宋高僧傳 25.16

25.16

釋華嚴和尚，不知名氏。居在幽州城北，恒持《華嚴經》以為淨業——時號之，全取經題呼召耳。其所誦時，一城皆聞之，如在庭廡之下。萬歲通天年中，韓國公張仁愿之為幽州都督也，夜聞經聲，品次歷歷然。及爾晨興，謂夫人曰：「昨宵城北道人諷誦，若在衙署前也，還聞已否？」夫人曰：「是何地遠可得聞乎？」張君曰：「如其不信，可各遣小豎走馬往覆之。」果無差謬。張君請召入城，及相見，謂張君曰：「有願胡不報乎？」答曰：「現造袈裟五百，緣布施羅漢去。」華嚴曰：「勿去餘處，但送往州西馬鞍山竹林寺內施僧。」及遣使齎香、衣物登佛龕，山已去，覓竹林寺且無蹤跡。如是深入，陟高山，見一翁問之，曰：「但隨吾來。」倏覩雲開寺現，景物非凡世所有。入寺散袈裟畢，而少二人。彼老宿曰：「可齎還二分，一與張仁愿，一與華嚴和尚。」自此方知華嚴和尚是竹林聖寺中來，使留一宿，出已經年。行化既久，及終坐亡，肉身不萎敗。范陽之人多往乞願，時有徵應。塔近因兵革而廢矣。

The Avataṃsaka Preceptor, whose name and surname are unknown, lived north of the city of Youzhou. He constantly maintained the Avataṃsaka-sūtra as his pure karma—the name by which he was called at the time was taken entirely from the scripture's title. Whenever he recited, the whole city could hear it, as though he were beneath the courtyard eaves. During the Wansuitongtian era, when Duke of the State of Han Zhang Renyuan served as the Area Commander of Youzhou, he heard the sound of sūtra recitation at night, chapter by chapter clearly distinct. When he rose in the morning, he said to his wife: 'Last night the man of the Way north of the city was chanting as if right in front of the government office; did you hear it?' His wife said: 'From such a great distance, how could it be heard?' Zhang said: 'If you do not believe it, we may each send a servant boy on horseback to go and verify it.' It indeed proved accurate without discrepancy. Zhang invited him into the city, and when they met, the preceptor said to Zhang: 'You have a vow; why not fulfill it?' He replied: 'I am currently making five hundred kāṣāyas, planning to give them in alms to arhats.' The Avataṃsaka Preceptor said: 'Do not go anywhere else; merely send them to Zhulin Temple on Mount Ma'an, west of the prefecture, to give to the monks.' When he dispatched an envoy carrying incense and robes to ascend to the shrine, the mountain had already receded, and upon searching for Zhulin Temple there was no trace. Thus penetrating deeper, climbing high mountains, he saw an old man and asked him, who said: 'Just follow me.' In an instant he saw the clouds part and the temple appear, its scenery being nothing found in the ordinary world. Entering the temple, he finished distributing the kāṣāyas, but two were lacking. The elder of that place said: 'You may carry two portions back: one for Zhang Renyuan, and one for the Avataṃsaka Preceptor.' Only then did they know that the Avataṃsaka Preceptor had come from the sacred Zhulin Temple. The envoy stayed for one night, but upon emerging, a year had already passed. After converting beings for a long time, he passed away sitting up, and his physical body did not decay. The people of Fanyang often went to pray to him, and at times there were responsive signs. His stūpa was recently destroyed due to warfare.