Biography of the Venerable Master Deyou, Triple-Dynasty Court Chaplain of Qinglong Temple in Great Tang
Our late master, the monk Huiguo, was surnamed Ma. He was from Guiming Village in Wannian County, Jingzhao Prefecture. At the young age of nine, he followed the monk Tanzhen—a former state preceptor for three reigns, a purple-robed sutra-reciting monk of the Inner Chapel at the Shengfo Monastery—and resolved to study the scriptures. By the age of seventeen, due to his connection with his master who was constantly engaged in recitation at the Inner Chapel and seldom emerged, he sought instruction in the Great Buddha Peak and Suiqiu mantras from the Tripitaka Master at the Xingfusi Monastery.
At nineteen, he received the consecration and flower-scattering ceremony from the Tripitaka Master, attaining the Bodhisattva of Turning the Dharma Wheel. The master said, "I attained this venerable one through flower-scattering in Southern India. It is no different now. After I am gone, you will broadly propagate the great teaching of the Dharanis, just as I have." In the eighth year of the Dali era, in early March, an imperial decree established an Equal Enlightenment Dharma Platform at the Cien Monastery. The master from Shengfo Monastery, following the Cien Monastery decree to set up the platform, petitioned: "This humble monk has two novices, aged twenty, who are fit to receive the full precepts. I dare not presume to tonsure them and grant them monastic status on my own authority. I humbly beg Your Sacred Compassion to permit your servant to return to the monastery to confer upon these two novices the precepts, robes, and alms bowls." An imperial decree granted a razor. Before the Great Buddha Hall of Qinglong Monastery, the master, by decree, tonsured the two novices and bestowed upon them two sets each of monastic robes and alms bowls. An official decree granted them residence at the monastery. Palace envoys escorted the master to the Cien Monastery to complete the procedure. He then re-entered the palace to thank the emperor: "Your servant, a humble monk of this realm, thanks Your Sacred Compassion for granting these two novices monastic ordination and the precepts, robes, alms bowls, razor, official decree, and for having envoys escort them to the Cien Monastery platform where the precepts were conferred. This humble monk is overwhelmed with gratitude." After receiving the precepts, at age twenty-two, he further sought instruction from Master Xuanchao, a disciple of the Tripitaka Master Wuji, in the Great Compassion Womb Matrix, Vairocana Great Yoga Teaching, the Susiddhi Great Yoga Method, and the yogic practices of various deities. Each was personally transmitted to him with precise instruction.
He also sought instruction from the Tripitaka Master at the Daxingshan Monastery in the *Vajrasekhara Great Yoga King Sutra* methods and the secret mudras of the yogic practices of various deities, receiving direct guidance. Our late master presented all the imperial gifts he had received within the palace to the Tripitaka Master as an offering for the grace of receiving the Dharma. Often, he would fast and set periods for practice in his quarters, reciting the texts numerous times.
At twenty-five, by special imperial decree, he was summoned to the palace at the Changsheng Hall. At that time, an imperial order called for an inquiry: "What spiritual efficacy does the master possess?" He replied, "This humble monk has no efficacy to speak of." By imperial command, he was immediately tested. Eight novices were summoned for examination and empowerment. Everything asked by imperial command was accomplished—turning vases, joining bamboo—all achieved successfully. The emperor was greatly pleased.
By the tenth year of Dali, a separate imperial decree granted him the East Pagoda Courtyard within his monastery to establish a Vairocana Consecration Platform, with seven monks performing recitations. In the eleventh year of Dali, he performed empowerments for Emperor Daizong, who recovered promptly. An imperial decree bestowed a pair of purple robes. He verbally petitioned, not daring to accept them, and immediately returned them. The decree stated, "We have already bestowed purple robes upon the master. Why do you not accept them?" He petitioned, "A humble monk of this realm is overwhelmed by the honor of being granted purple robes and should accept them immediately. However, as my own master received purple robes from the previous emperor, it is not fitting for a disciple to be equal to his master." The emperor said, "The master is greatly filial. This was Our error." The decree stated, "In other lineages and among different surnames, the heart of reverence and filial piety is upheld. From now on, you are worthy to be a State Preceptor." He was then bestowed a pair of brown robes.
