淨土往生傳 3.11

3.11

Shi Zhixuan, whose courtesy name was Houjue, had the secular surname Chen and was a native of Hongya in Meizhou. His mother, Lady Wei, dreamt that the moon entered her bosom, and subsequently gave birth to him. While being nursed in infancy, whenever he saw the Buddha he was overjoyed. At five years of age, his grandfather had him chant a poem on flowers, and he composed it upon the sounding of his voice. At seven years of age, he encountered Dharma Master Tai lecturing on the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra at Ningyi Monastery. Xuan entered the lecture hall as if viewing former [lives]. That night he dreamt that a Buddha's hand pressed upon his crown; he subsequently went forth from the household. At eleven, he had his hair shaved, and went to Xi'an Monastery in Tangxing, where he was transmitted forty-two fascicles of the Great Sūtra, Master [Hui]yuan's commentary, and Master Bian's complete tenets, amounting to 1.25 million words. In pointing out teachings to the black-robed monks, his manner already revealed maturity. At that time, Prime Minister Du Yuanying was governing western Shu. Hearing of Xuan's renown, he ordered him to lecture beneath the Samantabhadra Pavilion of Daci Monastery. Monastic and lay followers gathered by the myriad daily, listening attentively with all their hearts in endless astonishment and admiration. Thereafter, the people of Shu dared not address him by his name, but based on his secular surname called him 'Chen Bodhisattva'. At Jingzhong Monastery, Xuan listened to the Vinaya and thoroughly understood the Abhidharmakośa. He then followed his master down the Three Gorges, traveling through Jing and Xiang, arriving at Zisheng Monastery in the divine capital [Chang'an]. This monastery was a gathering place of great importance for practitioners of the three trainings from the four seas. As Xuan expounded sūtras and treatises, monastics and laypeople gazed up at him with veneration, and the shoes outside the hall grew more numerous day by day. Emperor Wenzong heard of him, summoned him into [the court] for consultation, and was greatly pleased with his spirit. Later he studied the Cheng weishi lun under Dharma Master Xin of Anguo [Monastery]. As for non-Buddhist scriptures and texts and the various masters of the Hundred Schools, there was none he did not master comprehensively. He always regretted that his Sichuan accent had not changed, making him unsuitable for continuous lecturing; he then chanted the Great Compassion Dhāraṇī at Elephant Ear Mountain. One night Xuan dreamt that a divine monk cut out his tongue and replaced it; the next day it abruptly turned into the sound of Qin. At that time, Minister of Punishments Yang Rushi, Vice Director of the Left Gao Yuanyu, and Yang Lushi of Chang'an all arrived at his door, intending to form a Lotus Society. When Emperor Wuzong ascended the throne, he initially respected the Buddhist teachings, but later accepted superficial discussions, offering sacrifices to Penglai and building a wind terrace to pray for Daoist feather-immortality. Although remonstrance officials submitted memorials in opposition, he ultimately did not change his mind. On the occasion of the Deyang Festival, monastics and Daoists gathered at Linde Hall to debate doctrines. The Emperor personally presented the Laozi's doctrine, 'Governing a large state is like cooking a small fish.' Xuan, relying on this, broadly expounded that the governing principles and transformative teachings of rulers are the root; he also stated that divine immortals and feather-ascension are affairs of lone recluses in mountain forests cultivating themselves alone, not what an emperor should esteem. His words poured down like a river and his eloquence spread horizontally like an ocean, totaling tens of thousands of words; he greatly defied the imperial intention. Left Army Commander Chou Shiliang and Palace Secretarial Commissioner Yang Qinyi cherished his talent and eloquence, and fearing he would face banishment, they tactfully advised Xuan to present poems congratulating Emperor Yao. Xuan immediately composed five pieces. The final poem ran: 'Rebirth in heaven fundamentally comes from heaven-birth karma; / One does not necessarily attain immortality simply by seeking it. / The crane's back is precipitous and the dragon's back slippery; / Let the sovereign ruler stay for another thousand years.' The Emperor read the poem and was slightly mollified. When the Emperor purged the sangha, Xuan returned to his old mountains in Ba and Min, donning cloth cap and comb according to the mandate; preserving his moral restraint, his discipline grew even brighter. Subsequently he entered Hu and Xiang. At that time, Supervising Secretary Yang Han-gong was conducting inspection tours in Hu and Xiang, and invited him to dwell at Kaiyuan Monastery. When Emperor Xuanzong ascended the dragon throne, Lord Yang, having coordinated the Left Imperial Guard from the inner privy chamber to secure the enthronement merit, requested the restoration of Buddhism, and further begged to seek Xuan's whereabouts. Thereupon Xuan became a monk once again and stayed at Baoying Monastery. Belonging to the Shouchang Festival lecture and praise bureau, he was made the Head of the Three Teachings. Using his old princely mansion, the Emperor built Fagan Monastery and issued an edict commanding him to dwell there. In the third year of Dazhong, on the occasion of Emperor Xuanzong's birthday festival, an edict ordered Remonstrance Official Li Yisun, Supervising Secretary Yang Han-gong, and Xuan to stand like a tripod in debate. Xuan memorialized that the empire's abolished monasteries should be revived again; in the widespread reconstruction of Buddhist monasteries, Xuan possessed great merit. Because Xuan had talent and discernment, the Emperor especially held him in deep regard, ordering artisans to paint his portrait and place it in the forbidden palace. At that time, Chancellor Pei Xiu was on good terms with Xuan, and they also encouraged and spurred each other in reviving the teachings. In the second year of Guangming, when Emperor Xizong fled from turmoil to western Shu, he sent Guo Zuntai carrying an imperial seal to summon Xuan, providing a sedan chair for him to arrive at the temporary palace. When Xuan arrived, he responded eloquently according to the circumstances, greatly resolving the Emperor's anxieties. Left Military Commander Tian Lingzi and various prominent officials all revered Xuan's virtue, inquiring about the Dao earnestly without neglecting morning or evening. The Emperor wished to honor and commend his excellence, and decreed the various academicians to compose an honorific master-title for Xuan, but none matched the imperial desire. The Emperor said: 'I rely on the deep import of opening, displaying, awakening to, and entering the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka: "awakening" means awareness and illumination—awakening to the Great Dao of the Buddha, illuminating the Buddha's vision and knowledge.' He further said: 'That which awakens is awakening to one's own nature, clearly becoming a Buddha. Now I bestow [upon him the title of] State Master Wuda. Although it is said to be a forced name, it is used to express my intention.' One year later, [Xuan] begged to return to his old lodge in Jiulong to continue his pure karma; the Emperor granted it by edict. On the twenty-first day of the first month of the following year, while lying down, Xuan saw places he had traversed in his life distinctly appear before him. He then arose, burned incense, and facing the west, said: 'Although these are other states and realms, none are my aspiration. If I may obtain one sight of the Pure Land, my wish will be fulfilled.' As he finished speaking, a voice in the sky responded: 'By your practice and deeds, you are resolved to be reborn in Anyang; why should your wish not be fulfilled?' Xuan heard this, leaped with joy, and comforted himself. He then summoned his disciple Cideng to submit his final memorial, and further said to Deng: 'I have engaged in Pure Land cultivation for many years. What I heard today fulfills my past vow.' Thereupon, resting his right side against the mat, he gently breathed his last. He died at seventy-three years of age.