律相感通傳 1
English (machine translation) 1
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1.1
Preface to the Recarved Lüxiang gantong zhuan
1.2
Great Master Chengzhao of Zhongnan Mountain under the Tang thoroughly understood the Tripiṭaka and was especially refined in the Vinaya. Personally inheriting the school of Dharmagupta, he propagated and promoted it in every direction. Because of him, the disciples of the Śākya clan throughout the world did not lose what makes the saṅgha the saṅgha, just as when spring moves across the great earth and all things are bathed in its moisture. Moreover, his propagation was based on the intention to reveal the truth and assist its exposition, causing all students to settle their minds in the vehicle of the ultimate perfection. The holy monk Piṇḍola once manifested his form to him and praised him as the foremost in propagating the Vinaya since the Buddha's parinirvāṇa; how could it be otherwise? Because his upholding of the precepts was so extraordinary, the radiance of his precepts penetrated straight up into the heavenly palaces, moving the devas and spirit-generals to come constantly to protect him and offer him heavenly food. Thus, with regard to all matters that could be questioned, he raised them one by one, and the heavenly spirits answered each in turn as they were asked. The Great Master recorded those portions discussing the aspects of the Vinaya to make one fascicle, which is this Lüxiang gantong zhuan. This Record has circulated in our country for a long time; regrettably, its printed editions could not avoid textual errors. Recently, the monk Kōjun'en obtained various editions, collated them, and wishing to recarve and distribute them, came to ask me for a preface. In the past, Chan Master Dahui often read this Record and frequently took the matters within it to conduct himself and guide others, admiring the Great Master in emulation. Nowadays, there may be some who do not believe this Record and impulsively produce slanders; as the saying goes about wanting to outshine the sun and moon, this mostly shows that they do not know their own measure. The circulation of this Record certainly did not depend on my words; however, Kōjun'en loves learning and planted the aspiration to support our school, and so I have written this. May those who read this Record perhaps increase their veneration and faith! At this time,
1.3
On the day after the full moon of the third month in the wuxu year of Kyōhō [1718],
1.4
Respectfully composed by the śramaṇa Eshuku of Ryūzan in Henan.
1.5
Composed in mid-spring of the second year of the Qianfeng era of the Tang [667 CE] by the śramaṇa Shi Daoxuan of Zhongnan Mountain.
1.6
I once saw the Soushen lu composed by Yu Bao, Minister of the Sacrificial Court under the Jin, which relates that the late Magistrate of Zhongmu under the Jin, Su Shao, possessed talent and insight. He died during the Xianning era, and then manifested his form in broad daylight at his home. When his various relatives and old friends heard of it, they all gathered to drink and eat together with him, and his words and laughter were no different from a living person's.
1.7
Someone asked, "When you, [Magistrate of] Zhongmu, were alive, you wrote many poetic expositions; your words were profound and difficult to fathom. We request an account of the matters of death and life; may we hear it?"
1.8
Shao said, "How could I conceal anything?" Asking for paper and brush, he wrote the 'Chapter on Death and Life', the words of which said: 'Mobilizing the refined pneumas, ah, I departed from the former form; / The spirit is vast and distant, ah, clear and bright in the mysterious darkness; / Returning to the Northern Emperor, ah, I went to the Feng Capital. / Towering ramparts are dense and lush, ah, vast and precipitous; / Ascending the Phoenix Portal, ah, I had audience at the Imperial Court. / Drawing near to Bu Shang, ah, sharing a chamber with Master Yan; / Becoming intimate with the Great Sage, ah, bringing Xiang Liang to fruition; / Hoping to equal Ji of Wu, ah, admiring Yingming. / Lifting up pure discourse, ah, the breeze is magnificent and fine; / Spreading flowery elegance, ah, the literary patterns are glittering and resplendent. / I hope to raise my body, ah, to scale Kunlun and Yingzhou; / Receiving blessings and good fortune, ah, to enjoy a thousand years.'
1.9
The rest is mostly incomplete; when one first sees its words, they seem half-real and half-vanished. I also saw that in the early Liang, the daughter of Jiang Mi recited out over thirty sutras, such as the Pure Land and Mahālaṃkāra; even down to what is seen with one's own eyes today, such matters still exist.
1.10
Past conditions brought good fortune, and recently, at the end of the second month of this year, I was repeatedly moved by devas, who appeared as if they were speaking face to face with me, saying: "The writings you have composed, such as the Xu gaoseng zhuan and Guang hongming ji, assist the holy transformation; unseen spirits rejoice in accordance, and all praise and take joy in them. As for the commentaries, outlines, and ritual manuals excerpted from the Vinaya section, there are none that can rival them. However, in determining light property and heavy property, there were slight oversights; this was not your fault, benevolent one, but rather to be blamed on the translators. How could you equate the noble robes of kings with the secular clothing of laypersons and treat them as entering the heavy category together? Even down to the kocava robes that match the form and dimensions of Dharma robes, being also collected among light property? Moreover, the noble robes worn by kings are equivalent to a monk's three robes. Those valued at a hundred thousand are called noble robes; if used to bestow upon the saṅgha, they may be treated in accordance with the limit for light property. As for the clothing of laypersons and non-Buddhists, these are originally things that renunciants cut off. The three robes were designated solely by the Buddha's regulation; those who wear them will certainly attain liberation. For this reason, secular clothing of laypersons was strictly forbidden by the Buddha's regulation; if anyone dies [possessing them], they are all collected under heavy property. As for the kocava three robes, their form and dimensions match the three robes. In border regions, leather bedding is permitted, which is also [part of] the three robes, with strips and leaves on the outside and soft fur on the inside. In countries of bitter cold, the Buddha permitted them for the sake of the Path; but when arriving in regions where cloth is available, they again do not fall within the limit for light property. You may rectify your previous delusion, and it is proper to follow this subsequent awakening. When the Tathāgata was in the world, there were still subsequent regulations that abolished previous ones; how much more so nowadays can one not retain the distinction between delusion and awakening?"
