法苑珠林 27

English (machine translation) 27

Language: English

27.1

Compiled by the śramaṇa Shi Daoshi of Ximing Temple

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Chapter 19: Utmost Sincerity (This contains eight sections)

Section on Stating the Purport
Section on Seeking Treasures
Section on Seeking Precepts
Section on Seeking Forbearance
Section on Seeking Vigour
Section on Seeking Concentration
Section on Seeking the Fruit
Section on Rescuing from Difficulties

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Section 1: Stating the Purport

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Now, where utmost sincerity touches, there is no spirit that does not respond; when a great being moves their mind, there is no receptive capacity that is not answered. Exerting oneself and subduing one's desires to the end of future time, thus in every vast vow forbearance and wisdom are mutually aligned, and thought after thought is vast and universal, abiding entirely in avinivartanīya. If one's established practice were not weightier than pine and bamboo, and one's aroused vows did not surpass metal and stone, risking one's life to protect and uphold [the Dharma] and rescuing [others] with a profound mind, propagating the Way to repay the four kindnesses and nurturing virtue to benefit the three realms of existence, then how could merit cover the three asaṃkhyeya kalpas and the fruit encompass the ten stages (bhūmi)?

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Section 2: Seeking Treasures

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The Dazhi jing says: Formerly there was a country named Delight. There was a householder named Mahādāna, whose wife was named Candā. She gave birth to a son whose appearance was upright and handsome, with few peers in the world. As soon as he fell to the ground, he spoke, making a vow, "I shall practice dāna to relieve and benefit the poor and destitute." His parents therefore named him Mahāmati. When he reached seventeen years of age, for the sake of sentient beings he set his mind to enter the ocean to obtain the bright-moon jewel to relieve sentient beings. When he first entered the ocean, he reached a silver city. The dragon king gave him a bright-moon jewel, which possessed treasures [sufficient for] twenty leagues. Going forward, he again reached a golden city. The dragon king gave him a bright-moon jewel, which possessed treasures [sufficient for] forty leagues. Again going forward, he reached a crystal city. The dragon king gave him a bright-moon jewel; this jewel possessed treasures [sufficient for] sixty leagues. Again going forward, he reached a lapis lazuli city. The dragon king gave him a bright-moon jewel; this jewel possessed treasures [sufficient for] eighty leagues. [The dragon king said,] "When you attain the Way in the future, may I be your disciple, with pure intentions making offerings that surpass those of today, causing me to obtain wisdom for a long time." Mahāmati accepted the jewels and departed. Wanting to return to his home country, he traveled through the ocean. The ocean spirit kings thereupon deliberated together, saying, "Although in our ocean there are many rare and renowned treasures, we do not have such jewels as these." They then ordered an ocean spirit to intercept him and seize them. The spirit transformed into a human and met with Mahāmati, asking, "I hear that you have obtained extraordinary objects; could you perhaps lend them to me to see?" Mahāmati opened his hand and showed him the four jewels. The ocean spirit then shook his hand, causing the jewels to fall into the water. Mahāmati thought to himself, "The kings said to me that these jewels are difficult to keep safe. I was fortunate to obtain them, and now to be robbed by this fellow is intolerable." He immediately said to the ocean spirit, "I underwent hardship and traveled through perils to obtain these jewels. You, on the contrary, have robbed me; if you do not return them to me now, I shall scoop out and dry up the ocean water." The ocean spirit, hearing this, asked, "Your ambition is extraordinarily elevated. The ocean is 3,360,000 yojanas deep, and its breadth is limitless. How could you exhaust it? It is like the sun never falling to the ground, or like a great wind that cannot be grasped and bound. The sun may yet fall, and the wind may yet be bound, but the great ocean water cannot be scooped dry." Mahāmati laughed and answered, "I reflect that from beginning to end, receiving bodies throughout birth, death, and ruin, my accumulated bones exceed Mount Sumeru, and my shed blood flows more abundantly than the five rivers. Still I wish to sever the root of birth and death; why should this small ocean not be scooped dry? Formerly, when I made offerings to the Buddhas, I made a vow: 'May my aspirational practice be valiant in determination for the Way, meeting no difficulty wherever I turn. I shall move Mount Sumeru and dry up the waters of the great ocean, never retreating in mind.'" He then single-mindedly began scooping the ocean water with a vessel. Moved by his utmost sincerity, the Four Heavenly Kings came to aid Mahāmati. Two-thirds of the water had already been scooped away. Thereupon all the spirits in the ocean were greatly terrified and deliberated together, saying, "If we do not return the jewels now, it will be no small matter. When the water is exhausted and the mud appears, our palaces will be ruined." The ocean spirit then brought forth numerous treasures to give to Mahāmati. Mahāmati would not take them: "I only want to get my jewels; I will never let the matter rest." The ocean spirit, knowing the intensity of his determination, brought forth the jewels and returned them to him. Having obtained the jewels, Mahāmati returned to his home country and gave generously at will. From that time onward, in his realm there were no longer any who were hungry, cold, poor, or destitute. The Buddha told the bhikṣus, "Mahāmati of that time was myself." Ānanda said to the Buddha, "By what merit did he obtain these four jewels, with numerous treasures following along with them?" The Buddha said, "Formerly, in the time of Vipaśyin Buddha, Mahāmati used the four treasures to erect a stūpa for the Buddha, making offerings to the Three Jewels and observing the fast for seven days. At that time, there were five hundred people who simultaneously built a monastery together: some hung silk banners and lit lamps; some burned incense and scattered flowers; some made offerings to the saṃgha of bhikṣus; and some recited sūtras and explained them. Today they have all encountered the Buddha, and all have obtained liberation."

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Therefore, the Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya states: At that time, the ocean spirit thought: "Even if he scoops this ocean water for a hundred years, he can never reduce it by even the amount of a hair." Moved by his single-minded dedication, the spirit immediately returned the treasures to him. At that time, the ocean spirit turned into a brāhmaṇa and spoke a verse:

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"By the power of diligent upaya,
One's intent and will never cease.
Evoked by single-minded devotion,
Though lost, it is regained once more."

