出三藏記集 15

English (machine translation) 15

Language: English

15.1

Compiled by the monk Shi Sengyou of Jianchu Monastery in Liang

Biography of Master Fazu, the First
Biography of Master Dao'an, the Second
Biography of Master Huiyuan, the Third
Biography of Master Daosheng, the Fourth
Biography of Master Fonian, the Fifth
Biography of Master Faxian, the Sixth
Biography of Master Zhiyan, the Seventh
Biography of Master Baoyun, the Eighth
Biography of Master Zhimeng, the Ninth
Biography of Master Fayong, the Tenth

15.3

Biography of Master Fazu, the First

15.4

Bo Yuan, styled Fazu, was originally of the Wan clan and a native of Henei. His father, Weida, was renowned for his classical erudition, and although summoned by both commandery and provincial administrations, he never took office. In his youth, [Fa]zu gave rise to the aspiration for the Way. When he petitioned his father to let him leave the household, his words and reasons were so earnest and deeply felt that his father could not dissuade him; so he changed his clothes and followed the Way. Fazu was quick-witted, brilliant, and peerlessly clear-sighted. He could chant eight to nine thousand words of scripture a day; he savoured the Vaipulya scriptures and penetrated their profound subtleties, and he also had a comprehensive grasp of secular canonical texts. He then built a monastery in Chang'an, making lecturing and study his calling; monks and laity who received instruction from him numbered nearly a thousand. Toward the end of the reign of Emperor Hui of Jin, Grand Tutor Prince of Hejian, [Sima] Yong, was in garrison at Guanzhong. With an open mind he honoured him, treating him with the respect due to a teacher and friend, and whenever there were leisure days and quiet nights, he would converse on and discuss the Way and virtue. At that time, when the Western Headquarters was newly established, talents flourished, and all eloquent scholars submitted to his farsighted profundity. Seeing that the rival warlords were contending in arms, which was just beginning, [Fa]zu intended to retire secretly to Longyou to preserve his refined integrity. It happened that Zhang Fu became the regional inspector of Qinzhou and was garrisoned in Longshang; [Fa]zu traveled together with him. Seeing that [Fa]zu's fame and virtue were illustrious and that the hopes of the masses converged upon him, Fu wanted to compel him to disrobe and serve as his subordinate officer. [Fa]zu remained firm in his resolution and would not budge, and resentment was formed on this account. Previously, a man of the province, Guan Fan, had repeatedly been bested by [Fa]zu in debate; Fan harbored deep shame and hatred, and constantly slandered him. When [Fa]zu arrived at Qian County, he suddenly said to the monks and disciples: 'My retribution will arrive in a few days.' He then bade farewell, wrote letters on plain silk, and completely distributed his scriptures, images, and property. The next morning, when he went to Fu to converse, he unexpectedly offended Fu's wishes. Fu ordered him seized and punished; all the onlookers were astonished and aggrieved. [Fa]zu said: 'I have come to complete my retribution. This is a longstanding karmic knot from a past life, not an affair of today.' Thereupon he called upon the Buddhas of the ten directions: 'May [Fa]zu joyfully settle the karmic offenses of past lives! May I henceforth become a good spiritual friend to Fu, and let him not incur the karmic fault of murder!' He was then given fifty lashes with a whip and suddenly passed away. Only later, when Fu heard the full story, was he filled with great remorse. Earlier, the renown of [Fa]zu's spiritual transformation had spread across Guanlong, and west of the Xiao and Han [mountains], they revered him like a god. Both barbarians and Chinese wailed with grief, and people wept on the roads. Five thousand elite cavalry led by the Qiang and Hu of Longshang were on their way to welcome [Fa]zu back to the west; hearing halfway that he had been murdered, their grief and regret were beyond reach, and all were inflamed with indignation, desiring to avenge [Fa]zu. Fu sent an army up to Long, and the Qiang and Hu led light cavalry to meet them in battle. At that time, Fu Zheng, a former subordinate commander of Tianshui, seized upon the anger to behead Fu. Once the various Hu had avenged their resentment and shame, they rejoiced and returned, divided [Fa]zu's remains among themselves, and erected stūpas and shrines in various places. Fu, styled Shiwei, was a native of Nanyang and a descendant of Zhang Heng; although he possessed talent and insight, he was cruel and unreasonable, having arbitrarily executed the Administrator of Tianshui, Feng Shang, which caused the common people to become suspicious and alarmed; thus they used the disorder to behead him. Guan Fan also ultimately brought about his own downfall through his deceitful and treacherous ways. Shortly afterward, a man named Li Tong died and revived, saying that he had seen Master [Fa]zu in the abode of King Yama, lecturing on the Śūraṅgamasūtra for the king, and that after the lecture, he was destined to go to the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. He also saw the libationer Wang Fu (one source says the Daoist Master Ji), who was shackled in irons and begging [Fa]zu for repentance. Formerly, in [Fa]zu's everyday life, he and [Wang] Fu had often debated orthodoxy and heterodoxy; Fu had been repeatedly bested, and, unable to stomach it, composed the Laozi huahu jing to slander and defame the Buddhas and the Dharma. Retribution had its proper place, so only in death did he think of repentance. Sun Chuo's Daoxian lun (Treatise on Worthies of the Way) pairs Fazu with Ji Kang. The treatise states: 'Bo Zu's misfortune began with Guan Fan; the Palace Attendant's disaster arose from Zhong Hui. Both worthies, through their towering spirits, obscured their concern for self-preservation; their hearts dwelt beyond worldly affairs, and treating the world lightly, they brought calamity upon themselves; their governance of self was no different.' Such was the praise he received. Since [Fa]zu was widely read, possessed versatile talents, and was proficient in both the Hu and Chinese languages, he translated three scriptures, including the Weidai di zi ben and Wubu seng. He also commented on the Śūraṅgamasūtra. It is also said that he translated several other minor scriptures, but encountering chaos, they were lost, and their titles are unknown. [Fa]zu's younger brother, Fazuo, was also celebrated from youth. When summoned as an eradication scholar, he did not take up the post; at age twenty-five he left the household, deeply penetrated Buddhist doctrine, and was renowned in Guanlong. At that time, the Regional Inspector of Liangzhou, Zhang Guang, killed [Fa]zu because he refused to disrobe, and Guang also pressured Fazuo to abandon the Way. Fazuo held firm to his resolve, vowing to remain so even unto death, and was ultimately murdered by Guang at the age of fifty-seven. He wrote a commentary on the Fangguang bore jing and authored the Xianzong lun, among others. Guang, styled Jingwu, was a native of Jiangxia; he was later besieged by Yang Nandi of the Di of Wudu, fell into fury and distress, and died. At the time of Emperor Hui of Jin, there was also the upāsaka Wei Shidu, who translated the Daoxing bore jing in two fascicles. Shidu was originally a native of Ji in the Ji Commandery of Sizhou; living in obscurity among the humble classes, he was content in poverty and delighted in the Way, constantly fixing his mind on the Buddhadharma. On the day of his death, he washed and rinsed himself, chanted more than a thousand words of scripture, and then, covering himself with clothing and lying down like a corpse, suddenly passed away.

