为和尚念经施食

往腾冲住湘会馆。行单未卸有服孝者。数人扣礼云。请大师念经。公答非应赴经僧。孝子云。为你们和尚念经。馆人曰。大师要去。来者为吴太史曾孙。太史乃善人。临终谓为僧。有高僧来度。

宣化偈曰：

念经施食满来复。阖邑官绅愿皈徒。
恳留腾越募缘急。踊跃乐捐钜款输。

Reciting sutras and bestowing food upon a monk

The Master then left for T'eng Ch'ung, where he stayed in the Hunan Provincial Association Hall. Before he could put down his bag, however, several mourners bowed and said, "We respectfully request that the Venerable Master recite Sutras for the deceased." The Master told them that he was not a monk who had come to recite Sutras. A mourner then said, "Surely you can recite Sutras for a fellow monk!" A man from the Association said. "The Venerable Master ought to go with them. These people are the grandsons of the Imperial Historian Wu, who was a beneficent man. Just before his death. he said that he wished to become a member of the Sangha. and that an eminent monk would soon arrive to rescue him."

The gatha says:
Reciting Sutras and bestowing food were rites well attended.
The entire town, officials and gentry, wished to become disciples.
They entreated him to stay in T'eng Yueh, but subscriptions were more important,
So in their joy, they happily pledge substantial contributions.