1.11
I asked where they had come from. A deva came forward, and after paying homage and exchanging conventional pleasantries, said:
1.12
"Your disciple's surname is Wang, and his name is Fan, an official of the Orchid Platform of the Great Wu. When Master [Kang] Senghui first arrived in Jianye, Lord Sun did not at first grant him permission, commanding him to bring about a rare auspicious sign before he would establish an extraordinary monastery for him. At that time, the spirits of heaven and earth all bestowed spiritual aid, and on the twenty-first day, they finally moved the śarīra to appear. The Lord of Wu held a bronze vessel in his hand and poured [the relic] into a bronze basin. Where the śarīra struck, the basin immediately cracked and broke; even when tested by burning with fire and striking with a hammer, it could not be damaged. The likes of Kan Ze and Zhang Yu were also aided and protected by devas, who entered into their bodies, making their spirits bright, penetrating, and agile, so that their replies were harmonious and apt. Now they are all in heaven, taking the propagation and protection of the Buddha-Dharma as their task. Your disciple is an emissary under General Wei of the Southern Heaven. The General's affairs are extremely numerous: he protects the Buddha-Dharma of the three continents, and whenever there are disputes or situations of oppression and danger, he never fails to go in person to reconcile and instruct them, bringing about resolution. Now, conveying greetings, he wished to come before you immediately; but his duties detained him. He will arrive before long, and meanwhile ordered your disciples and others to converse and discuss with the Master."
1.13
Not long after, another deva arrived, saying his surname was Luo, a person of Shu. His speech was in the Shu dialect, and he extensively explained vinaya aspects. When we first met, it was like the etiquette of the mundane world, narrating causes and reasons with much orderly sequence, though [parts were] subsequently forgotten. Next, another deva arrived, saying his surname was Fei, who paid homage as before and said:
1.14
"At the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, your disciple was born in the First Heaven under General Wei. The various devas are intoxicated by greed and desire; through the power of past vows, your disciple does not accept heavenly desires, but practices pure brahmacarya, showing particular reverence for the Vinaya. General Wei practices kumārabhūta brahmacarya, not accepting heavenly desires. Under each king there are eight generals; the Four Kings and thirty-two generals travel around the four continents, going back and forth to protect and assist all renunciants. Among the four continents, in the northern continent there is little Buddha-Dharma, while in the other three continents the Buddha-Dharma is widely propagated; yet renunciants mostly violate the prohibitive precepts, and few act according to the Dharma. In the eastern and western continents, they have little clever wisdom, and their afflictions are difficult to transform. In the southern continent, although many commit offenses, when transformed they follow what is good, and their minds are easily subdued. When the Buddha was approaching nirvāṇa, we personally received the entrustment, and he ordered us to guard and protect them, not allowing Māra to disturb them. If we did not guard and protect them, when precepts were broken like this, who would practice the teachings of my Dharma? Therefore, the Buddha bequeathed this admonition, and we do not dare not carry it out. Although we see them breaking the prohibitions, we pity and protect them; if we see them practice a single good deed, we do not blame them for ten thousand faults; it is like forgetting blemishes and not retaining past errors. Furthermore, the foul stench among humans wafts forty myriad miles up into the sky; the devas are pure, and there are none who do not detest it; but because we received the Buddha's entrustment, we are commanded to guard and protect the Dharma. When the Buddha was even willing to dwell together with humans, the devas do not dare not come.
1.15
"General Wei, among the thirty-two generals, is the one who most preserves propagation and protection. There are many sons and daughters of Māra who slight and make sport of monks; those whose power in the Path is weak are all confused and disordered by them. The General rushes in haste to the rescue, cutting them down in response to the moment. Therefore, when matters arise and he must go to the place of the Four Kings, when the kings see him they all rise, because General Wei cultivates the kumārabhūta practice and protects the true Dharma."
1.16
Your disciple by nature delights in the precepts and vinaya. The Vinaya instituted by the Tathāgata during his lifetime—I was seated within the assembly and received the precept rules; therefore, when asking about various obscure texts and meanings in the Vinaya, there were none in which stagnant doubts were not resolved. However, in this Eastern Land, the Three Jewels have long existed; they frequently manifest among mountains, seas, waters, and rocks, but people merely consider them spiritual and revere them; when inquiring into their origins, no one knows where to turn. Thus, following these circumstances, I inquired of them accordingly. Furthermore, I generally raise textual aspects and summarize them with principle; if one has not observed broadly, one cannot speak of them. In my youth, I delighted in hearing much of texts that were rare in the world and stood out from the vulgar; hence the Soushen, Yanshen, Mingxiang, Mingbao, Jingyi, Shuyi, Zhiguai, and Luyou—I have examined them all, and hold no doubts. How much more so with the Buddha's distribution of devas' accounts, texts of courageous and vigorous mind, aiding the body and spirit, and guarding cities and pagodas—these matters have been heard of previously and are not mere empty talk. The various subsequent accounts of conditions are all recorded and commented upon in accordance with what emerged.
