弘贊法華傳 3

English (machine translation) 3

Language: English

3.1

Compiled by the śramaṇa Huixiang of Langu

Shi Jizang of Riyan Temple in the Tang capital
Shi Guanding of Guoqing Temple on Mount Tiantai under the Tang
Shi Farong of Youqi Temple on Mount Niutou under the Tang
Shi Zhiyan of Mount Wuqiu Temple under the Tang
Shi Zhiji of Qishe Temple in Xiangyang under the Tang
Shi Huiyuan of Wuzhen Temple on Mount Lantian under the Tang
Shi Zhitong of Mount Niutou under the Tang
Xiao Yu, Duke of Song and Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs under the Tang
Shi Huimin of Mount Haiyu under the Tang (Tanxuan appended)
Shi Yuanguang of Silla under the Tang
Shi Xuanbi of Liushui Temple in Suzhou under the Tang
Shi Zhiyan of Jieye Temple in Tongzhou under the Tang

3.4

There are thirty-three more individuals whose names are recorded afterward; they also composed commentaries.

3.5

Shi Jizang's secular surname was An, originally. An was a person of Parthia (Anxi). His ancestors fled a blood feud and relocated to the South Sea, subsequently settling between Jiaozhou and Guangzhou. Later they moved to Jinling, where Zang was born. When he was a child, his father brought him to see Paramārtha and requested a name for him, whereupon he was named Jizang. His father took Zang to hear Dharma Master Daolang of Huang Temple lecture; as he heard it, he comprehended it, with an innate understanding as if from nature. At the age of seven, he went to Lang to go forth from the household life. Exploring profound paths, his hidden understanding renewed daily. Whatever he inquired about and received, he wondrously mastered its ultimate purport. In debate and refutation, what he marked out uniquely surpassed his peers. His elocution was abundant and facile, grand, expansive, and full of marvels. By the age of nineteen, he stood before the assembly to review and expound the teachings, the sharpness of his eloquence wandering free; in responding to the eminent talents of the age, he was more than equal to the task. His reputation rose in the city of Yang, bringing glory to the assembly of scholars. After receiving the full precepts, his fame grew even higher. In the closing years of the Kaihuang reign, Emperor Yang, while prince of the Jin fief, established four bodhimaṇḍas, which were supplied by state officials. Because Zang's reputation for understanding was distinguished by achievement, he was summoned to enter Huiri, where the ritual offerings were abundant and lavish, with exceptional honors surpassing his peers. The prince also established Riyan Temple in the capital and issued a special order inviting Zang to dwell there. However, the capital delighted in and esteemed the profound importance of the Lotus Sūtra; he thus took advantage of this inclination to unfold and analyze it. Later, in the opening years of the Daye reign, he copied two thousand copies of the Lotus Sūtra. As the Sui era drew to a close, he made twenty-five statues [of the Buddha], vacated his room to enshrine them, and resided in a humble chamber himself. Morning and evening continuously, he exhausted his sincerity in paying homage and repenting. He also separately installed an image of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva with hangings arranged as before, facing it in person to sit in meditation and contemplate the principle of true reality, maintaining this for successive years without slacking to the end. As Zang's vitality gradually declined, illnesses multiplied. The Emperor bestowed fine medicines, and palace envoys followed one after another. His posthumous memorial was earnest, entrusting the Great Dharma [to the Emperor]. When dawn arrived, he called for hot water to bathe, put on new, clean robes, and had his attendant burn incense and chant the Buddha's name. Zang sat cross-legged in solemn contemplation, appearing joyful. As the noon meal approached, he suddenly transformed. His age was seventy-five, in the fifth month of the sixth year of the Wude reign. His dying instructions were to expose his corpse to the elements, yet his complexion grew even more fresh and fair. An imperial decree offered condolences and funeral gifts, ordering that a stone niche be found in the Southern Mountains to inter him. In all, he lectured on the Lotus Sūtra more than three hundred times, and he also composed profound commentaries that circulated widely in the world. When his final day approached, he wrote the Treatise on Not Fearing Death (Si bu bu lun); having dropped his brush, he passed away.

