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Today I will introduce another dharma master from Chang An, in the Jin dynasty. His name was Seng Rui. The word Rui means wisdom; being both intelligent and wise. It means that one has wisdom. He was a native of the Chang Le district in the Northern Wei Province. When he was a youth, he was fond of nothing other than leaving the home-life. Every day, from morning to night, all he was thinking of was leaving the home-life. He told his father that he wanted to leave the home-life. He told his mother that he wanted to leave the home-life. Nevertheless, his father would not permit him to do this and his mother was also unwilling to let him leave the home-life. He had to wait until he was eighteen years old before his wish was finally granted; he finally left the home-life. After he left the home-life, he bowed to Dharma Master Seng Hsien as his teacher. He was very humble and polite to everyone. He was clear-headed and very intelligent. Even though he had light within, he did not reveal it outwardly. Hence, his learning was exceptional. When he was twenty two years old, he had already studied many books. On one occasion, he came to listen to Dharma Master Seng Long¡¦s lecture on the Emitting Light Sutra. Having heard the dharma master¡¦s lecture, he had many questions to ask him. However, Dharma Master Seng Long was rendered speechless and unable to utter a word in response to his questions. This shows how intelligent Dharma Master Seng Rui was. Dharma Master Seng Long and Dharma Master Seng Hsien were old friends from way before; they had been schoolmates. When Dharma Master Seng Long saw Dharma Master Seng Hsien, he said, ¡§When I was lecturing the Sutra, your disciple, Seng Rui, came to ask me questions. I contemplated for one day and one night and yet I could not come up with a single principle to help me answer his questions. Your name is Seng Hsien (¡§Monk Worthy¡¨). Now you have received a worthy disciple. You, as teacher, are a worthy sage, and your disciple too is a worthy sage. This is truly very rare indeed!¡¨ When Seng Rui was twenty four years old, he traveled through different countries. Wherever he went, he would lecture the sutras and speak the dharma. People who appreciated his lectures were many. Everyone liked to listen to his sutra lectures and dharma talks. Hence, many people would bring their backpacks and belongings with them in order to follow and draw near him. The Dharma Master said, ¡§In China, although we have obtained very little Buddhadharma, nevertheless, it is sufficient to allow people to understand the principle of cause and effect.¡¨ At that time, Dhyana Master Tan Jing was giving lectures on the principles of Chan investigation. Later in Chang An, he met Dharma Master Kumarajiva, and he requested that he translate the three volumes of the Essentials of Chan. In the beginning, the first volume was composed by Kumarajiva. The last volume was spoken by Horse Neighing Bodhisattva. The middle volume was composed by a worthy sage from another country. Therefore the volumes include methods of investigating Chan from these three people, and are also called The Bodhisattva Chan. Dharma Master Seng Rui obtained these methods of investigating Chan. He followed these techniques and diligently cultivated day and night. As a result, he gained the pure and wondrous ¡§Proper Dharma Eye Treasury¡¨. During the Yao Chin dynasty, there was a minister of education and cultural affairs whose name was Yao Sung. He was very respectful to Dharma Master Seng Rui. One day, Emperor Yao Xing asked him, ¡§What do you think about this elder Rui?¡¨ What kind of a dharma master is he? Yao Sung replied, ¡§He is the pine and cypress of Jiang Nan!¡¨ He was likened to a pine tree and a cypress tree. On hearing this, Yao Xing wanted to have an audience with him. He gathered all his hundreds of civil and military officials to witness the capability and wisdom of Dharma Master Seng Rui. Dharma Master Seng Rui¡¦s manner was calm and very natural. He was courteous in his conversation, and his words made perfect sense. Yao Xing then gave him a great welcome. He made him offerings of servants, money, and carriages. Later, Yao Xing told Yao Sung, ¡§Dharma Master Seng Rui is an exemplar of the four seas! He is a leader; he is more than simply a pine or cypress in Jiang Nan!¡¨ With this acclamation from Yao Xing, the high reputation of Dharma Master Seng Rui spread far and wide. People from near and far came to take refuge with him. Dharma Master Seng Rui also helped to edit and polish the sutras translated by Dharma Master Kumarajiva. In the past, Dharmaraksa had translated the Proper Dharma Lotus Sutra¡¦s Chapter of Prediction. There were some lines that read, ¡§The heavens observe people; people observe the heavens.¡¨ It meant that the heavens can see people, and people can see the heavens. When Dharma Master Kumarajiva translated these phrases, he said, ¡§This concept tallies with those spoken in India. However, in terms of the Chinese language, there is something wrong with the wording (that is to say, something is out of kilter verbally). How should that be translated?¡¨ Even Dharma Master Kumarajiva could not think of an appropriate way to translate this phrase. Then Dharma Master Seng Rui told him, ¡§Perhaps it can be translated this way: People and the heavens are connected, both can observe each other.¡¨ People and the heavens are connected so both can see each other. After he said that, Dharma Master Kumarajiva was extremely happy. He said, ¡§That¡¦s right! That¡¦s right! It is so! Your translation is the best.¡¨ He was elated. (To be continued ..) |
