一紙蓮花話弘一

巫少飛

日前，衢州市衢江區(qū)蓮花鎮(zhèn)蓮花村82歲的胡濟昌拿出一張根據(jù)其記憶所畫的當?shù)厣徎ㄋ碌钠矫鎴D，說：“弘一法師（李叔同）曾居住蓮花寺，在蓮花村有好友胡嘉友，而胡嘉友就是我的叔叔。我生活在蓮花鎮(zhèn)好多年，花費長時間畫了張當年的蓮花寺平面圖，只是覺得對歷史應(yīng)有所記錄?！崩先说囊环?，牽出了一段軼事史料。

蓮花之緣

1918年夏，藝術(shù)大師李叔同在杭州虎跑定慧寺出家，法號弘一。他本想在湖上見證菩提，不想俗事紛擾無法安靜。1920年農(nóng)歷八月初，弘一法師托人新覓閉關(guān)修學(xué)之地—富陽新登貝山靈濟寺。

月余，已移錫衢縣蓮花寺就任住持的原定慧寺德淵法師致信弘一法師，禮請他“往居襄助一臂之力”，以整飭寺務(wù)。于是，弘一法師便前往，在盈川舍舟登岸，憑吊了初唐四杰之一楊炯的祠堂后，再步行八里，叩開蓮花寺的山門。

1923年，弘一法師再次來到蓮花寺，并在附近的全旺三藏寺、峽口南湖寺和衢城內(nèi)大中祥符寺小住。弘一法師最重要的佛學(xué)著作《四分律比丘戒相表記》初稿就在蓮花寺完成。此著作將中斷了700多年的南山律宗發(fā)揚光大，奠定了他在中國佛學(xué)史上的地位，被弟子尊為南山律宗第十一代世祖。蓮花寺的地位應(yīng)當?shù)玫街匾暋?/p>

蓮花之誼

弘一法師在衢縣時間并不十分長，卻有不少僧俗弟子，如程本一、胡嘉有、毛善力、吳南章、寬愿和尚等。弘一法師留給這些弟子較多詩文，頗有研究價值，像《汪居士傳》《汪居士傳補遺》《大中祥符朗日禪師塔銘》《比丘律藏函題詞》《旭光室跋》《崔母往生傳》《慈說》等。其中《慈說》是贈給關(guān)門弟子、江山毛善力的，同時還相贈兩件家珍：一是他在日本上野美術(shù)學(xué)校畢業(yè)時的獎品—插花瓷瓶；一是他在虎跑寺出家時剃下的一包須發(fā)，可見情誼之深。后來，弘一法師到福建，還應(yīng)毛善力請求書寫了“有恒堂”“智忍堂”及十多幅屏條。

獲弘一手書卷軸者，還有吳子弓、項槐、汪夢松、汪半僧、仇星農(nóng)、程本一、徐佐才、胡嘉友、汪子佩、杜寶光等。此外，弘一法師曾有多幀佛號、箴言的書法作品留在衢州。上世紀30年代，程本一等人在衢縣設(shè)“平凡畫會”“樂群樂社”，其所用《正則洋畫講義》等資料均為弘一所贈。美術(shù)家劉海粟也曾從衢縣佛寺求得弘一法師墨寶。

弘一離開衢縣時，與僧眾居士合影一張，擴印兩張，分別懸于祥符寺客堂及蓮華寺方丈室。合影中居士有汪半僧、汪夢松、汪張黻、項槐等。

蓮花之佛

衢州市博物館現(xiàn)藏有一件國家級珍貴文物—漢白玉釋迦牟尼佛像。此尊趺坐佛像以漢白玉雕刻而成，高56厘米，重達40公斤。像的臉形俏麗，雙目微啟下視，嘴角上翹呈微笑狀；身著寬袖長袍，腰身纖細；右肩臂裸露，長袍褶皺處有金線描之；右手自然下垂，左手曲至胸前，掌心朝上；整體給人以優(yōu)美、協(xié)調(diào)、寧靜的感覺，堪稱雕刻藝術(shù)中的珍品。

舊《衢縣志》認為，“（1920年）有僧德淵由虎跑來衢縣蓮花寺主斯席，邀請戒僧弘一蒞壇說法，并有緬甸攜來玉佛一座，供養(yǎng)觀音堂?！?/p>

弘一法師的蓮花友人汪夢松有《薜蘿庵日志》73冊，里面涉及非常多弘一法師的衢縣事宜。該日志說，緬甸玉佛確為弘一法師帶來，后在戰(zhàn)亂年代與地藏王菩薩像、濟公活佛像及萬歲牌、木魚磬等一起搬抬至明果寺。

該玉佛至今還有些未解之謎。中國現(xiàn)存佛像造型大都給人以莊重感，而該玉佛卻更多體現(xiàn)了民間少女風情。這種形象玉佛是緬甸朋友所贈，還是杭州定慧寺原有？是與佛教宗派有關(guān)，還是根據(jù)弘一法師要求所雕？這些都是謎。而這些“謎”正是價值所在。

