The True Body Receives an Offering眞身受供
1Rebellion Breaks Out the Year the Pagoda Shakes
真身受供長夀元年壬辰孝昭即位,始創望徳寺將以奉福唐室.後景徳王十四年望徳寺塔戰動,是年有安史之亂,羅人云,“爲唐室立兹寺,冝其應也.”
The true body receives an offering.
In the first year of Changshou, the year imjin, King Hyoso ascended the throne, and he first built Mangdeoksa, meaning to pray for the blessing of the Tang imperial house.
Later, in the fourteenth year of King Gyeongdeok, the pagoda of Mangdeoksa shook. In that year came the rebellion of An Lushan and Shi Siming.
The people of Silla said, "This temple was built for the Tang imperial house, so it is fitting that it answered."
2Do Not Say You Made an Offering to the True Body of Sakyamuni
八年丁酉設落成㑹王親駕辦供.有一比丘儀彩踈陋.局束立於庭請曰,“貧道亦望齋.”王許赴床杪.將罷王戯調之曰,“住鍚何所”,僧曰琵琶嵓.王曰“此去莫向人言赴國王親供之齋.”僧笑荅曰,“陛下亦莫與人言供飬真身釋迦.”言訖湧身淩空向南而行.王驚愧馳上東罔向方遥禮,使徃尋之.到南山參星谷或云大磧川源石上置錫鉢而隐.使来復命,遂創釋迦寺於琵琶嵓下,創佛無事於滅影處分置錫鉢焉.二寺至今存,錫鉢亾矣.
In the eighth year, the year jeongyu, a completion assembly was held, and the king went in person and laid out the offering.
There was a monk of rough and shabby bearing and dress. He stood hunched in the courtyard and asked:
"This poor monk also hopes to join the feast."
The king allowed it and had him go to the far end of the table.
When it was about to end, the king teased him and said, "Where do you rest your staff?"
The monk said, "At Bipaam."
The king said, "When you go now, do not tell anyone you joined a feast laid out by the king himself."
The monk laughed and answered, "Your Majesty too, do not tell anyone you made an offering to the true body of Sakyamuni."
When he had spoken he sprang up into the air and went off toward the south.
The king, startled and ashamed, ran up the eastern hill, bowed from afar toward that direction, and sent men to search for him.
On a rock at Samseonggok on Namsan, also called the source of the Daejeokcheon, the monk set down his staff and bowl and vanished.
The messengers came back and reported, and at last the king built Seokgasa below Bipaam and Bulmusa where the figure had vanished, and placed the staff and the bowl in the two temples.
The two temples still stand today, but the staff and the bowl are lost.
3This Food Was Won by the Robe
智論第四云.“昔有罽賔三藏行阿蘭若法至一王寺,寺設大㑹.守門人見其衣服麁幤遮門不前.如是數數.以衣幤故每不得前,便作防便假借好衣而来,門人見之聴前不禁.既獲詣㘴得種種好食先以與衣.衆人問言,‘何以爾乎.’荅曰,‘我比數来每不淂入,今以衣故淂此座得種種食冝以與衣爾.’事可同按.”讃曰.燃香擇佛看新繪,辦供齋僧喚舊知.従此琵琶嵓上月,時時雲掩到潭遅.
The fourth fascicle of the Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom says this:
"Long ago a Tripitaka master of Kashmir, practicing the way of the forest dweller, came to a royal temple where a great assembly was being held.
The gatekeeper, seeing that his clothes were coarse and worn, blocked the gate and would not let him in. This happened several times.
Since he was always kept out because of his worn clothes, he devised an expedient, borrowed fine clothes, and came. The gatekeeper saw him and let him in without hindrance.
When he had taken his seat and received all kinds of fine food, he first gave it to his robe.
The people asked, 'Why do you do that?'
He answered, 'I have come several times lately and never been able to enter. Now thanks to the robe I have this seat and all this food, so it is only right to give it to the robe.'"
The two cases may be set side by side.
In praise it is said:
Burning incense, he chose the Buddha and looked at the new painting; laying out the offering, he feasted the monks and called an old acquaintance. From then on the moon above Bipaam is now and then hidden by clouds and slow to reach the pool.