法華傳記 7.18

7.18

The monk Sengrong lived in the early Liang. He resided at Donglin Temple in Jiujiang. With a resolute mind and broad learning, having completed his travels to preach and convert, he settled down and revolved and recited the Lotus Sūtra. While staying alone on Mount Lu, snow fell from the sky. At midnight, when he had just fallen asleep, he saw ghostly soldiers in great numbers. Among them was a ghost general, wearing armor and holding a blade, remarkably robust and imposing in stature. There was one carrying a folding chair, who planted it before Rong and sat upon it; he then sternly raised his voice and said, "Why do you claim that ghosts and spirits have no efficacy? Quickly drag him down to the ground!" The ghosts were about to lay hands on him when Rong silently invoked the name of Avalokiteśvara without pause. Immediately, behind the bed where he lay, he saw a heavenly general over ten feet tall, wearing yellow leather tunic and trousers, holding a vajra pestle with which he aimed at them. The ghosts fled in fright, and their armor and equipment were crushed to dust. Rong once focused his mind on revolving and reciting [the sūtra] in Jiangling, which moved Samantabhadra to say, "As you recite the Lotus, the nature of your sins is gradually extinguished; within three lifetimes, you will surely behold my body." Where Rong met his end later is unknown (from the Tang Gaoseng zhuan).