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Section 3: Seeking Precepts

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As the Za piyu jing says: Formerly, there was a man named Sābō (Sārthavāha). Hearing that foreign lands possessed rare treasures, he wished to go there to trade. However, between the two countries there was the danger of rākṣasas, making it impassable. Traveling along, Sābō saw a man of the Way sitting on a bare couch at the west gate of the marketplace, who said that he was selling the five precepts. Sābō asked, "What are the five precepts like?" He answered, "They have no physical form. Straightforwardly transmitted by mouth and upheld in the mind, one will later be born in heaven, and in this present life they can avert the danger of rākṣasa ghosts." Sābō wished to buy them and asked how much money was required. He answered, "One thousand gold coins." Having thus received them, [the seller] told him, "When you head to the foreign land and reach the border, if a rākṣasa comes, you need only say, 'I am a five-precept disciple of Śākya.'" A short while later, Sābō arrived between the two countries, where he saw a rākṣasa thirteen feet tall, whose head was yellow like a straw cape and whose eyes were like red spikes. His entire body was covered in scales, and his mouth repeatedly opened and shut like a fish flapping its gills. Looking up, he could catch flying swallows, and his tread sank to his knees in the ground; his mouth was hot and dripping blood. Leading a crowd of several thousand, he directly grabbed Sābō. Sābō said, "I am a five-precept disciple of Śākya." Hearing this, the rākṣasa refused to release him. Sābō struck him with both fists; his fists penetrated the scales and could not be pulled out. He then kicked with his feet and rammed with his head, but again could not pull them out. His five limbs were submerged in the scales; only his back could move. The rākṣasa spoke in verse, saying:

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"Your body, hands, and feet
Are entirely bound.
Just resign yourself to death;
What use is thrashing about?"

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Sābō's resolve remained firm, and he replied to the rākṣasa in verse, saying:

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"Though my body, hands, and feet
Are for a time bound,
My mind is gathered like metal and stone;
I shall never be slain by you."

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The rākṣasa again said to Sābō:

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"I am a king among ghosts,
Possessing great physical strength.
Those like you whom I have devoured
Cannot be numbered.
Just resign yourself to death;
Why comfort yourself with empty words?"

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Sābō wished to rage and curse further, but reflected to himself: "Transmigrating in the three realms, this body of mine has never been given away to anyone. I should now give it to this rākṣasa to make a hearty meal." He immediately spoke a verse:

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"This foul and stinking body of mine,
I have long wished to abandon.
Since the rākṣasa has caught me,
I give it all in charity,
Aspirant to the Mahāyāna,
To realize omniscience as my fruit."

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The rākṣasa was intelligent and understood Sābō's words. He then felt shame, released Sābō, knelt down with palms together, and apologized to him, saying:

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"You are a teacher who delivers beings,
Rare in the three realms.
Aspiring to the Mahāyāna,
Your attainment of Buddhahood will not be long.
Therefore I take refuge in you,
Bowing my head in homage."

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Having repented, the rākṣasa escorted Sābō to the foreign land, where he obtained many rare treasures, and then escorted him back home. He extensively cultivated merit and ultimately achieved the traces of the Way. Thus we know that the power of the precepts is inconceivable. We urge all practitioners to uphold the prohibitive precepts firmly, having a valiant resolve just like this man.

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Section 4: Seeking Forbearance

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As the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra says: There was a venomous dragon of great strength. If it looked at a person with its eyes, the weak would immediately die; if it blew its breath at a person, even the strong would die. At that time, the dragon undertook the one-day precepts, left home, and entered among the forest trees. Having sat in contemplation for a long time, it grew weary and fell asleep. By the nature of dragons, when sleeping, its form was like a snake, variegated with the seven precious gems. A hunter saw it and said in joyful surprise, 'If I present this rare and hard-to-find skin to the king to use for boats, would that not be fitting?' He then pressed down its head with a staff and stripped off its skin with a knife. The dragon thought to itself, 'My strength is capable of overturning the country. How could this one little creature bring me distress? Because I now uphold the precepts, I do not consider this body, but should follow the Buddha's words.' Enduring it, it closed its eyes and did not look, held its breath and did not pant. Pitying this man, for the sake of upholding the precepts it single-mindedly suffered the flaying without giving rise to regret. After having lost its skin, its raw red flesh lay on the ground. At that time the sun was intensely hot, and it wriggled in the dirt. Intending to head toward a large body of water, it saw small insects coming to eat its body. For the sake of upholding the precepts, it dared not move again, and thought to itself, 'Now I give this body in charity to these insects for the sake of the Buddha-path. Now I give my flesh in charity to fill their bodies; later I will give the Dharma in charity to benefit their minds.' When its body dried up and its life ended, it was immediately reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. If an animal can still resolutely uphold the prohibitory precepts and not violate them even unto death, how much more so for humans? How could intentional transgression be tolerated?

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Also, the Mahīśāsaka-vinaya says: The Buddha said: In the past, there was a black snake that bit a calf and retreated into its hole. A sorcerer, using a black goat spell, incanted to make it come out of the hole, but could not make it come out. The sorcerer then lit a fire before the calf and incanted over it, transforming it into fire bees that entered the snake's hole and burned the snake. Unable to bear the pain, the snake then came out of the hole. The black goat, with its horns, tossed it before the sorcerer. The sorcerer said to it, 'Lick back your venom; otherwise, throw yourself into this fire.' The black snake then spoke a verse:

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'Having already spit out this poison, / I will never take it back. / Even if death should arrive, / I would end my life and never turn back.'

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Thereupon it did not take back the poison, but cast itself into the fire. The Buddha said, 'The black snake at that time was Śāriputra today. In the past, having suffered such agony of death, he still would not take back the poison; how much less would he now take up medicine he has abandoned?'

