廬山蓮宗寶鑑 4.43

4.43

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.