3.6

Shi Guanding, courtesy name Fayun, had the secular surname Wu. He was a man of Yixing in Changzhou. His ancestors fled upheavals to Dong'ou and did not return; thus they became residents of Zhang'an in Linhai. His father passed away early, and his mother raised him alone. When he had been born barely three months, being an infant she wished to name him, but pondering over categories of things, she did not know what to designate him. At night his mother recited the names of the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, and Ding immediately imitated her with his mouth, the sounds and phrases clear and articulate, which astonished everyone. She reported this to Dharma Master Huiji of Shejing Temple, who heard it and sighed, saying, 'This child is not ordinary (feifan).' He then gave him Feifan as his courtesy name. When he reached seven years of age, he became Master Ji's disciple. Daily he progressed in literary composition, astonishing both Buddhist and Confucian scholars; his refined diction and brilliant talent brought him renown in his time. Reaching the age of twenty, he advanced to full ordination and upheld the deportment, devoting all the more reflection to the 'vessel of virtue' and the 'bowl of oil.' When Master Ji grew weary of the world and departed, Ding bathed in the Dao at Tiantai. Because the transmission of the guidelines for meditation had suffered a rupture, he soon accompanied Zhizhe eastward, dwelling on the peaks of Mount Tiantai. Later he went out to the Chengxin Aranya to lecture on the Lotus Sūtra, surpassing Lang and outshining Ji, leaping beyond Yun and Yin. Audiences gathered from all quarters, crowding together with book-boxes on their backs. There was Dharma Master Jizang, who had entered the chamber of Xinghuang and set up his school at Jiaxiang, holding sole sway east of the Zhe River. Hearing that the Dao was soaring at Chengxin, he was initially not convinced. He asked to borrow the record of its meanings, and examining its depth, he realized that his own intellectual understanding and inner surrender had a source to turn to. Consequently, he dissolved his lectures, dispersed his assembly, and went on foot to Tiantai to receive the Lotus Sūtra, vowing to propagate it widely. In the seventeenth year [of Kaihuang], Zhizhe manifested illness; Ding attended him morning and night, exhausting his heart in arduous devotion. When it came to his passing into extinction, Ding personally received his final instructions, and taking the posthumous letters along with various tokens of trust, he knelt weeping and presented them to the Prince of Jin. The Prince of Jin threw all five limbs to the ground, weeping tears of sorrow as he received them upon his head. In the second year of Renshou, [the Prince] issued a decree stating: 'Since the Dhyāna Master is the foremost disciple of the Great Master, entrusted with the Dharma gate, I now send an invitation, earnestly hoping you will generously come, bringing along the commentary on the Lotus Sūtra in the company of the envoy to enter the capital. Anxiously awaiting your arrival, words cannot fully convey my thoughts.' Ding, holding his robes and shouldering his staff, walked with lofty steps into the palace. Expounding the teaching throughout the three summer months, the heir apparent rejoiced and revered him. Whenever reaching deep realizations, he never failed to request instruction, and Ding responded to each inquiry, comprehensively mastering the profound scriptures. Later, an envoy was sent to escort him back, with parting gifts doubled. Once, a villager named Yu Falong, living more than thirty li from the mountain, contracted an illness and was near death; all cures having failed, his son ran into the mountain to pray for help. Ding chanted the Lotus Sūtra for him and burned sandalwood incense. Although the sick man was far away, the sandalwood fragrance reached his nostrils, and he immediately recovered. Furthermore, on the southern ridge of Le'an was a place called Anzhou, with blue-green trees and clear streams, yet the currents were treacherous and hidden, and paths for travelers were impassable. Ding lingered there with fond appreciation, looked back and made a vow: 'If this land becomes level and passable, I shall come here to lecture on the sūtra.' Before ten days had passed, white sand surged everywhere, flat as a jade mirror. Regarding this manifestation of spiritual resonance, Ding did not violate his former vow; he then lectured on the Lotus Sūtra to repay the spirit's intention. From the time Ding received instruction at Tiantai, he had also received the Dao from Mount Heng; across the three generations of Si and Yi, the ultimate principle remained singular. Whether contemplating or lecturing, he constantly relied on the Lotus Sūtra, and in expounding Dharma gates such as the Perfect and Sudden Cessation and Contemplation and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, he did so on numerous occasions. Moreover, Zhizhe's eloquence was like moving clouds and falling rain, sometimes like Indra's net, at other times resembling a necklace of pearls; only Ding alone could comprehend it upon hearing. His private notes on Zhizhe's words and purports, his own composed records of meaning, and titles of miscellaneous writings were all inscribed on the back of a thousand-stone stele. On the seventh day of the eighth month of the sixth year of Zhenguan, he died in his room at Guoqing Temple, at the age of seventy-two. At first he manifested a slight illness, yet refused medicine, while a rare fragrance filled the room. Approaching the end, he instructed his disciples, saying: 'The Maitreya Sūtra states that on the day the Buddha enters parinirvāṇa, clouds of fragrant smoke appear. Burn plenty of incense; I am about to depart.' He then delivered his final admonitions, the words and principles profound and earnest. The disciples and community gazed upward, weeping. Suddenly he rose on his own and joined his palms as if revering someone, chanted 'Amitābha Buddha' three times, lowered his body and bowed, his expression joyful. He suddenly passed away. His whole body remained supple, and the crown of his head was warm for days. Previously, a fellow student named Zhixi, a pure and lofty, brilliant gentleman, had died in the first year of Zhenguan. At his death, he said: 'I am born in Tuṣita. I see our late master Zhizhe seated among rows of jeweled seats; all the seats are occupied, except one which is empty. It is said that after six years, Dharma Master Guanding will preach the Dharma beyond here.' Burning incense verified the purport; it was indeed the Loving Honored One descending to welcome him. Calculating the years and period, Zhixi was confirmed not to have been mistaken. On the ninth day of that month, he was laid to rest at the southern mountain of the temple.

