神僧傳 7.8

7.8

Śramaṇa Xiu: his secular surname was Li, and he was a native of Chenliu in Bian Prefecture. He practiced meditation with intense austerity. At first he reached Jing Prefecture, and later moved to Tiangong Monastery in the eastern capital Luoyang. He was deeply revered by Empress Dowager Wu; their mysterious insight and silent comprehension tallied as if they were matching tallies. During the Chang'an reign-period, he entered the capital and resided at Zisheng Monastery. He suddenly admonished the disciples in the meditation hall to extinguish their oil lamps and candles; when the disciples kept the perpetual lamps, he ordered them extinguished as well. He then remarked that fire disasters are unpredictable and one cannot fail to be prepared, stating that there was once a monastery that was not prepared for fire and candles, and its Buddha hall suffered disaster; another monastery's bell tower caught fire; and another monastery's scripture repository was burned, which was truly lamentable. The monastery assembly did not comprehend his meaning. When night came, a fire broke out accidentally, and it indeed burned down three locations: the Buddha hall, the bell tower, and the scripture repository. While Emperor Xuanzong was still an imperial prince in his fief, he once went with several princes to pay homage, leaving a flute as an offering. After Xuanzong left, Xiu summoned his disciples and said, 'Guard this carefully; when there is a need in the future, you should present it to him.' When Xuanzong ascended the throne, Damo and the others finally realized his meaning, took the flute, and presented it. Master Xiu reached one hundred years of age and died at this monastery; he was interred on Mount Longmen. Monastics and laypeople rushed to attend by the thousands. Zhang Yue, the Duke of Yan, composed the inscription for his stele.