法苑珠林 19.70

19.70

Formerly, in the beginning of the Taiyuan era of the Jin dynasty, there was the Dunhuang śramaṇa Zhu Tanyou. He begged for food and sat in meditation, with a steadfast resolve and diligent practice. While traveling to Mount Chicheng in Shan County of Kuaiji, a pack of tigers came before him. Tanyou expounded the Dharma for them; one tiger alone fell asleep, so he struck its head with a ruyi staff. A snake ten arm-spans in girth coiled around him, but he showed no sign of fear at all. Furthermore, a mountain deity surrendered his residence to build a temple for him. He also went to Mount Chicheng to sit in serene meditation. This mountain is connected to Tiantai, Pubu, and Siming. The elders said: “On Mount Tiantai there is a holy temple.” Tanyou went to seek it. A stone bridge spanned the valley, green with moss, slippery, and difficult to cross; a horizontal rock blocked the path, leaving no way to reach it. For ten days he stayed at the head of the bridge, hearing from over there the sounds of walking the Way and chanting the poṣadha. He then purified himself by observing a fast and spurred himself on. Suddenly he saw the horizontal rock split open over the ravine. Tanyou then crossed over and fully beheld the vihāra. Holy monks were burning incense, and when their midday meal was finished, they said to him: “After ten years, you will naturally come here.”