宋高僧傳 20.8

20.8

釋普化，不知何許人也。秉性殊常，且多真率，作為簡放，言語不拘。躬事盤山積禪師，密密指教，深入堂奧，誡令保任，而發狂悖。甞與臨濟玄公相見，乃對之以之驢鳴，旁侍無不哂笑。直時歌舞，或即悲號。人或接之，千變萬態，略無恒度。一日，擎挾棺木巡街，徇戶告辭云：「普化明日死去。」時視之知不可訾。趙人相率隨送出城東門，而揚言曰：「今日葬，不合《青烏》。」經二日出南門，人亦隨送，又曰：「明日方吉。」如是西門、北門，出而還返，人煩意怠。一旦坐于郊野，如入禪定焉。禪宗有著述者，以其發言先覺，排普化為散聖科目中，言非正員也矣。

Shi Puhua was of unknown origin. His disposition was extraordinary, and he was largely frank and unrestrained, simple and carefree in conduct, and uninhibited in speech. He personally served Chan Master Jishen of Panshan, who gave him secret instructions and guidance; entering deeply into the inner sanctum, he was admonished to preserve and maintain it, but he acted crazy and wild. He once met Master Xuan of Linji and responded to him with a donkey's bray, at which the attendants could not help laughing. He would break into song and dance on the spot, or immediately wail in grief. When people interacted with him, he assumed a thousand changes and ten thousand postures, with no constant pattern whatsoever. One day, carrying a coffin under his arm, he paraded through the streets, going from house to house to take leave, saying: "Puhua will die tomorrow." At the time, observing him, people knew he was beyond reproach. The people of Zhao gathered and followed him out through the eastern gate of the city, but he loudly declared: "To bury today does not accord with the Book of Blue Crow." Two days later he went out through the southern gate, and the people followed him again; he said once more: "Only tomorrow will be auspicious." In this manner he went to the western and northern gates, going out and returning, until the people grew weary and their attention waned. One morning he sat in the countryside, as if entering dhyāna absorption. Authors of the Chan tradition, because his utterances anticipated awakening, classified Puhua into the category of "unattached sages," meaning he was not a regular member of the ranks.