15.5

Biography of Master Dao'an, the Second

15.6

Shi Dao'an was originally surnamed Wei, and was a native of Fuliu in Changshan. He left home at the age of twelve. Although his inner spirit was intelligent and quick, his physical appearance was exceptionally ugly, so he was not esteemed by his master. He was sent to work in the fields for three years, yet he undertook his strenuous duties and bore hard labor without the slightest look of resentment. Sincere and devoted in his vigorous progress, he observed the fasting precepts without lapse. Only after several years did he address his master to request a sūtra. His master gave him one scroll of the Bianyi jing (Sūtra on the Questions of Debate), containing some five thousand words. Dao'an took the sūtra into the fields and read it during his breaks. In the evening, when he returned, he gave the sūtra back to his master and requested another sūtra. The master said, 'You did not read the sūtra from yesterday, and now you ask for another?' He replied, 'I have already memorized it.' Although his master found this extraordinary, he did not yet believe it. He gave him another sūtra, one scroll of the Chengju guangming jing (Sūtra of Complete Luminance), of just under ten thousand words. Dao'an took it as before, and in the evening returned it to his master. His master held the text and tested him on it; he did not miss a single character. His master was greatly amazed, respected him, and marveled at him. Later, he had him receive the full precepts and permitted him to travel where he wished. When he arrived in Ye, he entered the Central Monastery and met Fotudeng. Fotudeng marveled at him upon seeing him and spoke with him the entire day. Seeing that his appearance did not match his renown, the assembly looked down upon him and found him strange. Fotudeng said, 'This man has far-reaching insight; he is not of your kind.' Previously, although the sūtras had circulated for a long time, old translations were often erroneous, causing profound meanings to remain obscure and inaccessible. Whenever it came to expounding the texts, people merely narrated the general gist or chanted the words, nothing more. Dao'an thoroughly examined the sūtras and śāstras, fathoming their depths and bringing out their far-reaching subtleties. In his commentaries on various sūtras such as the Prajñā, Daoxing, Guhyaka, and Ānāpāna, he investigated the text sentence by sentence, determining the underlying logic of their beginning and ending sections, resolving doubts, and discerning clear interpretations, totaling twenty-two scrolls. His prefaces were profound and rich, thoroughly exhausting the subtle tenets; once the structure was systematically organized, the literary style and principles coalesced, and the sūtras' meanings became brilliantly clear. This truly began with Dao'an. Moreover, from the Han to the Jin dynasty, the sūtras arriving had gradually increased, but the names of those who transmitted the texts were often unrecorded, so later people tracing them could not ascertain their dates. Dao'an thereupon assembled all titles, identified the figures of each period, evaluated the new and old, and compiled a catalogue of sūtras. That the various sūtras possess verifiable provenance is truly due to his merit. Scholars from the four quarters vied to go and take him as their teacher; more than five hundred disciples received instruction, including Fatai and Huiyuan. When the turmoil of the Shi clan arose, he said to his assembly, 'Now there are natural disasters of drought and locusts, and bandits run rampant. If we remain together, we cannot survive; yet to disperse entirely is not permissible.' He then led his assembly into Mount Wangwu and Mount Nüji. Shortly afterward, he crossed the Yellow River again to rely on Mount Luhun, living on wild fruit and cultivating his studies. Soon Murong Jun passed through Luhun, whereupon Dao'an went south to flee to Xinye. He held counsel again, saying, 'Now we encounter bad years; unless we rely on the ruler of a state, the affairs of the Dharma can hardly be established. Moreover, the body of teaching and transforming should be broadly distributed.' Everyone said, 'We will follow the Master's instructions.' He then ordered Fatai to go to Yangzhou, saying, 'There are many gentlemen there who admire refined pursuits.' He sent Fahe into Shu, saying, 'The mountains and waters are suitable for cultivating serenity.' Dao'an and more than five hundred disciples, including Huiyuan, crossed the river and traveled by night. Encountering a thunderstorm, they advanced by the flashes of lightning. Ahead, they reached a homestead and saw within the gate a pair of horse-troughs, between which hung a horse nose-bag capable of holding about one hu. Dao'an then called out, 'Lin Bosheng!' The host came out startled, and was indeed surnamed Lin and named Bosheng. Believing Dao'an to be a divine man, he received and entertained him with great generosity. Afterwards, the disciples asked, 'How did you know his surname and personal name?' Dao'an said, 'Two pieces of wood (mu) make a Lin (forest); a nose-bag holds a sheng (measure).' He then settled in Xiangyang. When Xi Zuochi heard of him, he went to visit him. Having taken his seat, Xi said, 'Xi Zuochi of the Four Seas.' Dao'an said, 'Shi Dao'an who fills the heavens.' People of the time all considered this a famous exchange. Xi Zuochi once sent Dao'an several tens of pears. As Dao'an was just holding a lecture, he cut and distributed them with his own hands; the pears were finished exactly when everyone had received one, without anyone being left out. Xi Chao of Gaoping sent a messenger with a thousand shi of rice, and wrote a letter