宋高僧傳 24.47

24.47

法師舊名伯連，其為人也強渥而貌惡，且心循良，恒持誦《金剛經》，以筒盛經，佩之于身，誓不婚娶。然不揚此善于他，惟密行愈至。無何，被括為軍。呈閱之時，又選充行營小將，非其所好，遂亡命焉。時徵兵頗急，牒諸處要害捕逐。於本州洋口擒送劉寧，令於朱木橋處死。三下刃俱折，劉怪問之，遂言素志捨家，恒持經法，如斯怯懦，恐衂軍威，是以亡耳。問經何在？曰：「被獲時遺墜。」遂令搜取，果數百步外得之，竹筒有刃痕而幾絕。劉拱手稱歎久之，乃縱其為僧。奏聞，勅下本道號三刀法師，配本郡龍興寺。後加精進，卒于住所。

The Dharma Master's former name was Bolian. By character he was resolute and generous, but had a fierce countenance; nonetheless, his mind was compliant and virtuous. He constantly recited the Diamond Sūtra, keeping the sūtra in a tube which he wore upon his body, and vowed never to marry. Yet he did not display this virtue to others, only deepening his secret practice ever more. Before long, he was drafted into the military. During inspections, he was further selected to serve as an encampment lieutenant; but this was not what he desired, so he fled as a fugitive. At the time, military conscription was extremely urgent, and dispatches were sent to strategic checkpoints everywhere to capture runaways. He was seized at Yangkou in his native prefecture and delivered to Liu Ning, who ordered him executed at Zhumu Bridge. The blade struck three times and broke each time. Astonished, Liu questioned him, and he then stated that his lifelong aspiration was to renounce household life and that he constantly upheld the sūtra; being so timid and cowardly, he feared he would damage the military's morale, which was the only reason he had fled. When asked where the sūtra was, he replied: "It was dropped and lost when I was captured." Liu then ordered a search for it, and it was indeed found several hundred paces away: the bamboo tube bore blade marks and was nearly cut through. Liu clasped his hands and praised him for a long time, whereupon he allowed him to become a monk. He memorialised the throne regarding the matter, and an imperial decree was issued granting him the title Dharma Master Sandao ('Three Blades') in his circuit and assigning him to Longxing Temple in that commandery. Thereafter he increased his diligence, and died at his dwelling.