集神州三寶感通錄 3.9

3.9

At the beginning of the Northern Qi, the śramaṇa Master Song was an eminent recluse of Mount Song. Once, travelling from Linlü toward Mount Bailu, he lost his way due to straying from the path. As the sun approached mid-morning, he suddenly heard the sound of a bell. Following the sound, he advanced, climbing and pressing through layer upon layer of blocking cliffs and peaks. Then he saw a monastery, occupying the deep forest all by itself. Its three gates faced due south, gleaming and resplendent. Advancing to the gate, he looked at the lintel plaque, which read: "Monastery of Lingyin." Outside the gate were five or six dogs, as large as oxen, with white fur and black muzzles, some leaping, some lying down, looking at Song with slanted eyes. Song was frightened and about to turn back. In a moment, an Indian monk came from outside. Song called out to him, but he did not answer, nor did he look back, but went straight inside the gate, and the dogs also followed him in. After a long while, Song saw no one, so he gradually entered the next gate. The buildings were surrounded on all four sides, and all the room doors were closed. Advancing to the lecture hall, he saw only couches and high seats neatly arranged. Song went into the southwest corner and sat on a couch. After a long while, he suddenly heard a sound among the roof beams. Looking up, he saw an opening like a mouth, and many bhikṣus flew down one after another from the opening, amounting to fifty or sixty people. Having sat according to their ranks, they inquired of one another, "Where did you go to eat at today's midday meal?" Some said, "Yuzhang, Chengdu, Chang'an, Longxi, Jibei, and Lingnan." There was no place they had not reached, easily covering ten thousand li or more. The last monk descended from the sky. The others vied to ask, "Why have you come so late?" He answered, "Today at the lecture assembly of Meditation Master Jian at Bi'an Temple east of Xiangzhou city, each presented their theses. There were many clever and handsome young students whose sharp objections rose like spear points, truly a sight to behold! Without realizing it, it became late, and so I have arrived." Song had originally served Jian. Having heard these words, he hoped to join the conversation and wished to present himself to these superior persons. As he straightened his robes and was about to rise, the place suddenly vanished; he was sitting alone under an oak tree on a boulder. Of the former monastery buildings, not a thing was to be seen; there were only abundant cliff valleys where birds soared and gathered. Song came out and asked the Controller of the Monks (shangtong), Master of the Law [Fashang]. The Master of the Law said, "This monastery was built by Fotudeng during the Shi Zhao era. Long ages having passed, worthy and holy beings reside in it; sometimes appearing and sometimes hidden, its movements are without fixed location. Those who walk the mountains today can still hear the sound of its bell, and so forth."