several pages long expressing deep devotion. Dao'an replied, 'Receiving the rice makes me feel all the more acutely the burden of having material needs.' Xi Zuochi wrote a letter to Xie An, saying, 'Coming here, I met Shi Dao'an, who is indeed far superior and extraordinary. The teacher and his disciples number several hundred; their fasting and lecturing are unflagging. He has no magical arts of transformation to bewilder the ears and eyes of ordinary people, nor has he heavy authority or great power to regulate the discrepancies of lesser men; yet the teacher and pupils are solemn and mutually respectful, dignified and harmonious. He is a person the likes of whom I have never seen before. His intellectual disposition is straightforward and sincere, and he is broadly learned; he has skimmed through and read nearly all external and internal writings, and is also fully versed in yin-yang and astronomy/numerology. The Buddhist sūtras are naturally his greatest specialty. In producing commentaries, he resembles the likes of Falan and Fazu; comprehending everything through the Great Non-being, he does not stoop to merely equalizing things, yet his intellect gallops freely within standard limits. I only regret that you cannot see him; he also often speaks of wishing to meet you.' Such was the high esteem in which he was held by the worthy of his time. Dao'an spent fifteen years on the Fan and Han rivers. Every year he regularly lectured twice through the Fangguang jing (Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra), never failing or omitting it. Huan Chong invited him to come out to Jiangling; later, when Zhu Xu was garrisoned in the west, he again invited him back to Xiangyang. Fu Jian had long heard of his renown and often said, 'Xiangyang has Shi Dao'an, who is a vessel of extraordinary renown; I am about to summon him to assist my own person.' Later, when Fu Jian attacked Xiangyang, Dao'an and Zhu Xu were both captured by Fu Jian. Fu Jian said to his Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, Quan Yi, 'With an army of a hundred thousand, I took Xiangyang, but I only obtained one and a half persons.' Quan Yi said, 'Who are they?' Fu Jian said, 'Master Dao'an is one person, and Xi Zuochi is half a person.' When Dao'an arrived, he resided in the Wuzhong Monastery within the city of Chang'an, where the monastic assembly numbered several thousands, and he greatly propagated the Dharma's transformation. Originally, śramaṇas of the Wei and Jin took their master's clan name as their own surname, and thus their surnames were all different. Dao'an considered that among the origins of the Great Teacher, none was more venerable than Śākya, and so he took Shi as his surname. Later, when the Ekottarika-āgama was obtained, it indeed stated that when the four rivers enter the sea, they no longer retain the names of rivers, and that when the four castes become śramaṇas, they are all called of the Śākya clan. Since this coincided so remarkably with the sūtra, it subsequently became the standard model for later generations. Dao'an was well-read in various secular texts and was skilled in composition. The refined youths of Chang'an who composed poetry and rhapsodies all associated with him to gain acclaim. When he discussed the Feng and Ya odes with the student Yang Hongzhong, it was all reasoned and profound. Earlier, Fu Jian had inherited the turmoil of the Shi clan; by this time, the population was wealthy and prosperous, and the four quarters were largely pacified, with only the southeast corner not yet submitting. Whenever Fu Jian conversed with his attendants, he never failed to express a desire to unify the region east of the Yangtze; he intended to make the Jin emperor Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, and Xie An a Palace Attendant. Fu Jian's younger brother, the Duke of Pingyang Fu Rong, as well as court officials Shi Yue and Yuan Shao, all earnestly remonstrated with him, but in the end could not turn him back. Because Dao'an was respected and trusted by Fu Jian, Shao and the others jointly beseeched Dao'an, saying, 'The Sovereign is about to undertake a campaign in the southeast; how could you, Master, not say a word on behalf of the common people?' It happened that Fu Jian went out to the Eastern Park and commanded Dao'an to ascend the imperial carriage to ride with him. The Vice Director Quan Yi remonstrated, 'I have heard that when the Son of Heaven takes his ceremonial chariot, the Palace Attendants ride along. Dao'an has disfigured his form; how could he take a place in the imperial carriage?' Fu Jian sternly changed his countenance and said, 'Master Dao'an's virtue is venerable; I would not exchange him for the entire realm. Although the glory of the imperial carriage is great, to him it is mere rotten stench.' He immediately ordered Quan Yi to assist Dao'an in mounting the carriage. Shortly after, looking back at Master Dao'an, he said, 'I shall travel south with you to Wu and Yue, organize the Six Armies to conduct an imperial tour of inspection, climb Mount Kuaiji and gaze upon the vast sea; would that not be delightful?' Dao'an replied, 'Dānapati, in accord with Heaven you govern the world, possessing the wealth of the eight provinces; residing in the Central Plains, you control the four seas. You ought to rest your spirit in non-action and match the majesty of Yao and Shun. Now you intend to seek out the infertile land of the lowest grade with an army of a million men. Moreover, the land in the southeast is low-lying and the pestilential air is severe. In antiquity, Shun and Yu traveled there and did not return; the First Emperor of Qin went there and never came back. In my humble view, this