安樂集 2.5

2.5

答曰：「皆有不虛。如曇鸞法師，康存之日常修淨土，亦每有世俗君子來呵法師曰：『十方佛國皆為淨土，法師何乃獨意注西？豈非偏見生也？』法師對曰：『吾既凡夫，智慧淺短，未入地位，念力須均。如似置草引牛，恒須繫心槽櫪。豈得縱放，全無所歸？』雖復難者紛紜，而法師獨決。是以無問一切道、俗，但與法師一面相遇者，若未生正信，勸令生信；若已生正信者，皆勸歸淨國。是故法師臨命終時，寺傍左右道、俗，皆見旛花映院，盡聞異香，音樂迎接，遂往生也。餘之大德臨命終時皆有徵祥，若欲具談往生之相，竝不可思議也。」

Answer: "They all had them without fail. For instance, while Dharma Master Tanluan was alive, he constantly practiced for the Pure Land. There were also worldly gentlemen who would often come and reproach the master, saying: 'The Buddha lands of the ten directions are all Pure Lands; why does the master direct his mind exclusively to the West? Is this not the arising of a biased view?' The master replied: 'Being an ordinary person whose wisdom is shallow and short, having not yet entered the bhūmis, the power of my mindfulness must be focused. Just like placing grass to lead an ox, one must constantly tie the mind to the manger. How could one let it loose with nowhere to return at all?' Although those posing difficulties were numerous, the master alone remained resolute. Therefore, regardless of whether monastic or lay, anyone who met with the master face to face—if they had not yet generated correct faith, he urged them to generate faith; if they had already generated correct faith, he urged them all to take refuge in the Pure Land. For this reason, when the master was nearing the end of his life, monastics and laypeople around the monastery all saw banners and flowers illuminating the courtyard, smelled extraordinary fragrances, and heard music welcoming him, whereupon he attained rebirth. The other venerable masters likewise had auspicious omens at the time of their deaths; if one were to recount the signs of their rebirth in detail, they are all inconceivable."