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Section 5: Seeking Vigor

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As the Za baozang jing says: The Buddha said: In past times, there was also a great wilderness between the two kingdoms of Kāśi and Videha. There was an evil demon named Śatru who blocked the road so that none of the people could cross. There was a merchant leader named Siṃha leading five hundred merchants who wished to pass along this road. The people were terrified, fearing it could not be passed. The merchant leader said to them, 'Be careful not to be afraid; just follow behind me.' He then advanced to the demon's dwelling and said to the demon, 'Have you not heard my name?' It answered, 'I have heard your name, and that is why I have come wishing to fight.' He asked, 'What abilities do you have?' and immediately took bow and arrows and shot at the demon. Five hundred released arrows all sank into the demon's belly. His bow, knives, and weapons also entered the demon's belly. He went straight forward and struck with a fist, and the fist also entered into it. He pushed with his right hand, and the right hand also stuck. He kicked with his right foot, and the right foot also stuck. He kicked with his left foot, and the left foot also stuck. He struck with his head again, and the head also stuck. The demon spoke a verse:

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'With your hands, feet, and head, / All your things have now stuck. / What else remains that is not stuck?'

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The merchant leader spoke a verse in reply:

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'Though my hands, feet, and head, / All my wealth, money, and weapons— / Though all these various things have sunk in, / Only vigor has not stuck to you. / If my vigor does not rest, / My battle with you will never cease. / Because my vigor now does not rest, / I will never give rise to fear of you.'

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The demon then answered, 'Now for your sake, I release all five hundred merchants to go.'

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Section 6: Seeking Meditative Concentration

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As the New Vibhāṣā says: The Demon King then saw the Bodhisattva sitting under the Bodhi tree with an upright body, motionless, vowing to attain bodhi. Hurriedly coming out from his palace, he went to the Bodhisattva and said to him, 'Kṣatriya, you may rise from this seat! In this present turbid and evil age, sentient beings are obstinate; you certainly cannot realize unexcelled bodhi. For now you should presently receive the status of a wheel-turning king, and I will offer you the seven treasures.' The Bodhisattva told him, 'What you now say is like enticing a small child. The sun, moon, and stars may be made to fall; mountains, forests, and the great earth may rise into empty space; but to make me now fail to attain the Great Awakening and rise from this seat is completely impossible.' Afterward, the Demon led thirty-six koṭis of demonic armies, each manifesting various terrifying forms and brandishing weapons of boundless varieties, filling an expanse of thirty-six yojanas, rushing all at once beneath the Bodhi tree to disturb and agitate the Bodhisattva; but none could succeed. The Bodhisattva's body and mind were motionless, surpassing Mount Sumeru.

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Section 7: Seeking the Fruits

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As the Za baozang jing says: The Buddha-Dharma is vast, and its deliverance boundless. When one seeks the Path with an earnest mind, there is none who does not attain the fruit; even in jest, merit is not in vain. As in past times, there was an old bhikṣu, advanced in years and muddled in wits. Seeing young bhikṣus preaching the Dharma in various ways, he felt admiration upon hearing them speak of the four fruits. He said to the young bhikṣus, 'You are all intelligent; please bestow the four fruits upon me.' The young bhikṣus mocked him and said, 'We have the four fruits, but we must have good food before giving them to you.' Hearing these words, the old bhikṣu was delighted and immediately prepared various fine dishes, inviting the young bhikṣus and begging for the four fruits. After eating his food, the young bhikṣus gestured to one another to make sport of the old bhikṣu, saying to him, 'Venerable one, sit in a corner of this room, and we will give you the fruit.' Hearing this, the old bhikṣu was overjoyed and sat as instructed. The young bhikṣus then struck his head with a leather ball and said to him, 'This is the fruit of the srotāpanna.' Hearing this, the old bhikṣu focused his mindfulness without distraction, and immediately attained the first fruit. The young bhikṣus mocked him again, saying, 'Although we gave you the srotāpanna fruit, there are still seven births and seven deaths. Move to another corner, and next we will give you the sakṛdāgāmin fruit.' Because he had attained the first fruit, the old bhikṣu's mind advanced further, and he moved to another seat. The young bhikṣus again struck his head with the ball and said to him, 'We give you the second fruit.' The old bhikṣu became even more single-minded and immediately realized the second fruit. The young bhikṣus mocked him again, saying, 'You have now attained the sakṛdāgāmin fruit, but there is still the hardship of coming and going in saṃsāra. Move your seat again, and I will give you the anāgāmin fruit.' The old bhikṣu moved his seat as told. The young bhikṣus again struck him with the ball and said to him, 'We now give you the third fruit.' Hearing this, the old bhikṣu was overjoyed, redoubled his earnestness, and immediately realized the anāgāmin fruit. [They said,] 'Yet you will still receive a defiled body in the form and formless realms, impermanent and deteriorating, every thought being suffering. Move your seat again, and next we will give you the arhat fruit.' The old bhikṣu moved his seat as told. The young bhikṣus again struck his head with the leather ball and said to him, 'We now give you that fourth fruit.' The old bhikṣu, contemplating single-mindedly, immediately realized the arhat fruit. Having attained the four fruits, he was exceedingly joyful, prepared various fine delicacies and assorted incense and flowers, and invited the young bhikṣus to repay their kindness. He discussed the factors of enlightenment and undefiled virtues with the young bhikṣus, but the young bhikṣus stammered and were at a loss for words. Only then did the old bhikṣu say to them, 'I have already attained the fruit of an arhat.' Hearing his words, the young bhikṣus all expressed regret and repented of their previous fault of teasing him. Therefore, practitioners should be mindful of goodness; if even teasing still brings real retribution, how much more so for an earnest mind!

