弘贊法華傳 6.16

6.16

Shi Huiyu was a native of Huanglong. He came to travel in Yangzhou and stayed at Linggen Monastery. From his youth he was dedicated to learning, visiting all the masters; he was skilled in debate and possessed an admirable demeanor. Whenever he heard people praising or censuring others, he would block his ears and not listen, or at times deflect it with unusual remarks. His water jar and robes were simple and unadorned; he completed each day with a single midday meal. In his diligent austerity, taking the relief of suffering as paramount, he recited the Lotus Sūtra and also practiced dhyāna, being proficient in the five gates (the gate generally revealing the Buddha's essence, the gate opening wisdom, the gate showing the inconceivable, the gate of the true nature of all phenomena, and the gate of unimpeded liberation understanding that there is no distinct self-nature). Once while sleeping, he saw three people come and knock on the door, all with fresh and clean robes and caps, holding flower canopies. Yu asked, "Whom are you looking for?" They answered, "The Dharma Master is due to die, so we have come to welcome you." Yu said, "A minor matter is not yet finished; may I have a one-year extension?" They replied, "Very well." When the next year was complete, he died. This was the seventh year of the Yongming era of the Qi, at the age of fifty-seven.