步康莊逢鬼兵弗驚

斯時義和團作亂山東各縣。一日正行路中。遇一洋兵。以槍相向。問公怕死否。公曰倘予該死汝手。任便。洋鬼兵見公。神毫不動。不驚不怖。曰好的你去。公遂趕赴五台。行香畢。以亂故回平。

宣化偈曰：

卒然臨之不恐驚。祇緣因果已分清。
殺人償命毫不錯。欠債還錢律不容。

Meeting mercenary on the highway but not being intimidated

Chaos prevailed in the counties of Shan Tung Province at this time due to the Boxer Rebellion. One day, the Master encountered a foreign soldier while walking down the road. The soldier pointed his gun at him and asked the Master: "Are you afraid of dying?" The Master replied, "If I am fated to die by your hand, Then proceed." When the foreign soldier saw that the Master was not flustered, and that he was not to be intimidated or scared, he said "Okay, you may go." The Master then quickly proceeded on to Wu T'ai Mountain. After offering up incense, he returned to Peking, due to the disturbance in Shan Tung.

The gatha says:
Suddenly accosted by the mercenary, the Master was unafraid,
Only because cause and effect is already clearly decided.
For killing someone, one repays with one's own life - it's not off in the slightest.
To have a long-time standing debt and yet refuse to pay is impermissible