【Master Faxian】
【 Master Faxian 】 -The First Person to Return from a Journey to India to Obtain Buddhist Scriptures Master Faxian was born in Pingyang Wuyang (present-day Xiangyuan, Shanxi Province ) during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. His secular surname was Gong . He had three older brothers , but all of them died young. Fearing further misfortune would befall Faxian, his father had him ordained as a novice monk when he was three years old, but he continued to live with his family. Several years later, Faxian fell critically ill and was sent to a monastery . He recovered within three days of returning to the monastery and refused to return home . To make it easier for him to visit, his mother built a small house next to the monastery. When he was ten years old , his father passed away. His uncle , unable to bear seeing his mother widowed alone, forced Faxian to return to secular life. ...
