南嶽總勝集 3.6

3.6

南嶽西園蘭若曇藏禪師。養一靈犬。常夜行次。其犬銜其師衣。師即歸房。又於門側伏守而吠。自奮身作猛噬之勢。詰旦東嶺有一大蟒。長數丈許。張口呀氣。毒焰熾然。侍者請避。師曰。死可避乎。彼以毒來。我以慈受。毒無實性。激發則強。慈苟無緣。冤親一揆。言訖。其蟒按首徐行。倏然不見。又一夕有盜。犬亦銜師衣。語盜曰。草舍有可意物。一任取去。盜感其言皆去。

Chan Master Tancang of the West Garden Aranya on Nanyue kept an uncanny dog. Often when he walked at night, the dog would take the master's robe in its mouth, and the master would return to his room. It would also lie in wait by the door, barking and throwing itself forward in a posture of fierce biting. At dawn, there was a great python on the eastern ridge, several tens of feet long, opening its mouth and panting, with fierce flames of poison. The attendants asked to flee. The master said, “Can death be fled? It comes with poison, but I receive it with compassion. Poison has no real nature; when provoked, it becomes strong. If compassion is without condition, foes and kin are treated as one.” When he finished speaking, the python lowered its head, moved away slowly, and suddenly vanished. Another night there were thieves; the dog again took the master's robe in its mouth. The master said to the thieves, “If there is anything agreeable in this thatched hut, take whatever you please.” Moved by his words, the thieves all left.