21. P'u-chao
[OMITTED]
The nun P'u-chao (Universal Illumination) (418-442) of
Expanding Nation Convent of Nan-p'i in northeast China
P'u-chao's secular surname was Tung, and her given name was Pei.
Her family was from An-ling in the P'o-hai Commandery [in northeast
China, in the territory held by the non-Chinese dynasty of Northern
Wei.][59]
When she was a young girl, she already adhered to high moral principles,
and at the age of seventeen she left the household life to become
a nun at Expanding Nation Convent in Nan-p'i [a town to the northwest
of An-ling].
Later, P'u-chao accompanied her religious instructor to study at
Establishing Splendor Convent in Kuang-ling [a town on the northern
bank of the Yangtze River, northeast of the capital].[60]
She upheld her religious faith and practice with all her heart for
which the rest of the community praised her; and, when her instructor,
Hui-tzu, died, P'u-chao retired from all social occasions and
instead practiced austerities even more fervently.
In the twelfth month of the eighteenth year of the yüan-chia reign
period (441), she became ill from exhaustion. Although the malady
was serious, she still held her deep and abiding faith. When at first she
did not improve, she concentrated her mind and prayed in utmost sincerity
both day and night. Because she could not lower herself to the
ground to make prostrations, she would touch her forehead to the pillow
while confessing her faults. When she rested from this, she continued
her usual practice of chanting the
Flower of the Law Scripture[61] at
the rate of three scrolls a day.
[62]
In the second month of the nineteenth year (442), she suddenly
expired, but after a short time—about the length of two meals—she
revived.[63] She said, "Along the road toward the west there was a
pagoda. A monk sat inside, his eyes closed in meditation. Startled by
my appearance, he asked where I came from. I answered, and then I
asked him, `How far from here is a certain convent?' He answered,
`Fifty million miles.' The road was grassy and there were many travelers,
but no one whom I recognized. At that moment the clouds were
piled high, and the whole place was utterly pure. Toward the west
everything shone even more brightly, and I wanted to go forward in
that direction, but the monk forbid it. So I turned back and suddenly
awoke."
Seven days later P'u-chao died at the age of twenty-five [in the
year 442].
[59]
P'o-hai, in present-day Hopei Province, Nan-pi County. See map.
[60]
Kuang-ling, in Chiangsu Province. See map.
[61]
Flower of the Law Scripture. By this time it is possible that Kumārajīva's
translation was available.
[62]
At the rate of three scrolls a day. Another example of rapid chanting as
a mark of spiritual eminence.
[63]
The theme of dying and reviving is a classical theme as well as a Buddhist
one. It is also pre-Taoist. See de Groot, Religious Systems 1:241-245.
