弘贊法華傳 3.9

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.