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Also, the Za baozang jing says: If a person seeks the Path, the essential lies in sincere dedication responding reciprocally, through which one can attain the fruit of the Path. As in past times, there was a woman, intelligent and wise, who deeply had faith in the Three Jewels. She regularly invited two bhikṣus according to the monastic roster to come to her home for offerings. At that time, an old bhikṣu's turn came to visit her house; he was elderly, dull of faculty, and had never possessed any knowledge. When the woman finished serving the meal, she asked the old bhikṣu, 'Please preach the Dharma for me.' She spread a seat for him alone, closed her eyes, and remained silent. The old bhikṣu, knowing his own ignorance and unable to preach the Dharma, took advantage of her slumber, abandoned her, and fled back to the monastery. However, this woman earnestly contemplated that conditioned phenomena are impermanent, suffering, empty, and devoid of autonomy; through deep observation, she immediately attained the first fruit. Having attained the fruit, she sought the old bhikṣu to repay his kindness. This old bhikṣu, knowing his own ignorance, had run away and hidden from her, feeling even more ashamed, and again hid himself away. But the woman sought him persistently without stopping, so he finally showed himself. The woman then fully explained how she had received and attained the fruit of the Path from what took place earlier, and had therefore brought offerings to repay his great kindness. Out of shame, the old bhikṣu deeply reproached himself and immediately attained the first fruit. Therefore, practitioners should be earnest; if one is earnest, whatever one seeks will surely be attained.

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Section 8: Relieving Calamities

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As the Saṅgharakṣitāvadāna-sūtra says: In the past, the Bodhisattva manifested as a parrot and constantly dwelt in a tree. The wind blew the trees so that they rubbed against one another, and fire broke out. The fire gradually grew fierce and eventually burned a whole mountain. The parrot thought: 'Even an ordinary bird roosting in a tree would repeatedly give rise to the intention to repay kindness; how much more so for me, who have dwelt here throughout the long night—how could I not extinguish the fire?' It immediately went to the ocean, took up ocean water with its two wings, flew over the fire, and sprinkled it on the flames, or sprinkled water with its beak, darting back and forth from east to west. At that time, a benevolent deity, moved by its diligent toil, immediately extinguished the fire on its behalf.

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Also, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra says: Long ago, a wildfire burned a forest. In the forest there was a pheasant that exerted its physical strength, flew into the water, and sprinkled water on the forest, flying back and forth to exhaustion without considering it suffering. At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, came and asked it, 'What are you doing?' It replied, 'I am saving this forest out of pity for sentient beings. This forest has sheltered and sustained us; we have dwelt here long, cool, fresh, and happy. My species and all my kinsfolk rely on it. I have physical strength; why should I not save it?' The Lord of the Gods asked, 'You are so diligent; how long will you keep this up?' The pheasant said, 'Taking death as the limit.' The Lord of the Gods said, 'Who will bear witness for you?' It immediately made a vow: 'If my mind is earnest and my sincerity is not false, may the fire extinguish itself!' At that time, the Śuddhāvāsa devas, knowing the pheasant's great vow, immediately extinguished the fire on its behalf. From beginning to end, the forest remained flourishing and was not burned by fire. (Therefore, the sūtra says that if a person makes a good vow, Heaven will certainly comply with it; these words are truly verified.)

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The verse says:

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With earnest resolve embracing ice and snow, / Declining years press close to the mulberry and elm. / Sighing deeply at the swiftness of the river's waves, / How sad that human lifespans are constrained! / The passing year gathers in all harvests; / In late winter one fears the severe withering. / With sincere devotion seek charity and precepts, / With forbearance, vigor, concentration, and wisdom as the eyes. / Joining companions to journey far together, / In the supreme land their minds correspond. / The merchants disregarded death, / And the rākṣasa could not overcome them. / Seeking jewels, they drained the great ocean; / Terrified, the deity presented the radiant pearl. / A word sent to those who seek the Path: / If you establish your resolve, the recompense will not be in vain.

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Accounts of Sympathetic Resonance (In examining ancient and modern times, regardless of monastic or lay status, whenever there is sincere devotion, it is certain to induce a responsive sign. Here we first list three outer accounts and eleven inner accounts, combining outer and inner to briefly narrate fourteen verifications):

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Emperor Ming of Jin killing the strongman Hanxuan;
Xiong Qu of Chu shooting a stone at night;
Gan Jiang and Mo Ye of Chu hiding the sword;
Han Ping's wife of Song taken by King Kang;
Fu Wanshou of Song reciting Avalokiteśvara;
Gu Mai of Song reciting Avalokiteśvara;
The śramaṇa Huihe of Song reciting Avalokiteśvara;
Han Hui of Song reciting Avalokiteśvara;
Peng Ziqiao of Song reciting Avalokiteśvara;
The śramaṇa of Zhao subsisting on pine and swallowing stones;
Dong Xiong of Tang reciting Avalokiteśvara;
The śramaṇa Daoji of Tang admonishing resolve;
The śramaṇa Facheng of Tang's experienced verification;
The bhikṣuṇī Faxin of Tang's experienced verification.

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Emperor Ming of the Jin executed the strongman Hanxuan. Hanxuan said to the executioner, "My neck has many sinews. When you strike it, you must be sure to sever it immediately; otherwise I will avenge myself on you." The executioner failed to take care, and so it took several wounds before [the head] was finally severed. Soon afterward, he saw Hanxuan, wearing a crimson cap, dressed in scarlet garments, and shooting at him with a red bow and cinnabar arrows. The executioner cried out, "Hanxuan, spare me!" and died a short while later. (The one miracle above is from the *Records of Vengeful Spirits* [*Yuanhun zhi*].)

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Xiongqu of Chu was walking at night and saw a recumbent stone, mistaking it for a crouching tiger. Drawing his bow, he shot it; the metal arrowpoint sank in up to the feathers. Looking down, he realized it was a stone. He shot it again, but the arrow shattered without leaving a mark. In the Han dynasty, there was also Li Guang, who served as the Grand Administrator of Youbeiping; shooting a tiger, he likewise hit a stone. Liu Xiang said: "When sincerity reaches its peak, even metal and stone open to it; how much more so with humans! Indeed, if one calls and none harmonizes, or acts and none follows, there must be an imperfection within. He who rectifies the world without descending from his mat seeks it within himself."

