法苑珠林 51.70

51.70

Shi Daofeng of Mount Gu in Xiang Prefecture under the Qi dynasty: his clan name is not known. His contemporaries called him one who had attained the Way. Together with three disciples he dwelt in Mount Gu in Xiang Prefecture, seeking no material support. Some said that he understood all worldly arts and skills, including alchemical compounding, aurifaction, medicine, divination, and physiognomy. Gao of the Qi, whenever traveling between Bing and Ye, would frequently visit to consult him. He answered without hesitation, responding directly according to the subject. The Emperor once ordered wine together with a steamed suckling pig, commanding them to be placed before Feng and ordering him to eat them. Feng showed not the slightest refusal or hesitation, eating to his heart's content until fully sated. The Emperor laughed loudly and spoke no more with him. After the imperial carriage departed, [Feng] said to his disciples, “Remove the things beside the bed.” When they uncovered and cleared the bed, they saw that the previous steamed suckling pig and wine were still there, showing no signs of having been chewed or consumed at all. At that time, there was a monk practicing sitting meditation at the Shiku Temple. Every day at sunset, looking eastward toward the mountain peak, an eighteen-foot golden statue would appear. This monk secretly rejoiced, thinking he was beholding an auspicious omen, and bowed in worship day after day. This went on for about two months. Later, while lying in his room, he suddenly heard a voice beside his pillow saying to him, “Where else under Heaven is there a Buddha? Your realization of the Way today is itself being a Buddha. You should conduct yourself well as the Buddha's body; do not take yourself lightly.” Upon hearing this, the monk immediately developed pride and arrogance, regarding the host of monks around him as mere weeds. Before the assembly, tilting his finger and pointing to his chest, he said, “Do you all recognize a true Buddha? For clay niches and painted Buddhas, words do not come from their lips; what wisdom or thought do they have? Seeing a true Buddha, you do not know to pay homage, but still measure me by my former days. You shall all fall into Avīci!” Furthermore, his eyes had already turned red, and he was screaming wildly without pause. The whole monastery knew this was meditation madness. Before it became completely unmanageable, they carried him on a litter to Feng's dwelling. [Feng] immediately said to him, “For the past two months, have you frequently seen a golden statue appear on the eastern mountain?” He answered, “I truly did see it.” [Feng] said again, “Did you hear [a voice] beside your pillow telling you to act as a Buddha?” He answered, “Truly so.” Feng said, “This is merely a disruption of wind causing you to lose your mind. If it is not treated early, you might run mad and be difficult to restrain.” He then applied acupuncture needles to three places on his body, and thereupon the madness did not recur. When Feng approached the end of his life, he said to his disciples, “I have been in these mountains for a long time. You have endured the toil of drawing water from the valley. Now that I am departing, I have nothing to bequeath you, but I shall leave you a spring. Since you will no longer have the hardship of climbing up and down, exert yourselves diligently in cultivating the work of the Way.” He then pointed beside the stove to a square stone. Thereupon a suspended spring gushed forth, clear and bright, neither overflowing nor diminishing. It still exists today. (The above three testimonies are taken from the Liang Lives of Eminent Monks.)