苦行修禅习定

公年二十七岁。立志苦修。誓了生死。念及玄奘法师。昔未赴印之前。先自煆炼。行路断食等工作。如此精进。心向往之。职责虽尽。道业未成。决意辞职。归洞参禅。过茹松毛。饮泉水之生活。

宣化偈曰：
高僧行愿惊鬼神。金石为开一念贞。
辞职隐穴习静虑。戒定薰修慧日明。

Practicing austerities and cultivating Dhyana samadhi

During his twenty-seventh year, the Master resolved to practice austerities and vowed to end birth and death. He thought of how in the past Dharma Master Hsuan Tsang, before going to India, first forged his own discipline with practices such as fasting and walking long distances. The Master had a propensity for that sort of vigor. Although he had fulfilled the requirements of his office, he had not yet completed his karma in the way. Having made up his mind to complete it, the Master resigned from office. He returned to the cave to sit in dhyana, and subsisted on pine nuts and spring water.

The verse says:
The eminent monk's practices and vows alarm the ghosts and spirits.
The sincerity of one true thought breaks apart even stone and metal. 
Resigning from office he withdrew to a cave to practice still contemplation.
In precepts and samadhi he steeped himself, while the sun of his wisdom grew bright.