華嚴經傳記 3.4

3.4

Shi Huijue, whose secular surname was Fan, was a native of Qi. His far-reaching capacity and penetrating discernment were rarely matched by his peers. His appearance was lofty and prominent, being over seven feet tall; his eyebrows and eyes mirrored the beauty of mountain peaks; his robes were fresh and clean, and his deportment was warm and grand, dignified and resonant. All scholars and gentlemen traveling on the road would turn to gaze at him and follow him with their eyes. Although broadly learned in many scriptures, he mostly took the Avataṃsaka as paramount. He was invited to Gaoyang, where he served as a lecture master for a long time. His listeners numbered over a thousand, filling the halls to overflowing, yet those coming never ceased. Consequently, he had to suspend his Dharma lectures. Thereupon, a donor immediately built for him a lecture hall for a thousand people, the construction of which was completed in less than a month. When he ascended the Dharma seat, the assembly gathered and filled it completely; at that time, everyone marveled at the grandeur of the Dharma gathering. He composed commentaries on the Avataṃsaka, the Ten Grounds, the Vimalakīrti, and other texts. In the third year of Wude, Huijue felt a slight pain in his chest and said to his disciples: 'I am about to depart.' He then provided from his own personal funds to offer a meal to the monks and bid farewell to the assembly. Thereupon, through the whole night, he maintained right mindfulness until the signs of dawn just appeared, when he quietly passed away at the age of ninety.