龍舒增廣淨土文 5.48

5.48

The Chan master's name was Yanshou; he was originally a native of Danyang and later moved to Yuhang. In his youth he chanted the Lotus Sūtra. At first he was an officer in the county yamen and used up much official funds. Upon investigation, it was only for buying and releasing living beings. His crime deserved death, and he was led to the execution ground. Prince Qian of Wuyue sent someone to observe: if his facial expression changed, he was to be beheaded; if it did not change, they were to report back. Facing execution, his facial expression did not change. His life was therefore spared, and he subsequently became a monk. In Chan contemplation, he saw Avalokiteśvara pouring sweet dew into his mouth, whereupon he attained Avalokiteśvara's eloquence, filling scrolls as his brush moved. He composed the Collection of Ten Thousand Virtues Converging in the Same Return, the Mirror of the Source, and others, totaling several hundred fascicles. He served as abbot at Xuedou and Yongming, undertaking one hundred and eight daily practices, and diligently cultivated for the Western Direction. After he passed away sitting upright, he was cremated and a pagoda was built. A monk circumambulated the pagoda and made prostrations every day. When someone asked him the reason, the monk said: "I am a monk from Fuzhou. Due to illness, I arrived at the underworld, but because my lifespan was not exhausted, I was released to return. I saw a hanging scroll with a painting of a monk in the corner of the hall, and King Yama personally came to prostrate to it. I asked: 'Who is this monk?' The officer in charge said: 'This is Chan Master Shou of Yongming Monastery in Hangzhou. All mortals who die pass through this place; only this one person did not pass through this place, having already attained rebirth of the highest grade of the highest class in the Western Sukhāvatī. The king reveres this man, and therefore has his portrait painted to make offerings to it.' Having heard this, I specially gave rise to the resolve to come here, circumambulate the pagoda, and make prostrations." From this it can be seen that those who diligently cultivate for the Western Direction are held in high esteem by the underworld.