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Ganjiang and Moye of Chu forged swords for the King of Chu, taking three years to complete them. The king was enraged and intended to execute him. The swords had a male and a female. His wife was heavily pregnant and about to give birth. The husband said to his wife: "I have forged swords for the king, and it took three years to complete them. The king is angry; if I go, he will surely execute me. If the child you bear is a boy, when he grows up, tell him: 'Go out of the door and look toward the southern mountains; a pine tree grows upon a rock, and the sword is on its back.'" Thereupon, he took only the female sword to present to the King of Chu. The King of Chu was furious and had it examined by a connoisseur. [The connoisseur said,] "There are two swords, male and female; the female has arrived, but the male has not." In his wrath, the king had him executed. Moye's son was named Chi. When he later grew up, he asked his mother, "Where is my father?" His mother said: "Your father forged swords for the King of Chu, taking three years to complete them. The king was angry and executed him. When he departed, he entrusted me to tell you: 'Go out of the door and look toward the southern mountains; a pine tree grows upon a rock, and the sword is on its back.'" Thereupon, the son went out the door and looked south, but saw no mountains; he only saw, before the hall, a pine pillar standing upon a whetstone. He then split open its back with an axe and obtained the sword. Day and night he thought of taking revenge on the King of Chu. The King of Chu dreamed of a boy with a foot of space between his eyebrows, who wished to take revenge. The king immediately offered a bounty of a thousand pieces of gold for him. Hearing of this, the boy fled into the mountains, singing as he walked. A traveler who encountered him said, "You are so young; why do you weep so sorrowfully?" He replied, "I am the son of Ganjiang and Moye. The King of Chu killed my father, and I wish to take revenge on him." The traveler said, "I hear the king has offered a thousand pieces of gold for your head. Give me your head and your sword, and I will take revenge for you." The boy said, "That would be most fortunate!" He immediately cut his own throat and, holding his head and sword in both hands, presented them [to the traveler], standing upright without falling. The traveler said, "I will not fail you." Thereupon the corpse collapsed. Carrying the head, the traveler went to see the King of Chu. The King of Chu was overjoyed. The traveler said, "This is the head of a brave warrior; it should be boiled in a cauldron of boiling water." The king did as he said. They boiled the head for three days and three nights, but it would not dissolve. The head leaped out of the boiling water, glaring in great anger. The traveler said, "This boy's head does not dissolve. May the king go and inspect it in person, and it will surely dissolve." The king immediately stepped up to look at it. The traveler struck at the king with the sword; his neck was severed and fell into the boiling water. The traveler then struck at his own head, and his head likewise fell into the water. All three heads dissolved completely and could not be distinguished. The broth and flesh were divided and buried; hence they are commonly called the Tombs of the Three Kings, which are now within the borders of Yichun County, north of the Ru River.

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In the Song state, the grand master Han Feng married a wife who was beautiful. King Kang seized her. Feng resented the king, so [the king] imprisoned him and sentenced him to labor on city walls. Furthermore, his wife secretly sent Feng a letter, disguising her words by saying:

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"Heavy rain pours down continuously; / The river is wide and the waters deep; / The sun comes forth right upon the heart." / Soon afterward, the king obtained her letter and showed it to his attendants, but none of his attendants understood its meaning. The minister He replied, "'Heavy rain pours down continuously' speaks of longing morning and evening in autumn. 'The river is wide and the waters deep' means that they cannot visit each other. 'The sun comes forth right upon the heart' means that she certainly resolves to die." Soon afterward, Feng committed suicide. His wife then secretly rotted her clothes. When the king climbed a terrace with her, the wife threw herself down from the terrace. Attendants grabbed at her, but the clothes gave way in their hands, and she died. A letter left in her sash read: "The king benefits from my life, but I benefit from my death. I pray that my bones be granted to Feng for a shared burial." Enraged, the king would not permit it, and had their graves set opposite each other, saying, "You husband and wife loved each other without cease; if you can make the graves unite, then I will not forbid it." In the space of an evening, catalpa trees interlaced above the two mounds; within ten days they were so thick one could embrace them, bending their trunks toward each other, with roots intertwining below and branches crossing above. Moreover, there was a pair of mandarin ducks, one male and one female, that constantly roosted in the trees and did not leave day or night, craning their necks and crying mournfully, their calls deeply moving. The people of Song pitied them, and subsequently named the trees "Trees of Mutual Longing" (*xiangsi shu*); the name *xiangsi* originated from this. Today in Luoyang there is the Han Feng City, and the ballads about it survive to this day. (The three miracles above are from *In Search of the Supernatural* [*Soushen ji*].)

27.50

Fu Wanshou of the Song was a native of Pingchang. In the nineteenth year of the Yuanjia reign era, while serving as an administrative consultant in the Guard Office in Guangling, he took leave to return to his province. Just past the beginning of the fourth watch, when he first crossed the river, the long waves were flowing calmly. But upon reaching mid-river, the wind arose like an arrow. It was also pitch-dark, and they did not know which way to turn. Wanshou had long revered the Dharma; facing this crisis, he single-mindedly took refuge in Avalokiteśvara, reciting without pause. Presently, he and several people in the boat saw a light on the northern shore resembling a village fire. Rejoicing together, they said, "This must be the fires of Ouyang!" They turned the boat and headed for it, arriving before dawn. When they asked the locals, all said, "No one lit a fire last night." Only then did they realize it was divine power; upon arrival, he held a vegetarian feast.

