From Complete Book of Myths and Legends of China
By Unknown Author
All who witnessed this miracle exclaimed with one voice: “This priest is the Living Buddha, who is going back to Heaven!” The note was taken to King Miao Chuang, who exclaimed: “Who am I that I should deserve that one of the rulers of Heaven should deign to descend and cure me by the sacrifice of hands and eyes?”
“What was the face of the saintly person like who gave you the remedy?” he then asked Chao Chên.
“It was like unto that of your deceased daughter, Miao Shan,” he replied.
“When you removed her hands and eyes did she seem to suffer?”
“I saw a great flow of blood, and my heart failed, but the face of the victim seemed radiant with happiness.”
“This certainly must be my daughter Miao Shan, who has attained to perfection,” said the King. “Who but she would have given hands and eyes? Purify yourselves and observe the rules of abstinence, and go quickly to Hsiang Shan to return thanks to the saint for this inestimable favour. I myself will ere long make a pilgrimage thither to return thanks in person.”
All who witnessed this miracle exclaimed with one voice: “This priest is the Living Buddha, who is going back to Heaven!” The note was taken to King Miao Chuang, who exclaimed: “Who am I that I should deserve that one of the rulers of Heaven should deign to descend and cure me by the sacrifice of hands and eyes?”
“What was the face of the saintly person like who gave you the remedy?” he then asked Chao Chên.
“It was like unto that of your deceased daughter, Miao Shan,” he replied.
“When you removed her hands and eyes did she seem to suffer?”
“I saw a great flow of blood, and my heart failed, but the face of the victim seemed radiant with happiness.”
“This certainly must be my daughter Miao Shan, who has attained to perfection,” said the King. “Who but she would have given hands and eyes? Purify yourselves and observe the rules of abstinence, and go quickly to Hsiang Shan to return thanks to the saint for this inestimable favour. I myself will ere long make a pilgrimage thither to return thanks in person.”