宣公上人講於一九八七年四月二十四日
A Lecture by Venerable Master Hua at Gold Mountain Monastery on Apr 24, 1987
師俗姓張，東晉陜西長安人，家貧，繕寫為生。博覽群經，對老莊之學，研究深入，讀道德經時，而感慨曰：「美則美矣，未盡善也。」後閱摩詰經契入，乃離塵脫俗，不久通達三藏。二十歲時，至甘肅姑臧，親近鳩摩羅什三藏法師，學般若。後同什公同返長安，於逍遙園，助譯大乘經典，介紹龍樹菩薩思想，如中論、十二門論、大智度論。師著般若無知論、不真空論、物不遷論、涅槃無名論，統稱肇論，對中國哲學有所貢獻。惜壽不長，年三十一，卒於長安。據說為姚興所害。臨 刑時，作偈曰：「四大原無主，五陰本來空，將頭臨白刃，猶如斬春風」云云。
Dharma Master Sengzhao’s lay surname was Zhang; he was born into a poor family in Shanxi Province Chang’An City during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Impoverished, he had to make a living by being a calligraphist-scribe. He was immersed widely in numerous Chinese scriptures and especially became seasoned with the Taoist works of Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi. When he read the Tao Te Ching (the Classic of Virtue), he lamented, “ It is really beautiful, yet it is not perfect.” Upon reading the Vimalakirti Sutra, he gained entry into Dharma. Then he transcended the mundane world by renouncing the householder’s life to become a monk, and soon he penetrated the Tripitaka, the Three Baskets of Buddhist Cannon.
At age twenty, he reached Guzang of Gansu Province, and drew near Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva to learn Prajna Paramita. Later, they returned to Chang’an, and in Garden Carefree, he helped Master Kumarajiva translate the Mahayana Sutra texts and introduced Bodhisattva Nagarjuna (Dragon Tree)’s thoughts, such as the Madhyamaka Shastra, Shastra of the Twelve Doors, and Shastra on the Great Perfection of Wisdom.
Dharma Master wrote Ignorant Prajna Paramita, Not Real Empty, Things are Not Moving, and Nameless Nirvana—all of these comprise the Zhao-Lun (Canonical Commentaries by Master Sengzhao), contributing to the Chinese philosophy. It was a pity that his life wasn’t long—he passed away in Chang’an at the age of 31. It was said that Yao Xing (king of Later Qin) had him executed. Before he died, he wrote the following verse:
The Four Elements have no self;
The Five Skandhas are originally empty.
I place my head on the chopping block,
Regard it to be chopping the spring breeze.
贊曰 A verse in praise says:
博洽淹貫 達登彼岸
光芒萬丈 破無明絆
生死自由 名利早斷
白刃臨頭 春風滿面
Erudition marks his scholarship,
The Other Shore marks his achievement.
His light radiates thousands of feet high
Tearing apart the net of ignorance.
He gains mastery over birth and death,
And breaking free of fame and fortune early on (long ago).
The sharp blade falling on his neck,
Just like the spring breeze blowing at his face.
又說偈曰 Another verse says:
賽霜欺雪志高潔 寒巖獨坐狂心歇
松柏青春傲冷歲 金剛堅堅度熱劫
英年未展沖天願 今日猶存滿地歌
偉哉丈夫當如是 威武不屈真豪傑
His ideal and will are purer than the frost or snow, his aspiration noble and lofty.
Solitude in the cold cave, he puts to rest his wild mind.
The pines are evergreen and brave the coldest season.
Vajra is adamant even through ages of blazing heat.
Befallen in the prime of his life with his lofty vows unrealized.
Today, we still hear praise for him everywhere.
Valiant indeed, a man like this. Indomitable, a true hero he is.