27.51

Gu Mai of the Song was a native of Wu Commandery. He revered the Dharma with great reverence. Serving as an administrative consultant in the Guard Office, in the nineteenth year of the Yuanjia reign era, he was also returning from the capital to Guangling. Setting out from Shitou City, he sailed against the current of the lake. A north wind arose and blew fiercely across, its force unabating, yet the boatmen insisted on advancing. Once they reached mid-river, the waves grew massive. Mai's solitary boat traveled alone, and amidst danger and dread, he was at a loss for what to do. He recited the *Avalokiteśvara Sūtra* about ten times, and the force of the wind gradually subsided, while the waves also diminished slightly. Soon afterward, in the middle of the stream, he repeatedly smelled an extraordinary fragrance, richly sweet and unceasing. Mai was inwardly overjoyed, and so he returned to reciting without interruption, thereby crossing safely.

27.52

The monk Huihe of the Song was a monk of Zhongzao Temple in the capital. During the rebellion of Yijia in the Song, He was still a layman and was suspected of being under Liu Hu's command. Hu once dispatched dozens of officers and soldiers, and encountering scouts moving east, He also went along with them. When they reached Quezhu, they encountered the imperial army advancing west. The scouts scattered, each fleeing into the marshes. He managed to flee downriver, and outside Xinlin he met an old rustic whose clothes were tattered and torn. He exchanged his neat tunic and trousers for the old man's clothes, carrying a basket and shoulder pole like a farmer. At that time, mobile detachments were capturing these scattered scouts; seeing He's appearance and demeanor, they grew suspicious and interrogated him. He's replies were disjointed and evasive, and he was beaten and scourged. When he was about to be beheaded—since he had fled from the dispersal—he had constantly recited the *Avalokiteśvara Sūtra*, and when about to be executed, his prayers grew even more fervent. Then, as the soldier swung the blade, it repeatedly slipped; raised three times, it broke three times. Startled, they released him. He thereupon went forth into the monastic life and achieved diligent practice.

27.53

Han Hui of the Song was a man of unknown origins. He lived in Zhijiang. His uncle Youzong, near the end of the Song, served as an officer of the central troops in the Xiangzhou provincial government. In the first year of the Shengming reign era, the inspector of Jingzhou, Shen Youzhi, raised troops and marched east. Yu Peiyu, senior clerk of the Xiangzhou administration, entrenched his forces for self-defense, uncertain where his loyalties lay. Suspecting Youzong of treachery, he executed him, slaughtering his wife and children as well. As his nephew, Hui was confined in the commandery prison, his entire body bound with iron and wood, the manacles and fetters extremely tight. Once the interrogation regarding the conspirators was concluded, all were to be executed. Hui was terrified and helpless, merely awaiting his appointed time. Hui had originally served the Buddha and frequently chanted the *Avalokiteśvara Sūtra*. Thereupon, day and night, he recited the sūtra hundreds of times. In broad daylight, the locks suddenly clanged of their own accord, sounding like heated stones and tiles cracking and exploding. When he looked at the locks, they had dropped away and unlocked themselves. Terrified that the prison officials would accuse him of picking them, Hui quickly called out to inform them. Although amazed, the officers riveted and plated the locks anew. Hui chanted as usual. After another day, the locks clanged and unlocked again, just as before. The officer reported the full matter to Peiyu. Peiyu took the locks and examined them closely; convinced of his spiritual resonance, he pardoned and released him. Hui is still alive today, remarkably devoted in his religious practice.

27.54

Peng Ziqiao of the Song was a native of Yiyang County. Serving as the master of records in his home commandery, he served the Crown Prince Shen Wenlong. In the first year of the Jianyuan reign era, he was imprisoned for an offense. In his youth, Ziqiao had once gone forth into the monastic life, and though he later returned to lay life, he still constantly recited and practiced the *Avalokiteśvara Sūtra*. At the time, Wenlong was in a towering rage; the security and fetters became increasingly severe, and he was determined to put him to death. Anxious and terrified, Ziqiao had no other recourse than to recite the sūtra with utmost sincerity over a hundred times. Exhausted, he took a daytime nap. There were about ten others imprisoned with him at the time, all asleep as well. Du Daorong, a minor official of Xiangxi County, was also imprisoned there; dozing fitfully, he was not sound asleep. Suddenly, a pair of white cranes landed on Ziqiao's screen; after a while, one crane came down beside Ziqiao. At times, [Daorong] also perceived it to be simply like a beautiful human figure. When Daorong got up and looked at Ziqiao, the pair of wooden fetters had fallen off outside his feet, yet the locked shackles remained. Just as Daorong finished staring in astonishment, Ziqiao also awoke. Together they gazed at the fetters in wonder. He asked Ziqiao whether he had dreamed anything; Qiao said, "I did not dream." Daorong related what he had just seen. Although Ziqiao knew he would surely be spared, he still worried the prison authorities would suspect him of attempting to escape, so he slipped the fetters back on and put them on again. After four or five days, he was granted release. My clan elder brother Lian personally knew Ziqiao and Daorong, and heard both of them relate the story just like this.

