淨土論 3.25

3.25

The wife of County Defender Wen Jingwen—her surname is unknown—was a native of Jinyang in Bingzhou. From an early age she suffered from hemiplegia and was constantly confined to bed and pillow. Her husband said to the wife: “Lying on the ground all day long, why do you not practice mindfulness of the Buddha?” The wife said to her husband: “Mindfulness of which Buddha?” The husband said: “Mindfulness of Amitābha Buddha.” Over the course of two years, she constantly recited the Buddha's name with her mouth. Suddenly her sinful obstacles were eradicated, and she saw Amitābha Buddha's land directly manifest. Rejoicing, she thanked her husband, saying: “Having been chronically ill for a long time, I have caused you great trouble and distress. Now, having received your instruction to practice mindfulness of Amitābha Buddha, I will depart the day after tomorrow. Please inform my parents and siblings to arrange a vegetarian feast to bid farewell.” The husband said: “How could an ordinary person be able to see the Buddha's land? Is this not an insane hallucination from a wind affliction?” The wife said: “It is definitely not a wind affliction.” Thereupon she informed her parents and relatives. When the time for setting out the feast arrived, she had five rugs spread above the ordinary monks, intended for the assembly of holy ones to sit upon. When the time came, seeing from afar the holy assembly in the empty sky not descending, she said: “They dislike the impurity and disorder of the monks and are unwilling to sit together with them.” She thereupon had the rugs taken and spread out upon the flat roof, inviting them to sit there. She also brought food and presented it to them. When the collective monks finished eating, she urged the entire family to gather, expounding the Dharma and instructing them: “I will now follow closely behind the holy ones to be reborn in the West. I resolve and vow that parents, relatives, and all will practice mindfulness of the Buddha and come to be born afterward. The Pure Land of the West is inconceivable.” Facing squarely toward the west, together with the assembly reciting the Buddha's name, she thereupon passed away. Those of this caliber are truly beyond what ordinary people can match.