樂邦文類 3.120

3.120

Shi Tanluan was a native of Yanmen. In his youth he traveled to Wutai, where, moved by spiritual wonders, he vowed to leave secular life; he thoroughly immersed himself in the texts and principles of the sudden and gradual [teachings] of the three vehicles. By nature, the Master was fond of esoteric arts. Hearing that the Hermit Tao south of the Yangtze possessed methods for longevity, he traveled a thousand li to join him. Tao thereupon transmitted to him ten fascicles of Daoist scriptures that he had studied. The Master leaped with joy, self-satisfied, believing that immortal transcendence could surely be attained. Later, returning to Luoyang, he met the Tripiṭaka Master Bodhiruci, with whom he found great rapport. He asked Ruci: 'Does the Buddha's path have longevity? Can it ward off aging and bring about immortality?' Ruci laughed and said: 'Longevity and immortality belong to the path of our Buddha; what do the Daoists have of it?' He thereupon handed him the *Contemplation Sutra* in sixteen contemplations, saying: 'If you recite this, you will no longer be reborn in the three realms, nor long wander through the ten destinies; waxing and waning, news [of fortune], misfortune and blessing, success and failure will not be able to reach you. As for its lifespan, there is the kalpa-stone and the sands of the river. The number of sands and stones is limited, but the count of this lifespan is boundless: this is the longevity of our Golden Immortal.' Tanluan received his words and immediately gave rise to deep faith. Thereupon he burned the Daoist scriptures he had studied and devoted himself exclusively to the *Contemplation Sutra*, cultivating the three meritorious karmas and visualizing the nine lotuses. Though the seasons shifted between cold and heat, and illness invaded him, he never slacked in his initial resolve. The ruler of the Wei admired his lofty aspiration and named him Shenluan ('Divine Luan'). One evening while he was engaged in recitation, an Indian monk suddenly walked upright into the room and said: 'I am Nāgārjuna, and my dwelling is the Pure Land. Because you have the aspiration for the Pure Land, I have come to see you.' Luan said: 'What instruction do you have for me?' Nāgārjuna said: 'What has already passed cannot be reached; what is yet to come cannot be chased; where is the present now? The white colt cannot be turned back.' Having spoken, he vanished. Tanluan, considering the extraordinary nature of what he had seen, knew for certain that the time of his death had arrived. He immediately gathered the assembly and laid out grand admonitions, then had them chant 'Amitābha Buddha' in a high voice; Tanluan then faced west, closed his eyes, and passed away. The entire assembly together heard the sound of stringed and wind instruments coming from the west, falling silent only after a long while. The ruler of the Wei was deeply moved and decreed that he be buried west of the Fen River, listing his life and conduct to erect a stele.