蓮花之游

弘一法師兩次來衢縣，曾有廣泛交游。

衢州文化人沈華龍告訴筆者一事：大約1983年，衢州文物普查隊在蓮花鎮(zhèn)曾從汪夢松后人手中得到一石，上刊小楷詩一首：“千峰頂上一間屋，老僧半間云半間。昨夜云隨風雨去，到頭不似老僧閑?！甭淇钍恰皻w宗芝庵住持野昉句”“曇昉演音”。石的反面有汪夢松20年后的題記一篇：“弘一上人癸亥冬書贈二石，一曰‘放下二字，一即此石。上人舉動多美化，余甚珍愛，寇劫未及，或有佛力護持也。癸未浮若”。

“浮若”即汪夢松的字。弘一法師曾為之寫過兩文：《汪居士傳》《汪居士傳補遺》。受贈二石，與《薜蘿庵日志》所記一致。

弘一法師留在衢縣的經(jīng)書有一部《大佛頂首楞嚴經(jīng)合轍》，系天啟元年（1621）木刻本。經(jīng)書第一冊封面上有弘一法師1923年題字及朱印“演音”。此書另有汪夢松題字：“癸亥冬弘一法師以賜夢松。”汪夢松精書畫篆刻諸術(shù)，為弘一法師篆刻過“演音”諸印。

弘一法師也贈汪夢松兩枚印章，一枚是弘一法師自刻“演音”，另一枚是國學(xué)大師馬一浮為弘一法師刻的“了事凡夫”。邊款有汪夢松題識：“此印馬一浮居士為弘一上人刊……”

衢州文化人劉國慶編著《衢州書畫人物錄》，提及蓮花村胡嘉友。胡嘉友為汪夢松一手攜教。弘一法師對胡嘉友指事曲喻，欲勸其皈信佛法，然胡母不同意。

據(jù)蓮花鎮(zhèn)老人說，蓮花寺原有一放生池，池邊有一方刻石，上書“蓮花池”，據(jù)說是弘一法師的手跡。老一輩人聽父輩說，弘一法師在蓮花寺時，常在池邊觀賞游魚，或徜徉于花徑、菜壟間，過著優(yōu)游的生活。傳聞弘一法師在蓮花寺時，他往昔的日籍愛姬循跡至此，可寺樓掩關(guān)，決然不相見。

蓮花之史

據(jù)舊《衢縣志》載，五代時，芝溪流經(jīng)現(xiàn)蓮花鎮(zhèn)時，開五色蓮花，異香襲人，故稱。

蓮花寺，宋建隆中始建?？滴酢段靼部h志》載：清初蓮花寺僅為一茅庵，只能容膝?？滴跻宜龋?665），云間乾敏和尚宿蓮花寺，寒夜恍惚聽覺蓮花溪有墮水者號呼聲，發(fā)愿建石橋于溪上，四年始落成；橋下改放生池；寺后有涌泉一泓。這些都是當年文士秀才如費士桂、范玨、陳鵬年輩詩文中的勝景勝跡。

乾隆二十四年（1759），僧悟光因石橋傾圮募緣重建。嘉慶十五年（1810），僧永傳對蓮花寺作規(guī)模最大的一次增建，其中方丈禪堂最為宏敞，前后經(jīng)9年才完工。彼時，寺僧達500余人。道光年間，有位鐵舟和尚來到蓮花寺，曾賦詩多首。弘一法師來蓮花寺時，曾見這些詩留于佛樓壁間，對此稱賞。

如今蓮花寺只剩下一面頹墻，墻石上隱約可見“卍”字符號。

蓮花之圖

弘一法師盛贊蓮花寺：“前臨溪流，上駕石梁五虹，名勝甲東浙?！?/p>

胡濟昌老人提供的蓮花寺平面圖，面積達7000多平方米。縱軸線上依次是山門、四大金剛殿、燒紙場、大雄寶殿、觀音堂等。縱軸線兩側(cè)建有相對稱的院落、屋宇，有方丈室、會客廳及其他僧房。金剛殿、大雄寶殿、方丈室、會客室、貯藏室均為三間，山門有兩進。整座寺院“殿宇宏敞、瓔珞光明”。

寺院內(nèi)以樟樹為主，小路砌以鵝卵石，山門左側(cè)還有一間地藏王殿。老人告訴筆者：寺院正門懸“蓮華寺”金字匾。寺院內(nèi)有小溪穿過。小溪南面有竹林；竹林偏西有許多僧墓，砌以石板石條，夏天村里人常在此乘涼。小溪北面以寺田為主。寺田東面有一法乳泉，周圍設(shè)有石桌石凳，供人休息。老人說，當年因為蓮花寺盛名而帶來了許多商機。寺邊街道上竟有四家大店經(jīng)營南貨、布匹、糧食等，飴糖店、茶館、小吃攤比鄰而立。舊時的蓮花鎮(zhèn)亦是農(nóng)副產(chǎn)品的集散地。

