廬山蓮宗寶鑑 4.43

4.43

釋法照，唐大曆二年棲于衡州雲峯寺，慈忍戒定為時所歸。一旦於僧堂食，鉢中覩五色雲，雲中有寺，寺之東北有大山，山有㵎。㵎北有石門，門去可五里復有一寺，金牓題曰「大聖竹林寺」。照雖目覩，而其心內尚懷隕穫。他日食時，復於鉢中見五色雲，雲現數寺，無有山林穢惡，純金色界，池臺樓觀眾寶間錯，萬菩薩眾而處其中。中有諸佛嚴淨國土，種種勝相。照欣所見，因訪問之。有嘉延、曇暉二僧曰：「聖神變化，不可以凡情測。若論山川面勢，乃五臺爾。」四年夏，照於衡州湖東寺啟五會念佛道場，其年六月二日五色祥雲彌覆其寺，雲中亦有樓閣，閣上有數梵僧，身可丈餘執錫行道。又見阿彌陀佛與二菩薩，其身高大等虛空界。日既暮矣，照於道場之外遇老人曰：「汝先發願於金色界禮覲大聖，今何輒止？」照曰：「時艱路難，不止如何？」老人曰：「但能亟去則去之。何其艱也？」照未暇對，老人失焉。照以所見勝異，重發願曰：「願以此身奉覲大聖，雖復火聚氷河終無退惰。」其年八月十三日與同志數人，由南嶽前去，果無艱險。五年四月五日，至五臺縣，遙見寺南有數道光。六日達佛光寺，一如鉢中所見略無差脫。是夜四更，復有異光北來射照。照不知所裁，乃問曰：「此何祥也？吉凶焉在？」僧云：「此大聖不思議光攝汝身心。何乃問也？」照聞之，即具威儀前詣一寺。寺之東北可五里果有山，山有㵎，㵎北有石門，門傍有二童子，一稱善財、一稱難陀，引照入門北行。幾五里見一金門，門上有樓，其樓之側復有一寺，寺門有大金牓，題曰「大聖竹林寺」。寺之方圓可二十里，一百餘院，院院皆有寶塔，黃金為地，華臺玉樹充滿其中。照入寺之講堂，見文殊在西、普賢在東，皆踞師子高座。照於二菩薩前作禮問曰：「末代凡夫智識淺劣，佛性心地無由顯現。未審修行於何法門最為其要？惟願大聖斷我疑網。」文殊曰：「汝所請問，今正是時。諸修行門，無如念佛。我於過去劫中，因念佛故得於一切種智。是故一切諸法般若波羅蜜多、甚深禪定，乃至諸佛正遍知海，皆從念佛而生。」照曰：「當云何念？」文殊曰：「此世界西有阿彌陀佛，彼佛願力不可思議。汝當繼念令無間斷，命終之後決定往生。」說是語時，二大菩薩舒金色臂以摩照頂，與授記曰：「汝以念佛不思議故，畢竟證無上覺。若善男女願疾出離，應當念佛。」時二菩薩互說伽陀，照得聞己益加踊躍。文殊又曰：「汝可往詣諸菩薩院巡禮，以承教授。」照如其言歷請教授。次至七寶華園，從其園出，於大聖前作禮辭退。且見向者善財、難陀二童子送至門外，照復作禮，舉頭俱失。至十三日，照與五十餘僧往金剛窟無著見大聖處，忽見其地廣博嚴淨，琉璃眾寶以成宮殿。文殊、普賢可萬菩薩，佛陀波利亦在其中。照得見已，隨眾歸寺。其夜三更，於華嚴院之西樓，又見寺東巖壑之畔有五枝燈大方尺餘。照曰：「願分百燈以歸一面。」燈分如願。重願分為千炬，炬亦如之，行行相當、光光相涉，光中殊異遍於山野。照又前詣金剛窟，願見大聖。殆其三更，見一梵僧自稱佛陀波利，引之入寺。至十二月朔日，於華嚴院入念佛道場中，載念文殊、普賢二菩薩謂我畢竟證無上覺，又復記我念阿彌陀佛決定往生。於是一心念佛。正念佛時，倏見前來梵僧入道場云：「汝之淨土華臺現矣。後三年華開，汝當往矣。然汝所見竹林諸寺，何為不使群生共知？」照聞之，憶念昔時所見，因得命匠刻石，兼於所見竹林寺處，特建一寺號「竹林」焉。寺之云畢，照曰：「吾事畢矣。吾豈久滯於此？」不累日而卒焉。

Shi Fazhao: In the second year of the Dali era of the Tang, he dwelt at Yunfeng Temple in Hengzhou; his compassion, forbearance, precepts, and concentration were respected by the times. One morning while eating in the saṅgha hall, he saw in his bowl clouds of five colors; within the clouds was a temple, to the northeast of which was a great mountain, and in the mountain was a ravine. To the north of the ravine was a stone gate; about five li beyond the gate was another temple with a golden plaque inscribed: "Great Sage Bamboo Grove Temple." Although Zhao saw this with his own eyes, he still harbored feelings of doubt and perplexity. On another day at mealtime, he again saw in his bowl five-colored clouds; the clouds revealed several temples, devoid of foul mountains and forests, purely a golden realm, where pools, terraces, and towers were interspersed with various jewels, and ten thousand bodhisattvas dwelt within. In their midst were the adornments and pure lands of various Buddhas, with all manner of supreme signs. Delighted by what he saw, Zhao inquired about it. Two monks, Jiayan and Tanhui, said: "The transformations of the holy and divine cannot be fathomed by ordinary sentiments. If we consider the configuration of the mountains and streams, it is Wutai!" In the summer of the fourth year, Zhao opened a practice-site for five-tone buddhānusmṛti at Hudong Temple in Hengzhou. On the second day of the sixth month of that year, auspicious clouds of five colors covered the temple, and within the clouds were also towers, atop which were several Indian monks over a zhang tall, holding tin staffs and circumambulating. He also saw Amitābha Buddha and two bodhisattvas, their bodies vast and tall, equal to the realm of empty space. When evening came, outside the practice-site