法苑珠林 57.35

57.35

晉長安有帛遠字法祖。本姓萬氏。河內人。才思俊徹敏浪絕倫。誦經日八九千言。研味方等妙入幽微。世俗墳索多所該貫。祖至晉惠之末。欲潛遁隴右。以保雅操會張輔秦州刺史。先有州人管蕃。與祖論義屢屈深恨。向輔所謀。輔收之行罰。眾咸憤惋。祖曰。我來畢對。此宿命久結。非今事也。乃呼十方佛。祖前身罪緣歡喜畢對。願從此已後與輔為善知識。無令受殺人之罪。遂鞭之五行奄然命終。輔後具聞其事。方大惋恨。道俗流洟眾咸憤激。共分祖屍各起塔廟。輔雖有才解而酷不以理。橫殺德僧。天水太守封尚。百姓疑駭因亂而斬焉。管蕃亦卒。時有人姓李名通。死而更蘇云。見祖法師在閻羅王處為王講首楞嚴經云。講竟應往忉利天。又見祭酒王浮。一云道士基公。次被鎖械求祖懺悔。昔祖平素之日與浮每爭邪正。浮屢屈。既瞋不自忍。乃作老子化胡經以誣謗佛法。殃有所歸故死方思悔。孫綽道賢論。以法祖匹嵆康。論云。帛祖釁起於管蕃。中散禍作於鍾會。二賢並以俊邁之氣。昧其圖身之慮。栖心事外。輕世招患。殆不異也。其見稱如此（右二驗出梁高僧傳）。

In Chang'an during the Jin dynasty, there was Bo Yuan, styled Fazu. His original surname was Wan, and he was a native of Henei. His intellect was acute and penetrating, remarkably agile and without peer. He recited eight to nine thousand words of scripture daily, and deeply savored the Vaipulya sūtras, wonderfully penetrating their subtle mysteries. He also comprehensively mastered secular classics and histories. Toward the end of Emperor Hui of Jin's reign, Fazu wished to retire into seclusion in Longyou to preserve his refined integrity, when he encountered Zhang Fu, the Inspector of Qinzhou. Previously, there was a man of the province named Guan Fan, who had debated doctrines with Fazu, was repeatedly bested, and bore deep resentment. He plotted with Fu, and Fu arrested Fazu to execute punishment. The crowd was full of indignation and sorrow. Fazu said: 'I have come to settle an old score. This was bound long ago in a past life, and is not a matter of the present.' He then called upon the Buddhas of the ten directions: 'Fazu joyfully settles this retribution for sins of former lives. I pray that from now on I may become a spiritual friend (kalyāṇamitra) to Fu, so that he does not incur the sin of killing a man.' He was then struck with fifty lashes and suddenly died. Later, Fu learned the full story and only then felt profound regret. Monastics and laity wept, and the crowd was stirred with indignation. Together they divided Fazu's remains and each built a stūpa-temple. Although Fu had talent and understanding, he was cruel and unreasonable, killing a virtuous monk without cause. Feng Shang, the Grand Protector of Tianshui, took advantage of a disorder to behead him when the people grew suspicious and terrified. Guan Fan also died. At that time, there was a man named Li Tong who died and revived. He reported seeing Dharma Master Fazu at King Yama's place preaching the Śūraṅgama-sūtra for the king; it was said that when the preaching ended, he was to proceed to Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. He also saw the Libationer Wang Fu—another source says the Daoist Master Ji—in chains and fetters, seeking repentance before Fazu. In former days, Fazu had often debated the orthodox and the heterodox with Fu, and Fu was repeatedly bested. Unable to contain his anger, Fu composed the Laozi huahu jing (Scripture on Laozi Converting the Barbarians) to slander the Buddha's teaching. As calamity ultimately falls where it belongs, only in death did he think of repentance. Sun Chuo's Daoxian lun (Treatise on Monks and Worthies) compared Fazu to Ji Kang, saying: 'Bo Zu's fault arose from Guan Fan, just as the calamity of the Master of the Center (Ji Kang) was brought about by Zhong Hui. Both worthies, endowed with extraordinary spirits, were heedless of thoughts of self-preservation. Resting their minds beyond mundane affairs, they slighted the world and invited disaster, which is scarcely different.' Such was the praise he received. (The preceding two verifications are from the Liang Gaoseng zhuan).