開元釋教錄 3.7.4

3.7.4

[Buddhabhadra was] a native of the city of Kapilavastu and a descendant of King Amṛtodana. His grandfather Dharmadeva (which means 'Heaven of the Dharma' in Chinese) once traveled for trade to North Tianzhu, and consequently settled there. His father Dharmasūrya (which means 'Sun of the Dharma' in Chinese) died young. [Buddhabhadra, also called] Xian, was orphaned at the age of three. He lived with his mother for five years, but then lost his mother as well and was raised by maternal relatives. His grandfather's younger brother Kumāri heard of his intelligence and also pitied his solitary plight, so he brought him back and ordained him as a śrāmaṇera. When he reached seventeen years of age, he practiced recitation together with several fellow students. While all the others took a month, Xian completed his recitation in a single day. His master sighed and said, 'In a single day, Xian matches thirty men!' When he received the full precepts, he was diligent in his cultivation, studied the various sūtras widely, and achieved comprehensive understanding in many of them. In his youth he was renowned for meditation and the vinaya. He once traveled to Jibin together with his fellow student Saṅghadatta and stayed there for several years. Although Datta admired his talent and intelligence, he could not fathom the measure of the man. Later, when [Datta] was sitting in meditation behind closed doors in a secluded room, he suddenly saw Xian arrive, and asked in surprise where he had come from. [Xian] replied, 'I briefly went to Tuṣita to pay homage to Maitreya.' Having spoken, he disappeared. Datta knew he was a sage, but still could not gauge his depth. Later, seeing Xian's supernormal transformations on several occasions, he reverently inquired of him and only then learned that he had attained the fruit of a non-returner (anāgāmin). [Buddhabhadra] constantly wished to travel widely to spread the teaching and observe local customs. It happened that the Qin monk Zhiyan traveled west to Jibin. Seeing the pure assembly of monks of the Dharma, he looked back east with a sigh and said, 'My peers possess the aspiration for the Path, yet without encountering a true master, they have no means to gain awakening.' He then inquired among the saṅgha of that country as to who was capable of spreading the teachings in the Eastern Land. All said, 'There is Buddhabhadra, who was born in the city of Nagarahāra in Tianzhu. His clan has from generation to generation honored the study of the Path. Having left home as a boy, he already thoroughly comprehended the sūtras and śāstras. In his youth he received instruction from the great meditation master Buddhasena.' Buddhasena was also in Jibin at the time, and he said to Zhiyan, 'The one who can support the monastic assembly and propagate the methods of meditation is Buddhabhadra.' Since Zhiyan's earnest request was most urgent, Xian took pity and consented. Thereupon he took leave of the community, bade farewell to his master, packed provisions, and journeyed east. Traveling by foot for three years, he passed through many seasons of cold and heat. After crossing the Congling (Pamir Mountains), he passed through six kingdoms. The kings of those kingdoms, pitying his distant mission of conversion, all generously offered material support. Reaching Jiaozhi, he boarded a ship and traveled by sea. As they passed beneath an island, Xian pointed to the mountain and said, 'We may stop here.' The shipmaster said, 'Travelers treasure their time, and favorable winds are hard to meet; we cannot halt.' Having traveled over two hundred li, the wind suddenly shifted and blew the ship back beneath the island. The passengers then realized his spiritual power, and all took him as their master, obeying his decisions on whether to advance or halt. Later, when they met a favorable wind and their companions all set sail, Xian said, 'You must not move.' The shipmaster then remained. Soon afterward, those who had departed first were all wrecked and lost. Later, in the dark of night, he suddenly ordered all the ships to set sail together. None were willing to follow him. Xian himself rose, hauled up the cable, and his ship alone departed. Shortly thereafter, bandits arrived, and those who had stayed behind were all plundered and harmed. Before long, he reached Donglai Commandery in Qingzhou. Hearing that Kumārajīva was in Chang'an, he went to join him. Kumārajīva was delighted, and they discussed the characteristics of phenomena together, opening up the subtle and profound, which yielded many beneficial insights. [Kumārajīva] then asked Kumārajīva—[Buddhabhadra] said to Kumārajīva: 'Your explanations do not go beyond ordinary human thought, yet you have attained such great renown; why is that?' Kumārajīva said, 'It is only because of my advanced age; why must it be worthy of praise?' Whenever Kumārajīva had doubtful points of doctrine, he would certainly consult and resolve them with him. At that time, the Qin ruler Yao Xing was dedicated