神僧傳 5.50

5.50

Śramaṇa Zhiyuan of Youzhou was refined, skilled, and learned. During the Daye era of the Sui dynasty, he made a resolve to carve a complete canon of stone-inscribed scriptures in preparation for the decline of the Dharma. Thereupon, he chiseled rock in the western mountains of Youzhou to make stone chambers, polished the four walls, and carved scriptures upon them. Moreover, he took square stones, independently polished and carved them, and stored them within the chambers. Whenever a chamber was full, he blocked the entrance with stone and sealed it with molten iron. At that time, Emperor Yang of the Sui visited Zhuo Commandery. The Vice Director of the Palace Secretariat, Xiao Yu, was the younger brother of the empress. By nature he had deep faith in the Buddha's Dharma, and he reported the matter to the empress. The empress donated one thousand bolts of silk, and Yu donated five hundred bolts of silk. When those at court and in the countryside heard of it, they vied with one another to make donations. Thus Zhiyuan was able to bring [his project] to success. Zhiyuan often reflected that because there were many hired artisans and monastics and laity rushed together [to visit], he wished to build a wooden Buddha hall as well as a dining hall and sleeping quarters in front of the cliff. Yet thinking that timber and tiles would be difficult to procure, and fearing that the expenses would be heavy, he had not yet been able to commence construction. Suddenly one night, a violent rain with thunder and lightning shook the mountain. The next morning, once it cleared, there were seen beneath the mountain tens of millions of large pine and cypress trees that had been drifted down by the flood waters and piled up along the roadside. Monastics and laity were astonished, not knowing where they came from. Thereupon those far and near sighed in admiration. Zhiyuan then had the artisans select and take the timber, and distributed all the remainder to the local villages. The villagers, delighted and humbled, helped to construct the halls and buildings. Before long, it was completely finished in accordance with his aspirations. The stone scriptures carved by Zhiyuan had already filled seven chambers. In the thirteenth year of the Zhenguan era, he died. His disciples still continued his work.