釋門自鏡錄 2.65

2.65

貞觀年中。汾州界內寺中有一僧。名伯達。性嗜酒。每日常醉。後充常庫直歲。常私以眾錢沽酒而飲。數年身死。其後寺眾市得一牛。甚多膂力。僧眾在門外。徙倚或坐或立。見家人驅群牛入寺。其新市得者。於群牛後數十步後來。一僧云。此行步鄧濁大似我輩舊時伯達。此牛聞其名。遂往迴顧向眾僧。僧等云。多是伯達。乃語云。汝若實是即向眾中來。牛應聲即來。因以頭叩地。而目中淚下。眾僧因撫其頭。對之泣淚。為其懺悔受戒。十九年太宗。伐遼東。令左丞宇文節。於諸州括牛擬供軍食。行至此寺索牛。此牛獨陸梁牴拒不出。僧眾具向宇文節使論之。宇文節令僧眾等告牛使不取爾。因語牛曰。使人但欲見汝。不將汝去。牛應聲即出。使人令跪即跪。宇文節大驚愕而去。

During the Zhenguan era, there was a monk in a monastery within the territory of Fenzhou named Boda. He was by nature fond of wine and was drunk every day. Later, he served as the annual prefect of the permanent storehouse, and he constantly used the community's money in secret to buy wine and drink. After several years, he died. Subsequently, the monastery community purchased an ox that had great physical strength. The monks were outside the gate, strolling or sitting or standing, when they saw a servant driving a herd of oxen into the monastery. The newly purchased ox trailed several tens of paces behind the herd. One monk said, "This clumsy, heavy gait is very much like our old fellow Boda's!" Hearing its name, this ox then turned around and faced the monks. The monks said, "It is very likely Boda!" They then said to it, "If you truly are him, come into our midst." Responding to their voices, the ox came immediately, bowed its head to the ground, and tears fell from its eyes. The monks therefore stroked its head, wept before it, performed repentance on its behalf, and administered the precepts to it. In the nineteenth year, Emperor Taizong campaigned against Liaodong and ordered the Left Assistant Director Yuwen Jie to requisition oxen across the prefectures intended for army provisions. Arriving at this monastery to demand oxen, this ox alone bucked and butted resistingly, refusing to come out. The monks explained the matter in full to the envoy Yuwen Jie. Yuwen Jie instructed the monks to tell the ox that he would not take it. They therefore spoke to the ox, saying, "The envoy only wishes to see you; he will not take you away." Responding to their voices, the ox came out at once. When the envoy ordered it to kneel, it knelt immediately. Yuwen Jie was greatly astonished and departed.