續高僧傳 25.126

25.126

釋法進。蜀中新繁人。在俗精進不噉辛腥。在田農作。以鏵刃為鍾磬。步影而齋。有送食晚。便飲水而已。所犁田地不損蟲蟻。一時空中聲曰。進闍梨。出家時到。如是四五聲。合家同聞。進因詣洛口山出家。行頭陀不居寺舍。時隋蜀王秀。聞名知難邀請。遣參軍郁九閭長卿往。便將左右十人。辭王曰。承有道德。如請不來當申俗法。王曰。不須威逼。但以理延。明當達此。長卿出郭門。顧曰。今日將爾輩往兜率天請彌勒佛亦望得。何況山中道人有何不來。初至吉陽山下。日暮見虎道蹲。命人射之。馬皆退走。欲投村恐違王命。俄見一僧負襆上山。長卿命住為伴。餘從並留。步至寺所。召入至床。又見虎在床下。怖不自安。進遣虎出。具述王意。雖有答對。而怖形于相狀。進曰。檀越初出郭門一何雄勇。今來至此一何怯憚。長卿頂禮默然。因宿至旦。令先往益。貧道後來。行至望鄉臺。顧視進行已及。即與同見王。入內受戒。即日辭出。所獲嚫施一無所受。令往法聚寺停。王顧諸佐曰。見此僧令寡人毛竪。戒神所護也。後更召入城。王遙見即禮。進曰。王自安樂。進自安樂。何為苦相惱亂作無益之事耶。諸僧諫曰。王為地主。應善問訊。何為訶責。進曰。大德畏死。須求王意。眼見惡事都不諫勉何名弘教。進不畏死。責過何嗛乎。雖盛飾床筵厚味重結。而但坐繩床麁餅而已。乃至妃姬受戒。但責放逸不念無常。又辭入山。重延三日。限滿便返。諸清信等咸設食而邀之。至時諸家各稱進到。總集計會。乃分身數十處焉。有時與僧出山赴食。欻爾而笑。人問其故。曰山寺淨人穿壁盜蜜耳。及還果如所說斯事非一。旦述之耳。初王門師慈藏者。為州僧官。立政嚴猛。瓶衣香花少闕加捶。僧眾苦之。而為王所重。無敢諫者。以事白進請為救濟。答曰。其威力如此。豈能受語耶。苦請不已。進造藏房門。藏走出。謂曰。法門未可如是。爾亦大力也。還返入房。蜀人以大甚為大力。自此藏便息言。僧由此安。以開皇中卒山。年九十六。

Shi Fajin was a native of Xinfan in Shu. While in secular life he was diligent and did not eat pungent vegetables or meat. Farming in the fields, he used the edge of the ploughshare as a bell and stone chime, eating his mid-day meal according to the length of his shadow; if someone brought food late, he merely drank water and that was all. The land he ploughed did not harm insects or ants. Once, a voice in the empty sky said, 'Ācārya Jin, the time to renounce household life has arrived!' This sounded four or five times, and the whole family heard it together. Jin thereupon went to Mount Luokou and renounced household life, practicing dhūta and not dwelling in temple buildings. At that time, Prince Xiu of Shu under the Sui dynasty heard of his fame and, knowing he was difficult to invite, dispatched Adjutant Yu Jiulu Zhangqing to go. Taking along ten attendants, he took leave of the prince, saying, 'I have heard he possesses the Way and virtue. If he will not come when invited, I shall apply secular law.' The prince said, 'There is no need to coerce him; merely invite him with reason. Tomorrow he should arrive here.' Zhangqing went out the city gate and, looking back, said, 'Today, if I took you to Tuṣita Heaven to invite Maitreya Buddha, I would expect to succeed; how much more so with a man of the Way in the mountains—why would he not come?' When he first arrived beneath Mount Jiyang, at dusk he saw a tiger crouching in the road. He ordered men to shoot it, but the horses all retreated in fright. Wanting to seek lodging in a village, he feared disobeying the prince's command. Suddenly he saw a monk carrying a bundle going up the mountain. Zhangqing asked him to halt and accompany them, while leaving behind the rest of the retinue. Walking to the temple, he was invited into the room by the bed; he again saw a tiger under the bed and was terrified and ill at ease. Jin dismissed the tiger, and Zhangqing recounted the prince's intent in full detail. Although he responded, his fright showed in his appearance. Jin said, 'Dānapati, when you first set out from the city gate, how heroic and brave you were! Now that you have arrived here, why are you so fearful and hesitant?' Zhangqing bowed his head in silence. They stayed overnight until morning, and Jin bade him go ahead to Yizhou: 'This poor monk will follow later.' When Zhangqing reached Wangxiang Platform and looked back, Jin had already caught up, and they went together to meet the prince. Entering the inner quarters, the prince received the precepts and Jin departed the same day. He did not accept any of the offerings bestowed on him. He was told to lodge at Faju Temple. The prince looked to his advisors and said, 'Seeing this monk makes my hair stand on end; he is protected by the precept deities!' Later, he summoned him into the city again. Seeing him from afar, the prince bowed. Jin said, 'Your Highness is at ease yourself, and Jin is at ease myself; why trouble yourself with disturbing others and doing useless things?' The monks admonished Jin, saying, 'The prince is the ruler of this land; you should inquire after him with pleasant words. Why do you reprimand him?' Jin said, 'Venerables, you fear death and must seek to please the prince. Seeing evil deeds with your own eyes, you offer no admonitions at all—how can that be called propagating the teaching? Jin does not fear death; what regret is there in rebuking faults?' Although lavish banquets and rich delicacies were repeatedly arranged, he only sat on a corded seat and ate coarse cakes, nothing more. Even when the consorts and concubines received the precepts, he merely rebuked their indulgence and lack of mindfulness of impermanence. Then he took his leave to return to the mountains; the prince extended his stay for three more days, and when the limit was reached, Jin departed. The faithful all prepared food and invited him; when the time came, each household claimed that Jin had arrived. When they gathered and compared accounts, he had multiplied his body across dozens of places. Once, when he went out of the mountain with other monks to attend a meal, he suddenly laughed. When asked the reason, he said, 'The monastery pure-person in the mountain temple has breached a wall to steal honey.' When they returned, it was indeed as he had said; such matters were not singular, and are merely recounted briefly here. Earlier, the prince’s preceptor Cizang served as the provincial monastic official; his administration was stern and harsh, and if jars, robes, incense, or flowers were slightly deficient, he would beat the monks. The monastic assembly suffered under him, yet because he was revered by the prince, none dared to admonish him. They reported the matter to Jin and begged him for rescue. Jin replied, 'His prestige and power are such; how could he accept my words?' When they implored him unceasingly, Jin went to the door of Cang's chamber. Cang came running out, and Jin said to him, 'The Dharma gates should not be like this! You have great strength indeed!' Then he turned back and re-entered his chamber. The people of Shu use 'great strength' to mean 'excessive.' From then on, Cang ceased his harshness, and the monks were thereby at peace. Jin died in the mountains during the Kaihuang reign, at the age of ninety-six.