By imperial command, he performed empowerments for Princess Huayang, who recovered after three days. Later, between the hours of *shen* and *wei*, the princess suddenly lost her speech. The emperor and the palace retinue all came forward. The master petitioned, "The weather is hot. I request that Your Majesty and the palace retinue step back briefly while this humble monk performs an empowerment. She will recover immediately." The princess then recovered, her speech clear and distinct. The emperor was greatly delighted and bestowed one hundred bolts of silk and a pair of garments.
He thanked the decree: "Your servant, a humble monk of this realm, thanks Your Sacred Compassion for bestowing silk and garments. I am overwhelmed with gratitude." (After three days, a verbal petition was made to move the princess.) Throughout the Dali era, all the monetary gifts bestowed upon him, totaling over one thousand strings of cash, were entirely used for meritorious works beneath the pagoda.
In the thirteenth year of Dali, he petitioned to make two successive circuits to the Southern Terrace. As the master petitioned, he performed recitations at the Guanyin Terrace. Late into the night, the great sage Guanyin manifested an immense form within a great moon disc, radiant as the bright sun, amid pure and luminous auspicious clouds. Several hundred people witnessed and paid respects from afar simultaneously.
In the thirteenth year of Dali, within the Changsheng Hall Inner Chapel, following the passing of the Tripitaka Master who had transmitted the Dharma and performed consecrations for three reigns, an imperial edict addressed Huiguo: "After the passing of the Tripitaka Master, We feared the Dharma would have no one to continue it. We have heard you have mastered the great Dharma. Since all depends on conditions and state affairs, the methods of recitation you received from the master may have been largely forgotten. On another day, when We summon you to inquire about the Dharma, that will be your position." Fifteenth day of the tenth month, thirteenth year of Dali, proclaimed by Gao Li Xiancheng.
At the beginning of the Jianzhong era, the monk Bianhong from the country of Heling presented a set of bronze cymbals to the Shengfo Monastery, along with two conch shells and four bronze vases, which he offered to the master as供养, seeking instruction in the Womb Matrix Vairocana Great Dharma. In the second year of Jianzhong, the Silla monk Huiri presented gifts from his country to the master, seeking instruction in the Womb Matrix, Vajra Realm, Susiddhi, and the yogic practices of about thirty deities. After receiving them and mastering them thoroughly, he later returned to his own country to broadly propagate the great teaching. Through sincere practice, fasting, and recitation, *siddhi* manifested before him. He then soared by day to the palace of the Indian king to pay respects and seek the Dharma. A voice in the sky said, "In the great Tang country to the west, there is a secret Dharma. The Dharma resides at Qinglong Monastery." In the same year, the Silla monk Wuzhen received instruction in the Vairocana Womb Matrix and the teaching methods for reciting various deities.
By the fifth year of Zhenyuan, he traveled to Central India. The Sanskrit fascicle of the *Great Vairocana Sutra* and other scriptures were lost when he died in Tibet. Disciples of the monastery, the monks Yiming, Yiman, and Yicheng, simultaneously sought instruction from the master in about thirty texts including the Vairocana Womb Matrix and Susiddhi sutras.
In the fifth year of Zhenyuan, by imperial decree, seven monks were ordered to pray for rain in the Great Buddha Hall of the monastery. On the seventh night, sufficient rain fell. Each was bestowed one bolt of silk and ten bundles of tea in thanks. By decree, the Right Guard was ordered to welcome the true body into the palace.
