弘贊法華傳 7.9

7.9

Śramaṇa Fa'ai was a native of Changsha. He left home in his youth. He was not capable of a vegetarian regimen or ascetic practices, but he was exceptionally fluent in reciting the Lotus Sūtra and also listened to lectures on the Three Treatises. When the Sui expedition attacked Jiaozhi, it coincided with a rebellion by the people of Jiao. Fa'ai, as was typical, hid to escape, but was suddenly captured by five bandits. They placed him in a certain spot and said, "Wait until we finish eating, then kill the man of the Way." Fa'ai then saw a spear beside the wall; holding it under his arm, he went outside and ran straight to the north. Coming upon a large tree, he hid and stood beside it. When the bandits finished eating and got up, they seemed to see Fa'ai from afar and rushed toward him, but when they drew near, they could not see him. They said to one another, "Just now we saw the man of the Way from afar, but on arriving here he is not to be seen; he must have already gone." Fa'ai held the spear with single-minded focus and did not dare to move. The bandits turned their heads and gazed into the distance; appearing to spot something, they suddenly cried, "The man of the Way has already left! We should pursue him together!" and dashed off in pursuit. Fa'ai then ran northward to a bramble thicket and threw himself inside to hide. There he came upon two tigers lying curled around each other. When the tigers saw Fa'ai arrive, they both raised their heads and looked at him. Fa'ai became increasingly terrified and said, "Two dānapatis! This poor monk is being pursued by bandits and in haste has fled to you, dānapatis. May you promptly receive and rescue me!" The two tigers immediately went outside, pouncing aggressively and roaring frighteningly, and the bandits thereupon scattered and retreated. Fa'ai again ran northward, and the tigers followed behind him. Reaching the edge of a body of water, he saw a person holding several pieces of food and drink who gave them to Fa'ai. Fa'ai accepted and ate them; they were fried pastries of fat and flour, exceedingly delicious in flavor. He then crossed the water onto an islet, and the tigers also departed. He proceeded to lodge overnight on the islet, where he again met two people also lodging together. They provided a great spread of rare delicacies, parting only at dawn, and also instructed him, saying, "Just go northward, and you will naturally attain escape." Thereupon he went north for more than thirty li and met an old acquaintance who was also avoiding the bandits. Meeting each other with joy, he at last attained escape. Fa'ai later spoke of this to monks and laymen alike. It is not known how he ended.