宋高僧傳 25.45

25.45

釋若虛，隱于廬山，數年持經，不出石室。江南國主李氏欽尚其道，累徵，終不降就。唯言「老僧無能，寧銷王者歸心？若更相呼，竄入深山矣！」或衣物則避讓，香則受之。以乾祐中盛夏坐終，身不沮壞，今湓城人供養影相焉。又潭州釋亡名，恒誦《法華經》，口無他語。長沙文昭王馬氏特加禮重，召入天策府湘西院供養。然其語事，詭異堪驚。一旦召知佛殿僧，令急襞掠佛像，各就兩廂。僧皆謂為狂發，相目而笑。舉止極甚怱切。須臾，自入正殿內據佛座而坐，奄然而化。舉州道俗，爭禮焚香，漢乾祐中也。

Shi Ruoxu lived in seclusion on Mount Lu; for several years he maintained the scriptures without ever leaving his stone chamber. The ruler of Jiangnan, of the Li family, deeply revered his virtue and summoned him repeatedly, but he never consented to come. He merely said: "An old monk possesses no ability; how could he dissipate the king's sincere devotion? If you call on me again, I shall flee deeper into the mountains!" If clothes or goods were presented, he declined them, but he accepted incense. In the height of summer during the Qianyou era, he passed away while sitting; his body did not decay, and today the people of Penchengguan make offerings to his portrait. There was also the anonymous monk Shi Wangming of Tanzhou, who constantly recited the *Lotus Sūtra* and uttered no other words from his mouth. King Wenzhao of Changsha, of the Ma family, showed him extraordinary respect and invited him into the Xiangxi Cloister of the Tiance Mansion to make offerings to him. However, the things he spoke of were bizarre and astonishing. One morning, he summoned the monks in charge of the Buddha hall and ordered them to hurriedly pack up the Buddha images and retreat to both wings. The monks all thought he had gone mad and looked at one another with smiles. His movements and demeanor were exceedingly hurried and urgent. In a short while, he entered the main hall, sat upon the Buddha's throne, and suddenly passed away. Clerics and laity throughout the prefecture vied to bow and burn incense for him; this was during the Qianyou era of the Han.