弘贊法華傳 3.11

3.11

Shi Zhitong, surnamed Chen, lived in Zizhou. At the age of eight, he went forth from the household life to become a disciple of Dharma Master Zhengdao. Later he recited the Lotus Sūtra and lectured on it. At Niutou Mountain, he well maintained the deportments and observed the precepts with pure austerity. He subdued the followers of Huang-Lao; whenever gentlemen or women submitted memorials [for Daoist rituals], he would always strike them with fifty blows of a staff, so that those near and far all feared him. The completion of the monastery buildings was entirely due to his enterprise; the whole assembly was in awe of him, and none kept private wealth. A pair of geese constantly came according to the time to listen to his lectures. He lectured over a hundred times, and twice light was emitted. Coming to the thirteenth day of the tenth month of the twenty-third year of Zhenguan, he told the assembly, 'My construction of this mountain monastery has spent a hundred thousand strings of cash; I regret it is not yet complete. Now I bid you an eternal farewell.' Having spoken these words, he passed away. His age was seventy-seven. At that time, all the rooms and halls of the monastery shook, and the trees, plants, and grasses all turned white. Only after the time of a single meal did they return to their former state.