高僧傳 4.14

4.14

康法朗，中山人，少出家，善戒節。嘗讀經，見雙樹鹿苑之處，欝而歎曰：「吾已不值聖人，寧可不覩聖處。」於是誓往迦夷，仰瞻遺迹。乃共同學四人，發跡張掖，西過流沙。行經三日，路絕人蹤，忽見道傍有一故寺，草木沒人，中有敗屋兩間，間中各有一人，一人誦經，一人患痢，兩人比房，不相料理，屎尿縱橫，舉房臭穢。朗謂其屬曰：「出家同道，以法為親，不見則已，豈可見而捨耶。」朗乃停六日，為洗浣供養。至第七日，見此房中皆是香華，乃悟其神人。因語朗云：「比房是我和上，已得無學，可往問訊。」朗往問訊，因語朗云：「君等誠契，皆當入道，不須遠遊諸國，於事無益。唯當自力行道，勿令失時。但朗功業尚小未純，未得所願，當還真丹國作大法師。」於是四人不復西行，仍留此專精業道。唯朗更遊諸國，研尋經論。後還中山，門徒數百，講法相係。後不知所終。孫綽為之贊曰：「人亦有言，瑜瑕弗藏，朗公冏冏，能韜其光。敬終慎始，研微辯章，何以取證，氷堅履霜。」

Kang Falang was a native of Zhongshan. He underwent pravrajyā in his youth and was adept in observing the precepts. Once, reading a scripture, he came upon the places of the Twin Trees and the Deer Park; melancholy, he sighed, saying, "I was already not to meet the Sage; could I bear never to behold the sacred places?" Thereupon he made a vow to go to Kapilavastu and gaze up at the remaining traces. Accompanied by four fellow students, he set out from Zhangye and crossed the drifting sands to the west. Having traveled for three days, all traces of humans along the road ceased. Suddenly, by the roadside, they saw an old monastery overgrown with weeds and trees that concealed human height, inside of which were two dilapidated rooms. In each room there was a person: one was reciting a scripture, and the other was suffering from dysentery. The two occupied adjoining rooms but did not look after each other; feces and urine ran rampant, and the whole room was foul and reeking. Lang said to his companions, "As fellow travelers who have undergone pravrajyā, we take the Dharma as our kin. Had we not seen this, so be it; how could we see it and abandon him?" Lang thereupon stayed for six days to wash him and make offerings. On the seventh day, he saw that this room was filled with fragrant flowers, and then realized that the man was a divine person. The man then said to Lang, "In the adjoining room is my upādhyāya, who has already attained the state of no-further-learning (aśaikha); you may go and pay your respects." Lang went to pay his respects, whereupon [the master] said to Lang, "The sincere aspirations of you gentlemen will all lead to your entering the Way; there is no need to travel far to foreign lands, for it will be of no benefit to the matter. You must only strive by your own efforts to practice the Way and not let time be lost. However, Lang's accomplishments are still minor and not yet pure; not having attained what he aspired to, he must return to the land of Cīnasthāna to serve as a great Dharma master." Thereupon the four men no longer traveled westward, but remained there to apply themselves single-mindedly to the practice of the Way. Only Lang traveled further through various countries, researching and investigating sūtras and treatises. Later he returned to Zhongshan, where his disciples numbered in the hundreds, and his expositions of the Dharma succeeded one another continuously. Later it is not known how he ended his days. Sun Chuo composed a eulogy for him, saying: / "People indeed have a saying, / 'Neither jade nor flaw is concealed.' / The venerable Lang was brilliant and luminous, / Yet able to sheath his light. / Reverent to the end and cautious at the start, / Investigating the subtle and distinguishing the patterns, / By what did he attain verification? / Treading on hoarfrost, [knowing] firm ice [is near]."