---
title: "續比丘尼傳 · 八五、明廣州總持庵尼成慈傳"
description: "續比丘尼傳由釋震華法師於民國時期編述，是中國佛教史上專門記載比丘尼事蹟的重要傳記。該書編撰於二十世紀上半葉，繼承了梁代寶唱《比丘尼傳》的傳統，系統收錄了自南北朝至民國以來的傑出比丘尼傳記。內容詳實記錄了她們的修行經歷、弘法事蹟及對佛教的貢獻，填補了佛教史傳中女性修行者記載的空白。此書不僅是研究中國比丘尼歷史與佛教女性地位的關鍵文獻，也是了解近現代漢傳佛教發展的重要史料，具有極高的學術與宗教價值。"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmgn475f60rbdk104p19qndpx"
---

### 八五、明廣州總持庵尼成慈傳

> Biography of Nun Chengci of Guangzhou's General Holding Nunnery

成慈，字戒芻，番禺沙灣人，俗姓何。生而敏傑，不類群嬰，五歲即不茹葷羶。親知非俗所留，遂送女庵中事佛，執勞無憚，多覺少寐。年既漸長，立志堅貞，執行持心，不徇餘情。聽講思義，穎悟異人。崇禎庚辰歲，年四十有一，始得薙染，時有尼眾甚希，故滯年稔矣。從受具來，專攻律藏，研究性遮，故得持犯炳然。戒德冰雪，而靈根宿發，趣向高邁，志在大乘，利人為急，深厭有漏，欲釋形拘。嘗聞西方下品生者，劫數乃得見佛，皆非己志。欲再生世間，親近知識，又疑隔陰之昏。雖得人身，貪瞋易染，況末劫知識難值，未免退墮。忽一日，閱藏經，見有上生兜率內院，親覲彌勒菩薩，一生即便見佛聞法，無有遲速之品階。遂堅志上求，因請鼎湖弘贊律師決曰：「上生宗旨，可得聞乎？」律師嘉其志趣，遂授與上生經一卷。成慈懇請講釋，律師乃按經示以依正宗趣，成慈退而依經作觀，持名不輟心口，體雖多病，精爽過人。素好坐禪，脅罕著席，後住廣州總持庵，約徒甚嚴。順治丙戌四月望日，告病。越五月十七日午時，忽於坐定中見一菩薩，侍人忘其名，倏然引至兜率內院，覩種種莊嚴，光明耀目，慈氏菩薩相好難述。成慈遂舉身敬禮，禮已白云：「願世尊攝受。」大士告曰：「汝卻後七日來生此處。」又於二十一日坐靜中，忽覩慈氏菩薩現在其前，自見己身成童子相。即趨下禪牀，拜求攝受。次日，告諸來問疾者曰：我明日行矣，當留步，送吾上山荼毘云云。翌日午時，喚眾稱彌勒如來名，寂然而逝，壽四十七歲。

> Chengci, whose monastic name was Jiechu, was from Shawan in Panyu, and her lay surname was He. From birth, she was exceptionally bright and unlike other infants; by the age of five, she had already stopped eating meat and pungent foods. Her relatives, realizing she was not meant for ordinary life, sent her to a nunnery to serve the Buddha. She undertook all tasks without complaint, sleeping little and remaining ever mindful. As she grew older, her resolve became firm and unwavering. She dedicated herself to practice and maintained her focus, not allowing other distractions. When listening to teachings and contemplating their meaning, her understanding was extraordinary and surpassed others. In the Gengchen year of the Chongzhen era (1640), at the age of forty-one, she finally received full ordination. At that time, there were very few nuns, which is why her ordination had been delayed for many years. From the time she received the precepts, she devoted herself to studying the Vinaya, thoroughly investigating both fundamental and secondary precepts, so that her understanding of what to uphold and what to avoid was perfectly clear. Her moral discipline was pure as ice and snow, and her spiritual roots, planted long ago, began to flourish. Her aspirations were lofty, aiming for the Great Vehicle, with helping others as her urgent priority. She deeply detested the defiled, conditioned existence and wished to be free from the body's limitations. She had once heard that those reborn in the lower grades of the Western Pure Land would take countless eons to see the Buddha, and this did not align with her own aspirations. She considered being reborn in the human world to be close to spiritual guides, but she was concerned about the obscuration of forgetting past lives. Even if she obtained a human body, it would be easy to become stained by greed and anger, and in this Dharma-ending age, true spiritual guides are hard to find, making regression likely. One day, while reading the Buddhist canon, she came across a passage about being reborn in the Inner Court of the Tushita Heaven, where one can personally behold Maitreya Bodhisattva and, in that very life, see the Buddha and hear the Dharma, without the distinctions of slow or swift grades. She then firmly resolved to seek rebirth there and went to request instruction from the Vinaya Master Hongzan of Dinghu: "May I hear the essential teachings on attaining rebirth above?" The Master, approving of her aspiration, gave her a scroll of the Sutra on Rebirth Above. Chengci earnestly requested an explanation, and the Master, following the sutra, showed her the proper method and purpose. Chengci withdrew and, in accordance with the sutra, practiced visualization, continuously reciting the name with her heart and mouth. Although her body was often ill, her spirit was exceptionally keen. She had always favored seated meditation, rarely letting her side touch the mat. Later, she resided at the Zongchi Nunnery in Guangzhou, where she was very strict with her disciples. On the full moon day of the fourth month in the Bingxu year of the Shunzhi era (1646), she announced she was ill. On the seventeenth day of the fifth month, at noon, while in seated meditation, she suddenly saw a bodhisattva (her attendant forgot the name) who swiftly led her to the Inner Court of the Tushita Heaven. She beheld all kinds of adornments, with a radiance so bright it dazzled the eyes. The majestic and splendid appearance of Maitreya Bodhisattva was beyond description. Chengci then prostrated her entire body in reverence and, after bowing, said, "I pray the World-Honored One will accept me." The Great Being told her, "You will be reborn here seven days from now." Then, on the twenty-first, while sitting in stillness, she suddenly saw Maitreya Bodhisattva appear before her, and she saw her own body transform into that of a youth. She immediately descended from her meditation seat and bowed, seeking acceptance. The next day, she told all who came to inquire about her illness: "I am leaving tomorrow. Please stay and see me off up the mountain for cremation." The following day at noon, she called the assembly to recite the name of Maitreya Tathagata and then passed away peacefully at the age of forty-seven.