樂邦文類 3.112

3.112

Second: Master Fazhao. In the fourth year of the Dali era of Emperor Daizong of the Tang, he opened a ritual sanctuary for five-tempo buddha-mindfulness at Hudong Temple in Hengzhou, evoking auspicious clouds of five colors that covered the temple. Within the clouds were multistoried pavilions; he beheld Amitābha Buddha and two bodhisattvas, whose bodies were so tall and vast that they filled empty space. Furthermore, outside the ritual sanctuary, he encountered an old man who pointed the way to see Mañjuśrī. He consequently went to Mount Wutai, where the Great Holy One manifested Zhulin Temple. Zhao entered the lecture hall of the temple and saw Mañjuśrī in the west and Samantabhadra in the east, preaching the Dharma to the assembly. Zhao then paid homage and asked: "Common mortals of the final age have shallow and inferior intellects; their Buddha-nature and mind-ground have no means to become manifest. I wonder which Dharma gate is the most essential to cultivate?" Mañjuśrī said: "What you have asked is precisely at the right time. Among all cultivation gates, none equals buddha-mindfulness. In the past, because of buddha-mindfulness, I attained omniscience." Zhao asked again: "How should one be mindful?" Mañjuśrī said: "To the west of this world is Amitābha, whose vow-power is inconceivable. You should continuously fix your mindfulness so that it is without interruption; at the end of life, rebirth is certain." Having spoken, he rubbed Zhao's crown and withdrew. The master subsequently practiced the five-tempo teaching in Bingzhou, transforming people to practice buddha-mindfulness. Emperor Dezong, within the palace in Chang'an, constantly heard the sound of buddha-mindfulness from the northeast. He sent envoys to search for it, and upon reaching Taikang, they indeed saw the flourishing of Master Zhao's exhortation and transformation. He was then summoned by imperial decree into the palace to teach the palace women buddha-mindfulness, also in the five tempos. According to Liu Zongyuan's Stele for Upādhyāya Amitābha of the Southern Sacred Peak: "During the time of Daizong, there was the monk Fazhao who served as National Preceptor. Initially residing at Mount Lu, he proceeded to the Land of Peace and Joy by means of right concentration, where he saw someone in coarse, ragged clothes attending upon the Buddha. The Buddha told him: 'This is Chengyuan of Mount Heng.' When he emerged and sought him out, he matched the description, so he followed him to study and transmitted the teaching throughout the world." According to this, Master Fazhao took Lord Yuan as his teacher.