高僧傳 10.7

10.7

竺法慧，本關中人。方直有戒行，入嵩高山，事浮圖密為師。晉康帝建元元年至襄陽，止羊叔子寺。不受別請，每乞食，輒齎繩床自隨，於閑曠之路，則施之而坐。時或遇雨，以油帔自覆。雨止，唯見繩床，不知慧所在。訊問未息，慧已在床。每語弟子法照曰：「汝過去時折一鷄脚，其殃尋至。」俄而照為人所擲，脚遂永疾。後語弟子云：「新野有一老公當命過，吾欲度之。」仍行於畦畔之間，果見一公，將牛耕田。慧從公乞牛，公不與，慧前自捉牛鼻，公懼其異，遂以施之。慧牽牛呪願，七步而反，以牛還公。公少日而亡。

Zhu Fahui was originally a native of Guanzhong. Upright, straightforward, and strict in observing the precepts, he entered Mount Songgao and took Fotumi as his teacher. In the first year of the Jianyuan era of Emperor Kang of the Jin, he arrived in Xiangyang and stayed at Yang Shuzi Temple. He did not accept private invitations; whenever he went begging for food, he always carried a corded chair with him, setting it down to sit whenever he came to an open road. If he encountered rain, he covered himself with an oiled cape. When the rain stopped, only the corded chair was visible, and no one knew where Hui was. Before people had ceased inquiring, Hui was already on the chair. He would often tell his disciple Fazhao: "In a past life you broke a chicken's leg; the retribution will soon arrive." Shortly afterward, Zhao was thrown down by someone and became permanently lame in his leg. Later he said to his disciples: "In Xinyao there is an old man about to die; I wish to deliver him." He then walked along the boundaries of the fields, and indeed saw an old man leading an ox to plow the field. Hui begged the old man for the ox; the old man would not give it. Hui stepped forward and seized the ox's muzzle himself. The old man, terrified by his miraculous manner, thereupon gave it to him. Hui led the ox, uttered an aspiration, turned around after seven paces, and returned the ox to the old man. The old man died a few days later.