高僧傳 3.8

3.8

Thereafter, he boarded a large merchant ship to return by sea. There were about two hundred people on the ship. When it encountered a violent storm and water rushed in, all were terrified, and immediately took miscellaneous goods and threw them overboard. Faxian feared they would throw his sūtras and images overboard, so he single-mindedly concentrated on Avalokiteśvara and took refuge in the saṃgha of the Han lands. The ship drifted with the wind and avoided damage. After more than ten days, they reached the country of Yavadvīpa, where he stayed for five months. He again followed other merchants, heading east toward Guangzhou. After hoisting sail for more than twenty days, a great wind suddenly arose at night, and the whole ship trembled with fear. The crowd all discussed: "Because we carry this śramaṇa, we have been thrown into dire straits; we cannot let the entire crowd perish on account of a single man!" They all wanted to push him into the sea. Faxian's dānapati shouted sternly at the merchants, saying: "If you put down this śramaṇa, you must also put me down; otherwise, you must kill me! The emperors and kings of the Han land revere the Buddha and respect the saṃgha; when I arrive there and report to the king, he will surely punish you!" The merchants looked at each other and turned pale, and reluctantly desisted. With water exhausted and provisions depleted, they only drifted with the wind and followed the currents. Suddenly they reached the shore. Seeing the goosefoot greens as familiar, they knew it was the Han land, but could not determine what region it was. They then took a small boat into an inlet to seek a village. Seeing two hunters, Faxian asked: "What land is this?" The hunters said: "This is the southern shore of Mount Lao in Changguang Commandery of Qingzhou." The hunters returned and reported this to the Grand Administrator Li Yi. Yi had always been reverent and faithful; suddenly hearing that a śramaṇa had arrived from afar, he personally welcomed and comforted him. Faxian took his sūtras and images and returned with him.