3.7

Shi Farong's secular surname was Wei. He was a man of Xinting in Yanling, Danyang. From his youth he was intelligent and insightful, neither practicing rigid discipline nor conceit, but conducting himself naturally and reading widely in the classics and histories. At the age of twenty, he donned monastic robes, left the secular life, and hid his traces in the mountain forests, carrying his book-box in search of teachers without considering a thousand li too far. He then relied on Dharma Master Daming of Fengle Temple on Mount Mao, listening to the Three Treatises, as well as the Avataṃsaka, Pañcaviṃśati (Dapin), Mahāsaṃnipāta, Vimalakīrti, and Lotus sūtras. Devoting himself wholeheartedly for many years, he subtly probed the profound subtleties. Although he remained a companion of the school for a long time, people did not yet recognize his stature. After Daming died, he also listened to Dharma Master Sui of Yanguan lecturing on various sūtras and treatises. At that time, scholars under the seat were like a forest, each brandishing the point of their words and vying to loose arrows of eloquence; yet Rong hid his light and concealed his abilities, quietly tallying with the truth in his mind. In moments of leisure, he raised doubts and asked questions, his statements and reasoning so refined and subtle as never heard before. The lecturer was astonished and sighed in admiration, treating him with deep reverence, and privately said to others: 'In the future, this master will surely be an eightfold negation in the Buddha-Dharma! Yet his nature is unconstrained and lacks constancy, so he is not appreciated by his contemporaries.' Later, there were Dharma Master Kuang of Yong'an Temple in Yongjia, Dharma Master Min of Yiyin Temple in Kuaiji, and Dharma Master Min of Dinglin Temple on Mount Zhong—all oceans of meaning in their time; Rong visited all their seats and rejoiced in his unique comprehension. Later he returned to Youqi Temple on Mount Niutou in Danyang, built a separate small hut, and diligently cultivated his former practice; scholars from near and far gathered to him like a flock. Thereupon, before the rocky valley, he lectured on one complete copy of the Lotus Sūtra. At that time it was midwinter, and congealed frost covered the trees; yet at the lecture hall, three stalks of golden lotus flowers suddenly sprang up. The assembly was greatly astonished, praising it as unprecedented. When the text of the sūtra was concluded, the flowers also disappeared. There was also a large deer that regularly arrived at the scheduled time to listen to the lecture; after the Dharma ceased, its traces vanished and it came no more. His disciples who gave rise to the aspiration [for awakening] all took the Lotus Sūtra as their primary practice. Later, where he ended his days is not known.