does not meet with my foolish approval. The Duke of Pingyang is your close kin, and Shi Yue is an important minister; both considered it impermissible, yet were still rebuffed. I am base and shallow, and my words will certainly not be accepted; but having received your generous treatment, dare I not offer my utmost sincerity?' Fu Jian said, 'It is not because my territory is not broad or my people are insufficient to govern; it is to examine the Mandate of Heaven and clarify where the Great Cycle resides. To conduct tours of inspection according to the seasons is also recorded in the ancient canons. If it were as you say, would emperors have no texts about inspecting the provinces?' Dao'an said, 'If the imperial carriage must move, you may temporarily visit Luoyang, display your might, nurture your strength, and transmit manifests across the southern river. If they do not submit, it will not be too late to attack them.' Fu Jian did not heed him. He then sent Fu Rong, the Duke of Pingyang, and others with an elite force of 250,000 as the vanguard, while Fu Jian personally led 600,000 infantry and cavalry. When they arrived, Jin dispatched General Who Subdues the Caitiffs Xie Shi and Inspector of Xuzhou Xie Xuan to resist them. Fu Jian's army suffered a major collapse, and the Jin army pursued the fleeing troops for more than thirty li; the dead were piled upon one another. Fu Rong's horse fell, and his head was severed; Fu Jian fled on a single horse, just as had been cautioned. Soon afterwards, Fu Jian was besieged by Murong Chong. At that time, Dao'an was also inside the city of Chang'an. On the eighth day of the second month in the twenty-first year of the illegitimate Jianyuan era (385 CE), having finished his vegetarian meal, he passed away without illness. He was buried in the Wuji Monastery. Prior to his demise, Wang Jia went to visit Dao'an. Dao'an said, 'Worldly affairs being like this, disaster is about to reach men. Shall we depart together?' Wang Jia said, 'It is as you say; but before traveling together, I have a small debt that is not yet settled, so I cannot leave with you.' When Yao Chang took Chang'an, Wang Jia was still inside the city. Yao Chang and Fu Jian had been stalemated for a long time; troubled by this, Yao Chang asked Wang Jia, 'Will I obtain the realm or not?' He replied, 'Lüe de (you will obtain it through Lüe / you will roughly obtain it).' Yao Chang said in anger, 'If I am to obtain it, say that I will obtain it; what do you mean by "lüe"?' He thereupon had him beheaded. This was what Wang Jia had meant by 'owing a debt.' After Yao Chang died, his son, Yao Lüe, was finally able to kill Fu Jian and declare himself emperor; this was what was meant by 'obtaining it through Lüe.' Wang Jia, styled Zinian, was a native of Longxi. His physical appearance was crude and ugly, appearing deficient; he was witty and fond of jokes, yet he did not eat the five grains, practicing breath-control in purity and lightness. All revered and served him. When people went to inquire about good and bad fortunes, Wang Jia answered accordingly; his words were laughable, like teasing, and his phrasing resembled prophetic verses, impossible to understand, but after events passed, they all proved accurate. On the day Wang Jia died, someone saw him on the Long mountains. The subtle communion of the Dharma Master with divine men was entirely of this sort. Earlier, when Dao'an heard that Kumārajīva was in the Western Regions, he wished to analyze the subtle teachings together with him. Dao'an urged Fu Jian to bring him. Kumārajīva also heard of Dao'an's reputation from afar, considering him a sage of the East, and constantly bowed to him from afar. Earlier, when Dao'an was born, on his left arm there was a piece of skin about an inch wide adhering to the arm like a bracelet, which could move up and down, but could not come off past his hand. People of the time called him the 'Bodhisattva with the Sealed Hand.' Dao'an passed away more than twenty years before Kumārajīva finally arrived. Kumārajīva lamented that they had not met, feeling profound sorrow and regret. Dao'an was deeply devoted to the scriptural texts, making it his mission to propagate the Dharma. He invited foreign śramaṇas such as Saṅghabhūti, Dharmanandin, and Saṅghadeva, who translated various sūtras totaling more than one million words. He frequently examined and determined phonetics and characters together with the śramaṇa Fahe, carefully verifying the purport of the texts; the newly translated scriptures thereby attained correctness. In his Lunmu of Famous and Virtuous Śramaṇas, Sun Xinggong wrote: 'Shi Dao'an was erudite and multitalented, thoroughly versed in the sūtras and eminent principles.' Such was how he was described in his time. Fahe was a native of Jizhou. Quiet and principled in his conduct, he had received instruction under the same master as Master Dao'an in his youth. He was skilled in clarifying the main threads of treatises and dispelling doubts and perplexities. Whenever Master Dao'an obtained scriptures, they always collated them together. Later he traveled to Luoyang and also invited Saṅghadeva to re-translate texts such as the Vibhāṣā. Residing in Yangping Monastery, when he was over eighty years of age, he was invited by the illegitimate Duke of Jin, Yao Xu, to assemble the monks for a fast and lecture. He instructed his disciples, saying, 'Within worldly life, afflictions, suffering, and burdens are manifold; impermanence is great joy!' He then straightened his robes, circumambulated the stūpa, made prostrations, returned to his seat, covered his head with his robe, and suddenly passed away. People of the time said that he knew his destiny.

