法華傳記 10.10

10.10

釋大志。姓顧氏會稽山陰人。發蒙出家。師事天台智者。顗覩其形神灑落高放物表。因名為大志。禪誦為業。苦節自專。四方名所無遠。必造而言氣清穆。儀相真嚴。故見者䀎睞知非凡器。開皇十年。來遊廬岳。住峯頂寺。不隸公名。不豫僧伍。誦法華經。索然閑雅絕能清囀。使諸聽者忘疲。後於華山甘露峯南。建靜觀道場。頭陀為業。子爾一身不避虓虎。聞有惡狩。輒往投之。皆避而不噉。山粒本絕。終日忘飡。或以餅果繼命而已。外覩不堪其惱。而志安之。容色如故。經于七載。禪業無斷。晚住此山福林寺會。大業屏除流徒隱逸。慨法陵遲。一至於此。乃變服毀形。頭擐孝服。麁布為衣。在佛堂中。高聲慟哭。三日三夕。初不斷絕。寺僧慰喻。志曰。余歎惡業乃如此耶。要盡此形骸。伸明正教耳。遂往東都。上表曰。願陛下興顯三寶。當然一臂於嵩岳用報國恩。帝許之。勅設大齋。七眾通集。志不食三日。登大棚上燒鐵赫然。用烙其臂。並令焦黑。以刀截斷。肉裂骨現。又烙其骨令焦黑。已布裹蠟灌下火然之。光耀巖岫。于時大眾。見其行苦。皆痛心貫髓。不安其足。而志雖加燒烙詞色不變。言笑如初。時誦法句。或歎佛德。為眾說法。聲聲不絕。臂燒既盡。如先下棚。七日入定。跏坐而卒。時年四十有三矣。

Śramaṇa Dazhi had the secular surname Gu and was a native of Shanyin in Kuaiji. He left household life in his childhood and served Tiantai Zhizhe as his master. Zhiyi observed that his form and spirit were unconstrained, lofty, and beyond worldly things, and therefore named him Dazhi ('Great Aspiration'). Meditation and recitation were his vocation, and he devoted himself to rigorous discipline. No famed site in the four quarters was too distant for him to visit; his demeanor and speech were pure and serene, and his conduct and appearance were truly dignified, so that whoever beheld him knew he was no ordinary vessel. In the tenth year of Kaihuang, he came to wander Mount Lu and resided at Fengding Monastery. He did not register his name with the authorities nor associate with the monastic community. He recited the Lotus Sūtra with an unfettered and elegant manner, his melodious chanting so exceedingly clear that all listeners forgot their weariness. Later, south of Ganlu Peak on Mount Hua, he established the Jingguan Bodhimaṇḍa and took up the dhūtas as his practice. Solitary in body, he did not avoid roaring tigers; hearing of ferocious beasts, he would immediately go and cast himself before them, but they all avoided him and did not devour him. Grains were originally absent on the mountain; all day long he forgot to eat, occasionally sustaining his life with cakes and fruit alone. Outsiders could not bear such hardships, yet Zhi was at ease with them, his countenance remaining unchanged. For seven years, his practice of meditation was never interrupted. Later, he resided at Fulin Monastery on this mountain. During the Daye era, when the recluses and hermits were dismissed and banished, he lamented that the Dharma had declined to such an extent. Thereupon, he altered his robes, disfigured his appearance, put mourning garb upon his head, wore coarse cloth as clothing, and wept bitterly in the Buddha hall with loud cries for three days and three nights without cessation. When the monastery monks consoled him, Zhi said: 'I lament that evil karma has come to this! I must exhaust this bodily frame to make clear the correct teaching.' He then went to the Eastern Capital and submitted a memorial: 'I pray Your Majesty will cause the Three Jewels to flourish. I shall burn one of my arms on Mount Song to repay the debt of gratitude to the state.' The Emperor consented and decreed the holding of a grand vegetarian feast, where the sevenfold assembly gathered together. Zhi fasted for three days, climbed onto a large platform, and heated an iron until it was blazing, using it to sear his arm until it turned black, then severed it with a knife, the flesh tearing and the bone showing. He further seared the bone until it was black, wrapped it in cloth, poured wax over it, and lit it with fire beneath. The light illuminated the cliffs and peaks. At that time, seeing his painful practice, the hearts of the great assembly ached to the marrow and they could not stand still. Yet Zhi, though subjected to burning and searing, did not change his words or countenance, conversing and smiling as before. At times he recited verses of the Dharma, and at times praised the Buddha's virtues, preaching the Dharma for the assembly, his voice unbroken. When the arm was completely burned, he climbed down from the platform as before. He entered samādhi for seven days and passed away seated cross-legged, at the age of forty-three.