弘贊法華傳 6.31

6.31

釋智登。不知何許人也。幼懷道德。於匡山大林道場。誦法華經。曉夜不息三年。已後意想。忽見空中有銀殿。當其頭上。涉歷三載。銀殿稍近。臨其頂上。如是經久。所覩銀殿。乃變成金殿。稍稍轉迫。遂入房內。開眼閉眼。常在床前。久之。登試念輕身入殿。便見已居殿坐。甚覺怡悅。作意欲出。即還在本床。如是歷試。數十迴。彌生篤信。登既積行年歲。近遠稱傳。求受歸戒者。傾心日積。但耽好幽靜。厭毒。塵諠。造請百方。莫能引致。後因晉安王。從雍州下還陽都。累信祈請。冠蓋相望於道。王云。法師若不降屈。弟子鵠佇。終不寢食。王既苦請。兼傾郭道俗。懇到要屈。登於是。暫順物心。下郭赴信。與王相見。王即申弟子之禮。次郭邑道俗。求乞受戒。登云。白日喧雜。心多散亂。期在夜分。於是。道俗傾渴。夜集寺內。登乃出庭前暗坐。不許燭。大眾已集。合掌一心。登即說戒相。至受歸依正法戒。脣吻放光。遍照一眾。眾既覩光。悲喜交集。競事禮拜。聲音喧鬧。不得受戒。登即閉口不語。光不復出。登云。本欲受菩薩戒。不欲期在禮光。今那見光競禮。癈於受戒耶。戒本云。戒光從口出。此證戒相也。非是戒也。向者始欲授戒。大眾即便喧鬧。戒法未起。宜更從初而始。大眾默聽。還說戒相。到歸依正法戒。口中還即光出。大眾復起禮拜。沸鬧聊亂。已復不得進戒。登又約勒。誡令靜聽。喧鬧逾甚。夜過徹曉。城市相傳。竟來觀看。遂不得受戒。明日登即歸山。還見金殿。因乃向諸同行人。說其所見云。登今者升殿。不復來矣。於是數日而終。

Śramaṇa Zhideng was a man of unknown origin. From his youth he harboured virtue and morality. At the Dalin bodhimanda on Mount Kuang, he recited the Lotus Sūtra day and night without rest. After three years, in his thoughts he suddenly saw a silver hall in the air, directly above his head. After another three years had passed, the silver hall came slightly closer, hanging directly over the crown of his head. After a long time like this, the silver hall he beheld turned into a golden hall. Gradually drawing nearer, it eventually entered his room; whether his eyes were open or closed, it was always before his bed. After a long while, Deng tentatively thought to lighten his body and enter the hall; he then saw that he was already seated within it, feeling extremely joyful. When he generated the intention to leave, he immediately returned to his original bed. Having tested this several tens of times, his deep faith grew ever greater. Since Deng had accumulated practice over the years, his fame spread far and near; those seeking to take refuge and receive the precepts grew in devotion with each passing day. However, he indulged in his love for seclusion and tranquility, and detested worldly noise. Though they tried a hundred ways to invite him, none could induce him to come. Later, when the Prince of Jin'an was returning downriver from Yongzhou to Yangdu, he sent repeated letters of earnest invitation, with the caps and carriages of his emissaries facing one another along the road. The prince said, 'If the Dharma Master will not condescend to come, this disciple will stand waiting on tiptoe like a crane, refusing to sleep or eat.' Since the prince pleaded so bitterly, and monastics and laypeople from the entire city joined in earnest appeals to beseech him, Deng thereupon temporarily accommodated the wishes of all and went down to the city to respond to the summons. When he met the prince, the prince immediately performed the rites of a disciple. Next, the monastics and laypeople of the walled city begged to receive the precepts. Deng said, 'The daylight is noisy and chaotic, causing the mind to be scattered; let us set the time for the night.' Thereupon, the monastics and laypeople, thirsting in devotion, gathered in the temple at night. Deng then went out and sat in the dark in front of the courtyard, not permitting candles. Once the assembly had gathered, with palms joined in single-minded devotion, Deng began to explain the aspects of the precepts. When he reached the precept of taking refuge in the True Dharma, light emitted from his lips and illuminated the entire assembly. When the assembly saw the light, filled with mingled sorrow and joy, they vied to bow and prostrate; the clamor was so loud that the precepts could not be administered. Deng then closed his mouth and spoke no more, and the light ceased to shine. Deng said, 'You originally wished to receive the bodhisattva precepts, not to come merely to bow to a light. Why, seeing the light, do you vie to prostrate, abandoning the reception of the precepts? The precept text says: "The precept light emits from the mouth"; this merely confirms the mark of the precepts, it is not the precepts themselves. Just now, as I was about to confer the precepts, the assembly broke into clamor; before the Dharma of the precepts could arise, we should begin anew from the start.' The assembly listened in silence. He spoke again on the aspects of the precepts; when he reached the precept of taking refuge in the True Dharma, light once more emitted from his mouth. The assembly again rose to bow, and the commotion and confusion prevented the conferral of the precepts once more. Deng again restrained them, admonishing them to listen quietly, but the clamor grew even worse. The night passed until dawn; word spread through the city, and people vied to come and watch, so that the precepts could not be received. The next day, Deng returned to the mountain and saw the golden hall again. Thereupon he said to his fellow practitioners, 'Deng shall ascend into the hall today and will not return.' Thereupon, after several days, he passed away.