法苑珠林 65.64

65.64

晉呂竦字茂高。兗州人也。寓居始豐。其縣南溪流急岸峭。迴曲如縈。又多大石。白日行者猶懷危懼。竦自說。其父當行溪中。去家十許里。日向暮天。忽風雨晦冥如漆。不復知東西。自分覆溺。唯歸心觀世音。且誦且念。須臾有火光來岸。如人捉炬者。照見溪中了了。遙得歸家。火常在前導。去船十餘步。竦後與郗嘉賓周旋。郗所傳說。

Lü Song of the Jin, courtesy name Maogao, was a native of Yanzhou. He was residing in Shifeng. The stream south of that county had swift currents and steep banks, winding like a coiled ribbon, and had many large rocks; even daytime travellers harboured fear and dread. Song recounted himself that his father was once travelling on the stream about ten li from home. As evening approached, the weather suddenly became wind-swept, rainy, and as black as pitch, so that he could no longer discern east from west. Convinced that he would capsize and drown, he solely turned his heart to Avalokiteśvara, both chanting and recollecting [her name]. In a moment, a torchlight came to the bank, as if held by someone, illuminating the stream with complete clarity, so that he was able to return home from afar. The light consistently led the way in front, ten-odd paces ahead of the boat. Song later associated with Xi Jiabin, and this was related by Xi.