續高僧傳 25.114

25.114

香闍梨者。莫測其來。以梁初至益州青城山飛赴寺。欣然有終志。時俗每至三月三日。必往山遊賞。多將酒肉共相酣樂。前後勸喻曾未能斷。後年三月。又如前集。例坐已了。香令人於座穿坑方丈。人莫知意。謂人曰。檀越等恒自飲噉。未曾與香。今日為眾須飡一頓。諸人爭奉肴酒。隨得隨盡。若填巨壑。識者怪之。至晚曰。我大醉飽。扶我就坑不爾污地。及至坑所。張口大吐雞肉自口出。即能飛鳴。羊肉自口出。即馳走。酒食亂出。將欲滿坑。魚䱉鵝鴨游泳交錯。眾咸驚嗟。誓斷辛殺。迄今酒肉永絕上山。此香之風德也。益州別駕羅研朝。梁誌公謂曰。益州香貴賤。答曰甚賤。初不謂是人也。誌曰。既為人所賤。何為久留。研亦不測此語。為有識者說之。或曰。將不指青城香闍梨乎。遂往山具述。香曰。檀越遠來。固非虛說。其夜便化。弟子等營墓將殯。怪棺太輕。及開止見几杖而已。

Ācārya Xiang: It is not known whence he came. At the beginning of the Liang, he arrived at Feifu Monastery on Mount Qingcheng in Yizhou, gladly resolving to remain there until his end. According to the customs of the time, every year on the third day of the third month, [the locals] would go on excursions in the mountains to sightsee, bringing ample meat and wine to revel together. Though he had previously admonished and guided them, he was unable to put a stop to it. In the third month of a later year, they gathered as before. After everyone had taken their seats, Xiang had people dig a pit of ten cubits square by his seat; no one understood the intention. He said to the people: 'You dānapatis always drink and eat, but have never given any to Xiang. Today, on behalf of the assembly, I must eat a meal.' Everyone competed to offer delicacies and wine; as soon as he received them, he finished them off, as though filling a vast chasm. Those with discernment found it strange. By evening he said: 'I am thoroughly drunk and sated; support me to the pit, otherwise I will soil the ground.' When he reached the pit, he opened his mouth wide and vomited profusely: chicken meat came out of his mouth and immediately flew and crowed; mutton came out of his mouth and immediately ran about. Food and wine poured out in disorder, nearly filling the pit; fish, eels, geese, and ducks swam and crisscrossed together. The assembly was all astounded and awestruck, vowing to abstain from pungent roots and killing. Down to this day, wine and meat are permanently banished from the mountain. Such was the moral influence and virtue of Xiang. When Luo Yan, the assistant governor of Yizhou, had an audience at court, Master Zhi of the Liang said to him: 'Is incense (xiang) expensive or cheap in Yizhou?' He replied: 'It is very cheap'—initially not thinking that this referred to a person. Zhi said: 'Since he is despised by people, why does he remain so long?' Luo Yan also did not comprehend these words, but recounted them to discerning people. Someone said: 'Could this not refer to Ācārya Xiang of Qingcheng?' He then went to the mountain and recounted the matter fully. Xiang said: 'The dānapati has come from afar; indeed, these are not empty words.' That very night he passed away. When his disciples prepared the tomb to bury him, they wondered why the coffin was so light; upon opening it, they saw only an armrest and a staff.