3.8

Shi Zhiyan's secular surname was Zhu, and he was a man of Wujun. His grandfather Xian was an Extraneous Cavalier Attendant Gentleman of the Liang dynasty. His father Min was a Court Attendant of the Chen dynasty. His mother, Lady Zhang, when first pregnant, dreamed of ascending a tall stūpa and sitting on its wheel-spire. After his birth, he was different from other children. At the age of eight he went forth from the household life, serving Master Qu of Tongxuan Temple as his disciple. Thereafter, he gathered extensively from the myriad scriptures, outstripping his predecessors. In the third year of the Zhide reign of the Chen dynasty, the Renwang Vegetarian Feast was instituted, with a hundred masters on a hundred seats competing in outpourings of heavenly eloquence. Yan was then twenty-two years of age; with the natural endowment of a brilliant youth, he took part in the trust of widespread propagation, his quick-witted eloquence unhindered, winning the admiration and surrender of the multitude. When Emperor Yang of the Sui was prince of the fief, he also accorded him extraordinary reverence. When the Great Tang unified the realm, he returned to Mount Wuqiu Temple. Aside from lecturing and recitation, he constantly practiced the Lotus and Samantabhadra repentances. He also recited the Lotus Sūtra more than three thousand times, invisibly tallying with spiritual resonances, with miraculous omens occurring more than once: before the evening censer was kindled, fragrant smoke rose of itself; when the evening water basin was barely empty, it secretly filled and overflowed with water. In the tenth month of the eighth year of the Zhenguan reign, his spirit departed at the mountain temple. His age was seventy-one. In all, he lectured on the Lotus Sūtra more than thirty times.

3.9

Shi Zhiba, surnamed Zhang, was a native of Xiangyang. In his youth he was clear-minded and perceptive, and he had an elegant fondness for the Buddha-Dharma. At the age of six, he went forth from the household life, initially becoming a disciple of Master Run. Observing that he had the capacity to be of great service, Run brought him and entrusted him to Dharma Master Zhe. Zhe was likewise a monk of high renown in Xiangchuan, as detailed in his separate biography. When [Zhiba] first recited the Lotus Sūtra, he could master five sheets a day. He gained a general understanding of the subtle principles in the scripture, considering only that the day-to-day sūtra was the great intent behind the appearance of all Buddhas in the world: 'If the One Person and the One Path are not propagated, they will not penetrate. I must carry this burden to the end and uphold it, awakening the unenlightened worldly folk.' Hearing of Dharma Master Jizang in the imperial capital, a man of eminent virtue who was the foremost leader across the four seas and an illustrious master of the Three Vehicles, [Zhiba] promptly went to receive his instructions, joyfully striking accord with his original aspiration. After [hearing the scripture] twice from beginning to end, [Jizang] commanded [the students] to repeat it. Though the talented vied to speak, none failed to lose the track. Jizang in person presided over the seat. Ba questioned the assembly, saying, 'If the One Vehicle is the cloud, it is then divided into three; could it also be that the One Vehicle is the rain, divided into three rains?' None in the assembly dared to answer. Jizang said, 'This question of Master Ba's has deeply grasped the import.' He then entrusted the Great Dharma to him, enjoining him to be the one to inherit it. Thereupon, brandishing his monk's staff, he returned to Xiang[yang] and dwelt at Qidu Temple, constantly engaged in regular salvation work and lecturing on the Lotus Sūtra five times every year. On the seventeenth day of the ninth month of the fourteenth year of Zhenguan, in the home of the pure-faith layman Lord Zhang Ying, [the assembly] gathered overnight to establish doctrines. When he finished opening the title of the Lotus Sūtra, he said, 'Now I part with the venerable elders and dānapatis of my hometown.' At that time, they did not fathom his words. He then composed his countenance and sat upright in silence. The assembly suspected he had entered samādhi, but pressing close to inspect him, [they found] he had already passed away. The monastics and laity of the entire region lamented with extraordinary depth. His facial appearance was as if alive, seated upright and tall. Prince Jiang in person came to bow, burned incense, made offerings, and donated over a hundred bolts of cloth, holding a vegetarian feast for five thousand people at his tomb. His age was sixty-eight.

