佛祖統紀 28.18

28.18

Bai Juyi went by the sobriquet Layman Xiangshan. His official post was Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. At first, he encouraged one hundred and forty-eight people to form an Upper Rebirth Society, walking while reciting the name of the Compassionate One and sitting while contemplating the form of the Compassionate One, vowing to certainly be born in Tuṣita in a future life. In his later years, afflicted by paralysis, he devoted his mind exclusively to the Western Land and prayed for birth in Sukhāvatī. He had a scroll of the Western Transformation Tableau painted and made a vow for it: “The Land of Ultimate Bliss is a pure realm, / Free of the evil destinies and all sufferings. / I vow that those who, like my own body, suffer from illness, / May be born together in the dwelling of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life.” One evening, reciting the Buddha’s name while sitting on his couch, he swiftly passed away (Tang).