法苑珠林 18.9

18.9

晉周璫者。會稽剡人也。家世奉法。璫年十六。便菜食持齋諷誦成具。及須轉經。正月長齋竟。延僧設八關齋。至鄉市寺請其師竺佛密及支法階。竺佛密令持小品齋日轉讀。至日三僧赴齋忘持小品。至中食畢欲讀經方憶。意甚惆悵。璫家在阪怡村。去寺三十里。無人遣取。至人定燒香訖。舉家恨不得經密益踧踖。有頃聞有叩門者。言送小品。璫愕然心喜。開門見一年少著單𢂿衣。先所不識。又非人時。疑其神異。便長跪受經。要使前坐。年少不進。斯夜當來聽經。比道人出忽不復見。香氣遍一宅中。既而視之乃是密經也。道俗驚喜。密經先在厨中緘鑰甚謹。還視其鑰儼然如故。於是村中十餘家。咸皆奉佛益敬愛璫。璫遂出家字曇嶷。諷誦眾經至二十萬言云。

Zhou Dang of the Jin was a native of Shan in Kuaiji. His family had revered the Dharma for generations. When Dang was sixteen, he ate only vegetarian food, observed the purifications, and fully mastered chanting scriptures. When it came time to recite scriptures, having completed the long purification of the first month, he invited monks to hold an eight-precept purification retreat. He went to the Xiangshi Temple to invite his masters, Zhu Fomi and Zhi Fajiē. Zhu Fomi instructed that they should take the Small Perfection of Wisdom to read aloud on the retreat day. When the day came, three monks arrived for the retreat but forgot to bring the Small Perfection of Wisdom. Only after the midday meal was finished and they wished to recite the scripture did they remember it, feeling very disappointed. Dang's home was in Banyicun, thirty li away from the temple, and there was no one to send to retrieve it. By the time people settled to rest and the incense burning was finished, the whole household lamented that they had not obtained the scripture, and Fomi became increasingly uneasy. After a short while, they heard someone knocking at the door, saying he had brought the Small Perfection of Wisdom. Dang was surprised and delighted. Opening the door, he saw a youth dressed in a single unlined silk garment, whom he had never known before; moreover, it was not an hour for visitors. Suspecting divine anomaly, he knelt prostrate to receive the scripture and invited him to come sit forward. The youth did not enter, saying he would come to listen to the scripture that night. By the time the monks came out, he had suddenly vanished, and a fragrant scent filled the whole residence. When they subsequently examined it, it was indeed Fomi's scripture. Monks and laity were astonished and delighted. Fomi's scripture had previously been in a cabinet, locked very securely; returning to inspect the lock, it was as intact as before. Thereupon more than ten households in the village all revered the Buddha, and respected and loved Dang even more. Dang subsequently left household life, receiving the dharma name Tanyi; he chanted various scriptures to the extent of two hundred thousand words.