15.7

Biography of Dharma Master Huiyuan, Number Three

15.8

Shi Huiyuan, originally surnamed Jia, was a native of Loufan in Yanmen. From his youth he was fond of books, showing brilliance and excellence like jade tesserae and scepters. At the age of thirteen, he accompanied his maternal uncle of the Linghu clan to study as a wandering student in Xuchang and Luoyang. Thus in his youth he became a scholar, broadly mastering the Six Classics and being especially versed in Laozi and Zhuangzi. His nature and disposition were grand and imposing, his discernment and insight exceptionally sharp and outstanding. Even elder classicists and talented luminaries all deferred to his profound attainment. At the age of twenty-one, wishing to cross east of the Yangtze River to join Fan Xuanzi in a shared pledge to joyful reclusion, he encountered the blockage and turmoil of the imperial highways, so his intention could not be realized. Thereupon, west of the Pass, he met Master Dao'an. At their first meeting he paid him the utmost respect, regarding him as his true teacher. He then threw away his hairpins and cast off his secular attire, forgetting physical form to receive instruction. Once he entered the Path, he was stern and stood out from the crowd. He always wished to take comprehensive charge of the guiding principles, taking the great Dharma as his own duty. He concentrated his thinking, recited and upheld [the scriptures], continuing through the day into the night. The śramaṇa Tanyi frequently supplied him with the cost of lamps and candles. Master Dao'an, hearing of this, rejoiced and said: 'This practitioner of the Way truly knows men!' Huiyuan drew upon his discernment of wisdom from before, and had planted the basis of an exalted mind across vast kalpas; therefore his spiritual radiance was preeminent and his insight was far-reaching and deep. In the mystery of the unproduced true mark, the subtlety of the middle way of prajñā, the secret of wisdom seeing forms as empty, and the essentials of quiescent contemplation through the gateway of conditioned arising, there was no subtlety that he did not analyze and no obscurity that he did not elucidate. His intent merged in secret with principle; his words harmonized with the Way. Master Dao'an often sighed and said: 'If the Way is to flow into the Eastern Land, will it not depend on [Hui]yuan?' Later he followed Master Dao'an south to journey along the Fan and the River. In the beginning of the Taiyuan era of the Jin, Xiangyang fell. Master Dao'an entered the Pass, whereupon Huiyuan moved to Xunyang and built a dwelling on Mount Lu. The Regional Inspector of Jiangzhou, Huan Yi, built halls and chambers for him. This mountain forms the likeness of the Nine Rivers, towering steeply and cutting off from the heavens. Recluses and hermits roost and gather there; it breathes out spirit-like marvels. Huiyuan founded a vihāra, thoroughly exhausting the mountain's beauty. To its back it leaned against Incense Burner Peak; at its side it bordered the gorge of the waterfall. Relying on rocks, he piled up the foundations; adapting pines, he framed the structures. Clear springs circled the steps; white clouds filled the rooms. Further, within the monastery he separately established a meditation grove, where dense trees gathered in mist and rock mats lay together. All who gazed upon or stepped into it became clear in spirit and solemn in breath. Huiyuan heard that in North India there was the Buddha's Shadow. Joy and longing mingled in his heart. So, with the mountain behind and overlooking the stream, he constructed a niche-chamber. Devising a fine design for the painter, with light pigments it was depicted: its color condensed into gathered emptiness, looking from afar like light mist; its radiant marks were luminous yet dim, as though hidden yet apparent. Thereupon it was copied and transmitted to the capital, and none failed to sigh in admiration. Thereupon he led the assembly in practicing the Way without interruption from dusk to dawn; the remaining transformation of Śākyamuni was revived here. Soon after, men who observed the vinaya and quieted the mind, and guests who severed dust and were pure in faith, arrived without prior agreement, gathering from afar as they looked toward his influence. Liu Yimin of Pengcheng, Zhou Xuzhi of Yanmen, Bi Yingzhi of Xincai, and Zong Bing of Nanyang all cast aside the world and abandoned glory to follow Huiyuan and reside [there]. Huiyuan then held a fast before the statue of Amitāyus in the vihāra and made a vow to look toward the Western Land together. The text read: 'In the year of Sheti, in the autumn, the seventh month, on the twenty-eighth day, yiwei, the new moon being wuchen: The Dharma Master Shi Huiyuan, with pure devotion moving the unseen realm and his former aspiration especially stirring, invited one hundred and twenty-three like-minded gentlemen who quiet the mind and are pure in faith, to assemble on the northern slope of Mount Lu before the Amitābha statue in the Prajñā Terrace Vihāra. Leading them with incense and flowers, he respectfully offered them and swore an oath: Considering the assembly of this one gathering: once the principle of conditioned transformation is understood, the transmission across the three times becomes manifest; once the numbers of transmigration correspond, the recompense of good and evil becomes certain. Inferring the silent decline of those who rub shoulders, we awaken to the urgency of this impermanence; examining how the three kinds of retribution urge each other on, we realize that the perilous destinies are hard to extricate oneself from. This is why these worthy companions are vigilant by evening and diligent by night, looking upward and thinking of how to be saved. For the spirit may be touched and traversed, but cannot be sought through traces. If what touches it has an object, the dark path is but a foot away; but if seeking it lacks a master, how can the vast expanse serve as a ford? Now, fortunately, without prior planning all minds unite toward the Western Realm; knocking open the text gives rise to faith, and pure feelings burst forth naturally. Thus our inner stirrings communicate in sleep and dreams; our joy and rejoicing are a hundredfold greater than children flocking to help. Thereupon the numinous image shows forth its radiance, its appearance rivaling spirit creation; the accomplishment is due to the harmony of principle, the matter is not driven by human effort. This is truly Heaven opening their sincerity, and the unseen numbers gathering here! How could one not fix one's mind, redouble one's essence, and pile up thoughts to concentrate one's meditation? Yet their radiant achievements are uneven, their merits and blessings are not uniform; though their morning prayers are said to be identical, their evening returns may be far apart. Regarding this bond of our teachers and friends, it is truly pitiable! Therefore, lamenting this, we jointly call upon one another to straighten our robes in the Dharma hall, equally bestow a single mind, and harbor serenity toward the dark ultimate, vowing that these companions shall together journey to the supreme realm. If there is one who startlingly surpasses the crowd and first ascends the divine realm, let him not cultivate solitary virtue on the cloudy crags and forget to help all in the dark valley! Let the earlier ascenders and the later risers be spared the thought of the way of flocking together. Thereafter, marvelously beholding the Great Form and opening the mind to pure illumination, our consciousness will be renewed by awakening and our bodies transformed by conversion. Resting upon lotuses in midstream, sheltered beneath boughs of jade to chant words, fluttering spiritual robes across the eight extremities, and drifting with fragrant breezes through endless years: our bodies will forget ease yet become ever more serene; our minds will transcend joy to delight themselves; looking upon the three paths we will bid them farewell from afar; looking down on the heavenly palaces we will take leave of them forever. Inheriting the tracks of all spirits, we take great rest as our