[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [釋門自鏡錄](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2083) › 2.74 # 釋門自鏡錄 2.74 釋門自鏡錄 2.74 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [2.74](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2083.2.74) 釋明琛齊人。少遊學兩河。以通鑒知譽。然經論雖富而以徵難為心。當魏明代釋門云盛。琛有學識遊肆而已故其雅量頗非鴻業。時有智翼沙門。道聲戴穆遠近望塵。學門若市。琛不勝幽情。深忌聲略。私結密交。廣搜論道。初為屋子論議法。立圖著經。外施名教。內搆言引。牽引出入罔\[曰/月\]聲說。聽言可領。及述茫然。勇意之徒相從雲集。觀圖望經。怳若雲夢。一從指授渙若氷消。故來學者先辨泉帛。此屋子法入學。遂多餘有獲者不能隱祕。故琛聲望少歇於前。乃更撰蛇勢法。其勢若葛亮陣圖常山蛇勢擊頭尾至。大約若斯。還以法數傍蛇比擬。乍度乍却前後參差。余曾見圖極是可畏。畫作一蛇可長三尺。時屈時伸。傍加道品。大業之季大有學之。今則不行想應絕滅。初琛行蛇論。遍於東川有道行者。深相諫喻決意已行博為道藝。潞州上邑思弘法華。乃往巖州林慮縣洪谷寺請僧。忘其名往講。琛素與知識。聞便往造。其人聞至中心戰灼。知琛論道不可相抗。乃以情告曰。此邑初信。事須歸伏。諸士俗等已有傾心。願法師不遺故舊。共相成贊。今有少衣裁輒用相奉。深體此懷。乃投絹十匹。琛曰。本來於此可有陵架意耶。幸息此心。然不肯去。欲聽一上。此僧彌怖。事不獲已。如常上講。琛最後入堂齎絹。束綴在眾中。曰高座法師昨夜以絹相遺請不須論議。然佛法宏曠是非須分。脫以邪法化人。幾許誤諸士俗。高座聞此。懾怖無聊。依常唱文如疏所解。琛即喚住欲論至理。高座爾時神意奔勇泰然待問。琛便設問隨問便解。重疊雖多無不通義。琛精神擾攘思難無從。即從座起曰。高座法師猶來闇塞如何今日頓解。若斯當是山中神鬼助其念力。不爾何能至耶。高座合堂一時大笑。琛即出邑共伴二人投家乞食。既得氣滿。噎而不下餘解喻。何所諍耶。論議不來天常大理何因頓起如許煩惱。琛不應相隨東出步步歎吒。登嶺困極止一樹下語二伴曰。我今煩惱熱不可言。意恐作蛇。便解剔衣裳。赤露而臥。翻覆不定。長展兩足。須臾之間。兩足忽合而為蛇尾。翹翹上舉。仍自動轉語伴曰。我作蛇勢論今報至矣。卿可上樹。蛇心若至。則有吞噬之緣。可急急上樹。心猶未變。伴便上樹。仍共交語。每作蛇論。果至如何。言語之間。奄便全身作蛇。唯頭未變。亦不復語。宛轉在地舉頭。自打打仍不止。遂至於碎欻作蟒頭。身形忽變長五丈許。舉首四視目如火星。于時四面無量諸蛇一時總至。此蟒舉頭去地五六尺許。趣谷而下。諸蛇相隨而去。其伴目驗斯報至鄴說之（續高僧傳）。 > Śramaṇa Mingchen was a man of Qi. In his youth he traveled and studied across the Lianghe region, winning renown for his comprehensive insight. Yet, although well versed in the sūtras and treatises, he made it his aim to raise objections and pose difficult questions. Under the reign of the Wei-Ming dynasty, the Buddhist order flourished. Mingchen possessed learning, yet he merely used it for unrestrained debate; hence, his character was far from noble achievement. At that time there was a śramaṇa named Zhiyi, whose reputation for virtue was revered far and wide, inspiring respect from all who looked up to him. Pupils gathered at his gate as in a marketplace. Unable to contain his secret jealousy, Mingchen deeply resented his fame and prominence. Secretly forming intimate alliances, Mingchen searched extensively for disputants. At first, he devised a debating method called the “Room Method,” formulating diagrams and composing texts. Externally he applied the Confucian teachings, while internally he constructed arguments and citations, pulling references in and out with convoluted, boastful rhetoric. Hearing his speech, one seemed to grasp it, yet when he elaborated, all became vague and baffling. Bold spirits flocked together like clouds. Looking at his diagrams and texts, they were bewildered as in a dream; but once instructed by him, their doubts dissolved like melting ice. Therefore, incoming students first had to provide funds and silk before being admitted to this Room Method. Many profited from it and could not keep it secret, so Mingchen’s fame somewhat subsided compared to before. He then devised the “Serpent Array Method.” Its formation was modeled on Zhuge Liang’s battle formation of the Changshan serpent: strike its head and the tail arrives. It was roughly like this. He also compared numerical doctrines along the serpent’s body, now advancing, now retreating, irregular front and rear. I once saw the diagram; it was utterly terrifying. It depicted a snake about three feet long, now coiling, now stretching, with the stages of the Path added alongside. At the end of the Daye era, many studied it; today it is no longer practiced and has presumably died out. When Mingchen first promoted his Serpent Treatise throughout Dongchuan, those possessed of virtuous practice earnestly admonished and reasoned with him, yet he had set his mind upon circulating it broadly as an intellectual art. An upper county of Luzhou wished to propagate the Lotus Sūtra; they went to Honggu Monastery in Linlü County of Yanzhou to invite a monk—whose name is forgotten—to give lectures. Mingchen had long known him, and upon hearing of it, went thither to see him. When the lecturer heard of his arrival, his heart trembled with anxiety, knowing that in doctrinal debate he could not withstand Mingchen. He confided to him: “This county has only newly embraced faith, and affairs require their submission. The gentry and commoners have already turned their hearts \[to the Dharma\]. I pray the Dharma Master will not forget old