Saien, a priest of the Tōji Temple was from Suhō Province. Since his youth, he had recited the Hokekyō with a firm faith.
In the prime of his life, he returned to his native province and lived in the Misanji Temple known for its miraculous Kannon. Saien recited the Hokekyō, offered incense and flowers, and remained in the temple for several years.
The snow fell heavily one winter. For several tens of days no one could come to the temple because of the high-piled snow. Saien almost starved to death. Still reciting the Hokekyō, he endured his hunger.
When he looked at the temple yard one morning, he saw a deer that had been killed by a wolf. Saien took and ate some of the venison. He continued his recitation.
Saien survived for three days on the meat which he had boiled in a pan. Villagers finally came to the temple. Saien was very ashamed of having eaten the venison. However, when the villagers looked into the pan they only saw pieces of oak.
Feeling strange, the villagers asked Saien, “Why have you cooked these pieces of wood?” Seeing the deer meat transformed into the pieces of wood in the pan, Saien thought, “Something most extraordinary and unknown since olden times has happened.”
Saien told the villagers the detailed story of the deer meat. Hearing this story, the joyous villagers were deeply moved and said, “This truly results from the mercy of Kannon and the power of the recitation of the sūtra.”
Saien looked at the Kannon statue of the temple and found that the side of the statue had been carved out and a large hole made. He clearly understood that the Kannon had become incarnated as the dead deer to provide him with food. Saien developed a stronger faith in Kannon and recited the Hokekyō more fervently.
Later many more miraculous events occurred, but all of them cannot be mentioned here.
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