3.10

Shi Huiyuan, whose secular surname was Du, was a native of Jingzhao. In his youth he was not fond of frivolous play, but soon aspired to the inner teachings. When he was just ten years of age, he went to Dharma Master Jizang and left the household life. After receiving the full precepts, he was widely learned and knowledgeable; whenever he lectured on the Lotus Sūtra, he always composed his own commentaries. In his later years, he bid farewell to human society and chose a dwelling in Langu, availing himself of leisure to take joy in the Way for more than ten years. In the nineteenth year of Zhenguan, while in the temple for the summer retreat, there happened to be a severe drought; he thereupon lectured on the Lotus Sūtra to pray for sweet nectar. Those from near and far who came to listen gathered like clouds and amassed like fog. There were always two old men who would sit according to the time. Since they were not old acquaintances, Yuan made a silent note of them, secretly intending to question them, though he had not yet done so. Once he lectured up to the Medicinal Herbs Chapter, heavy rain fell thoroughly soaking [the earth]. The aforementioned two old men did not come for three days. Later they arrived together leaning on canes. Yuan wondered at it, called them, and asked. Hesitating, they answered, saying, 'Your disciples are dragons. Recently, receiving your propagation of the chapter of parables and opening of the gate of expedients, we thought to repay your virtuous kindness and suddenly caused rain to fall. However, it was not yet time for rain, and we dared to sprinkle it arbitrarily; therefore, we were flogged by the Dragon King.' With that, they suddenly vanished. The three robes that Yuan wore were guarded with exceptional purity; at times they would flutter and drape over his body of themselves. Moreover, by nature he was humble and modest; even if he encountered a śrāmaṇera, he would surely dismount his horse and stand to inquire. Someone asked him the reason, and he answered, 'The resemblance of dyed robes is the banner-mark of sages and immortals; even lions pay homage to it. Now they practice right study—as a mere single individual, how could I dare not revere it?' Yuan constantly recited the Lotus Sūtra and frequently had spiritual responses; at times, without oil added to the lamp wick, it would stay bright of itself for several days. Later he fell ill, and after twelve days he gathered his mindfulness and passed away. His age was fifty-one; it was the seventh month of the twenty-first year of Zhenguan.

3.11

Shi Zhitong, surnamed Chen, lived in Zizhou. At the age of eight, he went forth from the household life to become a disciple of Dharma Master Zhengdao. Later he recited the Lotus Sūtra and lectured on it. At Niutou Mountain, he well maintained the deportments and observed the precepts with pure austerity. He subdued the followers of Huang-Lao; whenever gentlemen or women submitted memorials [for Daoist rituals], he would always strike them with fifty blows of a staff, so that those near and far all feared him. The completion of the monastery buildings was entirely due to his enterprise; the whole assembly was in awe of him, and none kept private wealth. A pair of geese constantly came according to the time to listen to his lectures. He lectured over a hundred times, and twice light was emitted. Coming to the thirteenth day of the tenth month of the twenty-third year of Zhenguan, he told the assembly, 'My construction of this mountain monastery has spent a hundred thousand strings of cash; I regret it is not yet complete. Now I bid you an eternal farewell.' Having spoken these words, he passed away. His age was seventy-seven. At that time, all the rooms and halls of the monastery shook, and the trees, plants, and grasses all turned white. Only after the time of a single meal did they return to their former state.

3.12

Xiao Yu, the Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and Duke of Song, whose courtesy name was Shifu, was a native of Lanling. His great-great-grandfather was Emperor Wu of Liang, and his father was Emperor Ming. The Duke had deep faith in the Buddhist scriptures and cast aside non-Buddhist learning. Whenever he was present at banquets, by imperial order he was always granted a separate vegetarian meal. He was also bestowed a copy of the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā Sūtra written in Wang Bao's own hand, and a mountain patchwork kaṣāya. Although the Duke took part in state affairs, his recitation and mindfulness never suffered neglect. He personally composed the Fahua yiji (Record of the Meaning of the Lotus) in ten fascicles, occasionally lecturing on it inside his mansion for his sons and nephews. On the day the commentary was completed, he dreamed of the Prabhūtaratna Stūpa shining brightly in the sky, and thereupon summoned famous craftsmen to construct this wondrous stūpa. In the sixth month of the twenty-second year of Zhenguan, he died at Yuhua Palace. Before his end, he left his final instructions, saying, 'All my clothing and implements are to be sent to Jinliang Temple for a joint saṅghakarma. The mountain patchwork robe bestowed from above, the tree-bark patchwork robe of my great-great-grandfather, the iron ruyi sceptre, the curved armrest, the chowry fly whisk, the incense burner, the washing water vessel, the jade spittoon, the agate beads, the court cap, utensils, and clothing, shall all enter the permanent property [of the monastery] to serve as eternal offerings.'

