神僧傳 2.4

2.4

Zhu Tanyou, also called Fayou, was a native of Dunhuang. In his youth he practiced austerities and trained in meditation (dhyāna). Later he traveled east of the Yangzi River and stayed at Shicheng Mountain in Shan, where he begged for food and practiced meditation. Once, he went to the house of someone practicing witchcraft (gu) to beg for food. When Tanyou finished his prayer of blessing, he suddenly saw a centipede leap out of the food. Tanyou ate it heartily without any harm. Later he moved to a stone chamber on Chicheng Mountain in Shifeng to practice meditation. Several tens of fierce tigers crouched before Tanyou, but he recited scriptures as before. One tiger alone fell asleep, and Tanyou tapped its head with a ruyi scepter, asking why it was not listening to the scripture. Soon after, all the tigers departed. After a while, large serpents vied to emerge, ten spans in circumference; they coiled round and round, raising their heads toward Tanyou, and after half a day, they departed. Another day, a spirit manifested its form, came to Tanyou, and said, 'Dharma Master, as your awe-inspiring virtue is profound and you have come to dwell on this mountain, this disciple would like to yield the chamber to offer it to you.' Tanyou said, 'This poor monk came seeking the mountains wishing to meet with others; why should we not live together?' The spirit said, 'It is not that this disciple does not wish to do so, but my subordinates have not yet been reached by the Dharma's transformation and are difficult to restrain abruptly. Travelers from afar might be intruded upon or offended. The ways of humans and spirits differ, which is why I am leaving.' Tanyou asked, 'What spirit were you originally? How long have you lived here? Where do you intend to move?' The spirit said, 'This disciple is the son of an emperor of the Xia, having resided on this mountain for more than two thousand years. Hanshi Mountain is ruled by my maternal uncle; I shall go dwell there, and soon return to the shrine at Shanyin.' Upon bidding farewell, he took Tanyou by the hand and presented him with three boxes of incense. Thereupon, beating drums and blowing horns, he soared into the clouds and departed. Mount Tiantai has sheer cliffs towering high, its peaks piercing the sky. According to ancient lore, there is a fine vihāra at the summit where those who have attained the Way dwell. Although there is a stone bridge spanning the ravine, a horizontal stone blocks the way, and the blue moss is slippery; from antiquity to the present, none have been able to reach it. When Tanyou reached the stone bridge, he heard a voice in the air saying, 'I know you are sincere, but today you cannot cross. Ten years from now, you will naturally be able to come.' Tanyou felt regret in his heart and retreated. Passing a stone chamber on his way, he paused inside to rest. Shortly thereafter, clouds and mist merged in darkness, and the inside of the chamber resounded loudly. Tanyou's demeanor remained undisturbed. The next morning, a man wearing an unlined robe and cap appeared and said, 'This is my dwelling. Yesterday I was away, which led to a commotion in my household; I am deeply ashamed.' Tanyou said, 'If this is your home, I ask to return it to you.' The spirit said, 'My household has already moved. Please remain and stay.' During the Taiyuan era of the Jin, an ominous star appeared. The Emperor issued a general decree to the virtuous śramaṇas of all domains to diligently carry out Buddhist rituals and perform repentance to avert the calamity. Tanyou prayed with sincerity and had a spiritual response: at dawn on the sixth day, he saw a small boy in green clothing arrive to confess, saying, 'We have troubled the Dharma Master in vain.' That evening, the star receded. At the end of the Taihe era, he passed away in the mountain chamber. His corpse looked as it had in life, but his entire body was green. Later, people who entered the mountain and climbed the cliffs saw that Tanyou's corpse had not decomposed.