老人回憶，1936年秋天，蓮花寺金剛殿不幸失火被燒。1956年，因白蟻蛀蝕，寺院東倒西歪，觀音堂首告倒塌。蓮花鎮(zhèn)駐村干部余禮明相告，他小時候讀書時還能見到部分寺院舊貌，1980年后徹底塌毀，遺址逐步改建為蓮花小學(xué)。

老人告訴筆者，近些年，有許多人因仰慕弘一法師，常慕名來蓮花鎮(zhèn)，可蓮花寺已經(jīng)蕩然無存，故憑記憶畫下來，希望能存文化的一方之史。

（除署名外，本文圖片由作者提供）

Master Hongyi and Lotus Flower Temple

By Wu Shaofei

The 82-year-old Hu Jichang has a treasure map. A resident of Lotus Flower Village in Qujiang District， Quzhou City in western Zhejiang Province， Hu knows something special： Master Hongyi stayed at Lotus Flower Temple in 1920 and 1923 respectively. Hongyi was the name adopted by Li Shutong （1882-1942） when the scholar， painter， and composer dedicated himself to Buddhism and left the secular world for becoming a full-time monk. Hu Jichang recalls that while staying at Lotus Flower Temple， Master Hongyi made friends with Hu Jiayou， who was Hu Jichangs paternal uncle. Hu Jichang has lived in Lotus Flower Village for a long while. Though the temple is no more， the map he re-created shows details of the temple as he remembers it.

In the summer of 1918， Li Shutong converted to Buddhism and became a monk at Dinghui Temple at Tiger Spring， a scenic spot near the West Lake in Hangzhou. He had intended to spend the rest of his life there contemplating Buddhism and seeking nirvana. The outside world was just a step away and he was frequently disturbed. In the summer of 1920， he went to Lingji Temple in Fuyang， a rural county of Hangzhou. After a month there， he received a letter from Master Deyuan， who had stayed at Dinghui Temple in Hangzhou and now served as the abbot of Lotus Flower Temple in Quxian County in western Zhejiang. The abbot invited Master Hongyi to help him at the temple. Master Hongyi obliged. In 1923， Master Hongyi visited Lotus Flower Temple again. During this period， he stayed briefly at three other Buddhist temples in close neighborhood. It was at Lotus Flower Temple that Master Hongyi finished a draft of an important Buddhism dissertation. The dissertation restored the teachings of the Commandments Sect of Nanshan， which had been out of fashion for more than 700 years by then. This work established Master Hongyi as an important figure in the history of Chinese Buddhism. The disciples of the sect worship him as the 11th-generation master of the sect. This is partly why Lotus Flower Temple is important： the master underwent a transformation there. He morphed from a Zen disciple into a believer of another sect.

Master Hongyi did not stay for a long time at the temple， but he had some disciples studying under him in the village and he made quite a few friends there. He gave these local disciples his essays， inscriptions， seals， books and poems. Mao Shanli was the last disciple the master had during his stay at Lotus Flower Temple. The master gave Mao Shanli the manuscript of an essay， a porcelain vase that he had received at the commencement ceremony at an art school in Japan， and the hair he had shaved off when he became a monk in Hangzhou.

Before Master Hongyi left Quxian County， he， monks， and secular devotees took a group photo. One enlarged copy was given to Xiangfu Temple and the other to Lotus Flower Temple.

Quzhou City Museum now has a jade statue of Buddha in its collection. The statue was in Lotus Flower Temple and it is now a cultural relic at the state level. Who brought the Buddha to Lotus Flower Temple remains a mystery. Wang Mengsong， an intimate friend of Master Hongyi， left behind him 73 diaries. Many entries in his diaries are about Master Hongyi in Quxian County. If the entries are correct， the jade statue made in Burma was brought to the temple by Master Hongyi. In the war years， the jade statue and many other treasures of the temple were removed and kept in safety.

However， the jade statue itself remains a mystery. Was it a gift from Burma？ Was it owned by Dinghui Temple in Hangzhou？ Was it made to the order of Master Hongyi？

Lotus Flower Temple was first built in the Song Dynasty （960-1279）. In the early years of the Qing Dynasty （1644-1911）， the temple was just a tiny cottage. In 1665， a monk staying at the temple heard someone cry for help at midnight. The monk later swore to have a stone bridge built. It took four years for the bridge to come into being. In 1759， the bridge was rebuilt. In 1810， the temple was expanded after a 9-year construction project. The expanded temple was so spacious that it housed more than 500 monks. Today， only one wall stands.

On the floor map drawn by Hu Jichang， the temple sits in an area of 7，000 square meters. According to Hu， the temple was the center of the village in the past. As Buddhist pilgrims came from afar to the temple， there were many shops on the street outside the temple to cater to their secular and religious needs.

In the autumn of 1936， the Vajra Hall at Lotus Flower Temple burned down. In 1956， the Guanyin Hall collapsed due to the decay brought about by termites. By the 1980s， the temple had become totally ruined. On the site now is a primary school.