1.17
First Question: Buddha Affairs
1.18
"Regarding the stone Buddha image of Prabhūtaratna in Chengdu of Yizhou, in what era did this image surge forth from the earth?"
1.19
He replied: "The original foundation of the capital of Shu was upon Mount Qingcheng. Present-day Chengdu was the site of a great sea. Formerly, in the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, someone made it at the Xi'er River, modeled upon the complete-body form of Prabhūtaratna Buddha. It was at the Vulture Head Mountain Monastery on the Xi'er River. There was a person from Chengdu who went there for trade, requested the image, and was bringing it back. When he arrived at the location of the present-day Prabhūtaratna Monastery, it was sunk by a sea spirit stepping on the boat. Initially, the person who took the image saw the son of the sea spirit wandering on the shore, thought he was a mountain monster, and killed him. Because of this, the spirit was enraged and overturned the boat; both the person and the image drowned, together in the same boat. Formerly, Prabhūtaratna Buddha was at Vulture Head Mountain Monastery; its ancient foundation still remains, and there is still a stupa that constantly emits radiant light. Now, to go to that land, the road goes by way of Langzhou, crosses large and small mountains, calculated to be over three thousand li, before reaching the Xi'er River. The river is very wide, sometimes a hundred li, sometimes five hundred li; in the middle there are mountain islands, where there are also ancient monasteries, sutras, and images, but no monks reside there. The sutras match this script; at times, one hears the sound of bells. The common people are prosperous, and make offerings to the ancient stupa twice a year. The stupa is like an ordination platform, with three tiers of stone masonry, and an overturned bowl above; their numbers are extremely great. The people of that land merely call them 'spirit mounds'; whenever they emit light, people sacrifice vegetables and food to them, seeking blessings and good fortune. That place is over two thousand li to the northwest of Xizhou, and not far from India; people frequently reach there (and so on). By the Jin dynasty, a monk saw an earthen mound emerging from the ground; as fast as it emerged he removed it, but in the end it could not be leveled. Later he saw it split open, and was deeply puzzled by it. Digging more than a zhang deep, he found the image and human bones in a boat; the skull, elbow, and shin bones were all thick and large, several times larger than those of modern humans. That was precisely the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, when the lifespan of humans in Jambudvīpa was twenty thousand years. In modern times, life is short and forms are small; this is naturally the norm. When it first came out, it was difficult to drag and pull; your disciple transformed into an old man, directing skillful means, and in a moment it was brought out. When the Zhou dynasty abolished the Dharma, it was temporarily hidden. When the Sui arose, it was brought out again. The people of Shu only knew that its spiritual presence emerged from the earth, but could not fathom its origin; seeing the words 'Prabhūtaratna' on its lotus pedestal, they consequently named it Prabhūtaratna Buddha, and consequently named it Prabhūtaratna Monastery."
1.20
I asked: "Clerical script for 'Prabhūtaratna' originated during the fallen Qin dynasty; how could the script of the Divine Continent have already existed in the time of Kāśyapa Buddha?"
1.21
He replied, "The clerical script of Li Si of the fallen Qin was merely an inheritance from an antiquity far earlier. The emergence of the clerical script arose in the era of ancient Buddhas. At present, in the more than one thousand surrounding lands on all four sides of this southern continent, and among the more than one hundred countries adorning this corner of Jambudvīpa, their scripts and spoken sounds are identical to those of the Tang today. It is only because the sea routes are so distant, traversing several hundreds of thousands of li, that translators have not transmitted them; consequently, this land remains insular and stuck in its narrow ways—this is hardly surprising. Have you not heard, Master? Gu Yewang of the Liang, the Great Erudite of the National University, made wide inquiries into the origins of characters and found that their appearance and disappearance were unfixed. Thus the preface to the Yupian states: 'When the tomb of Lord Chunshen was opened, the inscriptions found therein were all in clerical script.' Checking this, Lord Chunshen lived during the era of the Six States under the Zhou dynasty; thus the clerical script did not originate on the day the Qin annexed the realm. If even the various seal and clerical scripts of this land remain murky, how could they know of the events from the time of Kāśyapa Buddha? It simply lies beyond what their ears and eyes have heard and seen."
1.22
I asked again, "West of the current capital stands the Gaosi Earthen Terrace. Common folklore calls it the terrace where Cangjie created writing. Why then do you say that clerical script already existed in ancient times?"
1.23
He replied, "That Cangjie piled up earth on this terrace to make a platform and observed the footprints of birds is not without basis. Moreover, regarding the traditions of Cangjie, people in this land rarely know their true origin. Some say he was a minister of the Yellow Emperor; others say he was an ancient king. The script based on bird footprints was merely one variant trajectory; to discuss its present usage here would be of no benefit, so we need not labour to expound it."
1.24
There was also a deva named Lu Xuanchang who came to visit, saying:
1.25
"In the time of King Mu of the Zhou, this disciple was born in the First Heaven; originally I was a deva from the era of Kāśyapa Buddha. In order to facilitate conversion, I temporarily manifested during the Zhou. Regarding your question about the Gaosi Terrace west of the capital: originally, this was where Kāśyapa Buddha held his third assembly to preach the Dharma and liberate people. Down to the time of King Mu, Mañjuśrī and Maudgalyāyana came to transform [the realm]; King Mu followed them—these were precisely the 'transformed persons' referred to in the Liezi. The transformed persons showed King Mu that the Gaosi Terrace was where Kāśyapa Buddha had preached the Dharma, and so he constructed the Three Assemblies Sanctuary there.