3.13

Shi Huimin was a native of Hedong. His resolve and purpose were upright, and his conduct stood out from the crowd. At the age of nine, he went forth from the household life, vigorously practicing pure deeds. Reciting the Lotus Sūtra, he mastered it within a full year. Soon he visited various masters, fully plumbing the profound and wondrous. At the age of seventeen, answering an invitation, he returned to his home region and lectured on the Lotus Sūtra at Guangxing Temple. The listeners soared like clouds, all witnessing auspicious signs: extraordinary fragrances and snap-of-the-finger sounds repeatedly gathered in the open air. After receiving the full precepts, his illustrious fame increased further. For seventeen years he did not step outside the temple gate, maintaining his practice consistently from beginning to end, wearing coarse cloth and eating vegetarian food. He severed completely pleasantries and idle chatter with relatives, and it was said that this led herds of wild beasts to remain undisturbed and flocks of birds to assemble without agitation. At the beginning of the Great Tang, he entered Mount Haiyu to live in seclusion for more than twenty years. Those from distant regions seeking instruction constantly numbered over a hundred. The land was suitable for catalpa trees, so he encouraged the planting of hundreds of thousands of them, to universally provide merits for the Triple Gem in future generations. In his middle years, he made a separate thatched hut by the southern stream to reside in; two rabbits and a tiger came to share the space with him, roaming together inside and out without infringing upon or harming one another. As for birds, beasts, and spirits coming to request refuge and precepts, the accounts of these deeds cannot be fully detailed. Li Shijia, the Area Commander of Suzhou and Duke of Wuyang, and the Prefect, the Prince of Jiang, frequently invited him before and after, but he steadfastly declined all of them. On the morning of the eleventh day of the eighth month in the final year of Zhenguan, he passed away at his retreat. His age was seventy-seven. Three days before his end, an extraordinary fragrance filled the temple. The whole assembly wondered and asked about it, to which he said, 'The day after tomorrow, I shall depart. Life and death are the ordinary course of humanity; our lodging in the world is originally like passing clouds. Be careful not to weep; let each mindful of impermanence seek self-deliverance early. For mortuary matters and burial, the Vinaya has its constant rites; decorative words on stone tablets and epitaphs are entirely unnecessary. If you can follow this instruction, what more need I say?' Thus he remained unbent even at the threshold of death; he may truly be called firm and steadfast.

3.14

Shi Tanbao: it is not known who he was. He abstained from grain to refine his form, and his precept conduct was spotless. He constantly lectured on the Guanshiyin Sūtra to guide monastics and laity. His vocal cadence was extraordinarily elevated, remarkably distinguished from ordinary mortals. When he climbed high and recited the sūtra, the sound could be heard within thirty li.

3.15

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.

3.16

Shi Xuanbi, whose secular surname is not detailed, was a native of Wu County in Suzhou. He left home in his youth and lived at Liushui Temple. Fond of learning without tiring, he frequently roamed crags and ravines, resting his spirit in marvelous contemplation, not letting worldly affairs entangle his mind. Though he frequently encountered ferocious beasts, venomous insects, phantoms, and wicked bandits, they never perturbed his emotional resolve. He constantly sat on a single couch four feet square, with no worldly clutter beside it, and never leaned back to lie down. Whenever he lectured on the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, the Śataśāstra, the Dvādaśamukha Śāstra, the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, and other treatises, as well as the Avataṃsaka, Mahāparinirvāṇa, Lotus, and other sūtras, people from more than twenty prefectures all came to listen and receive them. Once when he was lecturing on the Lotus Sūtra, a crane suddenly flew in from outside. In the pond below the hall, it took water into its beak three times and sprinkled it on the ground. It then went straight up to the seat of the holy monks beside the Buddha and stood motionless, remaining until the lecture was concluded, only after which it flew away. This went on for years, and later it came to reside there permanently. Whenever he ascended the hall, it would flutter its wings and lead ahead; whenever he concluded the lecture, it would incline its body and follow him. If the Dharma master bid it to dance, it would pull in its wings, lift its feet, look back at its reflection, and turn its head, now rising, now craning, now coming, now going, its distinct postures so extraordinary they can hardly be fully described. After two years of this, it hovered about without leaving. The literary gentlemen of several prefectures all marveled at it and composed poems in unison. Later, the prefect, the Prince of Jiang, came to the temple. The chief administrator and the adjutant sent someone to inform the Dharma master. The Dharma master said, "Very well," and sat peacefully as usual. When the prince arrived at the temple gate, the chief administrator personally reported it. The master said, "I already know," and remained seated peacefully as usual. The prince, puzzled that he did not come out to welcome him, thereupon turned back and left. By the first watch of that night, the prince summoned all the monks within the walled city together to practice the Way on behalf of the state. The monks all hurried to assemble at the prince's quarters. The prince's anger showed on his face, and he dispatched the chief administrator, Qianxing, to summon the Dharma master personally. The Dharma master reported, "When the prince turns the sūtras for the state, his mind must be earnest and solemn. If without purifying oneself one abruptly summons monks, a grand master acts with slight and arrogance, failing to revere the Three Jewels. Turning the sūtras in such a manner will also yield no benefit. Let the prince have all alcohol, meat, and the five pungent roots within the residence completely removed, and let the place be sprinkled and swept with scented hot water. I, too, must bathe and purify myself, only after which the sūtras may be turned. You may go for now, and I will come on a later day." The prince became extremely enraged and sent another person to summon him, but the Dharma master sat peacefully as usual, showing no sign of fear at all. On the appointed later day, he then went there. The prince asked the monks, "What kind of person is Xuanbi?" They all replied, "He is an eminent monk of dhyāna practice." The prince's displeasure lessened somewhat, and he had him called in. Setting up a high seat, he sent several beautiful maidens to wait upon and attend him closely at his side. Xuanbi briefly exchanged pleasantries, then bowed to the Buddha, mounted the seat, sat cross-legged, and focused his spirit in quiet absorption. Seven days passed: dust accumulated on his body and robes, but from the beginning he did not move at all. The prince aroused great goodness of heart and asked the assembly of monks, "How may we bring him out of absorption?" A monk said, "Make offerings with music." The prince ordered his attendant courtesans to play. After half a day, Xuanbi arose from dhyāna absorption. The prince and his primary consort asked the Dharma master to administer repentance and bestow the precepts, and all their hunting dogs, falcons, and hawks were completely released. Xuanbi encouraged the prince to chant the Heart Sūtra of Prajñā; the prince respectfully accepted his words and chanted it constantly every morning. Thereupon he emptied his treasury of famous bells and treasures to repay the master's virtue, but Xuanbi accepted nothing at all, having it all distributed in almsgiving. From then on, on every vegetarian feast day, the prince regularly came to the temple to inquire into the profound and obscure. The fame of his teaching and conversion spread even farther; this occurred during the middle of the Zhenguan era. Later it was not known where he ended his life.

