宋高僧傳 19.18

19.18

釋天竺亡名，未詳何印度人也。其貌惡陋，纏乾陀色縵條衣，穿革屣，曳鐵錫，化行于京輦。當韋南康臯之生也，纔三日，其家召僧齋，此僧不速自來——其日僧必歷寺連名請至——，韋氏家僮患其長一人，甚怒之，以弊席坐于庭中。既而齋畢，韋氏令乳母負嬰兒出，意請眾僧祝願焉。梵僧先從座起，攝衣升階，視之曰：「別久無恙乎？」嬰兒若有喜色相認之意。眾皆異之。韋君曰：「此子纔生三日，吾師何言別久也？」梵僧曰：「此非檀越所知也。」韋君固問之，梵僧曰：「此子乃諸葛亮之後身耳。武候鼎國時為蜀丞相，君所知也。緣蜀人受其賜且久，今降生於世，將為蜀帥，必福坤維之人。吾往在劍門，與此子為善友。既知其生于君門，吾不遠而來。此子作劍南節度二十年，官極貴中書令、太尉。此外非我所知也。」父然之，因以武子為字，又單字武也。張鎰出為鳳翔隴州節度，奏臯權知隴州。及鎰為李楚琳所殺，牛雲光請臯為帥。朱泚不得已用臯為鳳翔帥。德宗置奉義軍節以旌之，續加禮部尚書。興元中，駕還京，徵為左金吾衛將軍。貞元元年，為成都尹，代張延賞。到任和南蠻并戰功，封南康郡王。順宗即位，進太尉。南康在任二十一年，末塗甚崇釋氏——恒持數珠誦佛名。所養鸚鵡，教令念經。及死，焚之，有舍利焉。臯又歸心南宗禪道，學心法於淨眾寺神會禪師。在蜀，富貴僭差，重賦斂，時議非之，然合梵僧懸記焉。

Śramaṇa Anonymous of India was a native of India, though of which region is unknown. His appearance was ugly and repulsive; he wrapped himself in a red-brown plain robe, wore leather sandals, trailed an iron staff, and practiced alms-begging in the imperial capital. When Wei Gao, Prince of Nankang, had been born for only three days, his family invited monks for a vegetarian feast. This monk arrived uninvited—on that day monks were supposed to be invited only by circulating a list of names through the monasteries—and the domestic servants of the Wei family were troubled that there was one extra monk, were very angry with him, and seated him on a tattered mat in the courtyard. When the feast ended, the Wei family ordered the wet nurse to carry out the infant, intending to invite the assembly of monks to make prayers and blessings. The Indian monk was the first to rise from his seat, gathered his robes, ascended the steps, and looking at the baby, said, "Have you been well since we parted so long ago?" The infant appeared to show a joyful expression as if recognizing him. The entire crowd was amazed. Lord Wei said, "This child was born merely three days ago; why do you say 'parted so long ago,' Master?" The Indian monk said, "This is not something that the dānapati can know." When Lord Wei pressed him with questions, the Indian monk said, "This child is the rebirth of Zhuge Liang. When Marquis Wu balanced the realm, he served as Chancellor of Shu, as you well know. Because the people of Shu received his beneficence for a long time, he is now born into the world to become the military commander of Shu, and will certainly bring blessings to the people of the southwest. In the past, at Jianmen, I was a good friend to him. Learning that he was born into your household, I came from afar. This child will serve as Military Commissioner of Jiannan for twenty years, reaching the pinnacle of official rank as Director of the Chancellery and Grand Commandant. Beyond this is not known to me." The father agreed, and accordingly gave him the courtesy name Wuzi, and also the single character Wu. Later, when Zhang Yi was posted out as Military Commissioner of Fengxiang and Liangzhou, he memorialized to appoint Gao as acting prefect of Liangzhou. When Yi was slain by Li Chulin, Niu Yunguang invited Gao to become commander. Zhu Ci, left with no choice, appointed Gao commander of Fengxiang. Emperor Dezong bestowed the banner of the Fengyi Army to honor him, and subsequently promoted him to Minister of the Ministry of Rites. During the Xingyuan era (784), when the imperial carriage returned to the capital, Gao was summoned as General of the Left Chin-wu Guards. In the first year of the Zhenyuan era (785), he became Mayor of Chengdu, replacing Zhang Yanshang. Upon taking office, he pacified the southern barbarians and achieved military merits, and was enfeoffed as Prince of the Commandery of Nankang. When Emperor Shunzong ascended the throne, he was promoted to Grand Commandant. Nankang remained in office for twenty-one years. In his later years, he greatly revered the Buddhist teachings—constantly holding prayer beads and reciting the Buddha's name. He trained a parrot he kept to recite scriptures. When it died and was cremated, there were relics. Gao also turned his mind toward the Chan teachings of the Southern School, studying the mind-dharma under Dhyāna Master Shenhui of Jingzhong Temple. In Shu, his wealth and honor became excessive, and he imposed heavy levies, which was criticized by the opinion of the times; yet this coincided with the Indian monk's prophecy.