龍舒增廣淨土文 5.58

5.58

During the Yuanyou era, the wife of the Prince of Jing, together with her maidservants and concubines, diligently cultivated for the Western Direction. Only one concubine was lax and lazy, and the lady rebuked and dismissed her. The concubine felt remorse, awoke to her fault, and practiced diligently. After some time, she said to another concubine: "Tonight I should be reborn in the Western Direction." That night, a wondrous fragrance filled the room, and she died without illness. The next day, the concubine who had practiced with her told the lady: "Last night I dreamed of the deceased concubine, who entrusted me to convey her greetings, saying: 'The lady instructed and rebuked me to cultivate for the Western Direction; now I have attained rebirth, and my gratitude for her virtue is boundless.'" The lady said: "Only if I too dream of it can it be believed." That night, the lady dreamed of seeing the deceased concubine, who expressed her thanks as before. The lady asked: "Can the Western Direction be reached?" The concubine said: "It can be reached. Just follow me." The lady followed her and saw an expansive pond, with red and white lotuses intermingled, large and small, some blooming and some withering, of various kinds. The lady asked: "Why is it like this?" The concubine said: "These are all people in the world who have given rise to the thought to cultivate for the Western Direction. The moment a single thought is given rise to, a lotus flower is born in the pond. If the mind of vow is diligent, the flower flourishes day by day, even becoming as large as a chariot wheel. If the mind of vow retrogresses, the flower withers day by day, even perishing entirely." Next, she saw a person sitting on a lotus flower, his garments billowing and scattering, adorned with a jeweled crown and necklace. The lady asked: "Who is that?" The concubine said: "Yang Jie." She also saw another person sitting upon a flower; the concubine said: "This is Ma Gan." The lady asked: "Where should I be reborn?" The concubine led her on for several li, and in the distance she saw a golden terrace, gleaming with gold and emerald. The concubine said: "This is where the lady will be transformationally born; it is rebirth of the highest grade of the highest class." After the lady awoke, she inquired after the whereabouts of Yang and Ma; Jie had already died, while Gan was alive and well. From this one knows that for those who are diligent and non-retrogressing, though their bodies are within the Sahā world, their conscious spirit is already in the Pure Land. Later, on her birthday, the lady held an incense burner and burned incense, standing and facing the Avalokiteśvara Pavilion. Just as her children and grandchildren were preparing the ritual offerings for her longevity, she passed away standing up.