北山錄 4.2.7

4.2.7

he delved into and looked up to the various sūtras, weighed and considered miscellaneous treatises, and resided at Qingtayuan Monastery. When he first saw the *Nirvāṇa Sūtra*, he propounded the doctrine of sudden enlightenment to achieve buddhahood, which eclipsed older explanations. At the time it was regarded as heterodox, and he was expelled and banished to Mount Lu. When the latter part of the sūtra arrived, it indeed affirmed that all icchantikas possess the buddha-nature. He then ascended the seat and expounded the doctrine for several sessions; his deer-tail chowry fell profusely, and he leaned upon the armrest and passed away. It is said that he endured death to await the sūtra. Hence Emperor Wen of Song repeatedly praised him.) Yan Yanzhi composed the *Treatise on the Separation of Consciousness* (*Lishi lun*); the Emperor ordered Huiyan to debate its similarities and differences, going back and forth for the entire day. The Emperor laughed and said: 'Today you gentlemen have nothing to feel ashamed of before the conversations of Zhi [Dun] and Xu [Xun].' Zhi Dun's literary brilliance was lush and unfettered, capturing the manner of Senghui. Sengzhao's editorial brush was wondrous and transcendent, also capturing the manner of Zhi Lin [Zhi Dun]. The disciples of An, Yuan, Sheng, and Rui each had their own excellence. From that time onward among the black-robed ranks, few have continued their virtuous legacy. After the Qi and Liang dynasties, the world valued tortuous ornamentation; the words lacked essential substance, so that even if one sought their refined expressions and established intentions, they did not equal the admonitions and treatises between the Han and Wei dynasties (such as Yang Ziyun's continuation of the *Yu Admonitions*, etc.), let alone the classical texts of the sages! Therefore, the hanging celestial images, the sacred peaks, and the great rivers do not take dazzling floweriness as the literary elegance of Heaven and Earth; it is by their ability to maintain order and overspread and bear [all things] that they constitute literary elegance (the hanging celestial images measure heaven, and the sacred peaks and rivers bind the earth together). How could human culture be otherwise? I once read the basin inscription of Yin, which says: 'If on one day you can renew yourself, do so day after day, and yet again renew yourself.' Kong Qiu's eulogy states: 'Pitiless Heaven will not spare this venerable elder, leaving no one to support me on my throne! Alas, how sorrowful!' (When Kong Qiu died, Duke Ai of Lu eulogised him, saying: 'Pitiless Heaven has no pity, not sparing this one elder, leaving me, the solitary one, on the throne, sorrowing and burdened with grief. Alas, how sorrowful!' The father Confucius had no text of self-lamentation. This appears in the thirtieth year in the *Zuo tradition*, slightly differing from the present text.) For this culture, Heaven had long been on the verge of letting it perish; without grand virtue and great enterprises, who could have revived it? (Because Confucius was endowed by Heaven with many abilities, he mourned and eulogised him.) Zhao composed the *Treatise on Prajñā Being Free from Knowing* (*Bore wuzhi lun*) (Sengzhao, a native of Jingzhao, was from a poor family and made a living as a copyist; thus he was able to peruse the classics and histories, and was adept in Zhuangzi and Laozi. Later, seeing the old *Vimalakīrti Sūtra*, he said: 'Now I know where to return.' When Kumārajīva arrived, he followed him in translating, and composed four treatises including the *Immutability of Things*. In the tenth year of the Yixi reign era, he died in Chang'an at the age of thirty-one). Liu Yimin saw it and sighed: 'I did not expect that among the square-robed there would again be a Pingshu!' Dao Rong lectured on the new *Lotus Sūtra*, dividing it into nine tracks, and was called the Master of Nine Tracks. Kumārajīva said: 'For the flourishing of the Buddha-Dharma, Rong is the man!' (Dao Rong, a native of Linlü in Jijun; his master loved his intelligence and first had him study external texts. He sent him into the forest; Rong borrowed the *Analects* and never brought it back, but had already memorised it there. His master checked it against the text, and not a single character was missed. By the time he reached the age of thirty, his talent and understanding were matchless. Hearing that Kumārajīva had arrived, he went to consult and receive instruction from him. Kumārajīva saw him and considered him extraordinary. He died in Pengcheng at the age of seventy-four). When Kumārajīva translated the first two fascicles of the *Mūlamadhyamakakārikā*, Rong analysed and dissected it further, comprehending the beginning and end in advance. At