弘贊法華傳 8.15

8.15

釋法誠。俗姓樊氏。雍州萬年人也。童子出家。事神僧僧和為弟子。和特有殊鑒。識其名器。乃遣就禪林寺相禪師。遵承定學。未盈數載。遂升堂奧焉。後遇超公。隱居藍谷。披誠請誨。虛受不怠。雖慧解傍通。以誦法華為業。甞心力疲竭。將癈受持。遂作觀音行道。以祈冥祐。滿三七日。於佛前。忽見巨人著白衣。持一品藥。授令服之。此後心力倍常。讀誦無輟。每夏中。[米*(升-┬+下)]五百遍。六齋日[米*(升-┬+下)]七遍。欲過此數。亦不為勞。略計十年。將餘萬遍。屢聞空中作樂。金石鏗鏘。至誦經遍其聲。乃息。甞有下村一清信士。恒供養誠。家中忽遭重患。長幼十餘。並至危惙。其人憂迫。投誠乞救。誠乃引至法華堂內二畫神前。指而謂曰。此檀越。信心真實。家嬰患苦。汝可隨之為除疾病。其人即歸。患者並見二神。以手楯撫。應時痊復。甞有凶人欲密害誠者。夜往其處。乃見門內。猛火赩然。遂慚悔而遁。貞觀十四年夏安居之末。因忽有疾。自知將謝。願生兜率。澡浴之後。誠令儉約。至月末。天故語曰。欲來徑入。何用絃歌。顧謂侍者曰。有童子相迎。今在門外。吾將去矣。如來正戒。其勗勉之。無後悔也。言畢。口出光明。燭燿房宇。又聞異香芬馥而至。眾見儼然端坐。不覺已終。年七十有八。貞觀十四年七月也。

Śramaṇa Facheng, whose secular surname was Fan, was a man of Wannian in Yongzhou. Having gone forth from home in his boyhood, he served the wonder-working monk Senghe as his disciple. Senghe had extraordinary discernment, recognized his capacity for renown, and sent him to Chan Master Xiang at Chanlin Monastery to follow and uphold the study of meditation (dhyāna). Before a few years had passed, he reached its inner sanctum. Later he met Venerable Chao and lived in seclusion in Langu, opening his heart to request instruction and receiving it receptively without slackening. Although his insightful understanding was widely versed, he took reciting the Lotus Sūtra as his main practice. Once, his mental energy exhausted, he was on the verge of abandoning his upholding [of the text], whereupon he performed the Guanyin circumambulation practice to pray for unseen aid. When three seven-day periods were fulfilled, in front of the Buddha [image] he suddenly saw a giant man dressed in white robes holding a dose of medicine, which he handed to him and had him consume. From then on, his mental energy doubled from ordinary levels, and he read and recited without stopping. During each summer [retreat], he completed five hundred rounds; on the six fast days, he completed seven rounds. Even if he wished to exceed these numbers, he did not find it tiresome. By a rough count of ten years, it approached more than ten thousand rounds. He repeatedly heard music playing in the sky, sounding sonorously like bells and chimes; only when he finished reciting the sūtra round would the sounds cease. Once, a layman from a lower village who constantly made offerings to Facheng suddenly met with grave illness in his household, such that more than ten members, both old and young, were in critical condition. Hard pressed by worry, the man threw himself upon Cheng, begging for deliverance. Cheng then led him to the two painted spirits inside the Lotus Hall, pointed to them, and said, "This donor has genuine faith, yet his family suffers from affliction. You may accompany him and remove the illness for them." The man returned home, and the sick all saw the two spirits comforting them with their hands and shields; they recovered immediately. Once a villain wished to harm Cheng secretly; going to his dwelling at night, he saw blazing fire gleaming brightly within the gate, whereupon he fled in shame and repentance. At the end of the summer retreat in the fourteenth year of Zhenguan, because he suddenly fell ill, he knew he was about to pass away and made a vow to be reborn in Tuṣita. After bathing, he ordered frugal arrangements. Toward the end of the month, he spoke to the sky, "If you wish to come, enter directly; what need is there for string music and song?" Looking at his attendants, he said, "A boy has come to welcome me and is now outside the gate. I am about to depart. Keep strictly to the Tathāgata's pure precepts; strive earnestly and do not have regrets later." When he finished speaking, rays of light shone from his mouth, illuminating the room, and an extraordinary fragrance was perceived wafting in. The assembly saw him sitting upright and dignified, unaware that he had already passed away. His age was seventy-eight; it was the seventh month of the fourteenth year of Zhenguan [640 CE].