弘贊法華傳 6.17

6.17

Shi Chaobian, surnamed Zhang, was a native of Dunhuang. In his childhood, his spiritual awakening was uniquely remarkable, and his practice was deep and steady. He recited the Lotus and Diamond Prajñā sūtras. Later he returned to the capital and stayed at Upper Dinglin Monastery, living in seclusion, cultivating plainness, and ending his days there. At the mountain monastery he recited the Lotus Sūtra, setting a daily limit of one recitation; his mind was agile and his mouth followed, always having energy to spare. He prostrated to the thousand Buddhas for a total of more than 1.5 million bows. He did not step outside the gates for over thirty years. In the tenth year of the Yongming era of the Qi, he passed away at the mountain monastery at the age of seventy-three. He was buried south of the monastery; the śramaṇa Sengyou erected a stele at the tomb site, and Liu Xie of Dongguan composed the inscription.