friendship, but assist and support me. Here is a small quantity of cloth, which I venture to offer you, in deep appreciation of this sentiment.” He then presented ten bolts of silk. Mingchen said: “Did I come here with any intention of dominating you? Please set this mind at rest.” Yet he was unwilling to leave, wishing to hear a single lecture. The monk became even more terrified. Having no choice, he ascended the high seat to lecture as usual. Mingchen entered the hall last, carrying the silk tied in a bundle among the congregation. He said: “The high seat Dharma Master presented me with silk last night, asking that there be no debate. But the Buddha-Dharma is vast; right and wrong must be distinguished. If one converts people through false teachings, how greatly one will mislead the gentry and commoners!” Hearing this, the high seat monk was terrified and utterly at a loss. Following the standard procedure, he chanted the text according to the commentary. Mingchen immediately called out for him to stop, wishing to debate the ultimate principle. At that moment, the high seat monk’s spirit surged with courage, and he calmly awaited the questions. Mingchen posed questions, and as soon as they were asked, he resolved them. Though many layers were raised, there was no meaning he did not penetrate. Mingchen became flustered and disoriented, finding no way to pose difficulties. Rising from his seat, he said: “The high seat Dharma Master has always been obtuse; how could he suddenly understand like this today? It must be the spirits and ghosts of the mountains aiding his mindfulness. Otherwise, how could he attain this?” The entire assembly in the hall burst into loud laughter. Mingchen then left the town and went with two companions to beg for food at a house. Having obtained it, his breath was stifled with rage and he choked, unable to swallow. The others reasoned with him: “What is there to dispute? Debate is not an eternal, great cosmic principle. Why suddenly arouse such affliction?” Mingchen did not reply. Following them eastward, sighing at every step, he climbed a ridge in utter exhaustion and stopped under a tree. He said to his two companions: “I am now tormented by a feverish affliction beyond words. I fear I will become a serpent.” He then stripped off his robes and lay naked, tossing and turning restlessly, stretching out both legs. In a moment, his two legs suddenly merged into a serpent’s tail, curling high into the air and writhing on its own. He told his companions: “I composed the Serpent Array Treatise, and now my retribution has arrived! You should climb the tree. If the serpent’s mind takes over, there will be the cause for swallowing you. Climb the tree quickly, while my mind has not yet transformed.” The companions climbed the tree, yet continued to exchange words with him: “Whenever you composed the serpent treatise, how did such a result come to pass?” While speaking, his whole body suddenly became a serpent; only his head had not yet changed, and he could no longer speak. Writhing on the ground, he raised his head and struck it repeatedly without stopping, until it shattered. Suddenly it became the head of a python. His body abruptly transformed, growing some fifty feet long. Raising its head and looking in all directions, its eyes were like fiery sparks. At that time, countless snakes from all four quarters converged at once. The python raised its head five or six feet above the ground and headed down into the valley, with the host of snakes following along. His companions witnessed this retribution with their own eyes and recounted it upon arriving in Ye. (Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks) > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 2.73](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2083.2.73) - [Next: 2.75](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2083.2.75) - [Up: 2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2083.2) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2083~en-mt.2.74) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [續高僧傳](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2060.25.70) — 道宣, Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2083.2.74](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2083.2.74) · Pramāṇa