釋氏稽古略 1.596

1.596

In the bingchen year, the sixth year of Yuankang, the śramaṇa Jīvaka (Qiyu) of Western India first arrived in the Jiaozhi and Guangzhou regions, and after reaching Xiangyang, arrived in Luoyang in this year. Seeing that the bhikṣus wore magnificent robes, he said, "This greatly contravenes the precepts and discipline, and is not the Buddha's intention." The governor Teng Yongwen had both legs crippled and contracted, and had been unable to stand and walk for years; he asked Yu to treat him. Yu took a clean robe and willow branches and brushed him three times, whereupon Teng was immediately able to walk. Yu knew that the world was about to fall into chaos, so he took his leave to return to India. A monk begged for words of admonition; Yu ordered the assembly to gather. When the assembly had gathered, Yu ascended the seat and said:

"Guard the mouth, restrain the body and mind;
Take care not to commit any evils.
Cultivate all good deeds;
In this way one crosses beyond the world."

Having finished speaking, he remained silent. Several hundred people blocked the road to invite him for the midday meal; Yu agreed. The next day, Yu manifested separately at each of their houses, and each rejoiced at his coming. When he departed south of Luoyang, he walked slowly, yet those pursuing him could not catch up. Yu drew on the ground with his staff and said, "Here we part." On that day, someone leaving Chang'an saw Yu at a great monastery. A Sogdian merchant, Shideng, met Yu that night and lodged together with him in the shifting sands (his main biography).