荒年割稻與民食

癸亥八十四歲。時現李氏化蓮。道明蟻塔。具行自化。生西等異跡。甲子八十五歲。修諸塔寺。乙丑八十六歲。傳戒講經。起長七。丙寅八十七歲。近年滇境。多兵劫民畏。稻熟而不敢收。公向官請以僧領收。勿阻。故千人聚食。始飯。繼粥糠水等。共甘苦。民德之。

宣化偈曰：

始則同食飯。繼而飲粥漿。
終至糠和水。僧俗共蒸嘗。

Reaping rice during a barren year and feeding the people

In 1923, the Master was eighty-four. At that time, several strange events were witnessed: a transformational lotus appeared upon the cremation of Mrs. Li; a pagoda was made by ants for Bhikshu Tao Ming; and Bhikshu Chu Hsing transformed himself and attained birth in the West. Next year, 1924. the Master was eighty-five, and spent time rebuilding various shrines and temples. In 1925, when the Master was eighty-six. he transmitted the precepts, explained sutras, and held long meditation sessions. The Master was eighty-seven in the year 1926. In the ensuing few years, large numbers of soldiers plundered Yunnan Province, frightening the people. The rice was ripe, but they did not dare harvest it. The Master, therefore, asked the Army commander not to allow his troops to obstruct the harvest, which was subsequently carried out by the monks. Because of the lack of food, one thousand peasants gathered at the monastery to take their meals. At first, rice was eaten, then gruel, then chaff, and finally just water was all that remained. The people appreciated the fact that the monks underwent the same hardships of life along with them.

The gatha says:
At first they all ate rice alike, and then drank thin rice gruel.
Finally they took just chaff and water, the monks and the peasants eating together.