On a day in the fourth month of the sixth year of Zhenyuan, by decree, the monk Huiguo was ordered to enter the palace at the Changsheng Hall to perform recitations for the state. He remained inside for over seventy days before being released. Each person was bestowed thirty bolts of silk and twenty bundles of tea. Afterwards, they took turns serving in shifts. They were bestowed seasonal clothing and provisions for the three festivals.
That year, Minister Du Huang and Minister Wei personally visited to receive consecration and learn recitation practices. He petitioned again to circuit the terrace. A decree granted permission. He was appointed Great Virtue of the Guanyin Monastery.
From the ninth to the thirteenth year of Zhenyuan, Yiheng, Yiyi, Yizheng, Yi[?], Yicao, Yiyun, Zhixing, Yimin, Xingjian, Yuantong, Yilun, Yibo, Yirun, lay disciples Wu Yin, Kai Pi, and about fifty others studied the Dharma.
In the fourteenth year of Zhenyuan, fifth month, a great drought occurred. In early May, by decree, he was ordered to pray for rain. For seven days, within the Inner Chapel, he concentrated intently on recitation. Prayers for rain were fulfilled. The gracious bestowal was one bolt of silk and ten bundles of tea. He gave thanks: "We monks originally had no meritorious practice. Heaven sent down sweet rain due to the emperor's transformative influence. We monks thank you for the silk and tea. We are overwhelmed with gratitude."
In the fifteenth year of Zhenyuan, in late August, he performed empowerments for the crown prince, who recovered after three days. Each was bestowed twenty bolts of silk, fifty bolts of Wu silk, and twenty bundles of tea. "We, humble monks of this realm, thank Your Sacred Compassion for bestowing silk, Wu silk, and tea. We are overwhelmed with gratitude."
In the sixteenth year, winter, eleventh month, sixteenth day, Commandant Jiao of the Shenwei Army invited the master to receive供养 at his army residence. A portrait of the master was also made, decorated, and sent to the monastery.
In the eighteenth year, the master's illness gradually worsened. He submitted a petition requesting to retire. An gracious order allowed him to return and rest at the monastery. "Our intention is to preserve the relationship from beginning to end. We cannot force you to stay." In mid-eighth month of that year, he distributed his robes and alms bowl, entrusting them to Yiming and six others for their use.
In the nineteenth year of Zhenyuan, the Japanese monk Kukai, by decree, presented a *kasaya* and over five hundred strings worth of gifts from his country to the master. All were used to adorn the Dharma platform and for供养. He sought instruction in the Great Compassion Womb Matrix, Vajra Realm, and the yogic teaching methods of various deities, about fifty texts in total. At that moment, he perceived a visionary state: the Sanskrit letter *A* and a sun-moon disc appeared and entered his mouth.
On the fifth day of the eighth month in the twenty-first year of Zhenyuan, the era name was changed to Yongzhen. On the fifteenth day of the twelfth month, he passed away lying with his head to the north. On the seventeenth day of the first month in the first year of Yuanhe, about a thousand disciples, monastic and lay, accompanied the funeral procession to the side of the pagoda of Great Master Longyuan at Meng Village. Afterwards, on the twenty-first day of the eighth month in the second year of Baoli, Yiyi, Shenda, and Yidan established a pagoda and relocated the burial to Biaolin Village by the side of the Chan River.
On the thirteenth day of the first month in the fourth year of Kaicheng, the Japanese monk Encho presented Dharma robes and gifts.
The manuscript note says:
Completed on the twenty-fifth day of the eighth month, in the first year of the Cheng'an era.
Nakagawa Hon'ya
On the last day of the ninth month, the first year of Kan'ō, this was finished being transcribed in the monk's quarters of the western cloister of Tō-ji. It has been added to complete a set of copies.
The Great Dharma Master Vattaramani
The text has been proofread, as there were many errors in the characters.
In the fourth year of the Mingli calendar,(Wuxu Year) the restoration was completed in mid-Guxi month. It is beyond compare and cannot be seen from the outside.(Revised by Gao Kuai)
The Venerable Monk of Lesser Rank, Liaoshen