高僧傳 10.28

10.28

At that time, Zhu Lingqi, a man of Wujun, was returning from an embassy to Gaoli when he encountered a storm that drove his ship off course; after nine days, it reached the shore of an islet. On the islet was a mountain, exceedingly lofty and vast. Entering the mountain to gather firewood, they saw a human path. Lingqi then led several men along the path to beg for food. After walking more than ten li, they heard the sound of a chime stone and scented incense smoke, whereupon they chanted the Buddha's name together and bowed in reverence. In an instant they saw a monastery, brilliantly adorned, largely embellished with the seven precious substances. They saw a dozen or so monks, all of whom were stone figures, unmoving and unshaken; together they bowed in reverence. Having walked back a few paces, they heard the sound of chanting and preaching; returning to look again, they were still stone figures. Lingqi and the others said to one another, "These are holy monks; being sinners, we are unable to see them." Thereupon, with utmost sincerity, they repented together. Going forward again, they then saw living persons, who prepared a meal for Lingqi and his companions. The taste of the food was merely vegetables, yet its delicious aroma was unlike anything of this world. When the meal was finished, they knocked their heads on the ground and bowed, begging to return swiftly to their homeland. One monk said, "This place is more than two hundred thousand li from the capital. But if you maintain a sincere mind, you need not worry that it will not be swift." He then asked Lingqi, "Do you know the Daoist monk Beidu?" Lingqi replied, "I know him very well." The monk then pointed to the north wall, where a bag hung with a monk's staff and an alms bowl, saying, "This belongs to Beidu. Now, by your means, I send him the bowl." He also wrote a letter and placed it inside a box. There was also a green bamboo staff, and he said, "Simply cast this staff into the water before the vessel, close the boat, and sit quietly. Requiring no effort on your part, it will surely bring you there swiftly." Thereupon they took their leave. He ordered a novice to see them to the gate, saying, "Go along this path; after seven li you will reach the vessel; you need not follow the earlier road." Turning west as instructed, they walked about seven li and reached the vessel; they then proceeded exactly as instructed. They only heard the vessel passing over the tops of mountain trees and saw no water at all. After three days, they arrived at the Huai River at Shitou and stopped, and the bamboo staff was no longer to be seen. As the vessel entered the Huai River and reached Zhuque Gate, they saw Beidu straddling the railing of a large ship, striking it with a stick and saying, "Horse, horse, why won't you go?" The onlookers were very numerous. Lingqi and the others bowed to him from afar aboard their vessel. Beidu then came down to their vessel himself to take the letter and the bowl. Opening the letter to look at it, not a single person could read the characters. Beidu laughed heartily and said, "They want me to return, eh?" Taking the bowl, he tossed it into the clouds and caught it as it came back down, saying, "I haven't seen this bowl for four thousand years."