27.55

The śramaṇa Shan—also written as Shan—courtesy name Daokai, of the Zhao, was a man of unknown origins. A separate biography says he was a native of Dunhuang, originally surnamed Meng. He went forth in his youth; wishing to reside secluded in rocky valleys, he first cut off grain food. At first, he ate flour for three years; later, he ingested refined pine resin for thirty years; thereafter, he only occasionally swallowed small pebbles. Once the pebbles were passed, he also gave up wine, dried meat, and various fruits. His body feared wind and cold, so he only ate pepper and ginger. His physical strength was subtle and weak, yet his complexion was glossy, and he walked as if flying. Mountain spirits tested him several times, but he was never swayed. Immortals often came, yet his mind was not enchanted; he always chewed garlic to drive them away. Sitting upright in quiet reflection, he did not sleep day or night, dwelling for a long time at Baolao. In the second year of the Jianwu reign era of Shi Hu, he was welcomed from Xiping to Ye. Without riding in boats or carriages, he traveled over seven hundred li a day. Passing through Nan'an, he ordained a boy of thirteen or fourteen as a novice, whose walking pace could also match Kai's. Upon arrival, he resided in Zhaode Pagoda. His garments were tattered and torn, and his back and shoulders were often bare. Inside his room, he built a platform eight or nine feet high, weaving reeds above it into a screen, and practiced dhyāna within it. Having abstained from grain for seven years, he constantly consumed various medicinal herbs, which carried the scent of pine resin and tuckahoe. He was skilled at curing eye diseases and constantly traveled through villages and wilds to heal the common people. The gifts piled up by princes and nobles from far and wide were all accepted and distributed, leaving not a single thread behind. Toward the end of Shi Hu's reign, foreknowing the turmoil, he and his disciples went south to Xuchang. In the third year of the Shengping reign era, he came to Jianye, and later went to Panyu to dwell on Mount Luofu. Lying in the shade of the grove, he was detached and contented. He died in the seventh month of that year. His dying instruction was to leave his corpse exposed in the forest, and his disciples complied. Yuan Yanbo of Chen Commandery, who was Grand Administrator of Nanhai in the first year of the Xingning reign era, ascended and toured this peak with his younger brother Yingsheng, paying respect to his remains and burning incense in reverence. (The six miracles above are from the *Records of Signs from the Unseen Realm* [*Mingxiang ji*].)

27.56

During the Zhenguan reign of the Tang dynasty, there was Dong Xiong of Hedong, who served as an assistant minister of the Court of Judicature and Revision (Dali Si cheng). From his youth he was faithful and respectful, having kept a vegetarian diet for ten years. In the fourteenth year [of Zhenguan], he was implicated in the affair of Li Xiantong. The sovereign was enraged and dispatched the Attendant Censor Wei Cong to conduct a rigorous interrogation. Consequently, several tens of people were imprisoned. The assistant minister of Judicature Li Jingxuan and the judicial investigator Wang Xin were also implicated in the same case. Locked in the same room with the other prisoners, Xiong single-mindedly recited the 'Universal Gateway' chapter (Pumen pin), reciting it three thousand times a day. While sitting and chanting the scripture at night, his lock suddenly unlocked itself and fell to the ground. Xiong, startled, informed Xin and Jingxuan. Xin and Jingxuan examined it together: the lock was whole and solid upon the ground, yet the hook and the lock were several feet apart. They immediately notified the guards. That night, the Investigating Censor Zhang Shouyi was on night duty. He ordered the guards to open the door and illuminated it with a torch. Seeing that the lock had not been opened and yet was separated, he was greatly astonished. He relocked it, sealed it with paper, inscribed his signature upon it, and departed. Xiong recited the scripture as usual. During the fifth watch, the lock again opened and fell with a sound. Xiong again told Xin, Jingxuan, and the others. When they went to the prefecture to inform Jingxuan, they examined it: the inscribed seal was intact as before, yet the lock was apart on its own. Jingxuan had never believed in the Buddha-Dharma. When his wife read scriptures, he would often say to her, 'Why are you bewitched by foreign deities that you read such books?' But upon seeing this event with Xiong, he deeply realized the fault of his unbelief and only then knew that the Buddha is a great sage. At that time, Xin had also recited the names of the eight bodhisattvas a full thirty thousand times. During the day, his lock opened and fell off, and upon inspection, it was no different from Xiong's. This matter was heard and witnessed by all both inside and outside the Censorate. Before long, they were all pardoned. (The one miracle above is from the Mingbao shiyi.)

27.57

"Those who do not fear death cannot be intimidated with death." Today, we view death as life, fearing only not meeting a worthy death. If dying brings benefit, we are sweet-heartedly willing. The preservation or ruin of the city depends on your plans, My Lord; the prosperity or adversity of the world depends on your fortune, My Lord. How could it be aided by a few frail and timid men? In the past, the Han revered the Four Whiteheads and all under heaven was peaceful; the Wei respected Duan Gumu and the entire country was well governed. Now you wish to arrest and force us into military servitude, rebelling against heaven's constant norms and offending the divine spirits. I fear this will bring about an ominous omen! I dare pour out my heartfelt thoughts. I hope you will consider this deeply and not give rein to empty arrogance. Should you collapse in a single morning, you will be ridiculed by the world hereafter.' We, the poor monks, only abide by the sacred words, practicing the Way, worshiping, and reciting, in order to cultivate blessings for the realm and secretly benefit the common folk. With the protection and aid of gods and ghosts, could one demand our heads? To offer our heads would fulfill our original vow. But if you force this remaining life to serve as infantry, we would not know why we lived or why we died.' As Ji spoke these words, the bystanders shuddered with fear. When Su first heard the remonstrance, he was struck by the severity of Ji's speech and demeanor; he merely opened his eyes wide, stared straight at him, and said, 'Remarkable! That I should encounter such a man! Why is your spirit so exceedingly robust?' He then let the matter drop without further question and released them back to their temple. Later, realizing his mistake, he visited Ji to confess his error. Yao Su, with his boundless slaughter, gave vent to his venomous heart, and added to it an attitude of arrogance and contempt. Although the matter was temporarily dropped, the omens of disaster were already set in motion, and he was ultimately slain by Xue Zong, a man of the city. Yet Ji's nature was resolute and courageous, his determination uncompromising. In the face of anger, he acted without fear of being butchered. After renouncing the world, he reproved his original nature, crushed his primal passions, and increasingly grew in gentleness and forbearance. Reaching sixty years of age, this practice became all the more elevated; the saying 'Habit becomes nature' was truly not in error. On the seventeenth day of the ninth month of the tenth year of Zhenguan, he passed away at his home temple at the age of sixty-nine. Earlier, Ji said of his illness that nothing could cure it. Knowing he was about to pass away, he told his disciples, 'I am now seventy-five, and I will die this year.' His disciples said, 'Master, you are only sixty-nine, why do you take leave so hastily?' He replied, 'Death and life are the nature of things; I have no fear. Moreover, I was nearing seventy, but the prefect recorded my appearance by adding six years. Therefore my life is at its dawn or dusk. You should diligently strive and observe how I have acted.' He also said, 'Have you not heard from the scriptures? The world is truly precarious and fragile; nothing is firm or strong.' Three days before his passing, the bell failed to make any sound. After he passed, it rang as before. The congregation all grieved and lamented, cherishing him with rare comparison.