1.26
"In the time of Duke Mu of Qin, a stone Buddha was found in Fufeng. Duke Mu did not recognise it and cast it into the horse stables, defiling the image. The deity protecting the image grew wrathful and afflicted the Duke with illness. In a dream, the Duke also journeyed to the High Emperor, where he was severely rebuked and admonished. Upon waking, he questioned his ministers. You Yu answered, 'Your servant has read the ancient books: in the time of King Mu of Zhou, a transformed person came to this land, claiming to be a Buddha spirit. King Mu believed in him and built the Central Heaven Terrace on Mount Zhongnan, over a thousand feet high, whose foundations still exist today. He also built a shrine at the Cangjie Terrace called the Three Assemblies Sanctuary. Is not your Grace's present affliction caused by this Buddha spirit?'
1.27
"The Duke was terrified upon hearing this and said to You Yu, 'I recently obtained a stone person whose robes and cap were unlike anything made today, and I discarded it in the horse stables. Could that not be this Buddha spirit?'
1.28
"You Yu went to look upon hearing this, and reported, 'This is truly a Buddha spirit.'"
1.29
"The Duke took the image, bathed it, and placed it in a pure site, whereupon the image emitted light. The Duke was terrified once more, thinking the spirit was angered, and slaughtered the three sacrificial animals to offer to it; but the various good spirits lifted them and cast them far away. The Duke was terrified again and asked You Yu about it. He replied, 'Your servant has heard that Buddha spirits are pure and clean; they do not partake of wine or meat, and they cherish the lives of living beings just as they would protect an only child. All that is offered should be nothing more than burning incense; acceptable offerings are things such as cakes and fruit.'"
1.30
"The Duke was exceedingly pleased and wished to fashion a Buddha image, but there were no craftsmen. He asked You Yu again, who replied, 'Beside where King Mu once built the monastery, there should be craftsmen.'"
1.31
"Thereupon, in a village south of Gaosi Terrace, they found an old man surnamed Wang, named An, aged one hundred and eighty years. He said of himself, 'I once saw people making them at the Three Assemblies Sanctuary. Your servant is now aged and lacks the strength to do it. North of the village where I live there are four brothers who once served as apprentices to the craftsmen at that sanctuary; please summon them to make it together.'"
1.32
"They made it according to his words, completing a bronze image with its primary and secondary marks fully perfected. The Duke was pleased and rewarded them lavishly. The men used the wealth they obtained to perform acts of merit, erecting a multi-storey pavilion three hundred feet high upon the earthen terrace. People of the time called it 'Gaosi Terrace' or 'Gaosi Pavilion'. The men were surnamed Gao, and the eldest was named Si; others say it was because the four brothers established it together, or that it was designated by the name of the eldest brother. Thus the name 'Gaosi' has been used down to the present day."
1.33
He asked again, "Maudgalyāyana had already passed away while the Buddha was still in the world; how could he appear again?"
1.34
He replied, "There were six people sharing this name; this was the Lesser Maudgalyāyana, not the Great Maudgalyāyana. In the time of the Yuwen Zhou dynasty, Mañjuśrī manifested as an Indian monk and came wandering to this land, saying, 'I wish to pay homage at the site where Kāśyapa Buddha preached the Dharma, and also to go to the abode of Mañjuśrī, Mount Qingliang.' He asked both monastics and laity everywhere, but none knew of it.
1.35
"At that time, there was Dharma Master Zhimeng, only eighteen years of age, who asked the Indian monk in turn: 'How do you know that the remaining traces of the two sages exist?'
1.36
"He answered, 'Twenty li south of the Qin capital is the terrace where Cangjie created writing; that is the site.' He also said, 'It is fifty li south of the Sha River and forty li north of the Green Mountains.'"
1.37
"He asked again, 'To what do the "Sha River" and the "Green Mountains" refer?'
1.38
"He replied, 'The Wei River and Mount Zhongnan.'"
1.39
"This monk then waded straight south from the Wei River and arrived at Gaosi Terrace, saying, 'This is where the ancient Buddha preached the Dharma.'"
1.40
"At that time, Dharma Master Zhimeng followed him there to pay homage; shortly afterwards, the Indian monk vanished without a trace. When Zhimeng grew up, he recounted this fully to Court Chamberlain for Ceremonials Lord Wei. He requested to establish a monastery at that terrace in accord with the original precedent. A memorial was then presented to the Zhou king, and it was named Sanhui Monastery. During the Daye era of the Sui, it was abolished and merged into a larger monastery, and through this abolition and destruction, its assets were reassigned to Bodhi Monastery. The Buddha head in the Western Hall of the present Bodhi Monastery is precisely the Buddha from Sanhui Monastery. Twelve years after Śākyamuni Tathāgata converted Kāśyapa, he came to this terrace, and inside it saw the śarīra of Kāśyapa Buddha.
1.41
"When King Mu of Zhou personally travelled to Bactria, the Buddha told him that an ancient stūpa existed in his native land, and that he could return to pay homage and serve it. The King asked, 'In which direction?'
1.42
"The Buddha replied, 'Southeast of the capital Hao.' In the countries of Western India, there is a separate account detailing this. Last year, an elderly monk from the Lion Kingdom (Siṃhala), ninety-nine monastic rains in age and an attainer of the third fruit, heard of these sacred traces, walked barefoot here, and sought out Mount Qingliang. Supported and escorted by the state, he spent this summer there, and his wish should have been fulfilled."
