安樂集 2.36

2.36

第四、引聖教證成，勸後代生信求願往者。依《觀佛三昧經》云：「爾時會中有十方諸佛，各於華臺中結跏趺坐，於空中現。東方善德如來為首，告大眾言：『汝等當知！我念過去無量世時，有佛名寶威德上王。彼佛出時，亦如今日說三乘法。彼佛滅後，末世之中有一比丘，將弟子九人，往詣佛塔禮拜佛像。見一寶像嚴顯可觀，觀已敬禮，目諦觀之，各說一偈用為讚歎，隨壽修、短各自命終。即命終已即生佛前，從此已後恒得值遇無量諸佛，於諸佛所，廣修梵行得念佛三昧海。既得此已，諸佛現前即與授記，於十方面隨意作佛。東方善德佛者，即我身是；自餘九方諸佛者，即是本昔弟子九人是。十方佛、世尊因由禮塔一偈讚故得成為佛，豈異人乎？我等十方佛是。』是時十方諸佛從空而下，放千光明，顯現色身，白毫相光，各各皆坐釋迦佛床，告阿難言：『汝知，釋迦文佛無數精進百千苦行，求佛智慧報得是身。今為汝說，汝持佛語，為未來世天、龍大眾，四部弟子，說觀佛相好及念佛三昧。』說是語已，然後問訊釋迦文佛，問訊訖已，各還本國。」

Fourth, citing sacred teachings as proof to encourage future generations to generate faith and seek rebirth: According to the *Guanfo sanmei jing*, 'At that time in the assembly there were buddhas of the ten directions, each seated cross-legged on a lotus terrace, appearing in the sky. Led by the Tathāgata Śrīguṇa of the eastern direction, they addressed the great assembly, saying: "You should know! I recall that immeasurable ages in the past, there was a buddha named Ratnaprabhāvara-rāja. When that buddha appeared, he likewise preached the Dharma of the three vehicles just as today. After that buddha entered extinction, in the final age there was a monk who led nine disciples to a stupa to worship the buddha image. Seeing a jeweled image that was adorned, magnificent, and delightful to behold, having observed it, they paid reverent homage, gazed intently upon it with their eyes, and each spoke a verse to praise it. Following the length of their lives, they each died. Immediately upon dying, they were born before the Buddha. From then on, they constantly encountered immeasurable buddhas; in the presence of those buddhas, they extensively cultivated the brahmacarya and attained the ocean of the buddhānusmṛti-samādhi. Having attained this, the buddhas appeared before them and bestowed predictions upon them to become buddhas at will in the ten directions. The Buddha Śrīguṇa of the eastern direction is myself; the buddhas of the remaining nine directions are none other than the nine disciples of the past. The buddhas and Bhagavats of the ten directions attained buddhahood by virtue of worshipping a stupa and offering a verse of praise—could they be anyone else? It is we, the buddhas of the ten directions." At that time the buddhas of the ten directions descended from the sky, emitted a thousand rays of light, manifested their physical bodies and the light of the white curl, and each sat on Śākyamuni Buddha's seat. They addressed Ānanda: "You should know that Śākyamuni Buddha, through countless energetic efforts and hundreds of thousands of ascetic practices seeking the Buddha's wisdom, obtained this body in retribution. Now we declare to you: uphold the Buddha's words, and for the future generations of devas, dragons, the great assembly, and the disciples of the four divisions, explain the contemplation of the Buddha's marks and characteristics and the buddhānusmṛti-samādhi." Having spoken these words, they then paid respects to Śākyamuni Buddha, and having finished paying respects, each returned to their own land.'