樂邦遺稿 1.71

1.71

《釋氏要覽》云「東晉遠法師，雁門人也。止于廬山虎溪，招十八賢士，修西方淨業，鑿池栽白蓮華。又彌陀佛國以蓮華分九品，次第接人，故稱蓮社。或有云：嘉此社人不為名利淤泥所染，喻如蓮華，故以名之。又有云：遠公有弟子名法要，能刻木為十二蓮華，植於水中、用以機關，凡析一葉是一時，與刻漏無差，俾禮念不失時。因此名其社為蓮社也。」

The *Shishi yaolan* states: "Master Yuan of the Eastern Jin was a man of Yanmen. Residing at Tiger Creek on Mount Lu, he gathered eighteen worthy gentlemen to cultivate the pure karma of the West, digging ponds and planting white lotus flowers. Furthermore, Amitābha Buddha's land uses lotus flowers divided into nine grades to receive people in succession; hence it was called the Lotus Society. Some also say: Admiring that the people of this society were not stained by the mud of fame and profit, being likened to lotus flowers, it was named on that account. Yet others say: Master Yuan had a disciple named Fayao who was able to carve wood into twelve lotus flowers and place them in the water using a mechanical device; whenever a petal unfolded, it marked one double-hour, without differing from a water clock, ensuring that paying homage and recitation did not miss the proper time. Because of this, they named their society the Lotus Society."