樂邦文類 2.163

2.163

昔廬山遠法師，偕慧持、曇順，結劉遺民、雷次宗、周續之一十八人，并同志一百二十有三人，修淨業，以西歸為盟，號白蓮社焉。自此厭娑婆忻淨域者，繼踵其修。故晉宋之世至于隋唐，高僧賢士世世行之。由是臨終，有見乘紫金臺者、有銀臺金蓮者、有祥光異瑞者、有聽空聲讚歎者、有聞異香盈室者，至有目繫彌陀行來迎者，徵感非一，詳于本傳。故我皇朝林下高人、都邑賢哲，忻樂精修猶為特盛。矧茲小菴溪聲遶屋、松翠凝門，池淨紅蓮、水涵皓月，境靜地幽，車馬之塵不到，則可以策勵進行，為此身孕質青蓮之託也。謹遵先範募一十八人，為念佛三昧西歸蓮社。須端方貞亮始終無易節者，請得預焉。建社主菴（行因）謹募。住持延慶寺月堂（惠詢）勸緣書。

In ancient times, Dharma Master Yuan of Mount Lu, joined by Huichi and Tanshun, formed an association with eighteen men including Liu Yimin, Lei Cizong, and Zhou Xuzhi, together with one hundred and twenty-three like-minded companions, to cultivate pure karma, taking returning to the West as their covenant, and named it the White Lotus Society. From then on, those who felt aversion toward the Sahā world and joy toward the Pure Realm followed in their footsteps to cultivate it. Thus, from the Jin and Song down to the Sui and Tang eras, eminent monks and worthy scholars practiced it generation after generation. Because of this, at the approach of death, some saw themselves mounting a purple-gold dais; some had a silver dais or a golden lotus; some witnessed auspicious lights and extraordinary omens; some heard voices in the void praising them; some smelled rare fragrances filling the room; and some even fixed their eyes upon Amitābha walking forward to welcome them. The verifications and responses were manifold, detailed in their biographies. Therefore, under our Imperial Dynasty, the eminent recluses among the groves and the worthy philosophers of the cities and capitals who joyfully and diligently cultivated it have been particularly abundant. How much more so in this small hermitage, where the sound of the stream encircles the cottage and the green of the pines condenses at the gate; the pool is pure with red lotuses, the water embraces the bright moon; the environment is quiet and the place secluded, untouched by the dust of carts and horses! One can thus urge oneself forward to make this body entrust its substance to be conceived within a blue lotus. Respectfully abiding by the ancient model, I solicit eighteen people to form the Lotus Society for Returning to the West through the buddha-mindfulness samādhi. Those who are upright, loyal, and luminous, never altering their integrity from beginning to end, are invited to participate. Respectfully solicited by the founder of the society and master of the hermitage, (Xingyin). An exhortation written by Yuetang (Huidan), abbot of Yanqing Monastery.