續高僧傳 25.130

25.130

京師西北有廢凝觀寺。有夾紵立釋迦舉高丈六。儀相超異屢放光明。隋開皇三年。寺僧法慶所造。捻塑纔了未加漆布。而慶忽終。同日寶昌寺僧大智又終。經三日穌。說云。初去飄飄若乘風雨。可行百里。乃見宮殿人物華綺非常。又見一人似若王者。左右儀仗甚有威雄。頃間見慶來。而面有憂色。又見大像。謂殿上人曰。慶造我未了。何為令死。其人遽而下殿拜訖。呼階下人曰。慶合死未。答云。命未盡而食盡。彼曰。可給荷葉而終其福壽。言已失像及慶所在。時即問凝觀寺僧云。慶公死來三日。所造丈六一夕亦失。達曙方見。時共嗟怪。言詳未訖。人報云。慶穌活。眾咸往問。與大智說同。自爾旦旦解齋。進荷葉六枚。中食八枚。凡欲食時。先以煖水沃令耎濕方食之。周流遠近率諸士女以成其像。依像懺禮無爽晨昏。以大業初卒。春秋七十六。近如雍州渭南人單道琮者云。永徽五年因患風儀容改異。差後味諸飲食咸臭。唯噉土飲水。時俗命為人蟺。今周行告乞。可年四十餘。

Northwest of the capital stood the abandoned Ningguan Monastery. It possessed a dry-lacquer standing Śākyamuni image, sixteen feet high, whose features and marks were extraordinary and frequently emitted radiant light. In the third year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui, it was made by the monk Faqing of that monastery. When the molding and sculpting were barely finished and the lacquer and cloth had not yet been applied, Faqing suddenly died. On the same day, the monk Dazhi of Baochang Monastery also died. After three days, he revived and related: 'When I first departed, I drifted as if riding on wind and rain, travelling perhaps a hundred leagues. Then I saw palaces, people, and things of extraordinary splendor and elegance. I also saw a person resembling a king, whose attendants and retinue possessed immense majesty. Soon after, I saw Faqing arrive, with a look of worry on his face. I also saw the great image, which said to the person on the hall: "Faqing has not yet finished making me; why did you cause him to die?" That person hurriedly descended from the hall, bowed, and called out to someone below the stairs: "Is Faqing due to die yet?" The answer came: "His lifespan is not yet exhausted, but his food is exhausted." That person said: "He may be supplied with lotus leaves to complete his merit and lifespan." When he had spoken, the image and Faqing's whereabouts were suddenly lost.' At that time, [Dazhi] inquired of the monks of Ningguan Monastery, who said: 'The Venerable Faqing died three days ago. One evening the sixteen-foot image he was making was also missing, and was seen only at daybreak.' Everyone was amazed and marveling at the time. Before their discussion was finished, someone came to report that Faqing had revived. The assembly all went to question him, and his account was identical to Dazhi's. From then on, whenever he broke his fast in the morning, he took six lotus leaves, and eight leaves at the midday meal. Whenever he wished to eat, he would first pour warm water over them to soften and moisten them before consuming them. He travelled far and wide, leading gentlemen and ladies to complete the image. His repentance and worship before the image never failed at morning or dusk. He passed away at the beginning of the Daye era at the age of seventy-six. Recently, someone like Shan Daocong of Weinan in Yongzhou said that in the fifth year of the Yonghui era, due to an illness of wind, his appearance drastically changed; after recovering, all food and drink tasted foul, and he only ate earth and drank water. The people of the time called him the 'Earthworm Man'. Now he wanders about begging, and is about forty-odd years old.