法苑珠林 65.63

65.63

The Qin śramaṇa Shi Daojiong: His native place and lineage are already recorded in a previous account. In the eighteenth year of the Hongshi era of the Yao Qin, his master, Daoyi, dispatched him to Mount Huo in Henan to gather stalactites. He travelled together with four people, including his fellow student Daolang. Holding torches, they explored and entered about three li. They encountered a deep stream and crossed via a fallen log. Daojiong was the first to cross; those behind fell from the log and died. At that time, the torches also went out, leaving total darkness. Daojiong, thinking his life was over, could only weep bitterly. Still, with single-minded devotion he called upon Avalokiteśvara, vowing: 'If I am granted a way out, I will hold an offering feast for a hundred people to manifest and repay your divine spiritual power.' After one night, he saw a small, bright light, resembling a firefly. In an instant, the cave was fully illuminated. Thereupon he saw the path and was able to emerge from beneath the crag. From this, his faith and awakening grew ever deeper, and he repeatedly witnessed spiritual anomalies. In the nineteenth year of the Yuanjia era, Prince Kang of Linchuan was stationed at Guangling and invited Daojiong to receive offerings. In the ninth month of that year, in the western fasting hall, after he had conducted a ten-day Avalokiteśvara retreat, at the end of the fourth watch on the ninth night, while all the monks were asleep, Daojiong arose to pay homage. As he was about to return to sit in meditation, he suddenly saw on the four walls countless śramaṇas, all emerging halfway out. He saw a Buddha with snail-shell curls, clear and distinct. There was a tall man wearing a flat-topped cap, a padded cloth tunic, and trousers, carrying a long sword, of exceedingly magnificent and unusual appearance; rolling incense, he handed it to Daojiong. At that time Daojiong was unwilling to accept it. A śramaṇa in the wall spoke, saying: 'Venerable Jiong may accept the incense on behalf [of the host] to protect the master of the house.' Soon, it suddenly vanished, and nothing more was seen. At that moment, he saw none of the assembled monks at all; he beheld only the processional image of Śākyamuni that had been installed.