1.43
I asked, "From ancient times it has been transmitted that Mañjuśrī leads five hundred immortals on Mount Qingliang to preach the Dharma, and the scriptures clearly state that Mañjuśrī is a bodhisattva who abides long in the Sahā World. 'Sahā' is the collective name for the great chiliocosm; why would he dwell specifically in this region?"
1.44
He replied, "Mañjuśrī is the primordial teacher of all Buddhas and immortals. He manifests to benefit beings in accord with conditions, responding with diverse transformations. The great being's spiritual work is not the realm of ordinary humans and is not worth assessing or measuring; know only that he mostly abides on Qingliang and the Five Terraces. At present, Mount Xianhua of Qingliang Prefecture in Wutai County is located there, and people frequently catch sight of him; one cannot but believe it."
1.45
I asked again, "At present, on Mount Wutai, forty li southeast of the Central Terrace, stands the Dafu Lingjiu Monastery. Its two halls, separated by a ravine, still exist today. To the south is a flower garden of some two qing, flourishing with colour in all four seasons. People have not investigated it thoroughly: some say it was established by Emperor Ming of the Han, while others say it was built by Emperor Xiaowen of the Wei. With such conflicting accounts, which is correct?"
1.46
"He answered, 'Both emperors built it. Formerly, in the time of King Mu of Zhou, the Buddha's Dharma already existed. This mountain was numinous and extraordinary, the abode of Mañjuśrī. King Mu built a monastery there to make offerings, and King Aśoka also erected a stūpa there based upon it. At the beginning of Emperor Ming of Han, Kāśyapa Mātaṅga also saw the stūpa with the divine eye and requested the Emperor to establish a monastery. The mountain's shape resembles Vulture Peak, so it was named "Dafu" (Great Trust)—"fu" meaning "trust". The Emperor trusted in the principles of the Buddha and built the monastery to liberate people. Emperor Xiaowen of the Yuan Wei, whose Northern Terrace was not far away, frequently came to pay homage. Footprints of people and horses were clearly visible upon the stones, so this matter can be understood. Not only Mount Wutai: at present, Zhongnan, Taibai, Taihua, and the famous mountains of the Five Sacred Peaks all have sages residing in them to maintain the Buddha's Dharma; they are everywhere. When someone prepares an offering, they must invite them beforehand. Seven days prior, they should place a soft seat in a quiet room, burn incense, set out the written petition, and close the doors to pray and seek them; there is none who does not obtain a spiritual response. When the time comes and they arrive, it is difficult to distinguish the ordinary from the sacred. If one does not do so, then because those who extend invitations are numerous, they will rarely come to dine. Nowadays, some make an image of the holy monk Piṇḍola and set up a room to make offerings; this too is one method. However, one must set aside an empty seat, place bowls in front of it, and when it is time for the monastics to eat, have a fully ordained monk receive it; one must not serve it using the monastics' common platters and basins. For although ordinary and sacred differ, neither touches the monastic dining vessels. If it is a lay household, one simply arranges it according to lay custom. If one does not set up the aforesaid quiet room, only other holy gatherings might descend, for the three continents share the same offerings and receive separate notifications in accord with conditions; hence this Piṇḍola is difficult to encounter.'"
1.47
I asked again, "At present, in Fanhe County of Liangzhou, a mountain split open and an image emerged. In which era was it made?"
1.48
He replied, "In the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, there was a bodhisattva named Libin who saw that the people of this land did not believe in karmic retribution and engaged in slaughter. At that time, in the place where he dwelt, there were tens of thousands of households that did not esteem the Buddha's Dharma. To save them, the bodhisattva founded a saṅghārāma for them, and Great Brahma Heavenly King crafted the body of the image with his own hands. After it was initially completed, the bodhisattva's spiritual power could make this image indistinguishable from a true Buddha, walking about and preaching the Dharma to instruct and transform the people. Although receiving this guidance, they still did not believe and accept it. The bodhisattva then displayed an act of terror: lifting a great rock in his hand roughly the size of the village, he threatened to crush them beneath it. The bodhisattva pretended to be fearful and exhorted them to transform; the people thereupon suddenly had a change of heart and came to have faith and reverence for the Buddha. All their slaughtering tools transformed into lotus flowers, and throughout every street and lane, flowers bloomed as if planted; only then did the auspicious image withdraw its spiritual powers. The bodhisattva also exhorted the laymen and laywomen to build seven monasteries, spanning one hundred and four li north to south and eighty li east to west, filling the mountains and extending across the valleys, with monastic quarters and Buddha halls everywhere. Only after thirteen years was it completed. At that time, twenty thousand people went forth as renunciants and lived in the seven monasteries for three hundred years. Because the power of their present karma was great, the evil deeds they had done previously were experienced lightly in that lifetime without falling into hell. But those previously harmed by them, who were in the evil destinies, made an evil vow: 'Those who harmed us—before they achieve sainthood, we shall harm them; if we do not inflict harm upon them, their evil karma will be exhausted and we will have no way to exact retribution!' Together they spat forth great fire, burning down the monasteries and dwellings, and the villages were simultaneously incinerated. Even if any managed to escape with their lives, they were drowned and killed by logs and water, leaving not a single survivor. At that time, before the monasteries were destroyed, the mountain deity took up this image and held it far away in the air. After the monasteries were destroyed, he placed it inside a stone chamber to make offerings. After many months and years had passed, the stone grew and the chamber vanished, until Liu Sahe bowed to the mountain and revealed the image. That Sahe was in his previous life originally the bodhisattva Libin. As for his body and head being in separate places, that involves other circumstances."
