[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [高僧傳](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059) › 13.77 # 高僧傳 13.77 高僧傳 13.77 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [13.77](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.13.77) 釋法願，本姓鍾，名武厲，先頴川長社人。祖世避難，移居吳興長城。願常為梅根冶監，有施慎民來代之。先時文書未校，慎民遂偏當其負，願乃訴求分罪。有旨免慎民死，除願為新道令。家本事神，身習鼓舞，世間雜技，及蓍爻占相，皆備盡其妙。嘗以鏡照面云：「我不久當見天子。」於是出都住沈橋，以庸相自業。宗殼、沈慶微時，經請願相，願曰：「宗君應為三州刺史，沈君當位極三公。」如是，歷相眾人，記其近事，所驗非一。遂有聞於宋太祖，太祖見之，取東冶囚及一奴美顏色者，飾以衣冠，令願相之。願指囚曰：「君多危難，下階便應著鎖。」謂奴曰：「君是下賤人，乃暫得免耶。」帝異之，即勅住後堂，知陰陽祕術。後少時，啟求出家，三啟方遂，為上定林遠公弟子。及孝武龍飛，宗殼出鎮廣州，携願同往，奉為五戒之師。會譙王構逆，羽檄嶺南。殼以諮願，願曰：「隨君來，誤殺人。今太白犯南斗，法應殺大臣。宜速改計，必得大勳。」果如願言。殼遷豫州刺史，復携同行，及竟陵王誕舉事，願陳諫亦然。願後與刺史共欲減眾僧床脚，令依八指之制。時沙門僧導獨步江西，謂願濫匡其士，頗有不平之色，遂致聞孝武，即勅願還都。帝問願何詐菜食。願答：「菜食已來十餘年。」帝勅直閤沈攸之強逼以肉，遂折前兩齒，不迴其操，帝大怒，勅罷道，作廣武將軍，直華林佛殿。願雖形同俗人，而栖心禪戒，未嘗虧節。有頃帝崩，昭太后令聽還道。 > Shi Fayuan's original surname was Zhong, and his personal name was Wuli. His ancestors were from Changshe in Yingchuan. In his grandfather's generation, they fled disorders and moved their residence to Changcheng in Wuxing. Fayuan once served as the supervisor of the Meigen smelter. A certain Shi Shenmin came to replace him. Previously, the official documents had not been audited, so Shenmin ended up taking the blame entirely on his own. Fayuan thereupon appealed, asking to share the guilt. An imperial decree spared Shenmin from death and appointed Fayuan magistrate of Xindao. His family had originally served the spirits, and he himself practiced drumming and dancing; he mastered the marvels of worldly miscellaneous arts, as well as divination by milfoil, hexagram lines, and physiognomy. He once looked into a mirror at his own face and said, "Before long, I shall see the Son of Heaven." Thereupon he went out to the capital and stayed at Shen Bridge, making his living as a common physiognomist. When Zong Que and Shen Qing were still of humble status, they once asked Fayuan to read their features. Fayuan said, "Lord Zong should become inspector of three provinces; Lord Shen will reach the highest rank among the Three Excellencies." In this manner, he read the features of many people in succession and predicted immediate events, proving accurate on numerous occasions. This was eventually heard by Emperor Taizu of Song. When Taizu met him, he took a prisoner from the Dongye foundry and a slave of handsome appearance, dressed them in official robes and caps, and ordered Fayuan to physiognomize them. Fayuan pointed at the prisoner and said, "You face many perils and disasters; upon descending the steps you should be put in chains." He said to the slave, "You are a person of base status; have you merely been temporarily spared?" The Emperor marveled at him and forthwith ordered him to reside in the Rear Hall, placing him in charge of secret arts of yin and yang. A short time later, he submitted a memorial requesting to leave lay life (pravrajyā). Only after three requests was it granted, and he became a disciple of the Venerable Yuan of Upper Dinglin. When Emperor Xiaowu ascended the imperial throne, Zong Que was sent out to garrison Guangzhou. He took Fayuan with him, venerating him as his master of the five precepts. It happened that the Prince of Qiao plotted rebellion and sent urgent dispatches across Lingnan. Que consulted Fayuan, who said, "If I follow you, people will be killed by mistake. Now Venus offends the Southern Dipper; by principle, a chief minister ought to be killed. You should quickly change your plans, and you are certain to achieve great merit." It turned out just as Fayuan had said. When Que was transferred to become inspector of Yuzhou, he again took Fayuan along. And when the Prince of Jingling, Dan, raised an insurrection, Fayuan's remonstrance was also like this. Later, Fayuan and the inspector jointly wished to shorten the legs of the monks' beds, ordering them to conform to the regulation of eight finger-breadths. At that time, the śramaṇa Sengdao was preeminent west of the Jiang. He considered that Fayuan was improperly rectifying his monks, and his expression showed considerable dissatisfaction. This was subsequently reported to Emperor Xiaowu, who forthwith ordered Fayuan to return to the capital. The Emperor asked Fayuan why he falsely claimed to eat only vegetables. Fayuan replied, "It has been more than ten years since I began eating only vegetables." The Emperor ordered the Palace Attendant Shen Youzhi to force meat upon him. Fayuan broke his two front teeth, yet did not alter his resolve. The Emperor was exceedingly furious, ordered him defrocked, and appointed him General of Wide Military Might, stationing him on duty at the Hualin Buddha Hall. Although Fayuan's outer form was like that of a layman, his mind dwelt in dhyāna and the precepts, never once failing in his integrity. After a short while the Emperor died, and the Empress Dowager Zhaotai ordered that he be allowed to return to the monastic path. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 13.76](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.13.76) - [Next: 13.78](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.13.78) - [Up: 13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.13) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059~en-mt.13.77) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.13.77](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2059.13.77) · Pramāṇa