goal. Penetrating this Way—is it not grand!' The Minister of Works Wang Mi, the Army Protector Wang Mo, and others all admired his moral character and paid homage to him as a master from afar. Mi wrote a letter saying: 'I am only forty-seven years old, yet my decline is already like one at sixty.' Huiyuan replied: 'The ancients did not begrudge a foot of jade disk, but treasured an inch of time. Examining what they preserved, it seems they did not preserve longevity. Since you, dānapati, wander in accord with compliance and ride the Buddha's principle to govern the mind, inferring from this, what is there to envy in long life? I think you have long attained this principle; I merely reply to your inquiry.' Earlier, when scriptures flowed east of the Yangtze River, many were incomplete; meditation methods were unheard of, and the Vinaya Pitaka was fragmentary and lacking. Huiyuan greatly cared for the roots of the teaching, grieving over the deficiencies of the Way; he ordered his disciple Fajing and others to seek various scriptures from afar. Traversing sands and snows, they returned only after many years, having obtained Hu manuscripts that could be translated. Whenever he met a guest from the Western Regions, he would earnestly consult and question him. He repeatedly sent envoys into the Pass to invite meditation masters, resolve their points of contention, and translate and issue meditation sūtras. He also invited the Kapiśa śramaṇa Saṃghadeva to translate several scriptures. Therefore, the meditation methods, sūtras, and precepts all issued from Mount Lu, nearly one hundred fascicles in all. Earlier, when the Daśādhyāya-vinaya was translated in the Pass, one remaining portion was unfinished when Puṇyatāra died. Huiyuan constantly lamented its incompleteness. When he heard that Dharmaruci had entered Qin, he sent a letter entreating him to translate the remaining portion in the Pass, so that the single work of the Daśādhyāya became complete without lack. The Jin land obtained the text, which has been handed down to the present day. That the marvelous scriptures beyond the Congling and the superior expositions in the Pass gathered in this land was entirely due to Huiyuan's efforts. The monks of foreign countries all declared that the Han land had a Mahāyāna practitioner of the Way; whenever they burned incense and prostrated, they always faced east to pay homage. The traces of his spiritual principle were indeed unfathomable. He constantly considered that the old interpretations of Zhi [Qian] and Zhu [Fahu] had not exhausted the marvelous reality, so he composed the Treatise on Dharmatā (Faxing lun). Its principle was profound and its prose polished. When Kumārajīva saw it, he sighed and said: 'A man of a border country, not having seen the scriptures, yet dark accords with principle—how marvelous!' Huiyuan diligently propagated the Way and was awe-inspiringly strict for the sake of the Dharma. He frequently sent letters to Kumārajīva to investigate and verify the scriptures; Kumārajīva also esteemed his lofty mind, resonating with him across ten thousand li. Yao Xing admired his renown from afar and sighed at his talents and thoughts; he sent letters attentively, and messages and gifts arrived year after year. He presented him with a stone statue intricately carved with various transformations from Kucha to express his sincerity. He also ordered Yao Song to offer a pearl statue. When the Exegesis on the Great [Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra] was first produced, Yao Xing sent the treatise together with a letter saying: 'The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa has just been completed. Since this was composed by Nāgārjuna and is the ultimate purport of the vaipulya teachings, a preface should be written to proclaim the author's intention. However, these practitioners of the Way all defer to one another, none daring to set their hand to it. Dharma Master, you may write a preface for it to bequeath to later scholars.' Huiyuan replied: 'You wish for me to write a preface to the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa to express the author's intention. This poor monk has heard that what holds great waters cannot be accommodated by a small islet; drawing from the deep cannot be measured by a short rope. Reading and examining it today, I feel ashamed before your lofty command. Moreover, my body is frail and plagued by illness, and I have neglected various matters; it has been a long time since I applied my mind. Because your message is weighty, I have roughly stitched together my thoughts. As for the beauty of deep investigation, that must be entrusted again to illustrious virtues.' His renown was lofty in distant lands like this. Huiyuan often remarked that the sentences and phrases of the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa were numerous and cumbersome, difficult for beginners to study. So he eliminated redundancies and clipped the disorder, giving form to its substance and literary style, compiling it into twenty fascicles. The preface was profound and far-reaching, to bequeath to scholars. Later, Huan Xuan, with his authority that shook the ruler, urgently summoned him; he sent letters and spoke in person, urging him to take office. Huiyuan's words of reply were firm and resolute, unshakeable. His resolve surpassed cinnabar and stone, and in the end he could not be bent. Soon after, Huan Xuan wished to purge the saṃgha, and issued an instruction to his subordinates saying: 'Śramaṇas who are able to explain the scriptures and declarations and fluently expound doctrine, or whose disciplinary practice is disciplined and proper, sufficient to declare and entrust the great transformation—those who violate this shall all be dismissed and sent away. Only Mount Lu, where virtue resides, is not subject to searching and selection.' Earlier, in the time of Emperor Cheng, Yu Bing was assisting in governing; he considered that śramaṇas ought to pay homage to the ruler. The Prefect of the Masters of Writing He Chong submitted a memorial stating that they should not pay homage, and the court deliberations all agreed. Chong's subordinates, following Bing's intention, refuted this; differences were entangled, and in the end nothing could be decided. When Huan Xuan was in Gushu, wishing to make them pay full homage, he wrote to Huiyuan detailing his intention. Huiyuan feared the Great Dharma would fall, and his reply was earnest and incisive, maintaining that the kāṣāya was not attire for court audiences, and the alms bowl was not a vessel for ancestral halls and palaces. He also composed the Treatise on Śramaṇas Not Paying Homage to Rulers (Shamen bu jing wangzhe lun), its phrasing and principles subtle and rigorous. Huan Xuan was moved to realization and in the end did not carry it out. His upholding of the burden of the Dharma was always of this sort. Xie Lingyun, Governor of Linchuan, took pride in his talent and was haughty toward worldly conventions, revering few people; but upon meeting him once, he was awestruck and submissive in heart. From the time Huiyuan settled on Mount Lu for more than thirty years, his shadow never left the mountain and his footsteps never entered worldly realms. Thus when seeing off traveling guests, he always took Tiger Brook as the boundary. In the late Yixi era he died in the Mount Lu vihāra, at the age of eighty-three. His testamentary order was to expose his corpse beneath the pines to be like grass and trees; afterwards his disciples collected and buried him. Xie Lingyun erected a stele beside the tomb, inscribing his bequeathed virtue. Earlier, Huiyuan was skilled at literary composition; his words and bearing were clear and outstanding. In discussions upon his seat, his subtle meanings were succinct and essential. Added to this, his demeanor was dignified and graceful, and his bearing free and easy. Therefore his portrait was painted in the monastery, gazed upon as a model far and wide. The treatises, prefaces, inscriptions, eulogies, poems, and letters he wrote were collected into ten fascicles and more than fifty pieces, and were all valued by the world.

