大宋僧史略 1.62

1.62

敷宣之士擊發之由。非旁人而啟端。難在座而孤起。故梁武講經。以枳園寺法彪為都講。彪公先一問。梁祖方鼓舌端。載索載徵隨問隨答。此都講之大體也。又支遁至會稽。王內史請講維摩。許詢為都講。許發一問。眾謂支無以答。支答一義。眾謂詢無以難如是問答連環不盡。是知都講實難其人。又僧伽跋陀羅就講。弟子法勇傳譯僧念為都講。又僧導者京兆人也。為沙彌時。僧叡見而異之曰。君於佛法且欲何為。曰願為法師作都講。叡曰。君當為萬人法主。豈對揚小師乎。此則姚秦之世已有都講也。今之都講不聞擊問。舉唱經文。蓋似像古之都講耳。

The reason those who expound the teachings are stimulated to speak is that unless a person at their side initiates the topic, it is difficult to rise alone from the seat. Therefore, when Emperor Wu of Liang lectured on the sūtras, he took Fabiao of Zhiyuan Monastery as the chief interrogator. Master Biao would first pose a question, and only then would the Liang founder set his tongue in motion, searching and inquiring, answering according to the questions asked. This is the general role of the chief interrogator. Furthermore, when Zhi Dun arrived in Kuaiji, Wang, the Palace Aide to the Censor-in-Chief, invited him to lecture on the Vimalakīrti, with Xu Xun as the chief interrogator. Xu posed a question, and the assembly thought Zhi would have no answer; Zhi answered with an argument, and the assembly thought Xun would have no challenge; in this way, the questions and answers formed an unending chain. From this we know that it is truly difficult to find the right person to be the chief interrogator. Again, when Saṃghabhadra gave lectures, his disciple Fayong translated, and Sengnian served as the chief interrogator. Moreover, Sengdao was a man of Jingzhao. When he was a novice, Sengrui saw him, marvelled at him, and asked: "What do you wish to do in the Buddhadharma?" He replied: "I wish to serve as chief interrogator for the Dharma Master." Rui said: "You will be a Dharma lord for ten thousand people; how could you merely be a respondent for a minor master?" Thus, by the Yao Qin period, there were already chief interrogators. Today's chief interrogators are not heard asking sharp questions, but merely chant out the scriptural text; they are merely a semblance of the chief interrogators of antiquity.