弘贊法華傳 7.7

7.7

Śramaṇa Lingkan, whose background is unknown, was perceptive and intelligent. He constantly recited the Lotus Sūtra. When he first completed reciting the sūtra, he contracted a terrible disease. He immediately complained to his master, saying, "Kan has heard that by receiving and upholding the Lotus Sūtra, one attains purity of the six sense organs. Why is it that when Kan recites it, he contracts such an illness?" His master said, "When you recited the sūtra, what manner of conduct did you employ?" He replied, "When reciting, sometimes I did not wash my hands, sometimes I bared my shoulders, sometimes I placed it behind my feet, and sometimes I set it at the head of the bed." The master said, "This is the good deities who protect the Dharma punishing you; it does not mean that the sūtra lacks efficacious virtue. You should repent." Thereupon, he made a casket of unadorned wood, carried the sūtra on top of his head, and practiced the Way inside the hall; except for defecating, urinating, eating, and drinking, he devoted himself to hardship and sincere devotion, even to the point of breaking his head and shedding blood, reproaching and blaming himself. Having passed three years in this manner, around the fifth watch near dawn, someone knocked on the door of the Buddha hall and called for it to be opened at once. Kan was initially unwilling, saying, "I am a guilty person; how would I have the leisure to open the door for you?" The calling did not cease, so he opened it for him. He saw an old man with pure white beard and hair, holding a staff in his hand, who immediately struck Kan repeatedly, saying, "From now on, will you dare to slight the Lotus Sūtra again?" Right as he was being struck, his bodily sores were cured, and the four great elements were restored to harmony. At daybreak, looking in front of the hall, he saw elephant footprints, and only then realized that this old man was the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra who had descended to extinguish his sins. From then on, he reformed, repented, and changed his ways, diligently practicing recitation. Later, his end was unknown.