【淺釋】Commentary:
僧肇法師聰明有餘而壽命不足，也可以說是天妒博才，故早逝。這位法師俗姓張，是陜西長安人。年輕時以繕寫文字為生。在晉朝當時，印刷術尚未流行故需抄寫。他給人抄寫的文字包括世俗文字及出世文字，經典等等。因繕寫的緣故，所以博覽群經。他看了很多書，自修的功夫很圓滿。
Dharma Master Sengzhao was very intelligent, but did not live long — his passing at a young age can be considered a typical case of “Heaven is jealous of those talented.” Master Sengzhao’ surname was Zhang, and he came from Chang’an, Shannxi Province, and lived during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. When he was young, he made a living by being a scribe for others. At that time, printing technology was not widely used, so text copying had to be manually done. The copy-writing he did for others included both secular and religious texts, such as scriptures or Sutras. Because of the nature of his work, he became deeply immersed and well-read in the Classics and spiritual texts, resulting in his well-rounded self-cultivation.
道德經上說：「道可道，非常道。名可名，非常名。無名天地之始，有名萬物之母。故常無欲，以觀其妙；常有欲，以觀其徼。此兩者，同出而異名。同謂之玄。玄之又玄，眾妙之門。」老子又說：「上善若水，水善利萬物而不爭，處眾人之所惡，故幾於道。」僧肇法師讀後感慨說：「美則美矣，未盡善也。」盡美而沒有盡善；沒有好到極點。
The Tao Te Ching says, “The Tao that can be described is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name. Conceived as having no name, it is the origin of Heaven and Earth; conceived as having a name, it is the Mother of all things. Always without desire, we must be, then it’s a deep wonder we would see; but if the desire is always within us, its outer fringe is all that we shall see. These two aspects have the same origin but differ in names. Together, we call them the Mystery. Where the Mystery among the mysterious is, it is the Gate of All Wonders .”
Laozi also said, “The highest good is like water. It benefits all without contending. It occupies the lowest places that people dislike. Thus, it is closest to the Way.”
After reading it, Master Sengzhao sighed and said, “Beautiful as it (Tao Te Ching) is, it is not ultimate.” This means that the principles of Tao Te Ching are extremely well-said, but they have not yet reached the ultimate level.
以後他看維摩詰經而有所契入，有所覺悟。甚麼叫「覺悟」？「覺悟」就是知其不可爲而不為，知其可為而為。就是要去除自己的貪瞋癡慢疑五鈍使；去除習氣毛病，做一個完整的人，能諸惡不作，眾善奉行。自己能和經典合而為一，無所分別；經就是自己，自己就是經。這才是真讀經，真明白，真開悟了。否則，經是經，你是你，文字是文字。譬如讀論語，真讀書人要能設身處地，身體力行，躬行實踐，才能和文字打成一片。不會讀書的人，雖明白道理亦不能實行，做不到就和理論沒有合而為一。僧肇法師閱維摩詰經有所契入，他和經互相打成一片，沒有分別，分不開了。
Later, when he read the Vimalakirti Sutra, he penetrated its principles and had some awakening. What is called “Awakening?” “Awakening” is knowing what is wrong, not doing it, and knowing and doing what is right. It is to rid yourself of the Five Fetters of Afflictions: greed, hatred, stupidity, arrogance, and doubt. It is to eliminate bad habits rectify mistakes, and become wholesome, thus doing no evil but offering up all good. Master Sengzhao attained the state of being one with the Sutra without any distinction between him and the Sutra; i.e., he is the embodiment of the Sutra. This is truly reading and truly understanding Sutras and Awakening. Otherwise, the Sutra remains the Sutra, you will be you, and the words will be words. For example, when reading “The Analects,” a true scholar fully empathizes with its teachings and is considerate of other people, and wholeheartedly and humbly puts its principles into actual practice. This is the meaning of embodiment with the texts and penetrating its meanings and principles. Those who do not know the true way of learning may understand the principles but cannot actualize them and thus do not embody the texts. Master Sengzhao read the Vimalakirti Sutra and penetrated its principles, therefore uniting with it without any distinction or differentiation between him and the Sutra.
