神僧傳 4.33

4.33

Śramaṇa Facong was of the Mei family and a native of Xinye in Nanyang. He renounced household life at the age of eight, possessing an extraordinary and divine elegance. Pure and chaste in his upright nature, his body was like jade. He was content with greens and legumes, seeking no rich delicacies. He eventually arrived at Mount Sangai in Xiangyang, near White Horse Spring, where he built a room a rod square to serve as his dwelling. Entering two valleys, he established hermitage quarters; those who patrol the mountain today can still identify the old foundations. Formerly, when King Jin'an of the Liang came to govern Xiang and Yong, he heard of Facong's renown and came to inquire of him. When he was about to reach the meditation cell, his cavalry escort retreated without reason. The king, ashamed, turned back and had nightmares that night. Later he went again, and the horses retreated as before. The king then purified himself with a fast and went in person with utmost reverence before gaining admittance. When he first arrived beside the monastery, he saw only a valley ablaze with fierce flames. After watching for a long time, the fire suddenly turned to water. After a short while, the water vanished and the hall appeared. Upon inquiring about these events, he learned that Facong had entered the water and fire samādhis at those times. Inside the hall, on either side of the rope bed on which he sat, was a tiger. The king did not dare advance. Facong then pressed their heads to the ground with his hands and closed their eyes, calling the king to come forward, after which the king was able to pay his respects. The king then reported that his territory suffered greatly from tiger afflictions and begged for rescue. Facong at once entered samādhi. Shortly, seventeen large tigers arrived; he administered the Three Refuges to them and admonished them not to harm or plunder the common people. He also ordered his disciples to tie strips of old cloth around the tigers' necks, saying, 'After seven full days are completed, you must come here.' On the appointed day, the king held a vegetarian feast, and the multitude gathered. The tigers arrived as well, whereupon they were given food, the cloth strips were removed, and from then on they did no harm. On that day, Facong took the king to White Horse Spring, where a white turtle took food from Facong's hand. He said to the king, 'This is a male dragon.' He then took him to a spiritual spring with five-colored carp that also took food from his hand, saying, 'This is a female dragon.' The king and his officials marvelled at and praised these events, made grand donations, and returned. Several tens of ruthless followers attempted to plunder the donated goods by night, but tigers roared and blocked their way. They also saw an enormous man leaning against the meditation cell, with a pine tree beside him reaching only to his knees, holding a vajra pestle to guard it. Wandering about in panic all night, they did not return until midday. The king questioned their late arrival, and only then did they confess. He then presented a memorial to the throne, and an edict ordered the construction of Chanju Monastery. Facong did not go to reside there, but ordained people to manage it. While Facong lived in the meditation hall, white deer and white sparrows would constantly nest there tamely. Wherever he went, compassionate rescue came first. Once he encountered a butcher driving more than a hundred pigs. Facong proclaimed three times, 'Śūraṅgama of Liberation!' The pigs' ropes came undone, and they scattered. The butchers were furious and tried to attack him, but all were frozen motionless. They then admitted their fault and repented their transgressions, cutting off the business of slaughter. Again, at the Han River where fishermen were drawing their nets, he proclaimed as before three times, and they could not haul in the nets; only then did they convert, returning with empty nets. Furthermore, when Jingzhou suffered a drought, Changsha Monastery sent a monk to Facong to pray for rain; by the time the messenger returned, a torrential rain fell and all the reservoirs were filled. When the King of Xiangdong heard of this, he rode his chariot to the mountain gate to pay respect as a disciple. He repeatedly invited Facong to the capital, but Facong firmly declined. The king then donated his palace to build Tiangong Monastery to invite him. Facong stayed forever in the Ba Gorges, at Kongjin Mountain above Hong. The King of Xiangdong had used cypress wood for his bedchamber, and upon this it emitted light for ten days without ceasing. Beside it, the king built a stūpa, monks' quarters, and a lecture hall, and melted down his own robes and ornaments to make the dew-catching basins, establishing it as Baoguang Monastery and inviting Facong to reside there. The king composed an exposition on the meaning of Prajñā; whenever he was about to present the doctrine the next morning, the hall emitted bright light by night, illuminating several li without the need for lamps or candles. Commentators considered this brought about by the profound illumination of the great wisdom-light of Prajñā. In the fifth year of the Dading era of the Liang, in the ninth month, he passed away without illness. Sitting upright as if alive, his body was supple and the crown of his head warm. Two fingers of his hand were curled, and an extraordinary fragrance did not cease. He was ninety-two years of age.