15.9

Biography of Dharma Master Daosheng, Number Four

15.10

Zhu Daosheng was a native of Pengcheng. His family had been scholar-officials for generations; his father was the magistrate of Guangqi and was acclaimed by the local community as a virtuous man. From his youth, Daosheng was brilliant, understanding and insightful as if by divine aid. His father, knowing he was no ordinary vessel, loved him and recognized his exceptional nature. At that time, the śramaṇa Fatai possessed vast and admirable virtue and achievements, and so took him back under his care. Daosheng then took the tonsure and received instruction. Once he entered the Dharma gate, his intellectual brilliance was preeminent. In perusing the scriptural texts, he could recite them after a single glance; tasting the phrasing and meaning, he could immediately interpret them on his own. Thus, at the age of embarking on learning, he already mounted the lecturer's seat. He probed the profound and sought out the hidden, his thinking penetrating to the deep springs. In phrasing questions and debates, his diction was pure as pearls and jade. Even venerated and learned monks and famous scholars of the day suffered defeat in their thoughts and exhaustion in their words, none able to rival him. Even the young Yang [Xiong] participating in profound texts or Lu Lian subduing Tian Ba could not surpass him. When he reached the age for the full precepts, his capacity and discernment advanced by the day. The fame of his lecturing spread throughout the realm. Princes, dukes, and noble elites all heard of his renown and came to his seat; aspiring scholars all ordered their carriages from a thousand li away. Daosheng was elegant and composed, skilled at engaging and guiding others. His nature was ardent yet gentle; his demeanor was pure and solemn. Therefore, whoever participated in conversation with him would invariably open their heart to him. Initially he resided at Longguang Temple, lowering his curtains and devoting himself exclusively to study. During the Long'an era, he moved to the vihāra at Mount Lu, where he secluded himself for seven years to pursue his aspirations. He always considered that the essential key to entering the Way took insightful understanding as its foundation; thus, he drilled into and looked up to the various sūtras, and weighed and deliberated the miscellaneous śāstras. Following the Dharma for ten thousand li, he did not shrink from perilous distances. Thereupon, together with Huirui of Shixing, Huiyan of Dong'an, and Huiguan of Daochang, he traveled to Chang'an to receive instruction from Kumārajīva. The monastic assembly in the Guanzhong region all praised his exceptional understanding. In the fifth year of the Yixi era, he returned to the capital and stayed there. Having traveled and studied for many years, he had completely mastered the sūtras and śāstras. He marvelously penetrated the fountainhead of Nāgārjuna's Mahāyāna, and concurrently comprehended the essentials of Āryadeva's lesser path. Broadening his knowledge through diverse traditions, he summarized them into a unified principle. Then he sighed and said: 'Symbols are used to exhaust meaning; when the meaning is grasped, the symbols are forgotten. Words are used to convey principle; when principle is penetrated, words cease. Since the scriptures flowed east, the translators have faced manifold impediments; most clung to rigid phrasings, rarely revealing the intended meaning. If one can forget the fish-trap and take the fish, then one may discuss the Way with them.' Thereupon, scrutinizing emptiness and existence, and examining cause and effect, he established the doctrines that good deeds do not incur retribution and of sudden enlightenment. Encompassing the old interpretations, his ideas contained subtle and profound principles. Yet those who clung to the literal text mostly harbored resentment and jealousy; voices of approval and condemnation arose in confusion. Furthermore, the six-fascicle Niḥsaraṇa [Da banniepan jing] was the first to arrive in the capital. Daosheng analyzed the buddha-nature and deeply penetrated its subtle profundities, whereupon he stated that even icchantikas can all attain buddhahood. At that time, the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra had not yet reached this land. His solitary brilliance shone forth first, and his independent insight went against the multitude. Thereupon, the faction of traditionalist monks considered this a heterodox doctrine contrary to the scriptures, their mocking and anger growing exceedingly severe. They eventually brought it before the great assembly and expelled him. Amidst the fourfold assembly, Daosheng composed his countenance and took an oath, saying: 'If what I have taught contradicts the meaning of the scriptures, may I manifest a malignant disease in this present body; but if it is not contrary to the true mark of reality, may I occupy the lion throne when I give up my life.' Having spoken, he shook his robes and departed. Traveling by night, he took a boat, and in the seventh year of the Yuanjia era, he retired to Mount Lu, concealing his presence among the rocky crags, serene and self-contented. The monks in the mountain all revered and submitted to him. Soon afterward, the [complete] Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra reached the capital, and it indeed stated that icchantikas all possess buddha-nature, matching his earlier statement like two halves of a tally. Having obtained this sūtra, Daosheng immediately set up a lecture. In the eleventh year of the Yuanjia era of the Song dynasty, in the winter, the tenth month, on the gengzi day, he mounted the Dharma seat in the vihāra of Mount Lu. His countenance was bright and radiant, and his virtuous voice burst forth vigorously. After debating several rounds, he exhausted the principle to its utmost subtlety; not one among the audience failed to be enlightened and delighted. As the Dharma session was drawing to a close, they suddenly saw his fly-whisk drop to the ground. Sitting upright with a composed countenance, he leaned against the armrest and passed away. His complexion did not change, appearing as though he had entered samādhi. Monastics and laypeople marveled in sorrow, and near and far were overcome with grief. Thereupon, the monks of the capital felt inner shame and remorse, and posthumously believed and submitted to him. The supreme manifestation of his spiritual discernment was marked by portents like this. He was subsequently buried on a knoll of Mount Lu. Formerly, Daosheng shared equal fame with Master Rui, as well as Yan and Guan, with whom he had studied together. Therefore, people of the time commented: 'Sheng and Rui burst forth from natural endowment; Yan and Guan attained through deep reservoirs. Huiyi pressed forward forcefully; Kouyuan remained silently unyielding.' That Daosheng and Master Rui were uniquely marked with the title of 'natural endowment' was because they were already preeminent among the multitude of scholars. Earlier, the śramaṇa Faxian had obtained an Indic manuscript of the Mahiśāsaka-vinaya in the Lion Country (Siṃhala), but died before he could translate it. In the eleventh month of the first year of the Jingping era of the Song dynasty, Daosheng invited the Kapiśa vinaya master Buddhajīva to hold the Indic text at Longguang Temple, while the Khotanese śramaṇa Zhisheng translated it. The illumination of this vinaya was indeed Daosheng's achievement. The Guanzhong śramaṇa Sengzhao had earlier annotated the Vimalakīrti[-nirdeśa], which the world unanimously savored; when Daosheng further uncovered its profound import, he made clear and prominent fresh and exceptional insights. Masters of lecturing and scholarship all took his writings as their standard. His commentaries on various scriptures such as the Vimalakīrti, the Lotus Sūtra, the Nirvāṇa, and the Aṣṭasāhasrikā are all treasured by the world.