3.17

Shi Zhiyan, whose secular surname was Yan, was a native of Tongzhou. From his youth he was fond of the Way, his purity and truth surpassing worldly standards. His conduct was upright and firm, his movements naturally forming a model. When he was twelve or thirteen years old, he suddenly met an Indian monk who instructed him to shave his head. Zhiyan bowed and received his instructions, and left home on this account, residing at Jieye Temple in Chaoyi County. Thereupon, he approached many teachers far and wide, broadly seeking the profound teachings. As for the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, Vijñaptimātratā, Prajñā, Vimalakīrti, and Lotus Sūtras and others, he penetrated all their hidden purports and exhausted their definitive meanings. In addition, he studied secular classics on the side, was skilled in discussing the Laozi and the Yijing, and his elegant discourse on profound principles was innate to his natural character. Before many years had passed, he became a general of the Dharma. Whenever he had leisure from lecturing and expounding, he rested his mind in marvelous contemplation, constantly sitting without lying down, making this his constant practice. In his room there was only a single couch and no other furnishings; he was truly what is called a pure and lofty Dharma master whose words and deeds were both consummate. In the third year of Xianqing, the monastics and laity of Xianzhang County in Taizhou invited Zhiyan to lecture on the Lotus Sūtra at Lingxian Temple. Zhiyan resided in a side room within the quarters of the temple monk Huanxiang. At the beginning of the night, he took the Lotus Sūtra and spread it out on the desk, just about to peruse it. At that time, Huanxiang and three attendants were all in the room. Before Zhiyan had finished burning incense, he suddenly saw three śarīras emerge from the character "Buddha" (fo) in the sūtra. Five-colored radiance spread over the sūtra, flowing and moving without stopping. Huanxiang and the others went about informing the temple monks, who all came to pay homage, wishing to collect the śarīras together, but the śarīras flowed back into the character "Buddha". The monks paid homage, wept, burned incense, and made vows wishing to behold their true form again. The śarīras again emerged from the character "Buddha", flowing and moving without stopping. In a short while, they followed one another and vanished into another character "Buddha". The times Zhiyan lectured on the Lotus amounted to several tens, and the spiritual responses and auspicious omens he obtained were difficult to recount in full. Moreover, his marvelous deeds and lofty traces surpassed his peers. He once walked along a pond with several monks. When the monks took water to rinse their mouths, Zhiyan stopped them, saying, "If a thing belongs to another, one does not take what is not given. How can another's pond water not be considered theft?" Also, during summer while he was eating, flies came onto his bowl. Zhiyan gently led them one by one with his finger until they reached the wall. When someone asked him about it, he replied, "I am merely practicing and cultivating the gift of fearlessness." From the time Zhiyan traveled around to lecture and guide, traversing several prefectures, he always walked on foot with folded hands in silence, holding his robe and bowl. Even though there were fragrant flowers, banners, and canopies, drums, music, strings, and songs, with carriages and horses shaking heaven and earth, and crowds packing the city walls, Zhiyan simply remained composed without glancing at them, distantly walking behind. The benefits and offerings he inspired frequently amounted to millions, yet he sought nothing, distributing them everywhere according to the place. The three robes he received upon full ordination were never replaced until the end of his life; they were not soiled or torn, only slightly worn. These were prior signs that his defiling burdens were about to be eliminated and his karmic practice was steadfast. A few days before his death, he went about everywhere, saying farewell to every Dharma companion and old acquaintance. Suddenly one day, he sprinkled and swept the courtyard, sat upright, and entered dhyāna, instructing all his disciples to practice mindfulness of the Buddha. He then passed away while in meditative absorption, at the age of over sixty. The monastics and laity grieved bitterly as if they had lost their own parents; more than ten thousand people donned plain garments and followed the rites of disciples. Thereupon, an extraordinary fragrance suddenly filled the courtyard with dense vapors, lasting for over seven days and dispersing only after the funeral was completed. Several years after his passing, his tongue had not decomposed, his sideburns and hair had grown two inches, and his facial complexion was as before. Those with discernment regarded him as one of those who had attained the Way.

