佛祖統紀 42.9

42.9

二年。勅沙門道士四百餘人。於大明宮談論設齋○上幸興福寺。觀沙門文敘講經。上稱善○白居易述華嚴經社記云。杭州龍興寺沙門南操。因靈隱道峯法師講華嚴世界品。遂發願。勸黑白十萬人持華嚴經一部。十萬人復勸千人諷華嚴經一卷。每歲四季眾會具齋。操捧香跪啟於佛曰。願於未來世華嚴藏世界大香水海上寶蓮金輪中毘盧遮那佛前。與十萬人俱。乃於眾中率財置田千頃以給齋用。來求記於予。曰予即十萬人中一人也。

In the second year, an imperial decree summoned more than four hundred śramaṇas and Daoist priests to debate and hold a feast in the Daming Palace. ○ The Emperor visited Xingfu Monastery to watch the Śramaṇa Wenxu expound the sūtras; the Emperor praised him. ○ Bai Juyi composed the Record of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra Society, stating: "Śramaṇa Nancao of Longxing Monastery in Hangzhou, moved by Master Daofeng of Lingyin expounding the Chapter on the Avataṃsaka World, made a vow to urge one hundred thousand monastics and laypeople to uphold one copy of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra; these one hundred thousand people would each urge a thousand others to chant one fascicle of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. Every year, in all four seasons, the assembly gathered for a communal vegetarian feast. Cao held incense, knelt, and addressed the Buddha, saying: 'I vow that in future lives, within the Avataṃsaka-treasury world, above the Great Ocean of Fragrant Water, amid the precious lotus and golden wheel, before Vairocana Buddha, I may be together with these one hundred thousand people.' Thereupon he raised funds from the assembly to purchase one thousand qing of fields to supply the feasts. He came to ask me for a record, saying: 'You are one of the one hundred thousand people.'"