鐔津文集 13.12

13.12

石壁寺去杭越三十里。走龍山而西。窅然入幽谷。有溪流岩石之美。雖其氣象清淑。而世未始知之。自紹大德與其兄行靖法師居之。而其名方播。亦地以人而著也。大德諱行紹。杭之錢唐人也。本姓沈氏。初其母夢得異僧舍利吞之。因而有娠。及生其性淳美。不類孺子。不喜肉食。嗜聞佛事。方十二歲。趨智覺禪師延壽求為其徒父母從之。及得戒通練律部。當是時韶國師居天台山。其道大振。大德乃攝衣從之。國師見且器之。即使往學三觀法於螺溪羲寂法師。因與其兄行靖皆事寂法師講求大義。居未幾而所學已就還杭。即葺其舊寺。尋亦讓其寺與靖法師以會講眾。靖法師與大德皆師智覺出家。而大德為法兄。靖師為俗兄。靖法師以素德自發。先此六十年。雖吳中宿學名僧。皆推其高人。當時故為學者所歸。及靖法師遷講他寺。而大德復往居石壁。其前後五十年。守其山林之操。未始苟游於鄉墅閭里。處身修潔。識者稱其清約。一旦示感輕疾。至其三日之夕。囑累其徒。始眾會茶。授器已即坐盡。至是其壽已八十歲。僧臘六十八歲。垂二十年。余始來石壁。會其弟子簡長。因聞其風。長亦介潔能守其先範。遂與其同學之弟簡微。固以大德塔誌見託。吾嘗謂之曰。教所謂人生難遇者數端。而善知識尤難。世書曰。善人吾不得而見之矣。得見有常者斯可矣。賢善誠難其會也。若師出家於壽公。學法於寂公。見知於國師韶公。韶公不測人也。奇節異德道行藹然。而壽寂二公亦吾徒之有道者也。天下豈可多得。若師皆遇而親炙之。假令得一見之已甚善也。況因人而得法邪。若此師之美多矣。復兄弟於靖師。同其務學親道。栖養於山林。又平生之美可書也。其塔在寺之西圃。故筆而表之。是歲皇祐癸巳三月之十一日也。

Shibi Temple is more than thirty li from Hangzhou. Heading west from Longshan, one enters deep into a secluded ravine with the beauty of flowing streams and rocky cliffs. Although its atmospheric quality was clear and pure, the world at first did not know of it. Only after the Great Worthy [Xing]shao and his elder brother, Dharma Master Xingjing, resided there did its renown spread; this too is a case of a place becoming famous because of the people. The Great Worthy's taboo name was Xingshao, a native of Qiantang in Hangzhou. His original surname was Shen. At first, his mother dreamed of obtaining and swallowing the śarīra of an extraordinary monk, whereupon she became pregnant. When he was born, his nature was pure and good, unlike that of an ordinary child. He took no pleasure in eating meat and loved to hear of Buddhist affairs. Just at the age of twelve, he went to Chan Master Zhijue Yanshou requesting to become his disciple, and his parents permitted it. When he received the precepts, he became thoroughly versed in the Vinaya texts. At that time, State Preceptor Shao resided on Mount Tiantai, and his Way was greatly flourishing. The Great Worthy then tucked up his robes and followed him. When the State Preceptor saw him, he recognized his capacity and at once had him go to study the threefold contemplation method under Dharma Master Xiji of Luoxi. Thereupon, together with his elder brother Xingjing, he served Master Ji, inquiring into the great essentials. Before long, their studies were accomplished, and they returned to Hangzhou, where they at once repaired their old temple. Soon after, he also ceded the temple to Master Jing so that an assembly for lectures could gather. Both Master Jing and the Great Worthy took Zhijue as their teacher when leaving the household; the Great Worthy was the elder brother in the Dharma, while Master Jing was the elder brother in secular life. Master Jing distinguished himself through his native virtue; sixty years before this, even veteran scholars and renowned monks in the Wu region praised him as an eminent man, so at that time students flocked to him. When Master Jing moved to lecture at another temple, the Great Worthy returned to live at Shibi. For fifty years before and after, he maintained his resolve for the mountain forests and never casually wandered into village manors or local communities. He kept his conduct pure and refined, and those who knew him praised his pristine moderation. One day he manifested a slight illness, and by the evening of the third day, he gave final instructions to his disciples. First, the community gathered for tea; once he handed over his utensils, he passed away sitting upright. By this time, his age was eighty, and his monastic seniority was sixty-eight years. Nearly twenty years later, I first came to Shibi and met his disciple Jianchang, from whom I heard of his demeanor. Chang was also unbending and pure, able to uphold the model of his predecessor. Thereupon, together with his fellow student, the junior brother Jianwei, he earnestly entrusted me with the Great Worthy's stupa epitaph. I once said to them: What the teachings call rare encounters in human life are of several kinds, and a good friend is especially difficult. Secular writings say, 'A good man I have not succeeded in seeing; if I could see someone of constant virtue, that would suffice.' Indeed, meeting the worthy and good is difficult. As for this Master, he left the household under Venerable Shou, studied the Dharma under Venerable Ji, and was recognized by State Preceptor Shao. Venerable Shao was an unfathomable person, whose extraordinary integrity, exceptional virtue, and practice of the Way were illustrious; while the two Venerables Shou and Ji were also possessors of the Way among our flock. How could there be many such people in the world? This Master met and was personally influenced by all of them. Even to meet one would already be extremely fortunate; how much more so to obtain the Dharma through them! In this way, the Master's virtues were manifold. Furthermore, he was a brother to Master Jing; together they applied themselves to study, drew near to the Way, and dwelled in the mountain forests; this too is a lifetime of virtue worthy of being recorded. His stupa is in the western orchard of the temple; therefore, I put brush to paper to inscribe it. This was on the eleventh day of the third month in the guisi year of Huangyou [1053 CE].