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Lotus Sutra Stories
S013Peace & Well-being

Master Huiqing: In the Storm, Hands That Seemed to Hold the Boat

Person:Huiqing

Period:Yuanjia era, Liu Song (Mount Lu)

A native of Guangling who lived at the monastery on Mount Lu.

Reading preferences

事見《法華經顯應錄》「高僧」門「廬山慶法師」條(夾注「法苑珠林」),並見《法華經持驗記》宋朝「宋釋慧慶」條。以下白話譯註以兩本互補。

故事

僧人慧慶,廣陵人。劉宋元嘉年間,住在廬山。他學通經律,戒行清潔精嚴。

每於夜間諷誦《法華經》(《持驗記》云兼誦《思益經》),常聽到暗中有彈指讚歎之聲。

一次渡江,遇上了大風,船眼看就要傾覆。慧慶一意誦經,只求安濟。他覺得船在波濤之中,迎著狂飆、截開急流,好像有人在牽挽扶持——轉眼之間,已到岸邊。

從此以後,他誦習不輟,到老不倦。

編者省思

「暗中有彈指讚歎之聲」是本則最細膩的一筆:在感應錄的語彙裡,彈指是護法非人致意的聲音——先有平常夜誦時的微聲鼓勵,後有危難之際的暗中扶挽,前後呼應,如同事先打招呼的舊識。

另一個耐人尋味處是原文的措辭:「覺有扶挽之者」。不是「見」——船中人都在忙亂與祈禱之中,誰也沒有看見什麼;只是船忽然變輕了、變穩了,方向對了。這種「體感式」的敘述,比神異顯形更貼近修行人自己的經驗世界。

Kumārajīva: The Translator Whose Tongue Did Not Burn — Read story

Kumārajīva: The Translator Whose Tongue Did Not Burn

KumārajīvaEastern Jin / Later Qin (344–413)

The Kuchean monk Kumārajīva, invited to Chang'an by Yao Xing, translated the Lotus Sutra at Caotang Monastery. Before dying he vowed that if his translations were without error, his tongue would remain unburnt after cremation — and so it proved. Both response-compilations used by this site open with him.

Peace & Well-beingDraft translation2 primary witnesses
Master Fatai: The Sutra That Fell into the River and Did Not Get Wet — Read story

Master Fatai: The Sutra That Fell into the River and Did Not Get Wet

FataiSui dynasty (Meizhou)

Fatai of Meizhou in Sui times constantly recited the Lotus Sutra and copied it out by hand. Sent to Yizhou for mounting, the scroll fell from the Zao bridge into the water and could not be found; he wept and searched along the bank — then saw a bundle on a small islet. It was the sutra, held up by grass and branches, without a single wet spot. Mounted with sandalwood rollers and returned, it filled the room each night with uncanny fragrance. Master Biao, visiting his recitation hall at night, saw a crowd kneeling with palms joined — and withdrew in a sweat.

Peace & Well-beingDraft translation2 primary witnesses
Tanwujie: Reciting the Universal Gate Chapter, Lion and Vulture Scatter the Beasts — Read story

Tanwujie: Reciting the Universal Gate Chapter, Lion and Vulture Scatter the Beasts

Tanwujie (Dharmodgata)Early Yuanjia era, Liu Song (a pilgrim to the Western Regions)

In the early Yuanjia era of the Liu Song, the monk Tanwujie of Huanglong, austere and diligent, constantly recited the Universal Gate chapter of the Lotus Sutra. With twenty-five followers he travelled west to India through every peril. Near Srāvastī the party met a herd of elephants; Tanwujie recited with devotion, and a lion charged from the forest, putting the elephants to flight. Next a roaring herd of wild buffaloes bore down; he recited with redoubled vigour, and a great vulture swooped down, scattering the buffaloes without a trace — and so the party escaped. The source cites the Fayuan zhulin.

Peace & Well-beingDraft translation1 primary witness
Master Zhicong: Four Tigers Cross with Him; He Passes Away Seated — Read story

Master Zhicong: Four Tigers Cross with Him; He Passes Away Seated

ZhicongSui–Tang transition (533–631?)

When Sui collapsed, Zhicong could find no way home and hid in the reeds by the river, reciting the Lotus Sutra — seven days without hunger, four tigers tame about him. An old man came with a small boat to ferry him across; the tigers crouched and would not leave. 'Are you coming too?' he asked, and they rose, crossed with him to the south bank, where boat and old man vanished. He settled at Qixia Monastery; in the Zhenguan era, ninety-nine years old, he died seated upright, and the tigers went away mourning.

Peace & Well-beingDraft translation2 primary witnesses