釋氏稽古略 3.167

3.167

三生石　沙門圓澤寓洛陽慧林寺。與隱士李源厚善。慧林即源舊第也。父憕守東都。為安祿山所害。源以故不仕。常居寺中。一日偶相率遊峨眉山。源欲自荊州泝峽以往。澤欲由長安斜谷。源以為久絕人事。不欲復入京師。澤不能強。遂自荊州舟次南浦。見婦人錦襠負罌而汲者。澤望而泣曰。所不欲由此者為是也。源驚問故。澤曰。婦子孕三稔矣。遲吾為之子。不逢則已。今既見之無可逃者。公當以符呪助我令速生。三百浴兒。願公臨顧。以一笑為信。後十三年於杭州天竺寺外當與公相見。源悲哀具浴。至暮而澤亡。婦乳三日。源往視之。兒見源果軒渠而笑。即具以語其家。葬事訖。源返寺中。後如期自洛之吳。赴其約也。果於杭州西山下天竺寺前葛洪井畔聞有牧童。扣牛角而歌曰。三生石上舊精魂。賞月吟風莫要論。慚愧情人遠相訪。此身雖異性常存。源曰。澤公健否。答曰。李君真信士。然世緣未盡。且勿相近。惟勤修不惰。乃復相見又歌曰。身前身後事茫茫。欲話因緣恐斷腸。吳越江山尋已遍。却回煙棹上瞿塘。遂隱不見。源復歸慧林。至穆宗長慶初。年八十矣。御史中丞李德裕表薦之。穆宗下詔以源守諫議大夫。源不赴（唐書舊史）。

The Stone of Three Lives: The śramaṇa Yuanze resided at Huilin Monastery in Luoyang and was close friends with the hermit Li Yuan. Huilin was originally Yuan's old residence. His father Deng, defending the Eastern Capital, was killed by An Lushan. For this reason Yuan did not take office and constantly resided in the monastery. One day they happened to decide to travel together to Mount Emei. Yuan wished to take a boat from Jingzhou up the gorges; Ze wished to go by way of the Xie Valley in Chang'an. Yuan, having long severed human affairs, did not wish to re-enter the capital. Ze could not force him, so they went from Jingzhou by boat and moored at Nanpu. They saw a woman wearing a brocade apron carrying a jar to draw water. Ze looked at her and wept, saying, "The reason I did not wish to come this way was because of this." Yuan, startled, asked why. Ze said, "This woman has been pregnant for three years, waiting for me to become her son. Had we not met, it would have ended; but now that I have seen her, there is no escape. You should assist me with talismans and incantations to make me born quickly. Three days from now, when the child is bathed, I hope you will visit; I will take a smile as a sign of trust. Thirteen years later, outside Tianzhu Monastery in Hangzhou, I shall meet you again." Yuan mourned, and Ze bathed; by evening Ze had died. Three days after the woman gave birth, Yuan went to see the child; upon seeing Yuan, the child indeed broke into a wide smile. Yuan then told the family everything in detail. After the funeral affairs were concluded, Yuan returned to the monastery. Later, at the appointed time, he went from Luoyang to Wu to keep the appointment. Indeed, beside Ge Hong's well in front of Lower Tianzhu Monastery at the foot of Hangzhou's West Mountain, he heard a cowherd boy tapping the horns of an ox and singing: "An old spirit from atop the Stone of Three Lives; / Do not talk of admiring the moon and chanting in the wind. / I am touched that my dear friend has visited from afar; / Though this body is different, the nature always remains." Yuan said, "Is Master Ze well?" The boy replied, "Lord Li is truly a man of faith. Yet your worldly affinities are not yet ended, so do not draw near for now. Only by practicing diligently without indolence can we meet again." He then sang again: "Matters before and after life are vast and hazy; / Wanting to speak of cause and condition, I fear a broken heart. / Having searched through the rivers and mountains of Wu and Yue, / I turn my misty oars and ascend the Qutang Gorge." He then vanished. Yuan returned to Huilin Monastery. By the beginning of Changqing under Muzong, he was eighty years old. Palace Censor Li Deyu memorialized recommending him, and Muzong issued an edict appointing Yuan as Grand Master of Remonstrance, but Yuan did not accept (Book of Tang, Old History).