法苑珠林 61.6

61.6

In Luoyang under the Jin, there was Shi Jīvaka, a man of Tianzhu. Wandering through China and barbarian lands, he had no fixed dwelling. Unconventional and miraculous, he followed his nature and disregarded worldly customs; his tracks and deeds were unpredictable, and people of the time could not fathom him. From his departure from Tianzhu up to Funan, passing along the sea coasts, he then travelled through Jiaozhou and Guangzhou, working spiritual wonders everywhere. Having reached Xiangyang, he wished to take passage across the river. The boatman, seeing the Indian śramaṇa’s clothes were tattered and mean, made light of him and would not take him aboard. When the boat reached the northern bank, Jīvaka had already crossed over. Walking ahead, he saw two tigers drooping their ears and wagging their tails; Jīvaka stroked their heads with his hand, and the tigers left the path and went away. Those who saw this on both banks followed him in crowds. At the end of the reign of Emperor Hui of Jin, he arrived in Luoyang. All the monks paid homage to him; Jīvaka knelt in the barbarian fashion, his countenance calm and unmoved. From time to time he would tell people what they had undergone in previous lives, saying that Zhi Fayuan had come from a sheep, and Zhu Faxing had come from a human being. He also ridiculed the assembly of monks, whose clothes were ornate and did not conform to the ascetic rule. Seeing the palaces of Luoyang, he said, “They vaguely resemble the palace of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, only that the natural and the artificial are different.” Jīvaka said to the śramaṇa Qizhemi, “The one who built this palace came from the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven; once it was completed, he returned to heaven. Beneath the tiles of the roof-ridge there should be fifteen hundred tools.” At the time everyone said, “In the past we heard that this artisan indeed placed tools under the tiles.” It was also said, “After the palace was completed, he was soon put to death.” Teng Yongwen of Nanyang, Administrator of Hengyang, was staying in Luoyang at the Manshui Temple when he fell ill. For years he did not recover; his two legs were contracted and bent, and he could not rise to walk. Jīvaka went to see him and said, “Do you wish your illness to be cured or not?” He then took a cup of pure water and a willow branch, flicked the water with the willow branch, raised his hand toward Yongwen, and incanted over him. He did this three times, and then grasped Yongwen’s knee with his hand and bade him rise; he immediately arose and walked as before. In this temple there were several dozen dried-up, dead dhyāna trees. Jīvaka asked Yongwen, “How long have the trees been dead?” Yongwen said, “For years.” Jīvaka at once incanted toward the trees using the same method as for Yongwen; the trees soon blossomed and flourished luxuriously. In the Directorate for Imperial Manufactures, there was a man who was ill and about to die. Jīvaka placed a patra on the sick man’s belly and covered him completely with white cloth. After chanting prayers of several thousand words, a foul stench permeated the entire room. The sick man said, “I am saved!” Jīvaka ordered the cloth to be lifted; in the patra there were several sheng of substance like dregs and sludge, so foul that none could approach it. The sick man was thereupon saved. As Luoyang was approaching disorder, he took his leave to return to Tianzhu. The śramaṇa Zhu Faxing of Luoyang was an eminent disciple. The people of the time asked him to invite Jīvaka, saying, “Since the Venerable One is a monk who has attained the Way, we wish you would leave one word as an eternal admonition.” Jīvaka said, “You may assemble everyone together.” When the assembly had gathered, Jīvaka ascended the high seat and spoke a verse, saying: