高僧傳 4.14

4.14

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]."