弘贊法華傳 7.19

7.19

Śramaṇa Sengying's family background and place of residence are not known. He left home in his youth and lived at Yongqi Temple in Jiangyang, reciting the Lotus Sūtra. Down into his old age, his recitation and practice never ceased. He shared adjoining rooms with a Dharma Master, who constantly disliked the loudness of his sūtra recitation, which hindered his own reading and study, and asked Master Qian to remonstrate with him. On that night, during the first watch, the moon was bright. Sengying recited the sūtra as usual, and Master Qian was about to go to admonish and stop him. Opening the door and looking out, he saw several thousand men in front of Sengying's room, clad in armor, holding bows, and wearing weapons, with folded hands and kneeling on both knees, listening to the recitation of the sūtra. Master Qian immediately retreated to his room. The next day, he fully recounted what he had seen the previous night to that Dharma Master, and together they went to repent for their transgression of disliking and blaming him. Whenever Sengying walked about on ordinary occasions, he constantly heard what seemed to be the sounds of armor and weapons before and behind him. During the Kaihuang reign era, he passed away in the temple.