釋氏稽古略 3.248

3.248

Mount Jiuzuo: In the guihai year, the third year of Huichang, Great Master Zhengjue, taboo name Zhiguang, was a man of Xianyou in Xinghua Commandery. He manifested birth in the second year of Yuanhe under Xianzong. He first studied under National Preceptor Yanguan An and Chan Master Wudeng of Ezhou and had an awakening. He then returned south and stayed in Quanzhou. He constantly carried an iron alms bowl and had a white dog following him. By this time, Wuzong was about to abolish the Buddhist teaching, so he hid in rocky valleys. When Xuanzong restored the teaching, he came out again to the Southern Mountains. In the sixth year of Xiantong under Yizong, he arrived at this place of the Nine Mountains. He encountered an enormous python that wanted to come and swallow the Master. The Master's staff flew first and propped open the python's mouth. The Master entered the python's mouth and sat cross-legged. By the time the Master emerged from samādhi, the python had turned to stone. Soon after, thunder and rain surged sand to form the foundation of a monastery. Because of this, the mountain deity shifted the mountains in the eight directions, and the monastery stood in their center, forming "Nine Seats" (Jiuzuo). The Master manifested quiescence in the third year of Qianfu under Xizong. In the second year of Qianning under Zhaozong, an edict posthumously conferred the title Great Master Zhengjue.