法苑珠林 47.40

47.40

In the capital of the Song, at Jetavana Temple, there was the Śramaṇa Shi Sengbao. He was originally a native of Jingzhao. In his youth in the Guanzhong region, he received instruction from the Venerable [Kumāra]jīva. During the Yongchu reign period of the Song, he travelled through northern Xu and entered the Mount Huang Vihāra, where he further visited the two masters Jing and Ding to advance his practice. Thereupon he established at that place a three-seven-day (twenty-one-day) Samantabhadra fasting deśanā. On the seventeenth day, a white crane flew down and settled before the seat of Samantabhadra; it departed only when the mid-day circumambulation with incense was completed. Toward dusk on the twenty-first day, four men in yellow robes circled the stupa several times and suddenly vanished. From his youth Bao possessed resolve and high integrity, which was further reinforced by auspicious omens; hence his unflagging spirit was further stimulated. Daily he recited over ten thousand words of sūtras and regularly performed several hundred prostrations to the Buddha. Later, he went east down to the capital just as lectures were being launched at Jetavana Temple; Dharma followers gathered like clouds, and scholar-officials and commoners sat shoulder to shoulder. Since Bao had just arrived and no one knew him yet, he rode a donkey to go observe. His clothes were soiled and tattered, his appearance weather-beaten by wind and dust. The hall being cramped inside, he sat on his donkey pack-saddle outside the entrance. Just as the lecturer on the high seat finished explaining the title, Bao was about to interject a remark. The Dharma Master immediately asked, “What is the name of this guest monk?” He replied, “My name is Bao (Enfolding).” The master asked again, “What, to the utmost, do you enfold?” He replied, “Even the person on the high seat can be enfolded!” He then posed several questions, all of which surpassed what the mental power of previous masters could reach. The one on the high seat could not counter his statements, and so yielded and withdrew. At that time, Wang Hong and Fan Tai, hearing Bao’s dialectics, praised his talent and intellect and requested to converse with him. They then prevailed upon him to reside at Jetavana Temple, where he lectured on various sūtras and his Dharma transformation continued unbroken. Xie Lingyun of Chen Commandery heard of his reputation and came to visit him; upon seeing Bao’s demeanor, his admiration and respect deepened all the more. Someone asked him, “How is Master Xie?” Bao said, “Lingyun has an excess of talent but a deficiency of discernment; alas, he will not escape disaster in his person!” Once, while travelling along a road, Bao saw six bandits who had been captured. Bao preached the Dharma for them and urged them to be mindful of Avalokiteśvara. Facing a mortal crisis, the bandits were earnest and sincere from thought to thought. Shortly afterwards, the escorting guards drank wine and grew intoxicated together; the bandits freed themselves from the cangues and escaped. He passed away during the Yuanjia reign period of the Song. (This one verification comes from the Liang Biographies of Eminent Monks.)