[1020c] Sŏk Wŏn‘gwang’s 釋圓光 secular name was Sŏl 薛 or Pak 朴.[456] He was a resident of the capital of Silla. At the age of thirteen he shaved his head and became a monk. (The Hsü kao-seng chuan says he shaved his head after he went to T‘ang.)[457] His Supernal Vessel[458] was free and magnificent, and his understanding beyond the ordinary. He was versed in the works of hsüan-hsüeh and Confucianism and loved literature. Being lofty in thought, he intensely disliked the world of passion[459] and retired at thirty to a cave on Samgi Mountain 三岐山.[460] His shadow never appeared outside the cave.
One day a bhiksu came to a place near the cave and there built a hermitage (āranya)[461] to cultivate the way of religion. One night while the master was sitting and reciting scriptures a spirit called to him, “Excellent! There are many religious people, yet none excels you. Now this bhiksu is cultivating black art; but because of your pure thought my way is blocked,[462] and I have not been able to approach him. Whenever I pass by him, however, I cannot help thinking badly of him. I beseech you to persuade him to move away; if he does not follow my advice,[463] there shall be a disaster.” The following morning the master went to the monk and told him, “You had better move away to avoid disaster, or [if you stay] it will not be to your advantage.” But [the monk] remarked, “When I undertake to do something opposed by Māra himself, why should I worry about what a demon[464] has to say?” The same evening the spirit returned and asked for the monk’s reply. The master, fearful of the spirit’s anger, said that he had not yet been to the monk, but that he knew the monk would not dare disobey. The spirit, however, remarked, “I have already ascertained the truth. Be quiet and you shall see.” That same night there was a sound as loud as thunder. At dawn the master went out and saw that the hermitage had been crushed under a landslide. Later the spirit returned and said, “I have lived for several thousand years and possess unequaled power to change things. This is, therefore, nothing to be marveled at.” He also advised the master: “Now the master has benefited himself (ātmahitam), but lacks [the merit of] benefiting others (para-hitam). Why not go to China to obtain the Law of Buddha, which will be of great benefit for future generations?” “It has been my cherished desire to learn the Way in China,” replied the master, “but owing to the obstacles of sea and land I am afraid I cannot get there.” Thereupon the spirit told him in detail of matters relating to a journey to the West.
In the third month, spring, of the twelfth year of King Chinp‘yŏng (590),[465] the master went to Ch‘en. He traveled to various lecture halls, received and noted subtle instructions. After mastering the essence of the *Tattvasiddhi 成實,[466] the Nirvanā, and several treatises from the Tripitaka,[467] he went to Hu-ch‘iu 虎丘[468] in Wu, [now] harboring an ambition which soared to the sky. Upon the request of a believer, the master expounded the *Tattvasiddhi, and thenceforth requests from his admirers came one after another like the close succession of scales [on a fish].
At that time Sui soldiers marched into Yang-tu 楊都.[469] Here the commander of the army saw a tower in flame. But when he went to the rescue, there was no sign of fire,[470] and he found only the master tied up in front of the tower. Greatly amazed, [the commander] set him free. It was during the era k‘ai-hmng 開皇 (590-600) that the Mahāyānasamgraha 攝論[471] was first spread, and the master cherished its style; he won great acclaim in the [Sui] capital.
Now that he had further cultivated meritorious works, it was incumbent on him to continue the spread of the Law eastward. Our country therefore appealed to Sui, and a decree allowed him to return to his country in the twenty-second year, kyŏngsin, of [King] Chinp‘yŏng (600)[472] together with the Naema 奈麻 Chebu 諸父[473] and the Taesa 大舍[474] Hoengch‘ŏn 横川, who at that time served as envoys to China. On the sea, a strange being suddenly appeared out of the water and paid homage to the master, saying, “Would the master please erect a monastery and expound the truth there for my sake so that your disciples could gain outstanding rewards?” The master complied. Because he had returned after an absence of some years, old and young alike rejoiced, and even the king declared his pious respect and regarded him as the “Mighty in Kindness.”