15.11

Biography of Dharma Master Fonian, Number Five

15.12

Zhu Fonian was a native of Liangzhou. He went forth from home at an early age. His aspirations and practice were firm and refined; externally gentle and internally luminous, he possessed penetrating and quick discernment. He chanted and practiced the various sūtras, and also broadly touched upon non-Buddhist learning; he was particularly clear and practiced in the lexicographical glosses of the Cang [Jie pian] and the [Er]ya. In his youth he was fond of traveling, and thoroughly understood local customs. His family had resided in Xihe for generations, and he had a thorough understanding of regional dialects; of Chinese and barbarian pronunciations and meanings, there was none he did not comprehend. Therefore, although the company of doctrinal scholars was lacking [in him], his renown for extensive learning was prominent. During the counterfeit Jianyuan era of Fu Jian, the foreign śramaṇas Saṃghabhadra and Dharmanandin entered Chang'an. Fu Jian's Palace Secretariat Gentleman Zhao Zheng invited Saṃghabhadra to produce the Indic manuscript of the Vasumitra-śāstra. At that time, none among the famous and virtuous could translate it, and the assembly unanimously recommended Fonian. Thereupon, Saṃghabhadra held the Fan text, while Fonian translated between the barbarian and Chinese [tongues]; determining doubtful points, the pronunciations and characters then became clear. Dharmanandin also produced the Scripture on the Causes and Conditions of Prince Fayid's Ruined Eyes; Fonian proclaimed the translation and also wrote a preface for the sūtra. In the twentieth year of the Jianyuan era, Zheng again invited Dharmanandin to produce the Ekottarika-āgama and the Madhyama-āgama. Doctrinal śramaṇas were gathered within the city of Chang'an to invite Fonian to translate them. Explaining, analyzing, researching, and verifying, it was completed after two years. That the two Āgamas were brilliantly illuminated was through the effort of Fonian. At the beginning of the Hongshi era of Yao Xing, scriptural studies flourished greatly. Fonian successively produced the Bodhisattva-mālā, the Daśabhūmika-saṃyojana-chedana, the Udāna, the Garbha-sūtra, and the Antarābhava-sūtra. Across the two dynasties of Fu and Yao, he was the chief among translators. From the time of An Shigao and Zhi Qian onward, none surpassed Fonian. The monastic assembly of the Guanzhong region all praised him. Later he died in Chang'an. Near and far, lay and monastic, all lamented and mourned him.

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Linked texts (1)

出三藏記集 — 僧祐, Classical Chinese