法苑珠林 28.42

28.42

唐癰州義善寺釋法順。俗姓杜氏。癰州萬年縣人。稟性柔和志存儉約。京室東阜地號馬頭。空崖岸重邃堪為靈窟。有因聖寺僧珍禪師。本是順受業師。珍草創伊基勸俗修理。端坐指揮示其儀則。忽感一犬不知何來。白足身黃自然馴擾。徑入窟內口銜土出。須臾往返勞而不倦。食則同僧過中不飲。既有斯異。四遠響歸。乃以聞上。隋高重之。日賜米三升。因供常限。乃至龕成無為而死。今所謂因聖寺是也。順時躬覩其事更倍歸依。力助締搆勸民設會。供限五日臨時倍來。供主懼少。順曰。莫遮。通給千人供足猶有餘剩。常有張河江張弘暢。家畜牛馬。性本弊惡。人皆患之。賣無取者。順語慈善如有聞從。自後調善更無觝齩。又每年夏中引眾驪山栖靜。地多蟲蟻無因種菜。順恐有損就地指示令蟲移徙。不久往示恰無蟲矣。又順患腫膿潰流泆。有敬𠲿之。或以帛拭尋即除愈。餘膿發香氣氳難比。拭帛猶在香氣不歇。又有三原縣人田薩埵者。生來患聾。兼有張蘇等。亦患瘂。順聞命來與共言議。遂如好人。永即痊復。又有武功縣僧為毒龍所魅。眾以投之。順端拱對坐。毒遂陰託病僧曰。禪師既來。義無久住。極相勞嬈。尋即釋放。但有障。癘魔邪所惱者。歸順皆愈。不施呪術。福力如是。其不測者。謂有陰德所加故使感靈偏敬。致言所教多抑浮詞顯直正理。敦實為懷。見有樹神廟室多即焚除。汎愛道俗貴賤皆投。讚毀兩途開匈莫二。似如不知翻作餘語。因行南野將度黃渠。其水汎漲無人敢度。岸復峻滑。雖登還墮水。忽斷流如行陸地。及順上岸水尋還溢。門徒目覩不測其然。所感幽通事多非一。財帛靡悋通用無主。但服麁弊卒無兼副。朝野知委聞徹。

Shi Fashun of Yishan Temple in Yongzhou had the secular surname Du and was a native of Wannian County in Yongzhou. By disposition he was gentle and mild, and his aim was thrift and restraint. At the eastern mound of the capital, there was a place called Matou, whose deep and precipitous cliffs were fit to become spiritual caves. Dhyāna Master Sengzhen of Yinsheng Temple had originally been the master under whom Shun studied. Zhen laid the groundwork there and encouraged the laity to construct it, sitting upright and directing them, displaying the rules. Suddenly, a dog was mysteriously drawn to the place, no one knew whence: it had white paws and a yellow body, and was naturally tame and gentle. It would go straight into the cave, take earth in its mouth, and carry it out, tirelessly going back and forth for hours without fatigue. When it ate, it followed the monks' schedule, and after midday it did not even drink. Since there was this wonder, people from near and far flocked to him. The matter was reported to the sovereign, and Emperor Gaozu of the Sui prized him, granting him three sheng of rice daily as an ongoing provision. When the niche was completed, he died naturally without illness; this is what is now called Yinsheng Temple. At that time, Shun personally witnessed this matter and took refuge in him all the more, energetically assisting the construction and encouraging the populace to hold vegetarian feasts. The offering was set for five days, but when the time came, double the number of people arrived. The host of the offering feared it would be insufficient, but Shun said: 'Do not turn anyone away.' It was served completely to a thousand people, and there was still food left over. There was a man named Zhang Hongchang of Zhanghejiang whose family kept cattle and horses that were naturally vicious and wicked, causing distress to everyone, such that no one would buy them. Shun spoke to them with benevolence and kindness, and as if they heard and obeyed, they were thereafter tame and good, never butting or biting again. Furthermore, each year in the summer when he led the assembly to retreat in seclusion on Mount Li, the ground had many insects and ants, making it impossible to plant vegetables. Fearing they might be harmed, Shun pointed to the ground and instructed the insects to migrate; when he went to check shortly after, there were indeed no insects left. Moreover, Shun once suffered from a swelling that ulcerated and oozed pus. There were those who out of reverence licked it, or wiped it with silk, and were immediately cured of their ailments; the remaining pus gave off a fragrant vapor of incomparable scent, and the cloths used to wipe it retained the fragrance without fading. There was also a man from Sanyuan County named Tian Sattva, who had been deaf from birth, as well as Zhang Su and others who were mute. Hearing of them, Shun summoned them and spoke with them, whereupon they were just like normal people, permanently cured. Furthermore, there was a monk of Wugong County possessed by a venomous dragon; the assembly brought him to Shun. Shun sat opposite him with his hands folded, whereupon the venomous spirit secretly possessed the sick monk, saying: 'Since the Dhyāna Master has come, it is not fitting for me to remain long and trouble you so greatly,' and immediately released him. Whenever people were afflicted by obstacles, pestilence, or demonic evils, they were all cured upon turning to Shun, without his employing any incantations. Such was the power of his merit. Those who could not fathom it thought that it was due to the secret virtue bestowed upon him that caused the spiritual powers to hold him in special reverence. In his speech and teaching, he mostly restrained frivolous words and revealed the direct, true principle, keeping honesty and sincerity at heart. Whenever he saw shrines and temples to tree spirits, he would often burn and remove them. He showed broad affection to both clergy and laity, and both noble and base turned to him. Confronted with either praise or blame, his open mind remained undivided; acting as if he did not notice, he would simply talk of other things. Once, while traveling through the southern countryside, he was about to cross the Huang Canal. Its waters had flooded and no one dared cross; the banks were steep and slippery, so that even if one climbed them, one fell back into the water. Suddenly the water ceased flowing, as if walking on dry land. Once Shun reached the bank, the water promptly surged again. His disciples witnessed this and could not fathom how it happened. The instances of his resonance with the unseen were manifold. He was never stingy with wealth or silk, putting them to common use without treating them as his own. He wore only coarse and tattered clothing, having no spare change of garments. His reputation became well known at court and in the countryside and reached the ears of