that time, a brāhmaṇa from the Lion Kingdom (Siṃhala) came riding a camel loaded with books, requesting a contest of superiority and inferiority: if he were superior, his doctrine would be practised. The people of Qin saw his clever speech and obsequious gaze, and were on the verge of changing their outlook (they had minds of returning to revere him). Kumārajīva told Rong: 'This non-Buddhist's intelligence surpasses other men; in a contest of words he is sure to triumph. How could we allow the unsurpassed Great Way among our fellows to bend before him? In my view, it rests on you alone!' Rong considered that his talent and ability were sufficient to succeed (ji means to achieve), but only worried that he had not fully perused the non-Buddhist's books. He then secretly copied out their list of contents, memorising them at a single glance. When the appointed day arrived, he marshalled his followers to debate before the royal court. That non-Buddhist, relying on his extensive knowledge, attacked Rong with redoubled vigour. Rong brought forth what the other knew and questioned what he did not know. The other hurriedly relied on his powerful memorisation, but Rong recited what he had memorised along with the myriad books of the Chinese realm, cataloguing them with far greater breadth. What the brāhmaṇa recited became halting yet unchecked (si means unrestrained; he was stammering yet emotionally unrestrained); Kumārajīva supplied words to mock him, and he collapsed and fled (ji means to add; it means he fled). In the past, when Fu Jian's army campaigned against the Jin, the great affair was about to be lost; Xie An recognised [Xie] Xuan and appointed him, thereby achieving great merit, and all under Heaven submitted to his farsighted discernment. Now, Kumārajīva's recognition of Rong—how is it not of the same kind as An's? Thus, weighing this rise and fall, both depended on a single appointment (zhi means facing each other; comparing Kumārajīva's appointment of Rong to An's appointment of Xuan). By nature, Rong was not fond of bustle, and often climbed into a tower to read and enjoy texts. Sengrui was originally a disciple of Sengxian. Xian's friend SenglFormat was lecturing on the *Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra*, and was repeatedly challenged and refuted by Rui. Lang told Xian: 'Rui's recent objections—I have pondered them repeatedly and cannot resolve them; he can truly be called a wise disciple of a worthy master!' Rui was a native of Weijun. The Lord of Qin asked Yao Song: 'What kind of person is Master Rui?' He replied: 'The pine and cypress of Ye and Wei.' Yao Xing summoned him, was greatly pleased, and decreed that he be provided with stipended attendants and a carriage. Later he said to Song: 'This is the exemplar of the Four Seas; how could he merely be the pine and cypress of Ye and Wei?' Throughout his life, Rui never turned his back to the West (wishing to be reborn in the Western Pure Land). Tan Ying at first followed Kumārajīva. Kumārajīva told the Lord Yao: 'Yesterday I saw Master Ying; he too is an exemplary and prominent monk of this state.' Sengdao of the Song (a native of Jingzhao, who went forth at the age of ten, later composed a commentary on the *Satyasiddhiśāstra*, and founded the Guangshan Temple in Shouchun) resided in Shouchun. Emperor Xiaowu issued an edict summoning him to the capital, and the imperial retinue halted its journey [to visit him]. Because the Three Bonds were being started anew at the beginning of the Xiaojian era, Dao was overcome with grief and could not contain himself (in the thirtieth year of Yuanjia, the Crown Prince Shao assassinated Emperor Wen and set himself up; in the third month, he was killed by Jun, the Prince of Wuling, and other princes, who assumed the imperial throne, changed the era to Jianwu, and was titled Emperor Xiaowu). The Emperor was also choked with tears, and ordered him to begin lecturing. The Emperor and the dukes and ministers assembled. Dao said: 'In the past, [the Buddha] took birth in the royal palace, and manifested extinction in the Twin Trees. Since then, the years have exceeded their count; the pure source has forever departed, and the decadent customs cannot be reversed. The Jetavana is a desolate mound, and the Deer Park is overgrown with weeds. The ninety-five varieties [of non-Buddhists] (the categories of non-Buddhists; some say ninety-six) take rushing downward as ascending high; the sentient beings of the three realms take the burning house as a pure land (the *Lotus Sūtra* says that there is no peace in the three realms, just like a burning house). How could they understand why the supreme Sage sheds tears, and the Great Being is filled with sorrow?' Thereupon his tears streamed down.