神僧傳 5.54

5.54

The monk Zhicong lived at the Baima Monastery in Yangzhou, focusing exclusively on the study of the Three Treatises. Soon he crossed the Yangtze River and stayed at the Anle Monastery. When the Sui dynasty fell, he longed to return home but had no means to do so. He hid among the river reeds and recited the Lotus Sūtra. For seven days he did not starve; there were always four tigers tamely circling him. Zhicong said: 'I have not eaten for ten days and my life is within a breath; you may eat me.' The tigers spoke in human speech, saying: 'Since the creation of heaven and earth, there has never been such a principle.' Suddenly, he saw an old man holding a small boat under his arm, who came and said: 'If the master wishes to cross the river, step aboard the boat at once.' The four tigers saw this and shed tears. Zhicong said: 'To support the endangered and rescue the distressed is for this very day.' He immediately crossed safely to the south bank together with the four tigers. The boat and the old man suddenly disappeared. Zhicong led the four tigers to stay west of the Qixia Pagoda. Walking, sitting in meditation, and chanting, he vowed never to lie down to sleep. He settled a community of more than eighty people. If there was an ominous event, the tigers would come and roar loudly, thereby warning them. In the middle of the Zhenguan era, at the age of ninety-nine, on the Buddha's birthday, carrying an incense burner, he paid homage all around to the sacred images, returned to his quiet room, sat upright, and was transformed.