Zhao met an old man who said: "You previously made a vow to pay homage to the Great Sage in the golden realm; why do you now stop?" Zhao said: "The times are difficult and the roads perilous; how can I not stop?" The old man said: "If you can just go quickly, then go! Why think it difficult?" Before Zhao had time to reply, the old man vanished. Because of the supreme and wondrous things he had seen, Zhao renewed his vow: "I vow to offer this body to pay homage to the Great Sage; even if there be massed fires or rivers of ice, I will never turn back or become lax." On the thirteenth day of the eighth month of that year, together with several like-minded companions, he set out from Nanyue; as it turned out, there were no perils. On the fifth day of the fourth month of the fifth year, he arrived at Wutai County and saw from afar several rays of light south of the temple. On the sixth day he reached Foguang Temple, which was exactly as he had seen in his bowl, without the slightest discrepancy. At the fourth watch of that night, an extraordinary light again came from the north and shone upon Zhao. Not knowing what to make of it, Zhao asked: "What omen is this? Does it bode good or ill?" A monk said: "This is the Great Sage's inconceivable light gathering in your body and mind. Why do you ask?" Hearing this, Zhao straightaway put on full ceremonial vestments and went forward to a temple. About five li northeast of the temple there was indeed a mountain, the mountain had a ravine, and north of the ravine was a stone gate. Beside the gate were two boys, one named Sudhana and the other named Nanda, who led Zhao through the gate heading north. After nearly five li, he saw a golden gate with a tower above it; beside the tower was another temple, and at the temple gate was a large golden plaque inscribed: "Great Sage Bamboo Grove Temple." The temple was about twenty li in circumference, with over one hundred courtyards, every one of which had a jeweled stūpa; the ground was made of yellow gold, and flowering terraces and jade trees filled its interior. Zhao entered the lecture hall of the temple and saw Mañjuśrī in the west and Samantabhadra in the east, both seated upon elevated lion thrones. Zhao bowed before the two bodhisattvas and asked: "Worldly beings of the degenerate age have shallow, inferior wisdom and discernment, and the mind-ground of Buddha-nature has no way of being revealed. May I ask which Dharma gate is the most essential to cultivate? I pray only that the Great Sages sever my net of doubts." Mañjuśrī said: "Now is precisely the right time for your inquiry. Among all gates of practice, none surpasses buddhānusmṛti. In kalpas past, it was because of buddhānusmṛti that I attained the knowledge of all aspects. Therefore, the prajñāpāramitā of all dharmas, profound dhyāna-concentration, and even the ocean of right and universal knowledge of all Buddhas are all born from buddhānusmṛti." Zhao said: "How should one contemplate?" Mañjuśrī said: "To the west of this world is Amitābha Buddha; that Buddha's vow-power is inconceivable. You should continuously practice mindfulness without interruption, and after your life ends you will definitely attain