續高僧傳 25.41

25.41

Śramaṇa Fali: it is not known who he was. He was ascetic and possessed firm resolution and virtue. Desiring to erect a vihāra in Lu Commandery but lacking sufficient funds, he went with the śrāmaṇera Mingchen to Shanggu to solicit a cartload of hemp. As they were returning to the monastery with their task complete, traversing an open marsh, they suddenly encountered a wildfire. Since their cart was downwind, there was no way to escape. At that time, Fali was asleep from exhaustion; by the time he awoke, the fury of the flames had already reached them. Raising his voice, he called out 'Guan—', not yet finishing 'shiyin', when immediately the wind shifted, and the flames were instantly extinguished. They returned in peace and safety. Moreover, śramaṇa Fazhi had originally been a layman. Traveling alone through a vast marsh, ferocious flames converged simultaneously from all four quarters. Knowing that he was certain to die, he pressed his face to the ground and called upon Guanshiyin. Wondering why he was not being burned, he raised his head to look: every shred of grass throughout the entire marsh was completely consumed, save for the space where Zhi lay, which was just large enough to fit his body. Moving him to awakening through this, he left home to pursue the Way, striving with vigor and valor such that he preceded the rest of the assembly. Moreover, śramaṇa Daoji wandered in the Western Mountains of Shouyang and was captured by two bandits, who tied him to a tree and were about to kill him. He only recollected Guanshiyin, awaiting his death. The bandits drew their swords and struck repeatedly, but none caused any injury. Frightened by this, they fled, and Ji thus obtained his release; this matter was widely related. Moreover, when śramaṇa Fazhan and others were walking in the mountains, they met with robbers. They only recollected Guanyin. The robbers drew their bows to shoot them, but when they wished to loose the arrows, they were unable to do so. The robbers then submitted in good faith and tried to throw their bows to the ground, yet they could not release them either. Knowing that these were holy men, they abandoned their efforts and fled. Zhan and the others were spared, and this was everywhere reported. All of these were figures from the end of the Wei. There is separately a Record of the Spiritual Resonances of Guanyin, whose accounts are vast and extensive, so they are not recounted in detail here.