龍舒增廣淨土文 5.22

5.22

Huaiyu concentrated his thoughts on the pure karma for nearly forty years. In the first year of the Tianbao reign era, while Huaiyu was recollecting the Buddha, he suddenly saw the holy multitude of the West, numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Among them was one person holding a silver dais in his hand, coming forward to show it to Huaiyu. Huaiyu said, "For someone like me, I originally hoped for a golden dais; why is there a silver dais?" The dais then disappeared, and the person disappeared as well. Thereupon he redoubled his diligence and austerity. When twenty-one days were reached, the one who had previously held the dais came again and announced, "Because of your diligence and austerity, Dharma Master, you have attained ascent to the highest grade." He also said, "Rebirth in the highest grade requires first seeing the Buddha; you may sit cross-legged to await the Buddha's coming." Before one could turn on one's heel, an extraordinary light illuminated the room. After three more days, the extraordinary light shone again. Huaiyu said, "If an extraordinary fragrance is smelled, my saṃbhogakāya will come to an end." The next day, he wrote a verse: "Pure, bright, and free of dust and defilement, / The lotus flower transformation birth serves as parents. / Over ten kalpas I have cultivated the path, / Appearing here to show the suffering-weary multitude of Jambudvīpa. / One lifetime of austerities surpasses ten kalpas; / Forever leaving Sahā to return to the Pure Land." When the verse was finished, fragrance arrived from all four directions. Some disciples saw the Buddha and two bodhisattvas riding together on a golden dais, with hundreds and thousands of transformation Buddhas beside the dais descending from the west to welcome Huaiyu. With reverent joined palms and a smile, Huaiyu returned [to the West] forever.