徐恒志

By Acharya Xu Hengzhi

王骧陆阿阇黎，讳宰基，字骧陆，号仁知居士。祖籍浙江省海盐县，生于一八八五年三月二日，圆寂于一九五八年十二月十六日，乃二十年代崛起之“印心宗”——无相密乘心中心法第二代传人，世人尊称“印心宗二祖”。

Acharya Wang Xianglu bore the given name Zaiji, courtesy name Xianglu, and alias Renzhi Layman. His ancestral home was in Haiyan County, Zhejiang Province. He was born on March 2, 1885, and entered Nirvana on December 16, 1958. He was the second-generation lineage holder of the 'Mind Seal School'—the Formless Tantric Mind Seal Dharma that rose to prominence in the 1920s. The world respectfully called him the ‘Second Patriarch of the Mind Seal School’.

阿阇黎为海宁县望族王公欣甫之六子，父因守正而去官。母蒋氏笃信佛教，乐善好施，善国画，尤擅兰花，号称砚香老人。

The Acharya was the sixth son of Wang Gong Xinfu, a member of a prominent family in Haining County. His father resigned from his government post for upholding integrity. His mother Madam Jiang, a devout Buddhist, was benevolent and charitable. She was skilled in traditional Chinese painting, especially in painting orchids. Her courtesy name was “Elder with Ink Stone Aroma”.

阿阇黎天资聪颖，孩提时即能读《金刚经》。及长，发奋读书，熟于经史，十八岁中晚清秀才，后入上海圣约翰大学攻英文。

The Acharya was exceptionally gifted. Even in his early childhood, he was able to read the Diamond Sutra. As he grew older, he studied diligently and became well-versed in the Chinese classic literature. At the age of eighteen, he successfully passed the entry level imperial examination of the late Qing dynasty. Later, he enrolled in St. John's University in Shanghai to study English.

一九○七年（光绪三十三年）赴印度、南洋一带考察，遂一一朝拜释迦世尊圣迹，并谒高僧，求佛法，立志弘扬正法。

In 1907 (the 33rd year of the Guangxu Reign), he went to India and Nanyang to conduct a fact-finding mission. He then made pilgrimages to every single sacred site of the Shakyamuni Buddha and paid visits to venerable monks to seek dharma teaching. He was determined to spread the true dharma.

回国后，供职北洋政府交通部，皈依霞光和尚，布施济贫，广结善缘。当时虽禅净兼修，不敢自信有把鼻。

After returning to China, he took up a post in the Ministry of Communications of the Beiyang Government. He took refuge under Monk Xiaguang, gave alms to relieve the poor, and forged good karmic connections far and wide. Although he followed practiced both Zen and Pure Land practices, he was not confident about his achievement.

二十年代任五省邮政督办，设衙门于成都，目睹军阀战乱，荼害黎民，深觉宦海浮沉，实无是处，乃离川，拜庐山东林寺高僧大愚阿阇黎为师，虔修无相密乘心中心大法，得悟心要，为大愚祖师入室弟子。

In the 1920s, he served as the Postal Services Superintendent for five provinces, establishing his office in Chengdu. He witnessed how the chaotic warlord warfare ravaged the lives of people and felt deeply that the ups and downs of political life were utterly meaningless. So he left Sichuan and took the eminent monk Acharya Dayu of Donglin Temple on Mount Lu as his master. He dedicated himself to the  practice of the Formless Tantric Mind Seal Dharma and obtained the essence of the teaching. He was the dharma heir of Acharya Dayu.

心中心法是本世纪二十年代行世之密法，可直证心地，融通禅净，仪规简炼，易于下手。

The Mind Seal Dharma is a tantric practice that emerged in the 1920s. It enables direct realization of the mind and harmonizes Zen and Pure Land traditions. With its concise and refined ritual procedures, it is readily accessible for practice.

阿阇黎明悟后，在天津、上海创办印心精舍，灌顶传法，大悲利生。

After his awakening, the Acharya established Yin Xin Vihara in Tianjin and Shanghai, conferring empowerment and teaching the Dharma, out of his great compassion to benefit all beings.

仅1934、1935两年，在天津开讲座四百余次，学法同仁，得悟本体者不可胜数。

Within the two-year period between 1934 and 1935, he gave over 400 lectures in Tianjin alone. Countless Dharma seekers obtained enlightenment through his teachings.

阿阇黎著述甚丰，写有《金刚经分段贯释》、《圆觉经抉隐》、《大鉴禅师法宝坛经述旨》、《佛说阿弥陀经分段正义》、《乙亥讲演录》、《入佛明宗答问》、《六字大明咒修法》、《印心语录》等，共数百万字。

Acharya produced a rich collection of writings, including “Sectional Exposition of the Diamond Sutra”, “Unlocking the Hidden Meanings of the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment”, “Exposition of the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch”, “Sectional interpretation of the Amitabha Sutra”, “Recorded lectures from 1935”, “Questions and Answers of becoming a Buddhist and Understanding the Essence of Dharma”, “The Practice Method of the Six Syllables Mantra”, and “Mind Seal Teachings”, etc., totalling several million in word count.

一九五八年，阿阇黎现病相于沪寓，谆淳开示学人：“要弘扬大法，济世度人。”热泪盈眶，再三叮嘱。

In 1958, the Acharya showed signs of illness in his  Shanghai residence. He earnestly instructed his disciples:‘You must propagate this great dharma to benefit the world and deliver all beings from sufferings.’ With tears in his eyes, he repeated these instructions over and over again.

病笃，手结随心陀罗尼印契数日，右侧吉祥卧，安然而终。谨为铭曰：

As his illness became critical, he held the mudra of the Mahapratisara Dharani for several days. Lying in lion’s posture, he passed away peacefully. I respectfully dedicate the following to Acharya:

大法崛起，印心是宗。

A great dharma has risen, called the Mind Seal Dharma.

承先启后，威德靡穷！

Building on the past and paving the way for the future, its glorious power is limitless!

利乐含识，德业綦丰。

Benefiting all sentient beings, its virtues know no bounds.

祝师再来，广济迷蒙。

Wishing for the return of our Acharya to save all ignorant beings.

菩萨戒弟子徐恒志和南敬撰

The Bodhisattva Precepts Disciple, Xu Hengzhi

公元二OO一年农历四月初八

Lunar April 8, 2001