法苑珠林 94.6

94.6

Under the Jin there was the monk Śramaṇa Fayu of Changsha Temple in Jingzhou, of unknown origin. In his youth he was fond of learning and devoted to the ancient classics. He served Dao'an as his master and showed extraordinary comprehension. Escaping the troubles, he went east and stayed at Changsha Temple in Jiangling to lecture on the various sutras, with more than four hundred disciples studying under him. At that time, a monk drank alcohol and neglected the evening burning of incense. Fayu only punished him but did not expel him. Master Dao'an heard of this from afar, placed a chaste-tree rod into a bamboo tube, personally sealed it with his own hand, addressed it, and sent it to Fayu. When Fayu opened the seal and saw the rod, he said: 'This is because of the drinking of alcohol. Because I was not diligent in guiding and leading, I caused anxiety to be sent from afar.' He at once ordered the karmadāna to strike the mallet and assemble the community, placing the cane-tube upon the incense table. After the circumambulation of incense was finished, Fayu stood up, walked out before the assembly, paid reverence toward the tube, and then prostrated on the ground, directing the karmadāna to strike him three times with the rod. He placed the rod back into the tube, shedding tears in self-reproach. At that time, neither the clergy nor the laity throughout the region could help but sigh in admiration. Because of this, very many students exerted themselves in their studies. Soon after, he wrote a letter to Huiyuan, saying: 'Being of slight ability and dull understanding, I was unable to lead the assembly. Although the Upādhyāya is far away in another region, he still bestowed his anxious care from afar. My fault is deep indeed.' Later, he passed away in Jiangling at the age of sixty. (This single verification is extracted from the Liang Biographies of Eminent Monks.)