華嚴經傳記 4.5

4.5

Monk Puyuan: His clan and origin are unknown. From accounts and hearsay, it seems he dwelt along the rivers and seas. At the beginning of the reign of Emperor Wu of the Zhou, he came travelling through the Three Auxiliaries. His appearance was imposing and robust, and he was completely unhurried and composed, possessing the bearing and presence of a grand master. He traversed many famous mountains and great rivers, constantly making dhūta practices his aim. He delighted in acting with compassion and rescue, prioritizing benefit [to others]. Whenever people came to seek refuge with him, he would promptly guide and deliver them, showing and instructing them in the practices and gates [of cultivation], causing them to adhere to rigorous disciplines. He constantly recited from memory the entire Avataṃsaka [Sūtra], cultivating concentration by relying upon it. The application of his mind was exceptionally thorough, such that he was unaware of the passage of morning and evening. At times he would beg for food, temporarily going to villages and settlements, but mostly he dwelt in forests and graveyards, collecting himself in tranquil contemplation. One night, a ghost suddenly appeared whose form was exceedingly terrifying, having four eyes and six fangs, holding a crooked cudgel in his hand, with the hair of his body hanging down. He came directly before him. Puyuan opened his eyes and looked carefully; he had no trace of fear in his expression. Before long, [the ghost] withdrew. Such instances were not unique. Someone once begged Puyuan for his head; just as he was about to cut it off and give it, [the beggar] stopped and would not take it. Then the person again begged for his eyes; just as he was about to gouge them out to give them away, the person again stopped him. He then demanded his hands from him; [Puyuan] then tied his wrists to a tree and severed them flush with his elbows to give to him. Fainting with an anguished mind, he collapsed to the ground, and consequently passed away in Fanchuan in the southern suburbs. Monastics and laity mourned and longed for him, as if they had lost their own parents. They divided the relics of his cremation (jhāpita) and built pagodas in several places.