Translation of Terms Collection (翻譯名義集)

Record of the Deeds of Master Purun of Jingde Temple in Suzhou

Master Puyun, whose Dharma name was Fayun and courtesy name Tianrui, called himself Wuji Zi. His secular surname was Ge, and his family had lived for generations in Caiyun Village of Changzhou. His parents prayed to the Buddha, and his mother dreamed of a Sanskrit monk who said, "I wish to place my spirit here." When he was born, his face was just as in the dream, with extraordinarily auspicious marks. As an infant, when he saw monks he would happily try to run toward them, as if he had found a precious toy. At the age of five he left his parents and took the monk Cixing Pang as his teacher. From the beginning of his training at home, his sharp intelligence showed itself. The following year, he could recite the seven fascicles of the Lotus Sutra from memory. At nine he shaved his head, and at ten he received full ordination. Because of the Dharma he had received, he soon ascended the seat and preached the precepts to the assembly. In the fourth year of the Shaosheng era, he set out to travel and study. He first met Master Tongzhao and studied the great Tiantai teachings. Next he went to Master Min of Tianzhu and carefully received the profound discourses. Finally, at the moment of perfect accord, he received the Dharma from the great Master Qingbian of Nanping, and took up the position of teaching on his behalf, expounding it widely for the assembly. Before long his virtuous reputation spread in all directions, and his good name flew far. In the seventh year of the Zhenghe era, the commandery governor, the cabinet scholar and grand master of remonstrance Ying Andao, respectfully invited him to serve as abbot of Dajue Teaching Monastery in Songjiang, and further recommended him for his present title, while students gathered like rivers flowing east. Over eight years, he taught the Lotus Sutra, the Golden Light Sutra, the Nirvana Sutra, and the Vimalakirti Sutra, both great and small portions, continuing past sundown until dawn, pouring out abundant compassion. Later, because his kind mother was advanced in years, he thought of repaying his parents' kindness, and so he resigned his duties and returned home, building a hut by the ancestral graves called Cangyun. Although the place was small, travelers on foot were especially many, and those who stopped to ask the way filled the area outside his door. He also made images of the Three Sages of the West and broadly used them to convert people. Later, when his mother had a slight illness, the master stayed by her bedside and night after night lectured on the Heart Sutra and recited the name of Amitabha Buddha. The Buddha emitted golden light, and his mother and all around her saw it. After these wonderful signs, she passed away peacefully; among the ashes after cremation were relics as bright as round pearls. Several days later, two stalks of lotus flowers appeared, and from this one can know where she was reborn. Comparing this with that, at the crossing of the great principle, the path may seem to diverge. Yet when a perfected person accords with principle, where would they not follow? Thus our World-Honored One ascended to Trayastrimsa Heaven to teach the Dharma in repayment of kindness, and the monk Angulimala in particular practiced filial conduct. In the jiazi year of the Shaoxing era, the monks of the monastery led the assembly to the Yun Hut to invite the master back to the monastery and serve as the community's support. After accepting, the next year he welcomed the images into the monastery with his disciples, opened the flower pavilion to house them, and greatly held the flourishing Lotus Society assembly, gathering a thousand people to undertake the Contemplation Sutra course and recite the Buddha of original nature and mind-only. He also established the Eight Precepts fasting assembly, as well as assemblies for the Golden Light Sutra, Lotus Sutra, Great Compassion, Perfect Enlightenment, and Diamond Sutra, all as aids for rebirth in the West. Scholars and worthy men, good believers of the four assemblies, admiring the master's lofty character, came in such crowds that the roads were blocked, and some who strove to be first among those who went ultimately attained transcendence. Such people as Wang Ling, a presented scholar of Jinjiang; Zhang Qi, a tribute scholar of Wulin; Wu Yanying, a national college student of Sanqu; Jin Tinggui, a advanced scholar of Jiayao; and the laywoman Qian of Wuhui, among several others, all were born in the Pure Land.

The Dharma Master was thoroughly versed in the scriptures and histories, encompassing both ancient and modern learning. He possessed the talents of the eight accomplishments and embodied the virtues of the ten qualities. He compiled the *Collection of Translated Terms and Meanings*, wrote annotations on the *Diamond Sutra* and *Commentary and Subcommentary on the Heart Sutra*, and authored the *Collection of Resting in the Shade*, among other works, all of which circulated in the world. In all things he upheld the sacred teaching and promoted the mountain tradition. Having perfected both self-cultivation and the teaching of others, his work was complete.

One day he called for a bath, changed his robes, and sat upright facing west. He summoned his disciples and said: "Each of you should contemplate the fire of impermanence burning throughout the world. Seek your own liberation early, and take care never to be lazy or negligent." He then wrote a verse:

*The jade tree towers into the clouds, The purple-gold terrace is higher still. Born without birth in that land, Unmoving by even a hair's breadth.*

"Take this and my farewell letter to the learned ones. My final request is that the head of the Hall of Concentration and Wisdom and the Dharma Master of the Precious Banner conduct the casket-raising and cremation accordingly. There is nothing else."

Having spoken, he silently passed away. That night the sound of bells was heard far away, and a rare fragrance filled the room. After the casket was sealed with its curtain, the assembly still heard the Master reciting the Buddha's name, clear and bright in their ears. It was the twenty-first day of the ninth month of the twenty-eighth year of Shaoxing. He lived in the world for seventy-one years and had been a monk for sixty-one years. When the fragrant firewood was lit, the relics were beyond counting.

Ah! Without the vast ocean, there would be no room for waves that churn the sky; without the boundless desert, there would be no space to spread wings that hang from heaven. Now the Dharma Master extends his broad and long tongue, riding the whirlwind and spiraling updrafts upon the sea of all-wisdom, soaring into the heaven of ultimate meaning—even the ancient eminent monks would not surpass him by much. Recently, when the Dharma Master's statue was being made, his disciple, the Great Master Wenbian, recorded his deeds and placed them inside the statue's repository. Though I am unworthy and untalented, I have presumptuously taken it upon myself to edit and polish this account, to set it forth as a marker—wishing to proclaim and exalt the virtues of our patriarch, so that his descendants may know them and pass them on.

In the fifth year of Dade, the year being Xinchou, on the ninth day of the ninth month, recorded by Puxia, the Great Master of Auspicious Eloquence, successor-abbot of Yongding Teaching Monastery.