龍舒增廣淨土文 5.28

5.28

少康，貞元初至洛下白馬寺，見殿中文字累放光明，探取之，乃善導西方化導文也。康曰：「若於淨土有緣，當使此文再發光明。」言未已光乃閃爍。遂至長安善導影堂，大陳薦獻。善導於空中曰：「汝依吾事利樂有情，則汝之功同生安養。」又逢一僧，謂曰：「汝欲化人，當往新定。」言訖而隱。新定，今嚴州也。至彼，人尚無識者，康乃乞錢，誘小兒與之約曰：「阿彌陀佛是汝本師。能念一聲，與汝一錢。」小兒務得其錢，隨聲念之。後月餘，小兒念佛求錢者眾，康乃云：「念佛十聲乃與爾錢。」小兒從之。如此一年，無長少貴賤，凡見則稱阿彌陀佛，以故念佛之人盈於道路。後康於烏龍山建淨土道場，築壇三級，聚人午夜行道。康升坐，令人面西。康先唱阿彌陀佛，次眾人和之。康唱時，眾見一佛從其口出，連唱十聲則有十佛，若聯珠狀。康云：「汝見佛否？如見佛者決生淨土。」其禮佛人數千，亦有竟不見者。後囑眾人：「當於安養起增進心，於閻浮提生厭離心。」又云：「汝等此時能見光明，真我弟子。」遂放異光數道而亡。

In the beginning of the Zhenyuan reign era, Shaokang arrived at Baima Monastery in Luoyang. Seeing texts in the hall repeatedly emitting bright light, he reached for and took them; they were Shandao's text on transforming and guiding toward the West. Shaokang said, "If I have an affinity with the Pure Land, let this text emit bright light again." Before he finished speaking, light flashed. He then went to Shandao's portrait hall in Chang'an and laid out grand offerings. Shandao said from the sky, "If you rely on my work to benefit and gladden sentient beings, then your merit will bring you to be reborn together in Peaceful Nourishment." He also met a monk who said to him, "If you wish to transform people, you should go to Xinding." Having spoken, he disappeared. Xinding is modern Yanzhou. When he arrived there, the people did not yet know him. Shaokang then begged for coins and enticed children, making an agreement with them: "Amitābha Buddha is your original teacher. If you can recite his name once, I will give you one coin." The children strove to get the coins and recited in response to his voice. More than a month later, many children recited the Buddha's name seeking coins, so Shaokang said, "Only if you recite the Buddha's name ten times will I give you a coin." The children complied with him. After one year like this, whether old or young, noble or base, whenever they met him they would invoke Amitābha Buddha; for this reason, people recollecting the Buddha filled the roadways. Later, Shaokang established a Pure Land bodhimanda on Mount Wulong, building a three-tiered altar and gathering people to circumambulate at midnight. Shaokang ascended the seat and had the people face west. Shaokang first chanted the name of Amitābha Buddha, and then the assembly joined in harmony. When Shaokang chanted, the assembly saw a Buddha emerge from his mouth; when he chanted ten times continuously, there were ten Buddhas, like a string of pearls. Shaokang said, "Do you see the Buddha? If you see the Buddha, you are certain to be reborn in the Pure Land." Among the several thousand people paying homage to the Buddha, there were also some who never saw anything. Later he instructed the assembly: "You should give rise to a mind of advancement toward Peaceful Nourishment, and give rise to a mind of revulsion and detachment toward Jambudvīpa." He also said, "If you can see the bright light at this time, you are truly my disciples." He then emitted several rays of extraordinary light and died.