中天竺舍衛國祇洹寺圖經 2.37

2.37

Furthermore, within each of the four corners of the Great Courtyard of the monastery, there is a courtyard. In the northwest corner is the Earth Deity Dṛḍhā, said to be a female deity with eighty billion subordinates. A great spirit image is erected facing the gate. The deity asked the Buddha: 'From ancient times all Buddhas have had images of ghosts and spirits. The World-Honoured One will enter nirvāṇa next year; why do you not instruct them to be made, to protect and maintain the saṅghārāma and the bequeathed teaching of your disciples?' The Buddha ordered the Śuddhāvāsa devas to make [images of] the Earth Deity Dṛḍhā and General Pāñcika. Made of heavenly gold, their forms were like true spirits. Twenty-six years after the Buddha's nirvāṇa, nāgas carved wood to replace them, and the golden images were brought into the palace of the great ocean. The images in the following three courtyards are also like this.