中天竺舍衛國祇洹寺圖經 1.7

1.7

These were all deeds of ancient Buddhas, and thus they remain even in an anthill; their enduring bestowal is inexhaustible, causing future sages to follow the same course. However, worldly appearances never halt; hills and valleys interchange, yet the capable works return, thereby continuing through impermanence. Today, it has become a mound of ruins in a great wilderness, sharing the eternal lament of the overgrown millet; its remaining foundations are vague and obscured, bringing deep sorrow upon viewing the cold dew. Since [the Buddha] announced his departure between the two rivers and returned to truth beneath the twin trees, only after the Dharma flowed to Cīnasthāna were its supreme traces first heard of. Then people such as Fayong and Fasheng, and companions like Daosui and Daosheng, roused their refined spirits with ardent zeal for what had never been heard, regarding death as life, to pursue the traces of those lofty models. Having arrived at the old ground, they saw only abandoned dust. Although elegant marks were abundant, they ultimately transmitted only past traces; nothing is better than beholding them face to face to awaken the hidden mind. Yet, because past conditions had not been severed, unseen powers provided support; when devas and extraordinary beings heard of the meaning, they immediately took action. Venturing to use my writings to display the profound mirror, I was blessed with their illuminating revelation, which I have illustrated and transmitted.