續高僧傳 25.124

25.124

富上者。莫測何人。恒依益州淨德寺宿。埋一大笠在路。晝日坐下讀經。人雖去來不喚令施。有擲錢者亦不呪願。每於靜路不入閙中。狀如五十。雖在多年過無所獲。有信心者曰。城西城北人稠施多。在此何為。答曰。一錢兩錢足養身命。復用多為陵州刺史趙仲舒者。三代之酷吏也。甚無信敬。聞故往試。騎馬直過。佯墮貫錢。富但讀經。目未曾顧。去遠舒令取錢。富亦不顧。舒乃返來曰。爾見我錢墮地以不。曰見。問曰。錢今何在。曰見一人拾將去。舒曰。爾終日在路唯乞一錢。豈有貫錢在地。而不取者。見人將去。何不止之。答曰。非貧道物。何為浪認。仲舒曰。我欲須爾身上袈裟。富曰。欲相試耳。公能將去。復有與者。可謂得失一種。即疊授與。仲舒下馬禮謝曰。弟子周朝人。官歷三代。大與眾僧往還。少不貪者。聞名故謁。本非惡意。請往陵州。富曰大善。然貧道廣欲結緣願公助國安撫。即是長相見受供養也。舒辭歎曰。毛中有人不可輕慢。爾後不見。益州人薊相者。從揚州還見之。亦埋笠路側。顏狀如常。

Regarding Fushang, it is unknown who he was. He always stayed at Jingde Temple in Yizhou to sleep. He buried a large conical hat by the roadside, and during the day he sat under it chanting sūtras. Although people came and went, he never called out to them to make donations; if anyone tossed coins, he did not chant blessings either. He always stayed along quiet roads and never entered bustling places. In appearance he looked about fifty. Although he had been there for many years, those who passed by gave him almost nothing. A faithful person said, 'To the west and north of the city, people are dense and donations are plentiful. What are you doing here?' He replied, 'One or two coins are enough to sustain my life. What would I use more for?' Zhao Zhongshu, the regional inspector of Lingzhou, was a harsh official under three dynasties. He utterly lacked faith and respect. Hearing of Fushang, he intentionally went to test him. Riding his horse straight past, he feigned dropping a string of cash. Fushang merely continued chanting the sūtras, his eyes never even looking back. Having gone far, Shu sent someone to retrieve the coins, but Fushang still did not look. Shu then returned and said, 'Did you see my coins fall to the ground or not?' He replied, 'I saw them.' Shu asked, 'Where are the coins now?' He replied, 'I saw a person pick them up and carry them away.' Shu said, 'You stay by the road all day long merely begging for a single coin. How could there be a string of cash on the ground and you did not take it? Seeing someone carry it away, why did you not stop him?' He replied, 'It was not this poor monk’s property; why would I recklessly claim it?' Zhongshu said, 'I want the kāṣāya robe on your body.' Fushang said, 'You merely wish to test me. If you, sir, can carry it off, there will be someone else who gives me one; one might say gaining and losing are the same.' He then folded it up and handed it to him. Zhongshu dismounted, bowed, and apologized, saying, 'Your disciple is a man of the Zhou dynasty who has served as an official across three dynasties. I have associated widely with the monastic assembly, and few are not greedy. Hearing your name, I therefore came to pay respects; it was originally without malicious intent. Please come with me to Lingzhou.' Fushang said, 'Very well. However, this poor monk widely wishes to establish karmic affinities. May you, sir, assist the state in bringing peace and comfort to the people; that in itself will be seeing each other constantly and receiving your offerings.' Taking his leave, Shu sighed and said, 'There are hidden extraordinary persons among the common folk; one must not treat them lightly.' Afterwards, Fushang was seen no more. Ji Xiang, a man of Yizhou, saw him when returning from Yangzhou; he was also sitting beside the road with a conical hat planted there, his appearance just as before.