to the scriptures and teachings, supporting more than three thousand monks, all of whom frequented the palace and actively engaged in worldly affairs. Only Xian maintained quietude, refusing to be like the rest. Later, he said to his disciples, 'Yesterday I saw five ships set sail together from my homeland.' The disciples then conveyed this to outsiders, and the established monks of the Guanzhong region all considered it an ostentation of miracles to delude the masses. Furthermore, while Xian was greatly promoting meditation practice in Chang'an, those from the four quarters who took pleasure in tranquility heard of his reputation and arrived. However, students differed in the depth of their training, and their attainment of the Dharma varied in degree. Frivolous and deceitful individuals took advantage of this to be crafty and evasive. There was a disciple who, having practiced slight contemplation, declared himself to have attained the fruit of an anāgāmin. Xian did not immediately examine and interrogate him, which led to circulating rumors and severe slander against him, and unforeseen disaster was imminent. Thereupon, among his followers, some concealed their names and slipped away, while others scaled walls and fled by night; within half a day, the community had almost completely dispersed. Xian remained calm and was entirely untroubled. At that time, the established monks Sengzhao, Daoheng, and others said to Xian, 'The Buddha did not even permit proclaiming one's own attained dharmas. You previously said that five ships were about to arrive, which was empty and unfounded. Moreover, your disciples deceive and confuse, causing conflict and dissension. Since this violates the vinaya, it is unreasonable for us to live together. You should leave at once and not stay long.' Xian said, 'My body is like drifting duckweed; leaving or staying is very easy. I only regret that my cherished hopes have not been realized, which causes me sorrow.' Thereupon he departed together with more than forty people, including his disciple Huiguan. His spirit was poised, without any trace of distress. Those who recognized the truth all lamented together, and several thousand monks and laypeople saw him off. When Yao Xing heard of his departure, he felt regret and said to Daoheng, 'The śramaṇa Foxian (Buddhabhadra) traveled here holding the Path, wishing to propagate the bequeathed teachings. Before his words could be spoken, it is truly deeply regrettable! How could the fault of a single word cause myriad men to be left without guidance?' He therefore ordered envoys to pursue him. Xian said to the emissary, 'I truly appreciate the gracious intention, but I am unable to obey the command.' Thereupon he led his companions on a night march south toward Mount Lu. The śramaṇa Huiyuan of Mount Lu had long admired his virtue, so he sent an envoy into the Pass bearing a letter of invitation. When [Xian] later arrived at Mount Lu, they rejoiced as old friends. Huiyuan considered that Xian's expulsion had been caused by his disciples' fault; and regarding the prediction of the five ships, it had only been spoken among close associates, so there was no transgression of the vinaya. He therefore sent his disciple Tanyong to deliver letters to the Qin ruler Yao and the community of monks in Guanzhong to resolve the matter of his expulsion. Huiyuan then invited [Buddhabhadra] to translate various sūtras on meditation and numerical doctrines. Xian's aspiration was to wander and convert others, seeking no permanent dwelling. Having stayed at the mountain for about a year, he went west again to Jiangling. He encountered foreign shipmasters, and upon questioning them, they were indeed the five ships from Tianzhu he had previously seen. The gentry and commoners throughout the region vied to come and pay him homage, but he accepted none of their offerings. Carrying his bowl for alms-begging, he made no distinction between the noble and the humble. At that time, Yuan Bao of Chen Commandery served as Senior Clerk to the Grand Commander of Emperor Wu of the Song dynasty. When Emperor Wu went south to chastise Liu Dun, Bao accompanied the headquarters and arrived in Jiangling. Xian took his disciple Huiguan to visit Bao to beg for food. Bao had never been respectful or devout, and treated them very shabbily. Before they were full, [Xian] made his excuses to leave. Bao said, 'You seem not to have had enough; please stay a little longer.' Xian said, 'The donor's intention to give is limited, so what has been provided is already exhausted.' Bao immediately called his attendants to add more rice, but the rice was indeed gone. Bao felt great shame. Afterwards he asked Huiguan, 'What kind of man is this śramaṇa?' Guan said, 'His virtue and capacity are exalted and vast, beyond what ordinary minds can measure.' Bao deeply marveled at him and reported this to the Grand Commander. The Grand Commander requested to meet him, revered him greatly, and supplied him abundantly with provisions. Soon...