27.58

Monk Facheng of Wuzhen Temple on Mount Zhongnan under the Tang was of the secular surname Fan, a native of Wannian County in Yongzhou. Leaving home in his childhood, he resided at Wangxiao Temple in Lantian, serving the śramaṇa Senghe as his master. He was also revered by his fellow townsmen and compared to a sage. Once, someone wished to harm him and went to his room at night, only to see fierce flames rising within the door up to the canopy. The person thereupon repented. He's nature was clean and undefiled. Someone tried to deceive him by secretly washing sheep bones in water and having him drink it; He, not knowing this, drank it and immediately vomited. His unseen resonances and hidden perceptions were like this. Cheng respectfully bore his master's instructions in mind and always recited the Lotus Sūtra as his daily practice. Yearning in his heart, he practiced the Lotus Samādhi, bathing inside and out, warm and respectful morning and evening. In a dream, he was inspired by Samantabhadra, who exhorted him to transcribe the Great Teaching. Cheng said, 'The Mahāyāna refers to the wisdom of all Buddhas, the great wisdom of prajñā.' Thereupon he entered into pure practice, bestowing heavy donations upon craftsmen to have them transcribe the eight sections of Prajñā, completing them adorned with fragrant stands and jeweled rollers. Furthermore, on the ridge south of the temple, he built the Avataṃsaka Hall, cutting through mountains and quiet valleys, aligning beams and opening eaves. It faced layered peaks in front and overlooked the diagonal valley to the right, inhaling and exhaling clouds and mist, looking down upon thunder and lightning—truly a magnificent sight. He also exhausted his utmost devotion in copying, receiving, and upholding scriptures. Zhang Xiaojing, a Scholar of the Hongwen Academy, was the father of Zhang Zan. Known at the time as 'Silver Hook', few could surpass his calligraphy. Cheng invited him to the mountain, had him receive the precepts and keep a pure fast, cleansing his body and mouth, keeping fragrant juice in his mouth and wearing new robes upon his body. However, in his usual practice of copying scriptures, Jing did not exceed five sheets of paper a day. Cheng offered him double the remuneration, desiring perfection. Jing was attracted by the payment and exerted his utmost effort in transcribing it. Whenever a fascicle was completed, Cheng would always burn incense and make offerings before his desk; between the dips of ink, his mind contemplated and his eyes witnessed without the slightest omission. Due to his devoted concentration, he repeatedly moved strange birds: rare in form and color, they flew into the hall, circling and fluttering, landing on the scripture desk and rising to the incense burner, perching and watching, naturally tame and familiar. After a long while they took flight and vanished. The following year, when the scripture was completed and a celebration was about to be held, the birds flew in again, tame as before, crying plaintively and clearly. In the early years of Zhenguan, when he had a painting of the Thousand Buddhas made, the birds again flew in, landing on the chief craftsman's back. On the day of the vegetarian feast celebrating its completion, around midday, they wondered why the birds had not come. Cheng looked at the mountain peaks and said, 'Since the birds have not arrived, my sincere resonance must be lacking. Could it be that they dislike our impurities, or that our remuneration was meager, causing this absence of omen?' As soon as he finished speaking, the birds suddenly flew down, circling and chirping, diving into the perfumed water, fluffing their feathers, and taking flight once they had bathed. Such repeated auspicious omens were too numerous to recount. Cheng was naturally skilled in calligraphy, known among his native villagers. On mountain cliffs and perilous paths, he personally inscribed marvelous lines of scriptural gāthās for people to recite, all in his own hand. Once, when he had personally transcribed the Lotus Sūtra in the open air, he had to leave on business and forgot to put it away. Suddenly, torrential rain poured into the ravines and gullies. Running back to see, only his desk was completely dry while all else was flowing water. Once, when he stepped back on a fallen pine tree, he plunged into a sheer waterfall; before reaching the gully below, he found himself already standing on the high bank without harm to a single hair, which proved the power of the scripture. Moreover, beside the Qingni quarter, there was an ancient Buddha niche buried by the Zhou dynasty that had not yet been unearthed. Cheng dreamed at night that there were great honored images at that place. Upon waking, he went to excavate it and found the niche and images. Having accumulated many years, they were entirely peeled and damaged. He proceeded to repair them, for which both monastics and laity praised him. These were all accomplishments of unseen workings, initiated by Cheng. On the final day of summer in the fourteenth year of Zhenguan, he suddenly contracted an illness. Knowing his life was at an end, he vowed to be born in Tuṣita. He asked for water and washed, and then asked for a simple palanquin to be prepared, inspecting it himself and not permitting any luxury. Just at the end of the month, as the morning dawn was about to appear, he said without cause, 'If you wish to come, just enter; there is no need for music.' Looking at his attendants, he said, 'I have heard that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, rising and ceasing without halt; the nine grades of rebirth—these words are verified! A boy has been waiting outside the door for a long time to welcome me. I am departing now; you all stay well. The Buddha has pure precepts; do not violate them and bring about sorrow and repentance later.' As the words left his mouth, a bright light illuminated the pillars, and an extraordinary, delicate fragrance wafted in. He was seen sitting upright in dignified contemplation, and without anyone noticing, his spirit had passed away. He was seventy-eight years old. In Cheng's practice of recitation, he completed five hundred readings of the Lotus Sūtra in a single summer retreat. On other days, he combined reading and walking, still accomplishing two recitations. Even if guests arrived and demanded to speak with him, he would not converse with others until he had completed his recitation. In a rough calculation of ten years' effort, he recited it more than ten thousand times. (The two miracles above are from the Tang Gaoseng zhuan.)

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法苑珠林 — 道世, Classical Chinese