1.49
I asked again, "Regarding the auspicious Longguang image south of the Yangtze, people transmit that Kumārajīva brought it, while others say it was obtained from Funan. Which is correct?"
1.50
He replied: “It was not Kumārajīva; it was obtained by Emperor Xiaowu of the Song when he campaigned against Funan. In the past, within the three hundred years after the Buddha's demise, the great arhat Upagupta of Northern India used his supernatural power to direct artisans, spending three hundred years carving out a great rocky mountain to establish Buddha-grottos. From top to bottom there were five tiers in all, over three hundred feet high. He invited Bodhisattva Maitreya to direct [the work] and make a sandalwood image to be housed there. The Biography of the Dharma Master Xuanzang says: ‘It is over one hundred feet high.’ The Record of Sacred Traces says: ‘It is eighty feet high, with a foot-pedestal of eight feet, and regularly emits light on the six fasting days.’ When it was first made, the arhat took the artisans up to heaven; only after three journeys was it completed. The first was sandalwood, the second ox-head sandalwood, the third a gold image, the fourth a jade image, and the fifth a bronze image. What ordinary mortals see today is only in the lowest tier; the upper four tiers are closed. The stone grottos are crystalline and transparent, showing through to human viscera. In the sixth century, there was the arhat Fo-naizhe; upon his birth his mother died and was reborn in the country of Funan. Mindful of the heavy debt of gratitude to his mother, he took a small sandalwood image from the uppermost tier to let his mother make offerings to it. When his mother passed away, she was reborn in Yangzhou, went forth from household life to dwell in Xinxing Monastery, and attained realization of the third fruit. When Emperor Xiaowu of the Song campaigned against Funan, he obtained this image and brought it to the capital, which was also due to the arhat's supernatural power. His mother is now still alive, occasionally travelling to Luofu, Tiantai, and various places in the Western Regions. In the past, Fasheng and Dharmodgata went twice to the Western Regions and have a five-fascicle record that briefly recounts these circumstances. How could one say that Master Kumārajīva brought it on his back?”
1.51
I asked: “The scriptures translated in a single lifetime by Master Kumārajīva are fresh even to this day, and their reception and practice are ever more flourishing. Why is this?”
1.52
He replied: “The man was brilliant and adept at understanding the Mahāyāna, and all those below him were outstanding talents; they were the treasures of an era. Surpassing the future and illuminating the past, they were beyond what one could look up to [and reach]. Therefore, his translations made awakening and comprehension their foremost priority, grasping the intent of the Buddha's final entrustment. Moreover, he has been translating scriptures ever since the time of Vipaśyin Buddha.”
1.53
I asked again: “In worldly discourse it is often discussed, speaking of his falling short of the disciplinary standards of the precepts.”
1.54
He replied: “This does not need to be evaluated; it is not for ordinary, casual men to debate. Master Kumārajīva's rank is presently at the three stages of worthiness, and his transformations are universally effective wherever he goes. Now, his translation of scriptures excised redundancies and supplemented deficiencies, adapting them to the capacities [of beings]. Thus, for the single work of the Da zhidu lun, nine-tenths were abridged; from this, the rest of the scriptures and treatises may be known by analogy. From the time the scriptures were produced until today, their recitation has flourished without interruption or neglect; dark auspiciousness and spiritual resonance descend, and they become ever fresher through successive generations. By this valid cognition of proof, they deeply accord with the sacred intention. Moreover, Mañjuśrī instructed him, causing him to edit and settle them, making him exceptionally distinct from the common run. How could he, because of being ridiculed over a separate chamber, be suddenly forgotten in his profound purport? It is simply not worth discussing.”
1.55
I asked again: “Regarding the ancient image unearthed from the mountain of Xianji Monastery in Fangzhou, in what era was it established?”
1.56
He replied: “The image was made by Duke Mu of Qin; the place where the image emerged was where King Mu of Zhou built a monastery. After the Buddha's demise, King Aśoka's fourth daughter also made an image and pagoda, making offerings there. At that time, a person of the third fruit dwelt in this monastery, and the Qin prime minister Youyu constantly revered it. Long ago, in the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, a monastery was also established here, made by that novice Xianji, and his original name was retained for the monastery placard.”
1.57
I asked again: “At present, atop Mount Tantai south of Yuhua Palace, there is a brick pagoda, thirty paces on each side; the bottom tier is extremely imposing, with stone niches on the four faces and broken bricks on the sides. There are also over thirty brick kilns; the elders do not know from what era it dates, yet the sound of a bell is always heard.”
