弘贊法華傳 5.18

5.18

Shi Tanyou, whose secular surname was Zhang, was a native of Xuzhou. He travelled to Xiangyang to study, where he suddenly gave rise to aversion [to the world] and renunciation. Meeting Chan Master Zhi, Chan Master Wuxing, and others, he went forth from the household to practice the Way at Mount Yueling. He devoted himself exclusively to reciting the Lotus Sūtra. When reciting the sūtra, he would without fail set up a pure altar several feet square, hang twenty-one banners, burn incense, and scatter flowers, only then reciting it; he made this his regular practice. Later, at Mount Xian, when he wished to read the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, he was repeatedly moved by someone in his dreams teaching him to recite various verses; when he came to turn the scrolls of the sūtra, they corresponded exactly with the text. Later, hearing that the miraculously airborne image made by King Aśoka at Changsha Monastery had displayed very many spiritual traces, [he thought] that if he did not disdain his life to sacrifice himself for principle, there would be no means to accord with this profound sincerity. He contemplated taking Bhaiṣajyarāja as his model to burn his body as an offering. In the first year of the Qianfeng reign era, he went to the place of the image, prayed sincerely with a grand vow, wishing that there would be no obstructing conditions. Thereupon, he heard the sound of finger-snapping in front of the hall. At that time, dense clouds and sudden downpours had accumulated for ten days. Bystanders tried to stop him, fearing it might cause an obstacle. You said, 'This is an auspicious sign; it will surely be fulfilled without doubt.' Just on the night of the fifteenth day of the second month, the sky became completely clear and bright, and the moonlight shone down. You, using wax-soaked cloth, ignited both his hands and his head, wishing to burn long and make an offering for a long time, not wishing to die early. When the fire reached his two wrists, his expression did not change; when the fire reached his eyebrows and forehead, he expounded the Dharma as before. Serenely one-minded, his eyes gazed upon the auspicious image, making an offering with bright light, wishing to see Sun-Moon-Pure-Bright-Virtue Buddha. People asked whether it was painful or not; he replied, 'My mind is like a vajra, without turning back; it is exceedingly cool and joyous, and there is no pain at all.' In an instant, fierce flames flared brilliantly, illuminating through from top to bottom. From within the fire, he further uttered words mindfulness of the Buddha. Earlier, when the fire was about to flare up, the monastic assembly were all terrified, fearing that there would be no remains and that the signs of the burning would not be known; they requested that one sign be left behind to show to sentient beings. Later, all had turned to ashes and embers, leaving only the skull bone. The following morning, the entire prefecture rushed there, and officials all gathered, prostrating, circumambulating, and lamenting with gratitude before returning. Just as they stepped out of the monastery gate, the skull bone shattered on its own. There were more than ten faithful people who, before the miraculous bones, prayed for relics; those that descended successively numbered eight in all, sinking or floating freely, responding to the promptings of their hearts. Now his remaining ashes have been gathered and buried within the monastery, where there is frequently a response of finger-snapping.