神僧傳 4.5

4.5

釋法願。本姓鍾氏。名武厲。先頴川長社人。祖世避難移居吳興長城。家本事神身習鼓舞。世間雜伎及蓍爻占相備盡其妙。嘗以鏡照面云。我不久當見天子。於是出都住沈橋。以傭相自業。宗殼沈慶之微時請願相。願曰。宗君應為三州刺史。沈公當位極三公。如是歷相眾人。記其近事所驗非一。遂有聞於宋太祖太祖見之。取東治囚及一奴美顏色者。飾以衣冠令願相之。願指囚曰。君多危難下階便應鉗鎖。謂奴曰。君是下賤人。乃暫得免耶。帝異之。勅住後堂知陰陽祕術。後少時啟求出家。三啟方遂。為上定林遠公弟子。及孝武龍飛。宗殼出鎮廣州。携願同往。奉為五戒之師。會譙王搆逆。殼以諮願。願曰。隨君來誤殺人。今太白犯南斗。法應殺大臣。宜速改計必得大勳。果如願言。殼遷豫州刺史。復携同行。及竟陵王誕舉事。陳諫亦然。齊高帝親事幼主。恒有不測之憂。每以諮願。願曰。後七月當定。果如其言。及高帝即位。事以師禮。武帝嗣興亦盡師敬。永元一年卒。春秋八十二。

Śramaṇa Fayuan, originally surnamed Zhong and named Wuli, was originally a man of Changshe in Yingchuan. In his grandfather's generation, they fled political troubles and moved to Changcheng in Wuxing. His family originally served the spirits, and he himself was trained in drumming and dancing. He had fully mastered the subtleties of worldly sundry arts and divination by yarrow stalks and trigrams as well as physiognomy. He once looked into a mirror at his own face and said, "Before long, I shall see the Son of Heaven." Thereupon he went out to the capital and lived by Shen Bridge, making a living by practicing physiognomy for hire. When Zong Que and Shen Qingzhi were still obscure, they asked Fayuan for a physiognomic reading. Fayuan said, "You, Lord Zong, should become regional inspector of three provinces; Lord Shen will surely reach the highest office of the Three Excellencies." In this way he examined many people, and there was more than one instance where his predictions regarding their immediate affairs came true. Consequently, word reached Emperor Taizu of the Song. When Taizu met him, he took a prisoner from the Dongzhi penal workshop and a handsome slave, dressed them in official robes and caps, and ordered Fayuan to physiognomise them. Fayuan pointed at the prisoner and said, "You have many perils and tribulations; once you step down from the steps, you should immediately be put into irons." He addressed the slave, saying, "You are a person of base standing; how is it that you have escaped it only temporarily?" The Emperor was astonished and decreed that he reside in the rear hall to manage the occult arts of yin and yang. A short time later, Fayuan submitted a memorial asking to renounce household life; only after petitioning three times was his request granted. He became a disciple of the venerable Yuan of Upper Dinglin. When Emperor Xiaowu ascended the imperial throne, Zong Que went out to garrison Guangzhou and took Fayuan along with him, venerating him as his master of the five precepts. It happened that Prince Qiao plotted rebellion, and Que consulted Fayuan. Fayuan said, "Following you here was a mistaken act of homicide. Now Venus offends the Southern Dipper, and by rule a high minister must be killed. You should swiftly change your plans; you will surely achieve great merit." It indeed turned out as Fayuan had said. When Que was transferred to be regional inspector of Yuzhou, he again took him along. When Prince Dan of Jingling launched his uprising, Fayuan's counsel and admonitions were also just so. When Emperor Gao of the Qi personally served the young sovereign, he constantly suffered anxiety about unforeseeable disasters and repeatedly consulted Fayuan. Fayuan said, "In the coming seventh month, matters will be settled." It indeed turned out as he had said. When Emperor Gao ascended the throne, he treated him with the etiquette due to a master. When Emperor Wu succeeded to the throne, he also showed the utmost respect due to a master. Fayuan died in the first year of the Yongyuan era at the age of eighty-two.