1.58
He replied: “This is King Mu's monastery, named Lingshan. In the time of King Aśoka, he ordered the mountain spirit to make an image here. During the chaos at the end of the Western Jin, the Five Barbarians seized and held the lands. When Liu Yao made Chang'an his capital, he repeatedly dreamed of this mountain, seeing the Buddha sitting within a brick pagoda, who spoke to Yao, saying: ‘Drink less wine and do not indulge in sexual desires. Banish the corrupt and flattering, and promote the loyal and good.’ Yao could not follow this; later in Luoyang he fell from his horse while drunk on wine and was captured by Shi Le. Earlier, when Yao was awakened by the dream, he had people search the mountain, and they saw this image sitting in a small brick pagoda, matching his dream. He then demolished the small pagoda and built a larger one, nineteen tiers high, and also built monastery halls that were exceedingly magnificent. The monastery was named Fadeng, and three hundred monks were ordained to dwell there. After Yao perished and the Zhao fell, thirty-two people in the monastery cultivated and attained the third fruit. Behind the present pagoda, immortals and spirits further built a monastery to make offerings to the monks of the third fruit. The spirits went to Mount Taibai to gather lingzhi herbs to offer to the noble monks, who all attained lengthened lifespans. The monastery is still extant today, though ordinary mortals cannot see it; the bell sound heard is indeed the bell of that monastery. Although the original foundation of its pagoda came from Liu Yao, it is still the site where King Mu established a monastery, and is also an ancient monastery of Kāśyapa Tathāgata. During the Zhenguan era, on the mountain of Ciwuchuan north of Mount Yuhua, deer were constantly seen gathering, returning as soon as they were driven away. Someone found it extraordinary and dug ten feet deep at the spot where the deer gathered, obtaining a stone image about ten feet in height.”
1.59
I asked again: “Regarding the sandalwood image of the former Daming Monastery in Jingzhou, it is said to have been made by King Udayana; according to tradition, a copy was brought from there to the Liang, and now the capital also has one. Which one is the original?”
1.60
He replied: “Daming is the original image. When Emperor Gaozu of the Liang passed away, the image came to Jingzhu. By the third year of Chengsheng of Emperor Yuan, after the Zhou pacified the Liang, the national treasures were all taken into the Northern Zhou. As for that sandalwood image, Dharma Master Sengzhen hid it inside his chamber and gave many gifts and bribes of wealth to the envoys, so the image was able to remain. In the ninth year of Kaihuang of the Sui, Gaozu sent the envoy Liu Guyan to welcome the monastery monks, and also requested the image to protect the Jing-Chu region. As Guyan was a local, he complied with them. He had another sandalwood image carved and took it to fulfill the imperial order. When searching for craftsmen at that time, he found a Brahmin monk named Zhenda to make it; this is the image at Xingshan Monastery today, which is also very miraculous. As for the original image in Jingzhou, the monks covered it with lacquered cloth, so its major and minor marks were not as fine as of old. It was originally made as the Buddha's body when he was seven days old. Now, with the cloth and lacquer added, it resembled the appearance of a mature adult; thus it was completely different from the original. Daming was originally the dwelling place of an ancient Buddha, which was why the spiritual image was unwilling to move north. Recently there was Dharma Master Yifa of Changsha; aided invisibly by devas, he became inspired and peeled off the lacquered cloth, so that the true countenance was revealed again, greatly stirring faith. Beholding the spiritual form, it was made entirely of sandalwood without any joins or repairs; its halo and pedestal were extraordinary, carved from ivory, and not at all something achieved by human craftsmanship. The body of the Xingshan image departs from the original in every respect.”
1.61
I asked again: “Regarding Hedong Monastery in Jingzhou, this monastery was very large. I have been friends with Dharma Master Song of Ci'en Monastery for many years; that man was a student under Dharma Master Yun of Hedong Monastery. He said: ‘This monastery once housed ten thousand monks, the greatest in China.’ Hearing this, I rejoiced, but could not fathom the name ‘Hedong’. Please elaborate on it, as it is also a grand spectacle of the Buddhadharma.”
1.62
He replied: “When the Jin house moved south, Guo Pu, a man of wide learning, surveyed the regional maps and said, ‘This Jing-Chu was formerly a royal capital.’ He wished to establish it in Xiazhou, but hesitated because it was too close to the mountains, so it received the designation Yidu. Going down to Songzi, the terrain had the appearance and posture of a capital city, so they dug a pit and weighed the earth; disliking that it was too light, they returned the earth to the original pit, but the earth would not fill it. They also saw a small hall surrounded by molded images, and said, ‘This land already belongs to the Three Jewels,’ so they stopped. Since ancient times, the royal aura of Jinling had not ended up to that time, and was certainly destined to last for three hundred years; so they made Jianye their capital. Nevertheless, in this place they established Hedong Commandery, moving the four clans of Pei, Liu, Xue, and Du to reside there. The land lay in a bend of the Yangtze River, resembling the river bend of Puzhou; hence it has the name Hedong. As for the Eastern and Western Monasteries: when Fu Jian attacked the Jin, the northern bank of Jingzhou was completely lost to the Qin. At that time, Huan Chong was governor of Jingzhou; he invited Dharma Master Yi across the river, building the Eastern Monastery to house the monks of Changsha Monastery, and the Western Monastery to house the monks of Siceng Monastery. After Fu Jian was defeated, the lands on the northern bank returned to the Jin house, and the monks of Changsha and Siceng each returned to their original monasteries; the Eastern and Western Monasteries were then broadly expanded based on their old sites. From the Jin, Song, Qi, Liang, down to the Chen dynasty, the assembly of monks regularly numbered in the tens of thousands. At the end of the Chen and the beginning of the Sui, there were 3,500 famous monks and several thousand pure men. The hall was twelve bays, with only two pillars spanning the beam of fifty-five feet; the brackets were piled up, a grand spectacle of the realm; it was built by Dharma Master Yi, a disciple sent by Shi Dao'an who filled the heavens. From the Jin to the Tang, there was never any decay. In front of the hall were four iron caldrons, each holding over ten hu, used to plant lotuses. The pagoda in front of the hall was built by King Yiji of Qiao in the Song. The molded images inside the pagoda and the Maitreya image in the eastern hall were all made by artisans from the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven; in the western hall, the many gold and bronze images, jeweled canopies, flying celestials, pearl banners, and flower pendants were all made by devas of the Four Heavenly Kings. The monastic assembly within the monastery, counting both residents and guests, exceeded ten thousand people. Among those prominent in lecturing and exposition, fifty-three persons had attained the holy fruit, each leading a thousand monks; the other junior Dharma masters were over five hundred persons. There were forty vinaya masters of the Daśabhāṇavāra, nine of whom had attained the holy fruit. There were over eight hundred meditation masters of the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, among whom two hundred and forty-four had attained the holy fruit. The disciples were solemn and disciplined, beyond full description. According to the regulatory rules established by the monastery, those who recited sixty sheets of scriptures were exempted from the duties of the karmadāna. Those who recited the Lotus Sūtra through were exempted from the duties of the direct superintendent. The monastery dormitories were five tiers high, all with seven rafters. There were ten branch compounds, large and small; the Pratyutpanna and Samantabhadra compounds were the most magnificently adorned. In every summer retreat there were regularly a thousand people; the rooms and surrounding colonnades and corridors of the monastery amounted to nearly ten thousand bays. The monastery opened three gates in two tiers, seven bays with two flanking halls; the hall buildings were laid out horizontally and not built one behind another, proportioned to the land to ensure long-lasting stability. Therefore, for over three hundred years down to the present, the hall buildings have suffered no decay. Among the great monasteries of the eastern river region, only this one was so lofty; shining upon the rivers and plains, it truly deserved to be called an imposing spectacle.”
