續高僧傳 26.86

26.86

Śramaṇa Fakai was a native of Caozhou. At fifteen he entered the monastic life, relying on Chief Controller Xian of the minister's capital as his disciple. Following his master, he studied the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] and thoroughly comprehended its text and meaning. After receiving the full precepts, he devoted himself to the Sifen [lü]. The two luminaries Yun and Hui flourished in the Qi capital; through all the cold and heat, he prostrated himself to consult and receive instruction from them. Both bestowed on him their deepest mysteries, leaving nothing withheld. When the Qi dynasty and the Dharma both perished, he fled south beyond the Huai River to the south of Mount Shou, where he expounded the Vinaya teachings according to circumstances. In the first year of Kaihuang, as the gates of the Dharma were broadly reopened, he returned to Caozhou. Intending to end his days among mountains and waters, he was about to head toward the seacoast, but the monastic and lay communities invited him to stay and would not allow him to gallop eastward. Kai was by nature quiet and vacant; three li north of the city at Mount Zuoqiu, he founded a monastery named Fayuan. High and prominent, flat and broad, it overlooked the city and settlements below. Those who gazed at it from afar generated the aspiration [for awakening] and all came to receive the Dharma. 'Not resting content with ease and being able to relocate' was praised by the ancients. Having long been fatigued by worldly dust, he was not without wanderings; he then entered the lands within the Pass to observe the transformation in the capital. Residing at Yanghua Monastery, he again promoted the monastic precepts. When the Renshou relic pagodas were established, he received an imperial decree to escort relics to Caozhou. Kai, considering that his first foundation had historical ties and wishing to repay this land, submitted a memorial requesting that the pagoda be erected and placed back at Fayuan. The Emperor did not deny it and granted his request. When he first arrived in the region of Cao, the palanquin was placed in the provincial seat, and divine omens widely manifested, all recorded in detail in a separate account. But as my learning is not far-reaching, it is difficult to know them all, so I record them in brief, trusting it will not be tedious. Different sightings occurred day by day, fully described as follows: At noon on the fourteenth day of the third month, half of the Buddha's body was seen, the face as white as jade. Above the Buddha's crown before the relic palanquin, yellow and red light arose. On the night of the twenty-ninth day, sweet dew fell, tasting sweeter than honey. Red light appeared and covered the city, and in a moment it streamed and shone, reaching the site of the pagoda. On the fifth day of the fourth month, the relics leaped upward, brilliant in pure white. At the hour of shen on that day, light and shadows suddenly appeared on the north side above the curtain, amidst which was white cloud-vapor, within which grew a tree resembling a green parasol tree; beneath it was a blue-green lion crouching westward. At the hour of mao on the sixth day, there were again light and shadows; within the cloud-vapor were seen three lotuses, and beneath twin trees on both flanks were images of the Buddha; multistoried pavilions and groves of trees emerged in succession; above were standing images of bodhisattvas. At the hour of chen, golden light was seen again, appearing and vanishing, gradually growing larger. At the hour of si, multistoried pavilions were seen again, with trees upon the pavilions whose leaves resembled pattra leaves; sacred monks stood beside them. At noon, the form of twin trees appeared again, with the Seven Buddhas lined up below. At the hour of shen, by the twin trees, one Buddha and two bodhisattva images were seen again, with three flowers supporting their feet; heavenly beings were also seen holding flowers in the air, along with yellow lions and the like. At the hour of hai, forms of the thousand Buddhas were seen behind the curtain, and yellow and white light issued from the relic chamber. On the seventh day of the fourth month, twin trees were seen again, along with a yellow sparrow, radiant clouds, lions, and other forms. At the hour of chen, the body of a garuḍa, flying dragons, groves of trees, and jewelled canopies were seen again, with two bodhisattvas and a yellow lion appearing beside them. At the hour of si, jewelled banners and groves of trees were seen again; beneath them were bodhisattvas, yellow-robed upāsakas, and a white lion crouching on a rock; there were also cloud-vapors, groves of trees, pavilions, and bodhisattvas. At noon, white cloud-vapors, jewelled banners, groves of trees, and blue-green lions were seen again. At the hour of shen, luxuriant twin trees appeared again, which in an instant turned into palaces and pavilions, with the Buddha seated on a flower pedestal, yellow and white in color. At the hour of hai, clouds arose from the northwest, rain moistened the earth to three inches, and the Six Heavens all appeared simultaneously above the clouds. On the eighth day of the fourth month, when the relics were about to be placed in the pagoda, at dawn heavenly white flowers rained down, fluttering in the air without falling. At the hour of mao, the jewelled canopies of the devas, bodhisattvas beside trees, and yellow lions were seen again. At the hour of chen, a great double-tiered canopy adorned with many jewels was seen again; seated below were a bodhisattva and a white lion crouching on a rock. Above the curtain, light, shadows, and cloud-vapor were seen again; within the vapor, golden light alternately expanded and contracted; below were lotuses, now opening, now closing. Heavenly flowers rained down again: the larger ones remained in the air, over a foot across; the smaller ones fell to the ground, resembling peach blossoms. At the hour of si, three devas, three lions, and a lotus pool were seen behind the curtain. At noon, when they were about to be lowered, twin trees and standing bodhisattvas were seen again. The relics suddenly divided into five grains, flowing and turning in radiant light. On the ninth day of the fourth month, after the ground was filled in and leveled, within the light and shadow on the board behind the curtain, patterns of stacked stones emerged; a large tree was seen again, beside which stood a blue-robed śramaṇa holding an incense burner. A rare fragrance was also perceived, intensely striking the nose. Kai reported everything to the throne. The Emperor was greatly pleased and ordered them to be depicted in paintings to circulate throughout the realm. Since the establishment of the Renshou pagodas, numbering more than a hundred from first to last, for superior responsiveness to signs none surpassed Kai. Later, he ended his days at his original monastery pursuing his usual vocation.