神僧傳 2.20

2.20

Śramaṇa Tanhuo was of unknown origin. During the time of Tufa Rutan, he arrived from Henan carrying an iron khakkhara, and made people kneel, saying, "This is the eye of prajñā; honoring it, one can attain the Way." The people of the time all marveled at him. Someone gave him garments; he accepted them and threw them into the river, and on a later day returned them to their original owner without any stain upon the clothing. He walked as swiftly as wind and clouds, and said that people's life and death, nobility and lowliness, did not err by a hair's breadth. Someone once hid his khakkhara; Tanhuo wailed aloud several times, closed his eyes for a moment, then arose and retrieved it. All marveled at his divine anomalies, and none could fathom him. Because of this, very many people served the Buddha. Lilugu had a younger brother named Rutan, who held the acting rank of General of Chariots and Cavalry, wielding supreme power in that illegitimate state; he was suspicious and jealous, and harmed many people. Tanhuo said to Rutan, "You should cultivate goodness and serve the Buddha, making it a bridge for future lives." Rutan said, "My ancestors never served the Buddha. If I serve the Buddha now, I fear I would violate the intentions of my ancestors. If you, venerable sir, can go without eating for seven days with your complexion unchanged, that would be the divine efficacy of the Buddha's Way, and I will serve it." He then had men confine and guard him for seven days, yet Tanhuo showed no signs of hunger or thirst. Rutan dispatched the śramaṇa Zhixing to secretly bring cakes and offer them to Tanhuo, but Tanhuo refused to eat. Rutan marveled at him all the more. Tanhuo constantly said to Rutan, "If you can sit in tranquility and do nothing, the world can be pacified and your lineage will flourish. If you exhaust military power and are fond of killing, misfortune will overtake yourself." Rutan was unable to comply. When Rutan's daughter became gravely ill, he requested Tanhuo to treat her. Tanhuo said, "A person's life and death have their own fixed time; even sages cannot turn misfortune into fortune. How could Tanhuo prolong her life? I can only know whether it will be sooner or later." Rutan persistently implored him. At that time, the inner palace gates were closed. Tanhuo said, "Quickly open the rear gate! If the gate is opened in time, she will live; if not in time, she will die." Rutan ordered it opened, but it was not in time, and she died. Later, amidst military upheavals, his whereabouts became unknown.