Ancient Cultivation Stories: The Monk Dao Shun

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People didn't know where Shi Dao Shun was from. All they knew was that lived in a thatched cottage he had built in a quiet secluded place. He often talked about things that happened at Qingyuan. He once lived in a cottage he built on Yangtou Mountain in Zezhou. Dao Shun didn't have any savings and he only ate one meal a day. The rest of the time he meditated. Snakes and rats often hid under his bed and lived in peace with each other. Once a tiger came to his cottage and Dao Shun spoke about the dharma to it. Once a person came to visit him. When he saw the tiger, he turned around and left. He told Dao Shun he 'd come back when the tiger left. Dao Shun Told the tiger: "I will have a visitor coming tomorrow so you will have to go somewhere else for the day."

During the initial stages for the founding of the Kaihuang era in the Sui dynasty, Dao Shun often interpreted the dharma to villagers and initiated many villagers into becoming monks and nuns. But he refused to initiate one woman. He told her: "You will be reincarnated as a cow. The appearance is already there. I can not save you even if I initiate you to become a nun." Some people didn't believe him. Dao Shun told them: "Those who don't believe it can step on the shadow of the tail behind her and she won't be able to move." Those who had doubts stepped on the shadow behind her. The woman surely couldn't move. Every one was shocked and believed that what Dao Shun was telling was the truth.

The woman pleaded with Dao Shun to eliminate her karma. Out of fear, she gave away tens of thousands of dan (unit of grain) of grain that her family owned. Dao Shun allowed her to render sincere reverent repentance for a period of time. When her karma had disappeared, he then initiated her.

Later, Dao Shun travelled to various mountains for the rest of his life. No one knew his whereabouts.

From Legends of Holy Monks, vol. 5

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