神僧傳 5.12

5.12

Shi Fa'an had the secular surname Peng. He was a native of Chungu in Anding. He renounced household life in his youth, dwelled at the Jiulong Vihāra on Mount Taibai, and took admiration of dhyāna as his vocation. Eating coarse food and wearing tattered robes, he lived thus into old age. During the Kaihuang era he came to Jiangdu and asked for an audience with the Prince of Jin. At the time, because of his stunted and unsightly appearance and his light and unrestrained speech and laughter, none would announce him. He came to the gates every day, and though warned and told to leave, he would not go. They then tested the matter by announcing him. Hearing of him, the Prince summoned him inside, and their meeting was like old friends. He then took up residence at Huiri Monastery. Wherever the Prince traveled, he would certainly take him along in his retinue. When the imperial carriage visited Mount Tai, they suffered from thirst and exhaustion. Looking around in all directions, there were only crags and no way to obtain water. An pierced a stone with a knife, drawing forth a rushing stream of water to provide for the sovereign. Everyone at the time marveled greatly and asked, "What power is this?" He replied, "It is the Prince's power." When he followed the Prince into the sandy deserts and reached the muddy seas, whenever they were due to encounter disasters, they always avoided them beforehand and suffered no loss or ruin. Later he went to Shentong Monastery on Mount Tai. A monk came to request a patron, and An conveyed this to the Prince. The Prince then wrote an inscription on the monastery wall with his own hand to provide patronage and protection. Earlier, when entering the valley with the Prince, An saw a monk wearing tattered robes riding a white donkey toward them. The Prince asked who it was. An said, "This is Master Lang. He originally founded Shentong Monastery, so he has come to welcome and guide us." When they arrived at the monastery, they also saw a spirit of immense stature leaning his hands on the chiwen ornament atop the lecture hall and gazing down at the assembly. The Prince asked about him again, and he answered, "This is the spirit of Mount Taibai who follows the Prince." Thereafter, his many wonders were too numerous to record extensively. In the spring of the eleventh year, when there were many troubles in the four quarters, he passed away without illness at his dwelling place at the age of ninety-eight.