佛祖統紀 27.145

27.145

祖新。受業四明福源布衣糲食為行清苦。去寺不遠有大姓方氏。以菴延之。乃於福源創淨土院造像栽蓮。月三八集道俗繫念。一日往別方丈曰。二月十五日將西歸。特來拜辭。枯腸欲得索麵一椀。主人如其欲。食訖竟往淨土院像前禮云。祖新將行。奉別尊像。即歸菴集眾念佛。遽出眾問訊曰。祖新已拜辭如來尊像。已拜別福源方丈。今別眾道友。十五日畢定歸去。願諸仁者。勤心念佛蚤得相會。即趺坐念佛。遽云佛已至此合掌而化。

Zuxin received his training at Fuyuan in Siming. Wearing coarse cloth and eating plain food, he led a life of pure austerity. Not far from the monastery was a prominent family named Fang, who invited him to occupy a hermitage. He then founded a Pure Land cloister at Fuyuan, fashioned images, and planted lotuses. On the third and eighth [days] of each month, he gathered monks and laypeople to concentrate their mindfulness. One day, he went to take leave of the abbot, saying, “On the fifteenth day of the second month, I shall return to the west, so I have come especially to bow and take my leave. My dry belly craves a bowl of plain noodles.” The host granted his wish. Having finished eating, he went directly before the image in the Pure Land cloister, bowed, and said, “Zuxin is about to depart; I reverently take leave of the venerable image.” He then returned to the hermitage, gathered the assembly to recite the Buddha’s name, and suddenly stepped out from the assembly, bowed with folded hands, and said, “Zuxin has already bowed to take leave of the Tathāgata’s venerable image, and has already taken leave of the abbot of Fuyuan. Now I take leave of my fellow practitioners in the assembly. On the fifteenth day I shall certainly return. I pray that all of you, benevolent ones, will diligently recite the Buddha’s name with focused minds so that we may soon meet again.” He then sat cross-legged and recited the Buddha’s name. Suddenly saying, “The Buddha has already arrived here,” he joined his palms and passed away.