Rúxǐ 如璽, zì Fāngróng 方融, Cáo-dòng-school dharma-heir of Tiānjiè Juélàng Dàoshèng 道盛 天界覺浪道盛 (1593–1659). Born Wànlì 30 壬寅 7/7 子時 = 1602-08-23 Gregorian; native of Jīngyángxiàn 涇陽縣 in Xīānfǔ 西安府 (Shǎnxī); lay surname Rèn 任, lay-name Fúshēng 福生 (bestowed by his nine-decade-old zúzǔ fēngjūn 族祖封君 ancestor at birth on auspicious dream-grounds). Death-date not located.
Formation. Childhood vegetarianism after refusing chicken on the urging of his mother (a pious chángsù practitioner who taught him xīnjīng recitation in his fifth year). At age 16 (萬曆四十五 丁巳 7/7 = 1617) tonsured at Bǎolínsì 寶林寺 on Wǔtáishān 五臺山 under Dàcái héshàng 大材和尚, receiving the shāmí shí jiè and the dharma-name 如璽. Subsequent pilgrimage circuit: Pǔxián at Éméi (the huó Pǔxián 活普賢 awakening on the master’s zhènshēng yī hè 震聲一喝); Wǔdāng, Bóshān (the shēngcónghélái awakening on a broken-pole rice-carrying incident); Yīān, Huìdēng, Fǎchuáng, Zhànrán, Xuějiāo Yuánxìn at Jìngshān (the liǎngshǒu chéngzhǐ 兩手呈紙 exchange); Mìyún Yuánwù at Jīnsùshān (the yī bàng qí dǎshā exchange); Wúniàn at Huángbò (where Wúniàn drove him out as yóuzuǐ huā-zi 油嘴花子). At 35 suì (1636 丙子) received the 三壇大戒 sāntán dàjiè triple-platform precepts under Zhuānyú héshàng 顓愚和尚 at Sūxī Bǎiguì shūyuán 蘇溪百桂書園.
Dao-shèng connection and abbacies. 1637 丁丑 spring: Zhuānyú swept Hānshān’s tomb at Kuānglú; that autumn entered Yúnjū 雲居 under invitation of jǐjiàn Xióng Qīngyǔ 給諫熊青嶼 with Wèibáishī 味白師 to revive the monastery — appointed jiānyuàn 監院. 順治丙戌 = 1646: independent abbacy at Zhēnrú Chánsì 真如禪寺. 己亥 = 1659: received transmission-mandate from Tiānjiè Juélàng Dàoshèng just before Dàoshèng’s death. 庚子 = 1660: assumed abbacy of Tiānjièsì 天界寺 (Nánjīng) — the seat that gives the Tiānjiè Fāngróng Xǐ 天界方融璽 catalog-form. 康熙壬寅 = 1662: also assumed Hóngjì Chánsì 弘濟禪寺. The 《方融璽禪師語錄》 (KR6q0458) covers all three abbacies (Tiānjiè, Hóngjì, Yúnjū). The closing 行實 was self-narrated when nián mǎn liùshí 年滿六十 = at age 60 = 1661.
Heirs and writings. Sole named dharma-heir: Yíwén Dé jiānsì 遺聞德 (lit. “yíwén Dé the supervisor”, per the j. 3 fùfǎ). Work: KR6q0458 《方融璽禪師語錄》 3 juan, Jiāxīng Canon J29 B249, compiled by ménrén Xīnglín 興林 děng 興林等編.
Sources: KR6q0458 j. 3 行實 自紀 (1661); 《洞上》 j. 15 p. 610; DILA authority A019256.