The Fourteenth Tien Tai Patriarch
Venerable Ching Kuang of Lwo Hsi

by Venerable Master Hua
translated by Bhikshuni Heng Chih
reviewed by Bhikshuni Heng Tao

      Lwo Hsi was a temple name. The Master's name was Ch'ang Chao and also Ching Kuang. Both of these names were bestowed upon him by King Wu Yuh. THE VENERABLE ONE WAS NAMED CH'ANG CHAO. HE WAS OF THE HU FAMILY IN YUNG CHIA County. HE LEFT HOME AT AN EARLY AGE. AND STUDIED STOPPING AND CONTEMPLATING. He learned about the three contemplations of empty, falseness and the middle. UNDER MASTER SU, the 13th Patriarch. IT WAS AS IF HIS UNDERSTANDING SHONE THROUGHOUT HE NAN Province. Since he was called Ch'ang Chao (constantly shining), it was said he illumined the whole province.

      HE OFTEN WENT TO YAO WANG, TO KUO CH'ING AND TO SHANG FANG. He went to Ashoka Temple, to Kuo Ch'ing temple and to Shang Fang, another place. THERE WAS A JEWELED BANNER SEAT THAT HAD THE FOLLOWING INSCRIPTION: "MANJUSHRI'S PLATFORM", BUT RAILINGS SURROUNDED IT ALL AROUND AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO ENTER IT. IN A FLASH, FROM WITHIN THE HALL, KUAN YIN ENTERED HIS HAND. HE THOUGHT TO GET ON HIS HORSE AND GO BUT THE HORSE LOWERED ITS HEAD AND SEEMED TO MERGE WITH THE STUPA. IMMEDIATELY HE FELT AS IF HIS BODY HAD UNITED IN SUBSTANCE WITH KUAN YIN. He couldn't tell if it were Kuan Yin or himself. AFTER THAT HE EXPERIENCED ENDLESS DELIGHT IN SPEAKING. He obtained the eloquence of delight in speech and spoke the Dharma without end.

      
      THE WORLD WAS IN TURMOIL, THE SUTRAS WERE BEING BURNED. There were always wars and the Sutras were being destroyed. THE MASTER WAS ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT COLLECTING THEM. He was always anxious to gather up and save the Sutras. KING YUEH of WU YUEH ASKED ABOUT THE PRINCIPLE OF THE FOUR DWELLINGS.

      THE MASTER SAID, "THIS WAS TAKEN FROM "CHIH CHE'S WONDERFUL AND ESOTERIC PRINCIPLES." THIS TEXT IS PLENTIFUL ABROAD. It can be found overseas. THE KING SENT A MESSENGER TO JAPAN TO FIND THIS TEXT. HE ERECTED A TEMPLE FOR THE MASTER AT LWO HSI WHICH WAS ALSO NAMED "TING HUI." Concentration and wisdom. HIS POSTHUMOUS TITLE WAS THE VENERABLE "CHING KUANG." THE TEACHING OF CONTEMPLATION CONTINUED TO FLOURISH, DUE TO THE MASTER'S STRENGTH. A VERSE IN PRAISE SAYS,

      HIS SUBSTANCE UNITED WITH KUAN YIN.
            THE FUNCTION OF THE ILLUMINATION WAS ENDLESS.
            FACING COMPLETE SEVERANCE,
            IT WAS HANGING BY A THREAD.
            RELYING ON THE MASTER
            IT FLOURISHED AGAIN.
            RESCUING THE STOREHOUSE FROM THE EMBERS,
            HE OBTAINED SCROLLS FROM THE EAST SEA.
            MAGNIFICENT IS OUR TEACHER,
            WHO CAN CONTINUE HIS SCHOOL.

The Sutras are about to disappear. Yang Lai the Venerable One, asked the King Wu Yueh to bring the Sutras back. He also transmitted the Dharma Storehouse. The Sutras were just as if burned by fire and reduced to mere ashes, and so he asked them to come in from abroad, and brought back the Dharma Storehouse from Japan. He was able to keep the T'ien T'ai sect alive and flourishing.

      ANOTHER VERSE IN HIS PRAISE SAYS, 

      THE GREAT SAGE FROM YUNG CHIA WAS CALLED CHING KUANG. 
      BASED ON HIS ANCESTRY AND
      CONTINUING HIS LINE,
      HE SHONE ON ALL WITH PROMISE.
      KUAN YIN'S KINDNESS AND COMPASSION BECAME HIS SUBSTANCE AND NATURE.
            MANJUSHRI'S WISDOM WAS HIS MODEL.
            HIS ELOQUENCE OF DELIGHT IN
            SPEECH WAS WITHOUT END.
            WHO COULD MATCH HIS WONDERFUL
            SAMADHI, RESOLUTION AND VOWS?
            KING YUEH SOUGHT THE SUTRAS ACROSS THE EAST SEA.
            THE PROFOUND MERIT OF HIS CONTINUING THE DHARMA CAN
            BE COMPARED TO HSUAN CH'UANG'S

A great sage came out of Yung Chia county. He based himself on all the ones with Way virtue and transmitted it to those of later generations who study the Buddhadharma. His way of life was to be compassionate just as Kuan Yin is. After he united in substance with Kuan Shih Yin Bodhisattva, he obtained the eloquence of delight in speaking. Who could match his samadhi power and the power of his vows? Who could be like him? Wu Yueh King sent an envoy to Japan in search of the Sutras. He was more or less like Tripitaka Master Hsuan Ch'uang who went to India to fetch the Sutras.