俊郎之徒。莫不神伏。後於天台別院。增修妙觀。忽見數人。云天帝請講。光默而許之。於是。奄然氣絕。經于旬日。顏色如常。還歸本識。既而器業成就。將歸舊國。與數十人同乘大舶。至海中。船忽不行。見一人乘馬凌波來。至船首云。海神請師暫到宮中講說。光曰。貧道此身。誓當利物。船及餘伴。未委如何。彼云。人並同行。船亦勿慮。於是。舉眾同下。行數步。但見通衢平直。香花遍道。海神將百侍從。迎入宮中。珠璧焜煌。映奪心目。因為講法花經一遍。大施珍寶。還送上船。光達至本鄉。每弘茲典。法門大啟。實有功焉。加以自少誦持。日餘一遍。迄於報盡。此業無虧。年垂八十。終於所住。闍維既畢。髏舌獨存。一國見聞。咸歎希有。光有妹二人。早懷清信。收之供養。數聞體舌自誦法花。妹有不識法花字處。問之皆道。有新羅僧連義。年方八十。弊衣一食。精苦超倫。與余同止。因說此事。錄之云爾。

Shi Yuanguang was a native of Silla. His ancestors were descendants of the Three Han. According to the Liang zhigongtu, 'The state of Silla was called Silu in the Wei, and Silla in the Song; it was originally a state of Jinhan among the eastern barbarians.' Guang's family had been an illustrious clan for generations, endowed with deep faith from past lives. Early on he encountered good conditions, turning from illusion to the dyed robes. He diligently cultivated mindfulness and wisdom, his capacity and understanding surpassing others. Whatever met his eyes he would retain in memory; wherever his mind ranged he would awaken. Yet because he was born in a frontier territory where the right teaching was not yet thoroughly pervasive, during the Renshou reign era of the Sui, he came to the Wu region. He happened to meet Zhizhe, who had attained the right, propagating the wondrous scripture. [Guang] first bowed before him morning and evening, his practice and understanding being mutually profound; within a few years, he suddenly attained great enlightenment. Zhizhe promptly ordered him to take the seat and lecture on the Wondrous Lotus Sūtra; among the talented companions, none failed to submit with their spirits. Later, in a separate courtyard on Tiantai, while cultivating wondrous contemplation, he suddenly saw several people saying that the Lord of Devas invited him to lecture. Guang silently assented. Thereupon, his breath suddenly ceased; after ten days, his facial complexion was as normal, and he returned to his original consciousness. After completing his capacity and undertakings, as he was about to return to his homeland, he boarded a large vessel together with several tens of people. When they reached the middle of the sea, the ship suddenly stopped moving. They saw a person riding a horse skimming over the waves, arriving at the ship's prow and saying, 'The Sea Deity invites the Master to come briefly to the palace to lecture.' Guang said, 'This body of this poor monk is vowed to benefit beings. Yet I do not know what will become of the ship and the other companions.' That person said, 'All the people will go together; do not worry about the ship either.' Thereupon, the entire assembly disembarked together. Walking a few paces, they saw only a broad thoroughfare, level and straight, with fragrant flowers lining the road. The Sea Deity led a hundred attendants to welcome them into the palace. Pearls and jade disks shone resplendently, dazzling the eyes and mind. [Guang] then lectured on the Lotus Sūtra once for them; [the deity] generously bestowed precious treasures and escorted them back onto the ship. Once Guang arrived in his home country, he constantly propagated this scripture, widely opening the Dharma gate; he truly had great merit. Moreover, having chanted and upheld it since youth more than once a day, up until the exhaustion of his karmic retribution, this practice never flagged. Nearing eighty years of age, he passed away at his dwelling. After the cremation was completed, the skull and tongue alone remained intact. All throughout the country who heard and saw it sighed that it was rare. Guang had two younger sisters who had early cherished pure faith; they collected them to make offerings, and frequently heard the tongue recite the Lotus Sūtra by itself. When the sisters came upon characters in the Lotus Sūtra they did not recognise, whenever they asked it, it would explain them. There was a Silla monk named Lianyi, just eighty years old, wearing tattered robes and eating one meal a day, whose ascetic discipline was beyond compare; he lodged together with me, and therefore recounted this matter, which is recorded as such.