淨土論 3.22

3.22

次有并洲汾陽縣老翁，傳者不顯姓名。去貞觀五年內，聞說往生淨土功德，遂即齎糧食，依法忍山寺，隨僧借一房居，晝夜專念阿彌陀佛，眼不識睡。三五年間，修念佛業。臨命終時，徒眾遣使喚友得兒來共看。報徒眾云：「比來日日西方有無量師僧從西而來，並向東去，似赴齋僧。」又告兒言：「明日有光來照我，勿生怪異。」明日至時，果如所言，有光來照，周遍屋內。老翁向西，似欲登物，於即命終。

Next, there was an old man of Fenyang County in Bingzhou, whose name the biographers do not record. In the fifth year of the Zhenguan reign era, hearing about the merits of attaining rebirth in the Pure Land, he thereupon brought provisions and, relying on the Faren Mountain Monastery, borrowed a room from the monks to reside in; day and night he exclusively practiced mindfulness of Amitābha Buddha, his eyes knowing no sleep. For three to five years, he cultivated the practice of mindfulness of the Buddha. When he was on the verge of death, the disciples sent a messenger to call his companion to bring his son to come and look after him together. He informed the disciples, saying: “Lately, day after day, innumerable masters and monks from the west come from the west and all go eastward, as if proceeding to a vegetarian feast for monks.” He also told his son, saying: “Tomorrow a light will come to shine upon me; do not consider it strange.” When the time arrived the next day, it was indeed as he had said: a light came to shine, pervading the interior of the room. The old man faced west, looking as though he were ascending something, and thereupon passed away.