法華傳記 4.18

4.18

釋法莊。姓申淮南人也。十歲出家。為廬山慧遠弟子。少以苦節標名。晚遊關中。從叡公稟學。元嘉初。出都止道場寺性率素止一中而已。誦大涅槃法華淨名。每後夜諷誦法華。比房常聞。莊戶前有如兵杖羽衛之響。實天神來聽誦經。如斯感化非一。宋大明初卒。七十有六。

Śramaṇa Fazhuang, whose secular surname was Shen, was a native of Huainan. He left household life at the age of ten, becoming a disciple of Huiyuan of Mount Lu. In his youth he was renowned for his austere discipline; in his later years he traveled to Guanzhong, receiving instruction and study from Master Rui. In the beginning of the Yuanjia era, he went to the capital and resided at Daochang Temple. His nature was simple and plain, and he took only a single meal a day at noon. He recited the Mahāparinirvāṇa, the Lotus Sūtra, and the Vimalakīrti. Whenever he chanted and recited the Lotus Sūtra in the latter part of the night, those in neighboring rooms always heard what sounded like weapons and an escort of guards outside Zhuang's door. In truth, heavenly spirits had come to listen to his recitation of the sūtra. Sympathetic responses and transformations such as this occurred more than once. He died in the beginning of the Daming era of the Song at the age of seventy-six.