[1021a] One day Wŏn‘gwang returned to his old retreat on Samgi Mountain. At midnight the same spirit visited the master and asked him about his experiences abroad. [The master] thanked him and said, “Thanks to your gracious protection, all my wishes have been fulfilled.” “I will not desert my duty to support you,” the spirit replied; “you have an agreement with the sea dragon to erect a monastery, and now the dragon is here with me.” The master then asked where the monastery should be built. The spirit replied, “North[475] of the Unmun 雲門, where a flock of magpies are pecking at the ground. That is the place.” The following morning the master, together with the spirit and the dragon, went to the place and, after the ground was cleared, found the remains of a stone pagoda. A monastery (sanghārāma) was erected there, named the Unmun monastery,[476] and there [the master] stayed.
The spirit continued to protect the master invisibly until one day he returned and said, “My end is drawing near, and I want to receive the Bodhisattva ordination[477] so that I can be qualified for eternity.” The master administered the rites, and they vowed to save each other from endless transmigration.[478] Afterwards, [the master] asked if he might see the spirit’s manifestation. The latter answered, “You may look to the east at dawn.” [The master] then saw a big arm reach through the clouds to Heaven. The spirit spoke, “Now you have seen my arm. Although I possess supernatural power,[479] I still cannot escape mortality. I shall die on such and such a day in such and such a place, and I hope that you will come there to bid me farewell.” The master went to the place as instructed and there saw an old black badger whimper and die. It was the spirit.
A female dragon in the Western Sea used to attend the master’s lectures. At that time there was a drought and the master asked her to make rain to alleviate disaster in the country. [The dragon] replied, “The supreme deity will not allow it. If I make rain without his permission, I sin against the deity and have no way of escaping punishment.” The master said, “My power can save you from it.” Immediately, the morning clouds appeared on the southern mountain[480] and rain poured down.[481] Thunder of Heaven broke out, indicating imminent punishment, and the dragon was frightened. The master hid her under his couch and continued to expound the scriptures. A heavenly messenger then appeared saying, “I was ordered by the supreme deity. You are the host of the fugitive. What shall I do if I am unable to carry out my orders?” The master, pointing to a pear tree in the garden, replied, “She has transformed herself into that tree. You may strike it.” [The mes¬senger] struck it and then left. The dragon then came out and thanked the master. Grateful to the tree that had suffered punishment for her sake, the dragon touched the trunk with her hand and the tree revived.[482]
In his thirtieth year (608) King Chinp‘yŏng, troubled by frequent border raids by Ko[gu]ryŏ,[483] decided to ask help from Sui to retaliate and asked the master to draft the petition for a foreign campaign. The master replied, “To destroy others in order to preserve oneself is not the way of a monk (śramana). But since I, a poor monk,[484] live in Your Majesty’s territory and waste Your Majesty’s clothes and food, I do not dare disobey.” He then relayed the king’s request [to Sui].
The master was detached and retiring by nature, but affectionate and loving to all. He always smiled when he spoke and never showed signs of anger. His reports, memorials, memoranda, and correspondence were all composed by himself and were greatly admired by the whole country. Power was bestowed on him so that he might govern the provinces,[485] and he used the opportunity to promote Buddhism, setting an example for future generations.
In the thirty-fifth year (613) an Assembly of One Hundred Seats[486] was held in the Hwangnyong monastery to expound the scriptures and harvest the fruits of blessing. The master headed the entire group. He used to spend days at Kach‘wi monastery 加委寺,[487] lecturing on the true way.
