曆代法寶記 1.10

1.10

資州德純寺智詵禪師。俗姓周。汝南人也。隨官至蜀。年十歲常好釋教。不食薰莘。志操高標。不為童戲。年十三。辭親入道場。初事玄奘法師學經論。後聞雙峯山忍大師。便辭去玄奘法師。捨經論。遂於憑茂山投忍大師。云。汝兼有文字性。後歸資州德純寺。化道眾生。造虛融觀三卷。緣起一卷。般若心疏一卷。後至萬歲通天二年七月。則天勅天冠郎中張昌期於德純寺請。遂赴西京。後因疾進奏表。却歸德純寺。首尾三十餘年。化道眾生。長安二年六日。命處寂扶侍吾。遂付袈裟云。此衣是達摩祖師所傳袈裟。則天賜吾。吾今付汝。善自保愛。至其年七月六日夜。奄然坐化。時年九十四。

Chan Master Zhishen of Dechun Temple in Zizhou had the secular surname Zhou and was a native of Runan. Following an official [relative], he went to Shu. At the age of ten, he constantly loved Śākya's teaching, did not eat pungent roots, and had exalted principles, engaging in no childish play. At the age of thirteen, he took leave of his parents to enter a place of practice. At first he served Dharma Master Xuanzang, studying the sūtras and treatises. Later, hearing of Grand Master Ren of Mount Shuangfeng, he took leave of Dharma Master Xuanzang, abandoned the sūtras and treatises, and went to Mount Pingmao to take refuge with Grand Master Ren, [who] said, 'You also possess the nature of literary expression.' Later he returned to Dechun Temple in Zizhou to transform and guide sentient beings, composing the Xurong guan in three rolls, the Yuanqi in one roll, and the Bore xin shu in one roll. Later, in the seventh month of the second year of Wansui Tongtian, Zetian decreed that Zhang Changqi, Director in the Bureau of Imperial Regalia, invite [him] from Dechun Temple. He thereupon proceeded to the Western Capital. Later, on account of illness, he submitted a memorial and returned to Dechun Temple. For over thirty years from beginning to end, he transformed and guided sentient beings. On the sixth day of [the seventh month of] the second year of Chang'an, he ordered Chuji to attend and support him, and thereupon transmitted the kāṣāya to him, saying: 'This robe is the kāṣāya transmitted by the ancestral master Bodhidharma. Zetian bestowed it upon me; I now transmit it to you. Cherish and preserve it well.' On the night of the sixth day of the seventh month of that year, he suddenly underwent sitting transformation, at the age of ninety-four.