廬山蓮宗寶鑑 4.63

4.63

國學進士王日休，字虛中君。自行之智、化他之悲，已見張于湖序文，茲不再述。公龍舒人，有淨土文，因以為號。其文盛行天下，修淨業者莫不覽之。乾道中，廬陵李彥弼染時疾垂革，棺槨已備。忽夢一人神清貌古，以手按摩肢體。弼驚問，答曰：「予龍舒居士也。」弼因以疾告，公曰：「汝起，食白粥即差矣。」又曰：「汝還記闞仲雅教汝捷徑不？」弼曰：「每日念佛不輟。」弼覺，因索白弼食之，病果愈。後見公畫像，儼如夢睹。弼敬重公，稱生死骨肉，遂遣子姪遠從其學。一日忽迴曰：「居士於某夜講書罷，如常禮念。至三鼓，忽厲聲稱阿彌陀佛數聲。唱言：『佛來接我。』屹然立化。邦人此夜有夢二青衣引公西行者。又三日前遍別道友，勉修淨業，有不復相見之語。」噫！自非了唯心本性之道、達生死變化之數，不臻于是。或疑李之夢因想以成，弼曰：「其指白粥愈病，又安可欺哉？」時丞相益國公周必大，睹君奇跡，製為之贊曰「皇皇然而無求，惕惕然而無憂。閔頹風之將墜，攬眾善以同流。導之以仁義之源，誘之以寂滅之樂。世知有作而莫識其無為，故中道奄然而示人以真覺。」李君謹愿無以報德，遂刊公像并事跡以傳遠，自是廬陵家家供事之。

The National University jinshi Wang Rixiu had the courtesy name Xuzhong. His wisdom in self-cultivation and compassion in transforming others have already appeared in Zhang Yuhu's preface, and are not recounted here again. The gentleman was a native of Longshu and authored the *Pure Land Texts*, hence his title. His writings circulated widely throughout the realm, and none who cultivated pure karma failed to read them. During the Qiandao reign, Li Yanbi of Luling contracted an epidemic illness and was on the brink of death, with his coffin and outer coffin already prepared. He suddenly dreamed of a man of clear spirit and archaic countenance, massaging his limbs with his hands. Startled, Bi asked who he was, and he answered: "I am Upāsaka Longshu." Bi then told him of his illness, and the gentleman said: "Arise, and you will recover once you eat white congee." He further asked: "Do you still remember Kan Zhongya teaching you the shortcut?" Bi said: "I recite the Buddha's name daily without ceasing." When Bi woke up, he asked for white congee and ate it, and his illness indeed was cured. Later, when he saw the gentleman's painted portrait, it was just as he had seen him in his dream. Bi revered the gentleman, describing their bond as kin across life and death, and sent his son and nephew from afar to study under him. One day they suddenly returned, saying: "On a certain night, after finishing his lecture on texts, the upāsaka performed his customary homage and mindfulness. At the third watch, he suddenly cried out the name of Amitābha Buddha several times in a loud voice. He declared: 'The Buddha has come to receive me!' and passed away standing firmly upright. On that night, people of the region dreamed of two youths in green leading the gentleman westward. Furthermore, three days earlier, he had bid farewell to all his fellow practitioners on the Way, encouraging them to cultivate pure karma, and spoke words saying they would not see each other again." Ah! Unless one has comprehended the principle of the Mind-only fundamental nature and penetrated the reckoning of birth, death, and transformation, one could not attain this. Some doubted whether Li's dream was merely formed from imagination, but Bi said: "His pointing out that white congee would cure the illness—how could that be deceptive?" At that time, the Grand Councilor, Duke of the State of Yi, Zhou Bida, witnessed the gentleman's extraordinary traces and composed a praise for him: "Majestic, yet seeking nothing; / vigilant, yet without sorrow. / Pitying the decadent customs about to collapse, / he gathered all good deeds into a common flow. / Guiding them with the source of benevolence and righteousness, / enticing them with the bliss of extinction. / The world knows how to act, but does not recognize non-action; / therefore in mid-course he suddenly departed, revealing to people true awakening." Gentleman Li was reverent and earnest, and having no other means to repay this virtue, he had the gentleman's portrait and deeds carved [on printing blocks] to transmit them far and wide. From then on, every household in Luling made offerings to him.