3.18

Zhu Fashen of Mount Dongyang in Shan, Jin
Zhu Fachong of Mount Gexian in Shan, Jin (composed a 4-fascicle commentary)
Zhu Fakuang of Mount Qingshan in Yuqian, Jin
Shi Huiyuan of Donglin Temple on Mount Kuang, Jin
Shi Huichi of Longhe Temple in Shu, Jin
Shi Daorong of Pengcheng Commandery, Jin (composed a commentary)
Shi Tanying of Chang'an, Jin (composed a 4-fascicle commentary)
Shi Tandi of Mount Huqiu in Wu, Song
Shi Huiliang of Heyuan Temple in the Capital, Song
Shi Sengjing of Lower Dinglin Temple, Song (composed a commentary)
Shi Tanji of Jiaxiang Temple in Kuaiji, Song
Shi Daoci of Yuzhou, Song
Shi Daodeng of Jizhou, Northern ("Illegitimate") Wei, Qi
Shi Hongchong of Xianggong Temple in the Capital, Qi
Shi Senghui of Zhulin Temple in Jingzhou, Qi
Shi Falong of Mount Lu, Qi
Shi Baoliang of Lingwei Temple in the Capital, Liang
Shi Fatong of Upper Dinglin Temple, Liang
Shi Zhizang of Kaishan Temple on Mount Zhong, Liang (composed a commentary)
Shi Fayong of Da Chanzhong Temple in the Capital Yangdu, Chen
Shi Baoqiong of Da Pengcheng Temple in the Capital Yangdu, Chen (composed a commentary)
Shi Baotuan of Guangxing Temple in Tongzhou, Northern Zhou (composed a commentary)
Shi Daozhuang of the Inner Huiri Bodhimanda in the Eastern Capital, Sui (composed a 3-fascicle commentary)
Shi Huibi of Anguo Temple in Changzhou, Sui
Shi Zhiju of Mount Huqiu in Wu Commandery, Sui
Shi Zhizhu of Renxiao Bodhimanda in Danyang, Sui
Shi Zhicuo of Dalin Temple on Mount Lu in Jiujiang, Sui
Shi Hongzun of Da Xingshan Temple in the Capital, Sui
Shi Lingzang of Da Xingshan Temple in the Capital, Sui (also lectured on the Avalokiteśvara [Chapter] twice daily)
Shi Huihai of Anle Temple in Jiangdu, Sui (memorized and chanted)
Shi Huijing of Jiguo Temple in the Capital, Tang (composed a 10-fascicle commentary)
Shi Sengfeng of Dingshui Temple in the Capital, Tang (composed a commentary)
Shi Huiyun of Tongxuan Temple in the Capital, Tang

3.19

The above masters were not specialists [in the Lotus Sūtra alone], but also broadly propagated other texts. Their distinguished names are briefly recorded here so that it may be known that the fragrance of the thoroughwort and epidendrum has never ceased.

3.20

Accounts in Praise of the Lotus Sūtra, Fascicle 3

Linked texts (1)

弘贊法華傳 — Classical Chinese