神僧傳 9.47

9.47

Śramaṇa Guquan, whose secular surname is unknown, was a native of Quannan. In his youth he was sharp and quick-witted, and by nature could endure filth and grime. He spoke boastfully and insolently, and the worldly despised him. He departed to become a śramaṇa, casting aside the precepts and rules and acting as his heart pleased. He traveled to Fenyang to call upon Chan Master Zhao, who considered him extraordinary and secretly conferred a prediction of enlightenment upon him. He returned south and wandered freely in the Xiang region. Hearing that Ciming was residing at Daowu, he went to pay his respects. Ciming asked, "White clouds lie across the valley's mouth; from where has the person of the Way come?" Guquan looked left and right and said, "Where was the fire last night / that burned out the ancient tomb?" Ciming scolded, "Not yet! Say more!" Guquan then made the sound of a tiger. Ciming struck him with his sitting mat. Guquan caught it and pushed Ciming onto the rope-chair. Ciming also made the sound of a tiger. Guquan burst into loud laughter. The mountain had a pool where a poisonous dragon lay dormant. If a falling leaf touched the ripples, thunder and rain were sure to continue for days; passersby dared not even breathe aloud. Guquan and Ciming were returning at dusk during the autumn heat. Guquan grasped Ciming's robe and said, "We can bathe together." Ciming shook him off and went straight away. Thereupon Guquan undid his robe and leaped in. A clap of thunder immediately followed, a stench-laden wind blew rain, and the trees shook. Ciming squatted in the grass, thinking Guquan was dead. In a moment it cleared up. Suddenly Guquan stuck his neck out from among the waves and said, "Huo!" Later he ascended to Lingfeng Monastery at the summit of Mount Heng and lived at the crag of Lanzan. He then moved to live at Bajiao. When he was about to move to Baozhen, he wrote in large characters on the wall: "My Bajiao Hermitage here, secluded, occupies a place where clouds pile up. / The various wondrous scenes I have no leisure to count; / First look at the three or four dwarf pines. / When cold comes, I burn withered cedar; / When hungry, I eat large purple taro. / Now I abandon it and leave; / I wonder who will come to live here?" He dwelt at Baozhen Hermitage, which was the most steep and isolated place in the Hengxiang region. At night he sat on the ground beneath Zhurong Peak, and a large python coiled around him. Guquan untied his belt and bound its waist. In the middle of the night it disappeared. The next day, leaning on his staff, he searched all over the mountain for it; the belt was wound around a withered pine. It was indeed a pine goblin! Furthermore, he carried a stone image from the rear cavern to Nantai by himself. The image weighed no less than several hundred catties. The assembly of monks was shocked and amazed, none knowing whence it came, and the monks of the rear cavern also did not know where it had gone. Thus it was transmitted among them as the "Flying Arhat." He once passed through Hengshan County and saw a butcher chopping meat. He stood by his side, putting on a pitiable air, pointing to the meat and then pointing to his mouth. The butcher asked, "Are you mute?" He nodded. The butcher pitied him, cut off a huge morsel, and placed it in a basin. Guquan was overjoyed beyond expectation, thanked him, and left. The whole market laughed aloud, but Guquan remained composed. He transformed on the sixth day of the sixth month in the fifteenth year of the Jiayou reign era. He lived for ninety-two years and saw sixty-four rains retreats. The people of Chen built a stūpa for him, and sacrifice is offered to him to this day.