淨土往生傳 2.16

2.16

釋神素。字紹則俗姓王。其先太原人。後居安邑鳴條之野焉。素少為僧。與道傑法師。結意問道。所通辭義人罕儔匹。當時達者。多器厚之。隋大業中。講阿毘曇論。四十餘過。成實諸論。又二十過。自餘小部。蓋無間日。甞曰。若於所講稍開蒙昧。願其身死早登安養。然素溫恭退讓。不伐諸己。聞人之善。芳己有之。聞人之惡。亦若己焉。唐真觀十七年二月十三日微疾。謂弟子曰。吾以刻骨鏤肌。植因安養。今吾之病。幸無諸苦。汝徒何以助我。即令弟子揭聲以讀觀經。素乃靜聽聽已。又復自念阿彌陀佛觀音勢至二菩薩。并海會諸菩薩。如是稱念往反數番。又令一僧唱之。群僧和之。迄于中夜。挺身安坐。以謝于世。

Shi Shensu, styled Shaoze, had the secular surname Wang. His ancestors were originally from Taiyuan, and later resided in the wilderness of Mingtiao in An'yi. Su became a monk when young, forming a friendship with Dharma Master Daojie to inquire into the Way; his comprehension of words and doctrines had few equals. The discerning masters of that era mostly held him in deep esteem. During the Daye era of the Sui, he lectured on the Abhidharma treatises over forty times, and on the Tattvasiddhi and other treatises another twenty times; as for other minor texts, not a single day went without study. He once said, 'If through my lectures I have somewhat dispelled ignorance, may I upon my death swiftly ascend to Anyang.' Su was warm, courteous, and modest, never boasting of himself; when he heard of another's virtue, he rejoiced as if he possessed it himself; when he heard of another's fault, he felt as if it were his own. On the thirteenth day of the second month in the seventeenth year of Tang Zhenguan, he contracted a slight illness and told his disciples, 'I have engraved it upon my bones and carved it upon my flesh to plant causes for Anyang. Now in my illness, fortunately there is no suffering; how will you disciples assist me?' He then ordered his disciples to recite the Contemplation Sūtra in a clear voice. Su listened quietly, and after listening, he himself recited Amitābha Buddha, the two bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta, and all the bodhisattvas of the ocean-like assembly, chanting like this back and forth several times. He then had one monk lead the chant while the assembly of monks joined in harmony. When midnight came, he sat upright and peacefully, departing from the world.