rebirth." When these words were spoken, the two great bodhisattvas extended their golden arms to pat Zhao's crown and bestowed a prediction upon him: "Because of the inconceivability of buddhānusmṛti, you will ultimately realize supreme awakening. If good men and good women wish to quickly escape, they should practice buddhānusmṛti." At that time, the two bodhisattvas recited gāthās to each other, and upon hearing them, Zhao leaped with even greater joy. Mañjuśrī further said: "You may go and make a pilgrimage to the courtyards of the various bodhisattvas to receive their instructions." Following his words, Zhao went around to request instructions. Next he reached a garden of flowers made of the seven jewels; emerging from the garden, he bowed before the Great Sages to take his leave. He saw the earlier two boys, Sudhana and Nanda, escort him outside the gate; Zhao bowed again, and when he raised his head, both had vanished. On the thirteenth day, Zhao went with over fifty monks to the Diamond Cave, where Wuzhuo had seen the Great Sage; suddenly he saw that the ground was vast, adorned, and pure, with palaces formed of lapis lazuli and various jewels. Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra, together with about ten thousand bodhisattvas, and Buddhapāli among them, were present. After Zhao saw this, he returned to the temple with the assembly. At the third watch of that night, from the west tower of the Huayan Courtyard, he again saw five lamps, each over a foot square, beside the rocky ravine to the east of the temple. Zhao said: "I pray that they divide into a hundred lamps to gather on one side." The lamps divided according to his wish. He prayed again that they divide into a thousand torches, and the torches did likewise; rows aligned with rows and lights interfused with lights, and the extraordinary radiance within the lights spread throughout the mountains and wilderness. Zhao again proceeded to the Diamond Cave, praying to see the Great Sage. Around the third watch, he saw an Indian monk who called himself Buddhapāli, who led him into the temple. On the first day of the twelfth month, inside the buddhānusmṛti practice-site at the Huayan Courtyard, he repeatedly recalled how the two bodhisattvas Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra had said that he would ultimately realize supreme awakening, and had further prophesied that by reciting Amitābha Buddha he would definitely attain rebirth. Thereupon he practiced buddhānusmṛti with single-minded devotion. While practicing right mindfulness, he suddenly saw the previous Indian monk enter the practice-site and say: "The flower terrace of your Pure Land has appeared. In three years the flower will open, and you shall depart. However, why do you not make the various temples of the Bamboo Grove that you saw known to all living beings?" Hearing this, Zhao recalled what he had seen in the past, and so engaged craftsmen to carve the stone and specially built a temple at the site of the Bamboo Grove Temple he had seen, naming it "Bamboo Grove." When the temple was completed, Zhao said: "My task is done. Why should I linger here long?" Within a few days, he passed away.