四明尊者教行錄 6.68

6.68

曾相公府契勘本府明州延慶寺，法智大師（知禮）夜夢神者報云：來日相公入院，出門將迎。次日門首伺候，乃余之來，因語其夢，歸聞家母。次同謁見法智大師，相接從欵，果應此夢。當為檀信，送供於此院。自蒙聖朝御用宰執，家母不爽此願，置買莊田於明州鄞縣清道鄉，或存則為保慶平安，或化則為追遠諱日。永永羞設，年年不廢。家母遺言：所置不多，貽遠子孫，次第置買，添歸常住，永遠供僧，乃存亡獲益俾，令根深條茂源遠流長者也。今復思之，立身之本莫大於孝，孝莫大養生送死謹終追遠。故憑延慶院主首，體此元意，羞設不令有違。所有二稅，作本府送納。仰依限送納官司，不許少欠尺寸升合，貴得此田此供利無窮者。右給付延慶院主首執照，仍付子孫通知。天聖三年三月日押給。

The household of Prime Minister Zeng, having verified with Yanqing Monastery of this prefecture in Mingzhou: Master Fazhi [Zhili] was informed in a dream at night by a spirit: 'Tomorrow the Prime Minister will enter the cloister; go out the gate and welcome him.' The next day, while waiting at the gate, it was I who arrived. He then related his dream to me, and returning home, I informed my mother. Later, we visited Master Fazhi together and conversed cordially, and indeed it matched this dream. We vowed to become donors and send offerings to this cloister. Since receiving imperial appointment as Chancellor from the sage dynasty, my mother did not fail this vow; she purchased manorial land in Qingdao Township, Yinxian County, Mingzhou, so that while she lived it would pray for celebratory peace, and when she passed away it would serve to commemorate her death anniversary. Offerings shall be presented forever, without lapse year after year. My mother's dying instructions were: 'What is purchased is not much; let it be passed down to distant descendants so that they may successively purchase more and add it to the communal monastic property, forever making offerings to the Saṅgha. Thus both the living and the deceased will obtain benefit, causing the roots to run deep, the branches to flourish, and the source to flow far.' Reflecting upon this now, of the foundations for establishing oneself, none is greater than filial piety; of filial piety, none is greater than nurturing the living, giving proper burial to the dead, treating the end with care, and pursuing the distant ancestors with remembrance. Therefore, I entrust the head of Yanqing Cloister to embody this original intention and prepare the offerings without omission. All two taxes shall be paid by our household. They are directed to be delivered to the government offices on time, without falling short by the slightest inch or measure, so that the benefits of this land and this offering will be boundless. The above is issued to the head of Yanqing Cloister to hold as verification, and also forwarded to descendants for their notice. Signed and issued on the [blank] day of the third month of the third year of Tiansheng.