貞元新定釋教目錄 13.18

13.18

...imperial decree offered condolences and posthumous gifts. Imperial favour was extraordinarily deep, and the gifts granted were exceptionally generous, thereby honouring his achievements in transmitting the Dharma. Mortars ceased pounding and songs ceased; mournfulness filled the suburbs and roads. Looking up in admiration, they laid him in the grave. As the soul-tablet was erected for the return wailing, people grieved in disbelief. More than ten thousand disciples beat their breasts or leaped in mourning. On the third day of the fifth month, the period of wailing for the upādhyāya ended. Secretariat Director Xiao Zhizhong proclaimed the imperial decree: "For the late Tripiṭaka Translation Master Yijing, seven persons should be ordained as monks; let the relevant authorities conduct examinations in accordance with the regulations." On the fifteenth day of that month, the sacred stūpa was completed. Lu Can, Grand Master of the Silver-Blue Radiance, Acting Junior Supervisor of the Palace Library, and Marquis of Tong'an, composed the text; and the śramaṇa Zhixiang of Kaiye Monastery brushed the characters. The inscription reads: "Stūpa Inscription (with Preface) of the Tripiṭaka Translation Master Yijing of Longxing in the Great Tang." The master's taboo name was Wenming, and his courtesy name was Yijing. His secular surname was Zhang, and he was a native of Shanzhuang in Qi Commandery. The master possessed extraordinary spirit and was endowed with innate wisdom. Upon reaching adulthood, he took full ordination and began lecturing on the vinaya. Lamenting the deficiency of texts from the age of seven and sorrowing over the incompleteness of the Five Sciences, he packed provisions, carried his book bag, put on straw sandals, and carried an umbrella. In the second year of Xianheng, he departed from Qi and reached Guangzhou. Boarding a ship on the Southern Sea, he headed straight for Central India. He traversed more than thirty countries over a span of twenty-five years, gathering over four hundred texts of palm-leaf subtle teachings and acquiring more than three hundred genuine relics. His vow to transmit the lamp fulfilled, he shook his staff and returned. In the first year of Zhengsheng, he arrived at the Eastern Capital of Luoyang. By imperial decree, the authorities prepared ceremonies and dispatched monks from Luoyang to welcome him outside the city. Monastics and laypeople crowded together to escort him to Shouji Monastery. Soon afterwards...