高僧傳 13.35

13.35

Bo Faqiao was a man from Zhongshan. In his youth, he took delight in cantillating sūtras but lacked vocal strength, and he always lamented this inadequacy. Thereupon, he gave up grain and repented for seven days and seven nights, prostrating before Avalokiteśvara to pray for a present retribution. His fellow students earnestly remonstrated with him, but he vowed not to change. On the seventh day, he felt an openness in his throat, and immediately asked for water to wash and rinse his mouth, saying, 'I have had a response.' Thereupon, he performed three cantillation sections, and his chanting voice carried for about a li; those near and far were amazed and sighing in admiration, and all came to watch and listen. Thereafter, he recited several hundred thousand words of sūtras, chanting day and night, sorrowful, graceful, and communicating with the divine. Even when he reached ninety years of age, his voice had not changed. During the Yonghe era of Emperor Mu of the Jin, he passed away north of the Yellow River. This was at the end of Shi Hu's reign. He had a disciple named Sengfu, whose monastic discipline and conduct were also pure and lofty.