宋高僧傳 18.31

18.31

釋後僧會者，本康居國人也，以吳赤烏年中謁大帝。初吳人未識僧形，止曰胡人入境。乃祈舍利已，令帝開悟。末主天紀四年，會尸解，真身隱焉。至唐高宗永徽中見形于越，稱是遊方僧，而神氣瓌異，眉高隆準，頤峭眸碧，而瘦露奇骨，真梵容也。見者悚然，罔知階位。時寺綱紏詰其厥由，罵而驅逐。會行及門，乃語之曰：「吾康僧會也，苟能留吾真體，福爾伽藍。」躧步之間，立而息絕。既而青目微瞑，精爽不銷，舉手如迎揖焉，足跨似欲行焉。眾議偃其靈軀，窴於窀穸，人力殫矣，略不傾移。雖色身堅牢，而彊事膠漆，遷于勝地，別立崇堂。時越人競以香華、燈明、繒綵、旛蓋、果實、衣器，請祈心願，多諧人意。初越之軍旅，多寓永欣，其婦女生產，兵士葷血，觸污僧藍，人不堪其淹穢。會乃化形往謁閩廉使李若初，且曰：「君侯即領越之藩條，託為遷之軍旅。」語罷，拂衣而去，尋失蹤跡。李公喜而駭，且記其言，後果赴是郡。及上事訖，便謁靈跡，認于時言者，則斯僧也。命撤軍家，勒就營幕。又疋婦夜臨蓐席，且無脂爥，隣無隙光。俄有一僧秉爥自牖而入。其夫旦入永欣，認會貌，即是授火救產厄之僧。自爾民間多就求男女焉。屬會昌毀永欣也，唯今大善獨留，號開元矣，遂移會身入是寺中。大中之後，有曇休律師為會別創堂宇，廣其供具。又甞就閭閻家求草屨，至今越人多以芒鞵油旛上獻，感應肹蠁，各赴人家，不可周述。今號超化大師。從永徽至今，未甞闕其供施焉。沙門虛受為碑紀述焉。

Shi, the Later Seng Hui, was originally a man of the Kangju kingdom. During the Chiwu era of the Wu dynasty, he had an audience with the Great Emperor [Sun Quan]. At first, the people of Wu were unfamiliar with the appearance of a monk and merely called him a foreigner who had entered their borders. He prayed for a śarīra and brought the emperor to enlightenment. In the fourth year of the Tianji era of the Last Ruler, Hui underwent deliverance by corpse, and his true body was concealed. During the Yonghui era of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang, he appeared in Yue, claiming to be an itinerant monk. His spiritual demeanor was extraordinary, with high brows, a prominent nose, a sharp chin, and blue-green eyes, his emaciated frame revealing wondrous bones—truly an Indian appearance. Those who saw him were awestruck, not knowing his spiritual attainment. At that time, the monastic administrators cross-examined him regarding his origins, reviled him, and drove him out. When Hui reached the gate, he said to them, "I am Kang Senghui. If you can keep my true body, it will bring blessings to your saṅghārāma." In the midst of taking a step, he stopped breathing while standing upright. Thereafter, his blue-green eyes were slightly closed, his spiritual vitality did not dissipate, his raised hand seemed to be welcoming in greeting, and his striding feet seemed about to walk. The assembly deliberated over laying his numinous body down and burying it in a tomb, but their human strength was exhausted, and it did not tilt or move in the slightest. Although his physical body was firm and solid, they still treated it with lacquer and relocated it to an auspicious site, erecting a separate lofty hall. At that time, the people of Yue vied with one another to present fragrant flowers, lamps, silks, banners, canopies, fruits, clothing, and vessels, making wishes and prayers, most of which were fulfilled according to their desires. Earlier, the military troops of Yue often lodged at Yongxin; women gave birth there, and soldiers brought meat and blood, defiling the monastery so that people could not bear its foulness. Hui transformed his appearance and went to visit the Fujian Surveillance Commissioner Li Ruochu, saying, "You will soon govern the frontier region of Yue; I entrust you to relocate the troops." Having spoken, he shook his robes and left, immediately vanishing without a trace. Lord Li was pleased and astonished, and kept his words in mind; later, he was indeed appointed to this commandery. When he took office, he visited the numinous traces and recognized that the one who had spoken to him at that time was this monk. He ordered the withdrawal of the military families, commanding them to move into encampments. Furthermore, an ordinary woman went into labor at night without oil lamps, and there was no light from the neighbors. Suddenly, a monk holding a torch entered through the window. In the morning, her husband went into Yongxin and recognized Hui's appearance, seeing that he was the monk who had brought fire to relieve the distress of childbirth. From then on, many among the common people went to pray to him for sons and daughters. When Yongxin was destroyed during the Huichang suppression, only the present Dashan Temple was preserved, renamed Kaiyuan; they then moved Hui's body into this temple. After the Dazhong era, Vinaya Master Tanxiu built a separate hall for Hui and expanded his offerings. Hui also used to visit ordinary households begging for straw sandals; to this day, the people of Yue often offer straw sandals and oiled banners, and supernatural resonances arrive at households, too numerous to mention completely. Today, he is called Grand Master Chaohua. From the Yonghui era until now, his offerings and alms have never ceased. The śramaṇa Xushou composed a stele inscription to record these matters.