1.63
I asked again: “Shi [Dao'an] who filled the heavens was looked up to as a model throughout the realm; it is said he rode a red donkey, and was seen morning and evening in Jingzhou and Xiangyang. I wonder if this is so?”
1.64
He replied: “It is true. Today in the Eastern Monastery, the Donkey Terrace still survives. Later generations revered that site, planting trees atop it and building stone ponds all around, adorning it with lotuses for offerings. This was an inconceivable trace of Bodhisattva Seal-in-Hand. Another text says: ‘The matter of riding the donkey is false.’”
1.65
I asked: “If so, why was the tradition fabricated? Hedong Monastery still has the Donkey Terrace, and south of Mount Long there is Donkey Village. According to these grounds, then riding a donkey indeed had its basis.”
1.66
He replied: “It is not so. Later generations built a terrace there and planted trees to make offerings; how could a donkey have been kept right beside a Buddha hall? Moreover, the name ‘Zhonglü’ originally came from Lü State, an ancient territory of commanderies and states. Later generations were not well versed in this, and so falsely drew the comparison. There are two different accounts of this matter, so both are recorded in full.”
1.67
I asked again: “At Sanxueshan Monastery in Jianzhou in the Shu region, why are the lamps in the sky constantly burning brightly?”
1.68
He replied, "On the mountain is the Bodhisattva Monastery, first established during the True Dharma era of Kāśyapa Buddha; Bodhisattva Pramodyarāja built it, and the monastery was named Dharma Lamp. From then until now, it has constantly shone brightly up in the sky. There are more than three hundred lesser bodhisattvas who have severed their intake of grain to enjoy vast lifespans, dwelling permanently on this mountain. This lamp was also continuously provided with offerings later on by the mountain god Jite (Te was an ancient ruler of Shu). Therefore, when the first month arrives, lamps are lit everywhere to make offerings to the Buddhist monastery."
1.69
He also asked, "Beside Xiangsi Monastery in Fu Prefecture there are many ancient traces engraved with seal script inscriptions, but their origins are unknown."
1.70
He replied, "At the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, there was a mountain god surnamed Luo and named Ziming, a man of Shu. Formerly, he had been a precept-upholding monk who harboured hatred toward those who broke the precepts. He made evil vows: 'Let me, after death, become a great evil ghost to devour precept-breakers!' Receiving rebirth according to his vow, he became this mountain god, possessing a vast retinue. The land he governed extended over five thousand li east to west and over two thousand li north to south, and he devoured upwards of ten thousand people each year. This god had formerly been the elder brother of Kāśyapa Buddha and later became his disciple. That Buddha pitied him, and so came to teach and transform him with various supernormal transformations. Only then was he subdued, received the five precepts, immediately recognised his past lives, and accordingly ceased eating humans. Fearing that his mind might change later, the Buddha left traces of his footprints. King Aśoka erected a stūpa upon them, atop the mountain peak, and the god then hid within the rock. The stūpa was made of white jade, and that god is present even now. The monastery and stūpa below the city walls were erected by King Aśoka (the account appears in the Protocols of Entrustment). At Lingkan Monastery on the border of Xingning County on North Mountain in Xun Prefecture in the South Sea, there are many miraculous traces. This was a disciple of the Holy One Mañjuśrī who became this mountain god and created much evil karma; Mañjuśrī pitied him, came to teach and transform him, and he thereupon recognized his past lives and requested that [Mañjuśrī] leave traces so that he might constantly worship and serve them and thereby be freed from all evils. Mañjuśrī manifested them for him, which are those present today. In the third year of Zhenguan, the mountain god passed away and was reborn in the Tuṣita Heaven. Another god came to dwell in this place—an in-law of the former god—who committed great evils. The former god who had been reborn in heaven pitied him and descended to request Mañjuśrī to manifest smaller traces to transform this later god, who also followed the True Dharma. Thus, none of the large and small traces manifested on this mountain today are without cause." (The account appears in the Protocols of Entrustment.)
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- 律相感通傳 — Classical Chinese