弘贊法華傳 8.32

8.32

Shi Hongzhao, whose secular surname was Shang and whose family served as officials in Yongzhou, was a native of Gaoling County. His grandfather and father had both inherited fragrant reputations through the generations and held modest official posts. His mother, of the Zhang clan, belonged to an illustrious lineage of officials and harboured an especially deep faith. When Zhao was a child, his appearance was extraordinary and he was naturally a refined vessel. His mouth did not eat pungent or defiled foods, and his eyes did not linger on toys or amusements. Regarding home life as dust and chaff, he loved transcending the secular. At the age of twenty, he went to Vinaya Master Cheng and Chan Master Ji, and shaved his head. The learning and practice of the two virtuous ones were renowned in the capital; the leaders silently recognized his fine talent and gladly consented. Thereupon, he recited the Lotus Sūtra, memorizing it within a few months. His disposition prized seclusion and simplicity, disliking noise and vexation. Thereafter, he chose a dwelling in Zhongnan Mountain, at the Bishi Fort in Shegu. Leaning against crags and pillowing on stones, he vowed to chant it a thousand times. Soon his upright nature was as bright as frost, and the wondrous melody flowed like wind; he repeatedly moved nether deities to come secretly to shield and protect him. Whenever official or private hardships bound monastics or laity, tigers would roar, serving as a regular sign. Furthermore, heavy snow suddenly fell, and with only about a sheng of flour, he ate from it for more than twenty days without exhausting it. Yet because he had resided in this place for long, those who heard and saw him became numerous, and offerings grew dense and frequent, harming his skin and marrow. Thus, together with his friend Luxin, he moved to Hanshan in the southwest of Hu County to cultivate his former practice further. The road was extremely perilous and rugged, covering a journey of more than a hundred li. Moreover, it coincided with a poor harvest during the Xianheng era (670–674), and having had no reserves to begin with, people would from time to time carry vegetarian food to deliver to them. When sought out later, their traces were unknown. At that time, the two virtuous ones and an upāsaka all tied grass huts, dwelling separately under the stars in self-contentment. Zhao suddenly saw a serpent a hundred feet long, with five-coloured patterns and a head over ten feet high, come straight to his hut and lower its body to listen attentively. At first, Zhao was terrified and trembling, not daring to look at it; closing his eyes, he recited clearly, his voice and words halting repeatedly. Gradually using principle to transform emotion, he gradually regained fluency. Thereupon, he gave rise to great compassion, made a deep and profound vow, pressed his palms together with flowing tears, and raised his voice to finish the entire text. In a short while the serpent withdrew, but from then on it came frequently without ceasing. Although Zhao somewhat knew it was harmless, he detested its fishy stench and feared its form. At first, he restrained it with a staff, and it left at once. Later, he told the upāsaka to drive it away; the upāsaka wound a rope around its neck, dragged it into the deep wilds, and tied it to a large tree. When night fell, Zhao, Xin, and the upāsaka dreamed of a woman who covered her tears, wept, came forward and said, 'I, your disciple, am the goddess of this mountain. By nature I delight in hearing the Dharma, but frequently with my defiled body I have troubled the assembly of the Dharma. Now having been driven away and tied up, I bid farewell to you, Master, to go far away, no longer able to hear the recitation of the Great Vehicle; for this I am full of regret.' Zhao and the others were each startled awake, and hurriedly questioned one another. Since their dreams were identical, they suspected it had died; taking torches, they went to look, and indeed found it had transpired as expected. The upāsaka wailed, threw himself on the ground, and sincerely confessed and repented. Beside its corpse, they chanted the sūtra together. Wishing also to host a vegetarian feast for a thousand monks, they obtained several cakes of silver beside the hut; going down the mountain for the feast, it was just sufficient. Once when traveling to a village, a poor woman of the Liu clan invited him to stay and receive offerings. Zhao took pity on her and stayed. Within seven days, she exhausted all her belongings. When Zhao wished to leave, the faithful woman earnestly retained him again. Having no further resources, she cut off her hair to provide vegetarian food. After another seven days, Zhao wished to leave again, but the poor woman wept bitterly and insisted on keeping him, so he stayed once more. The money from selling her hair was completely spent, and her anxiety pierced the night, not knowing where to find more. Suddenly she stroked her head with her hand and felt her hair had grown back as before. Leaping with surprise and joy, she immediately cut it again. After another seven days, it grew back as before. In total she cut it three times. Zhao, considering that his long stay had caused great vexation and expense, held his robes and bowl and was determined not to stay. The woman then bowed her head and fully explained, saying, 'Master, you have your own provisions.' Zhao and the others heard this and were choked with emotion, unable to speak, lamenting and reproaching their petty bodies for receiving such profound kindness. Before the Yongchun era (682–683), he went again to Susi Mountain in Tongzhou, practicing as usual. Suddenly, without illness, he passed away in his mountain hut. The fourfold assembly of Ganquan Monastery gathered firewood and burned him, but only his tongue did not burn, remaining red as before. At that time, the abbot of Qingshan Monastery in Hancheng County, perhaps because his conduct was rather worldly, did not believe this was so; together with the monks, scholars, and laity of the entire monastery—five hundred people—and several cartloads of firewood and charcoal, he burned it ten more times, yet its form and colour remained intact. Only then did they all submit in repentance. His tongue was placed in a fragrant box and circulated for veneration.