他看經契入之後，離塵脫俗，出家不久便通達三藏。二十一歲時到姑臧去親近鳩摩羅什法師。在逍遙園幫助鳩摩羅什法師翻譯大乘經典，這是很神聖及有意義的工作。他以龍樹菩薩的思想作為其中心思想，助譯有中論、十二門論、大智度論等等。又著有般若無知論、不真空論、物不遷論、涅槃無名論，統稱肇論。
After penetrating and uniting with the principles of the Sutra, he resolved to leave the mundane defiled dust, and shortly thereafter, he left the home-life. Not long after he left home, he became well-versed in the Tripataka. At twenty-one, he went to Guzang (today’s Wuwei, Gansu, China) and drew near Dharma Master Kumarajiva. At the Garden of Ease, he helped Dharma Master Kumarajiva translate various Mahayana Sutras, which were sacred and meaningful work. He adopted the mindset of Dragon Tree Bodhisattva as his main school of thought. He assisted in translating Madhyamaka Shastra, Treatise of the Twelve Aspects, and Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom. He authored Treatise of Prajna’s “Ignorance,” Not-Real-Emptiness Treatise, Things-Are-Not-Moving Treatise, Namelessness-of-Nirvana Treatise, collectively called The Zhao’s Discourses (Chao-Lun, or Zhao-Lun).
這位法師大概受天妒嫉，姚興稱他有罪而要殺他，臨刑時他具有英雄氣概，作偈說：「四大原無主，五陰本來空，將頭臨白刃，猶如斬春風。」這話說得豪氣萬千，千秋萬古都能看到他這種「富貴不能淫，威武不能屈，貧賤不能移」的英雄氣概。他的志願高尚，不為勢力所屈服。他不貪生怕死，不同流合污，這股浩然正氣和四祖道信禪師差不多。唐太宗派使臣請四祖入宮，請了三、四次，他都不去，最後唐太宗告訴使臣說：「這回他再不來，就要把他的頭請來。」使臣再三請四祖去，四祖仍然拒絕不去。使臣說：「若不去，要將你的頭斬去。」四祖聽說皇帝要請他的頭去，便把眼睛一閉，頭一伸，等待使臣來斬頭。結果使臣沒有採取行動，因為皇帝吩咐祇可說，不可真斬他的頭。四祖便說：「你現在知道世界有不怕死的人！」僧肇法師和四祖的這種氣概亦相同。
This Dharma Master probably made the Heavens jealous of him. Yao Xing, the ruler of Latter Qin, had him executed for the alleged offenses that he was innocently accused of. At the time of his execution, the Dharma Master faced it fearlessly, and with great heroism, he composed a verse:
He said this with an undaunted spirit. For all eternity, he will be recognized for his heroic spirit, as he could never be corrupted by riches or status, never be subdued by force or coercion, and never be shaken by poverty or lowliness. (from the Mencius)
With such noble character, no power could bring him down to his knees; he was not afraid of death and did not go along with others’ evil, which resembled that of the Fourth Patriarch, Chan Master Daoxin.
During the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong sent three or four invitations to the Fourth Patriarch, but each time, the Patriarch declined the invitation. The Emperor finally told his official, “If he is still not coming this time, bring his head back.” The official tried repeatedly to persuade the Patriarch to accept the invitation, but the Patriarch still declined. The official then said, “If you don’t come this time, I will have to chop your head off and take it back!” When the Fourth Patriarch heard that the Emperor wanted his head, he closed his eyes, stuck out his head, and waited for the official to chop it off. However, the official did not do it because the Emperor told him to just threaten the Patriarch but not to actually do it. The Fourth Patriarch then said, “Now you know there are such people in the world who are not afraid of death!” Hence, Dharma Master Sengzhao and the Fourth Patriarch have the same heroic spirit.
