弘贊法華傳 7.26

7.26

釋玄秀。未詳氏族居貫。少出家。住黃州隨化寺。性清慎溫恭。為志常誦法華。每感微異。未以為怪。時屬炎暑。同友遂涼。遣召秀來。欲有談笑。既至房前。但見羽衛嚴肅。人馬偉大。怖而返告。同往共觀。如初不異。轉至後門。其徒彌盛。上望空中。填塞無際。多乘象馬。類雜鬼神。乃知其感通也。置而却返。明晨慚謝。朋徒遂絕。秀專斯業。隋末終寺。

Shi Xuanxiu, whose clan and place of origin are unknown, left home while young and resided at Suihua Temple in Huangzhou. By nature pure, prudent, gentle, and respectful, he took constant recitation of the Lotus Sūtra as his aspiration. Often feeling subtle anomalies, he did not consider them extraordinary. Once, during the sweltering summer heat, his companions sought the cool and sent for Xiu to come, wishing to converse and joke with him. When they reached the front of his room, they saw only solemn guards and towering people and horses; frightened, they returned to report this. Going together to look, it was just as before, no different. Moving to the back door, the company was even more numerous; looking up into the sky, it was packed without limit, many riding elephants and horses, a mingling of ghosts and spirits. They realized this was his spiritual resonance, so they dropped their intent and returned. The next morning they apologized with shame, and his companions ceased their intrusions. Xiu devoted himself solely to this practice, and passed away at the temple at the end of the Sui dynasty.