法苑珠林 17.7

17.7

At Upper Dinglin Temple of Zhai, there was the monk Shi Puming. His surname was Zhang, and he was a native of Linwei. He went forth from household life in his youth; his character was pure, and he ate vegetarian food and wore hempen clothing, taking repentance and recitation as his practice. He recited the *Lotus* and *Vimalakīrti* sūtras. Whenever he chanted them, he had distinct robes and a distinct seat, never mixing them with ordinary things. Every time he reached the "Encouragement [of Samantabhadra]" chapter, he would behold Samantabhadra riding an elephant and standing before him. When he recited the *Vimalakīrti Sūtra*, he also heard celestial music played in the air. Furthermore, he was skilled in divine dhāraṇīs, and all whom he treated were cured. The wife of his fellow townsman Wang Daozhen fell ill, and they invited Ming to come and chant incantations. As soon as Ming entered the gate, the woman fainted. Shortly thereafter, a creature like a leopard cat, several feet long, was seen darting out from the dog hole, and because of this she recovered. Ming once walked by a water shrine; the shamans and sorcerers themselves said that when the spirits saw him, they all fled. In the Xiaojian reign of the Song, he passed away at the age of eighty-five. (This one testimony is taken from the Tang *Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks*.)