Tearing apart the net of ignorance.
Light he radiates ten thousand feet high,
Net of ignorance thus he tears apart.
He radiates light ten thousands feet across the land.
贊曰 A verse in praise says:
「博洽淹貫」：他博閱經典，深入經藏，智慧如海。
Erudition marks his scholarship. He widely read the Classics and the Sutras and understood them profoundly; his wisdom was like the sea.
「達登彼岸」：他已經明白，無所恐懼，時時都有浩然正氣充塞天地。
The Other Shore marks his achievement. He had fully understood the Ultimate Truth, and lived free from any fear; his righteous energy constantly pervaded Heaven and Earth.
「光芒萬丈」：僧肇法師的智慧光芒，高射萬丈。
His light radiates thousands of feet high. Dharma Master Sengzhao’s wisdom rays reached tens of thousands of feet high.
「破無明絆」：「無明」就是一般人所不了解的，明明知道不好的事還要去做。這就是無明還沒有破，不知是怎回事。為甚麼不去習氣毛病，而讓無明絆著自己？但僧肇法師已破這無明殼了。
Tearing apart the net of ignorance. “Ignorance” means not understanding; ordinary people clearly know that something is bad, yet still go for it. That is when ignorance hasn’t been broken through, thus they don’t know what’s going on. How pitiful that they do not get rid of their bad habits , and continue to let ignorance hinder them! In contrast, Master SengzChao had already broken through the shell of ignorance.
「生死自由」：他視生與死沒有兩樣。
He gains mastery over birth and death. He regarded that birth and death as the same.
「名利早斷」：對名利也早就看斷。
He broke free of fame and fortune early on (long ago).
「白刃臨頭」：臨斬時，毫無畏懼，視死如歸。
The sharp blade fell on his neck. Just before being beheaded, he was not the least bit scared because he viewed death as just like returning home.
「春風滿面」：白刃斬頭時，他依然歡歡喜喜，一點也不憂愁。
Just like the spring breeze blowing at his face. When he was about to be beheaded, he was happy without the slightest worry.
又說偈曰 Another verse says：
「賽霜欺雪志高潔」：他高尚的氣節比霜及雪更純潔。
His ideal and will is purer than the frost or snow, his aspiration noble and lofty. His noble character was purer than the frost and snow.
「寒巖獨坐狂心歇」：和他志同道合的人很少，他是很孤獨，故似寒巖獨坐，狂心歇，他無狂心，故認識了本體。
Solitude in the cold cave, he puts to rest his wild mind. There are very few like-minded cultivators; he is very solitary, comparable to someone sitting in the cold mountain cave alone; yet, because of this, he was able to put the wild mind to rest and recognize the true original substance.
「松柏青青傲冷歲」：松柏是常青綠的，天譽愈冷，它愈青。
The pines are evergreen and brave the coldest season. Pines are evergreen; the colder it is, the greener it becomes.
「金剛堅堅度熱劫」：金剛被火燒煉也不會壞，它很堅固。
Vajra is adamantine even through ages of blazing heat. Vajra remains solid even when smelted in the blazing fire. It is very adamantine.
「英年未展沖天願」：天不假年，他遇到怨家夭星，在三十一歲時就被殺了。
Befallen in the prime of his life with his lofty vows unrealized. Heaven did not give the years to him; he encountered his fatal enemy from past lives and was killed at the age of thirty-one.
「今日猶存滿地歌」：現在佛教裡還有很多人很佩服這位僧肇法師。
Today, we still hear praises about him everywhere. In Buddhist communities, there are still many who admire Master Sengzhao.
「偉哉丈夫當如是」：他能做頂天立地的奇男子，大丈夫。
Valiant indeed, a man like this. Standing high between Heaven and Earth, he was truly a great and rare hero.
「威武不屈真豪傑」：他是真正的人中之龍。
Indomitable, a true hero he is! He was really a towering figure among people. ♦