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鑑真律師
鑑真律師（公元687年至763年），唐代律宗僧人，俗姓淳于，揚州江陽縣（江蘇揚州）人，晚年受日僧虔誠禮請，終於東渡傳律。路經大海，多次折回，履險經難，雙目失明。天寶十二年，第六次終於到達日本九州，次年二月至平城京（奈良）。
鑑真律師在日本受到朝野盛大歡迎，旋為日本天皇、皇后、太子等人授菩薩戒，為沙彌正修等四百餘人併受戒，為八百餘僧人舊戒授新戒，自此日本始有正式的戒學傳承，鑑真律師被尊為日本律宗初祖。
他在營造方面塑像壁畫，與弟子採用唐代最先進的工藝，為日本天平時代藝術高潮的形成，增添了異彩。如唐招提寺建築群，即鑑真律師及弟子留下的傑作，整個結構裝飾都體現了唐代建築的特色，為日本現存天平時代最大最美的建築。鑑真律師去世前，弟子們用乾漆夾織這一最新技術，為他作了一座寫真坐像，日本奉為國寶。
一九八○年二月，中日友好團體為了增進兩國人民世代友好的情誼，並將坐像送回北京、揚州兩地，供中國人民和佛教徒瞻禮。
鑑真律師及其弟子大都擅長書法，去日時攜帶王羲之、獻之父子真跡，影響所及，至今日本人民猶熱愛中國書法藝術不衰。當時對日本人民最突出貢獻是醫學知識的傳授，日本奉為醫藥始祖。日本豆腐業、飲食業、釀造業等行業技術均為鑑真律師所授。
唐寶應二年（公元七六三年，日本天平寶字七年）五月六日，鑑真律師寂於唐招提寺。《唐大和尚東征傳》流傳至今。
→待續
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From last issue: Dharma Master Hsuan Tsang |
Vinaya Master Jianzhen (A.D. 687-763) was a monk of the Vinaya sect in the Tang Dynasty. He was born in Jiangyang County of Yangzhou (in Jiangsu Province) to the Chunyu family. In his late years, at the sincere invitation of Japanese monks, he sailed eastward to Japan to transmit the Vinaya. During the sea voyage, he turned back many times. After encountering many dangers and difficulties and losing his eyesight, he finally reached Kyuhu, Japan, in the twelfth year of the Tianbao reign on his sixth attempt. In February of the following year, he went to Nara.
He was greatly welcomed by all in Japan. He transmitted the Bodhisattva precepts to the Emperor, the Empress, the crown prince, and others; the Shramanera precepts to Zhengxiu and over four hundred other novices; and the new precepts to over eight hundred monks. This marked the beginning of Japan's formal transmission of precepts. Thus Master Jianzhen was honored as the first patriarch of the Vinaya sect in Japan.
Master Jianzhen and his disciples used the most advanced techniques of the Tang Dynasty in their buildings, sculptures, and wall paintings, thus giving a distinctive flair to the artistic golden age in the era of Heavenly Peace in Japan. The Tang Zhaoti Monastery complex was the masterpiece of Master Jianzhen and his disciples; its structure and adornments reflect the characteristics of Tang architecture. It is the largest and most beautiful building still in existence from the era of Heavenly Peace. Before Master Jianzhen died, his disciples used the newest technique involving a mixture of woven material and dry paint to make a life-size statue of him sitting, which is honored as a national treasure in Japan.
In February of 1980, a Sino-Japanese group that promotes good relations between the two countries, for the purpose of enhancing the friendship of generations, sent the statue to Beijing and Yangzhou for the Chinese people to worship.
Master Jianzhen and most of his disciples were skilled in Chinese calligraphy. When he went to Japan, he took with him the original works of the famous calligraphers Wang Xizhi and his son Wang Xianzhi. Due to their influence, even today the Japanese people have an enduring love for the art of Chinese calligraphy. Master Jianzhen's most important contribution to the Japanese people was the transmission of medical knowledge. Japan honors Master Jianzhen as the father of medicine. Japan's bean curd industry, food and drink industry, and brewing industry all owe their trade skills to Master Jianzhen.
In the second year of the Baoying reign of the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 763, the seventh year of the Baozi reign of the Heavenly Peace era in Japan), on the sixth day of May, Master Jianzhen entered the stillness at Tang Zhaoti Monastery.
A Record of the Journey to the East of a Great Monk of the Tang Dynasty is still in circulation even today. →To be continued
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