法苑珠林 97.60

97.60

Zhu Fahui of the Jin was originally a person from Guanzhong. Upright and straightforward, he possessed moral conduct according to the precepts. He entered Mount Songgao to serve Fotomi as his teacher. In the first year of the Jianyuan reign of Emperor Kang of the Jin, he arrived in Xiangyang and resided at the temple of Master Yang Shu. He would not accept private invitations. Whenever he went begging for food, he would always carry a rope-woven bed with him. When on a quiet and open road, he would set it up and sit upon it. When he occasionally encountered rain, he covered himself with an oiled cape. When the rain stopped, only the rope bed could be seen; people did not know where Fahui was. Before their inquiries had ceased, Fahui was already on the bed. He often said to his disciple Fazhao: "In a past life you broke a chicken's leg. The calamity from that will soon arrive." Shortly thereafter, Zhao was thrown down by someone, and his leg became permanently crippled. Later, he said to his disciples: "In Xinye there is an old man whose life is about to end; I wish to deliver him." He then walked along the dikes between the fields, where he indeed saw an old man leading an ox to plow the field. Fahui begged the ox from him, but the old man would not give it. Fahui stepped forward and took hold of the ox's nose himself. Terrified by his supernatural demeanour, the old man thereupon offered it to him. Fahui led the ox, uttered an aspiration, turned around after seven steps, and returned the ox to the old man. The old man died a few days later. Later, Yu Yigong, General Who Conquers the West, was stationed at Xiangyang. Since he had never honoured the Dharma, he was exceedingly jealous when he heard that Fahui possessed extraordinary feats. Fahui forewarned his disciples, saying: "My past karmic retribution will soon arrive." He admonished his followers and enjoined them to diligently cultivate merit and goodness. Two days later, [Yu Yigong] indeed arrested and executed him; he was fifty-eight years of age. Nearing death, he said to the crowd: "You are executing me unjustly. Three days after my death, there will be a torrential downpour from the sky." When the time arrived, there was indeed a great deluge, one zhang deep outside the city gates. Yu Yigong's kin, the local residents, and others were all drowned to death. (The above two evidential miracles are from the Liang Gaoseng zhuan.)