高僧傳 12.9

12.9

Three years later, Jinghuan died, and his younger brother Anzhou succeeded him. That year there was a famine, and countless people died. Since Anzhou served Fajin, Fajin repeatedly begged from him to relieve the poor and starving. When the state's reserves gradually ran out, Fajin sought no more. He then bathed cleanly, took a knife and salt, and went to the deep caves where the starving gathered, where he administered the three refuges to them in turn. He then hung his robe and bowl on a tree, threw himself before the starving people, and said, 'I offer myself for you to eat together.' Though starving and exhausted, out of righteousness they could not bear to accept it. Fajin then cut his own flesh, mixed it with salt, and gave it to them to eat. When the flesh on both thighs was gone, he grew faint and could no longer cut himself, so he told the starving people, 'If you take my skin and flesh, it will still suffice for several days; if the king's envoys arrive, they will surely take it away, so just take it and store it.' The starving people were grief-stricken, and none could bring themselves to take it. In a short while, his disciples arrived, and the king's men also came to see him. The whole state rushed thither, crying and wailing one after another. Thereupon they carried him back to the palace on a litter. Anzhou decreed that three hundred hu of wheat be given to the starving, and opened other granaries to relieve the poor. By the next morning Fajin passed away; they carried him out north of the city to cremate him. The smoke and flames shot up into the sky and subsided only after seven days. His corpse and bones were completely consumed, but his tongue alone did not decay. Thereupon, a three-story stūpa was built on the spot, and a stele was erected to its right.