廣弘明集 2.31

2.31

世祖時道士寇謙之字輔真。南雍州刺史讚之弟也。早好仙道修張魯之術。服食餌藥歷年無効。有仙人成公興。傭作謙家。後謙之算七曜。惘然不了。興曰。何為不釋。謙之曰。我學算累年。延算周體不合。興令依言布之。俄爾便決。謙歎伏欲師事。興固辭求為謙之弟子。未幾興入華山居石室。興採藥與謙服。不復飢。又共入嵩高山石室曰當有人將藥來。得但食莫疑。尋有人將藥至。皆是毒虫臭物。謙之懼走。興還具問。便歎息曰。先生未仙。止可為帝王師耳。興事謙七年。便曰。不得久留。明中應去。至期果卒。見兩童子一持法服一持錫杖及鉢至興屍所。興欻然而起。著衣持鉢執杖而去。

During the reign of Emperor Shizu, there was a Daoist named Kou Qianzhi, courtesy name Fuzhen, the younger brother of Kou Zan, the inspector of Southern Yong Prefecture. From an early age he loved the Dao of immortality and practiced the arts of Zhang Lu. He consumed dietary drugs for many years without effect. There was an immortal named Chenggong Xing who worked as a hired laborer in Qianzhi's household. Later, when Qianzhi was calculating the movements of the seven luminaries, he was bewildered and could not figure them out. Xing said, "Why do you not solve it?" Qianzhi said, "I have studied calculation for many years, but my extended calculations do not match the cycles." Xing instructed him to arrange the figures according to his words, and in an instant it was resolved. Qianzhi admired him with sighing respect and wished to serve him as a master. Xing firmly declined and instead sought to become Qianzhi's disciple. Before long, Xing entered Mount Hua and lived in a stone chamber. Xing gathered herbs and gave them to Qianzhi to ingest, so that he was no longer hungry. Together they also entered a stone chamber on Mount Songgao, where Xing said, "Someone will surely bring medicine; when you receive it, simply eat it without doubt." Soon someone arrived bringing medicine, but it was all poisonous insects and foul-smelling things. Qianzhi fled in fear. When Xing returned and inquired in detail, he sighed and said, "Sir, you are not destined to become an immortal; you can only be a preceptor to emperors and kings." Xing served Qianzhi for seven years, and then said, "I cannot remain long; I must depart tomorrow at noon." When the time arrived, he indeed passed away. Two boys were seen—one holding monastic robes and the other holding a staff and bowl—coming to the place of Xing's corpse. Xing sprang up suddenly, put on the robes, took the bowl, held the staff, and departed.