法華傳記 4.4

4.4

Shi Tansui: it is not known where he was from. He went forth from the household life when young and stayed at Baima Temple in Ayin. Eating vegetables and wearing cloth garments, he recited the Lotus Sūtra, usually once every day. Furthermore, he was thoroughly versed in the sūtra's meaning and also explained it to others. Once in the middle of the night, he suddenly heard a knock at the door saying that they wished to invite the Dharma master to explain the Dharma for ninety days. Tansui did not consent; when they repeatedly pleaded, he then went. Yet this was still during sleep: by the time he awoke, he was inside the spirit shrine of Baima Embankment together with one disciple. From then on he went there secretly day by day, and none of the others knew. Later, temple monks passed before the shrine and saw two high seats, with Tansui in the north and his disciple in the south, as if there were the sounds of chanting, reciting, and lecturing; they also smelled the scent of extraordinary incense. Thereupon clergy and laity spread the word together, all saying it was a divine anomaly. When the summer ended, the spirit presented as an offering one white horse, five white sheep, and ninety bolts of silk. After the blessing of vows was completed, they parted. It is not known where Tansui ended his days. (The Biographies of Eminent Monks, fascicle twelve, says that he recited the Zheng fahua jing; because it is the same original text, the miraculous anomalies are completely identical, as verified by examining its text.)