法華傳記 4.28

4.28

Śramaṇa Chaobian, whose secular surname was Zhang, was a native of Dunhuang. In his youth his spiritual insight manifested singularly, and his conduct and self-cultivation were deep and profound. He recited the Lotus Sūtra and the Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā. Hearing that the Buddha Dharma flourished in the capital, he crossed over the Western River road and, by way of Ba and Chu, reached Jianye. Shortly thereafter, he went east to Wu and Yue to view the mountains and rivers, staying for a short time at a temple beside the city of Shanyin. Later he returned to the capital and took up residence at Upper Dinglin Temple, living in seclusion to nourish his simplicity and complete his life. Within the mountain gate he recited the Lotus Sūtra, setting a daily limit of one recitation; his mind was agile and his mouth followed with ease, always having energy to spare. He paid homage to the thousand Buddhas for a total of more than 1,500,000 prostrations. For over thirty years his feet never went outside the gate. In the tenth year of the Yongming era of the Qi, he passed away at the mountain temple at the age of seventy-three. He was buried south of the temple. The śramaṇa Sengyou erected a stele east of the tomb site, and requested Liu Xie to compose the text.