[1021b] Kwisan 貴山[488] and Ch‘wihang 箒頂[489] from Saryang district 沙梁部[490] came to the master’s door and, lifting up their robes,[491] respectfully said, “We are ignorant and without knowledge. Please give us a maxim which will serve to instruct us for the rest of our Lives.” The master replied, “There are ten commandments in the Bodhisattva ordination 菩薩戒.[492] But, since you are subjects and sons, I fear you cannot practice all of them. Now, here are five commandments for laymen:[493] serve your sovereign with loyalty; tend your parents with filial piety; treat your friends with sincerity; do not retreat from a battlefield; be discriminating about the taking of life. Exercise care in the performance of them.” Kwisan said, “We accept your wishes with regard to the first four. But what is the meaning of being discriminating about the taking of life?” The master answered, “Not to kill during the months of spring and summer nor during the six maigre feast days is to choose the time.[494] Not to kill domestic animals such as cows, horses, chickens, dogs, and tiny creatures whose meat is less than a mouthful is to choose the creatures. Though you may have the need, you should not kill often.[495] These are the good rules for laymen.” Kwisan and his friend adhered to them without ever breaking them.
Later, when the king was ill and no physician could cure him,[496] the master was invited to the palace to expound the Law and was here given separate quarters. While expounding the texts and lecturing on the truth, he succeeded in gaining the king’s faith. At the first watch, the king and his courtiers saw that the master’s head was as golden as the disk of the sun.[497] The king’s illness was immediately cured.
When the master’s monastic years were well advanced, he went to the inner court [of the palace] by carriage. The king personally took care of the master’s clothing and medicine,[498] hoping thus to monopolize the rewards. Except for his monastic robe and begging bowl, the master gave away all the offerings bestowed upon him to the monasteries in order to glorify the true law and to lead both the initiated and uninitiated. When he was near the end, the king tended him in person. The king received the commission to transmit (parināmanā)[499] the Dharma after the master’s death and to save the people. Thereupon [the master] explained the omens to him in detail. In the fifty-eighth year of the era kŏnbok 建福 (640),[500] seven days after his illness, he died, sitting upright, in his residence, after giving his last commandments in a lucid, compassionate voice. In the sky northeast of the Hwangnyong monastery music filled the air, and an unusual fragrance pervaded the hall. The whole nation experienced grief mingled with joy. The burial materials and attending rites were the same as those for a king. He was ninety-nine years old. It was the fourth year of the era chen-kuan (640).[501]
Years later, a baby died in the womb. According to the popular belief that if it were buried beside the tomb of a virtuous man the family’s descendants would not die out, the family of the dead baby buried it there secretly. The same day, the earth shook[502] and threw the baby corpse out of the tomb.
His reliquary on Samgi Mountain still stands today.
Wŏn‘gwang’s able disciple Wŏnan 圓安 was also a native of Silla. He was astute and quick-witted. He loved to travel and enjoyed plumbing the mysteries of the religion. He went north to Hwando 丸都[503] and east to Pullae 不耐.[504] Later, he also traveled in [the states of] Western Yen (384-395) and Northern Wei (386-534).[505] Upon arriving in the imperial capital he familiarized himself with local customs. He studied the scriptures and treatises, was versed in their essence, and understood even their subtlest meanings clearly. He then followed the footsteps of his teacher Wŏn‘gwang.[506] Because he was famed for his attainment of the Way, the T‘e-chin 特進[507] Hsiao Yü 萧瑀 (574-647)[508] had him reside in thd Chin-liang monastery 津梁寺 in Lan-t‘ien 藍田[509] and provided him with the four necessaries.[510] We do not know his end.
[1021c] The eulogy says: Formerly the master Hui-yüan 慧遠 (334- 416)[511] did not neglect worldly texts. During his lectures he illustrated his points by quotations from Chuang Tzu and Lao Tzu in order to make people understand the mysterious purports. Now, the commandments for laymen laid down by the master Wŏn‘gwang were really the result of his all-embracing knowledge and demonstrated the efficacy of his technique of preaching the Dharma according to the receptivity of his listeners. Discrimination in the taking of life is none other than T‘ang’s 湯 leaving one side of the net open[512] and Confucius’ not shooting at roosting birds.[513] As for his ability to move heavenly deities and dismiss heavenly messengers, he must have possessed unimaginable religious power.