佛祖統紀 28.44

28.44

Sun Zhong was a native of Siming. Eating vegetarian food and upholding the precepts, he early on longed for the Western Paradise. To the east of the commandery seat, he built a hermitage, excavated two ponds, and planted white lotuses. Overlooking the pond, he constructed a pavilion. Monthly, he gathered clergy and laity to recite the Buddha's name, with three days as the period. Later, while ill, he invited a hundred clerics and laypeople to recite with him. Suddenly, he looked up into empty space, joined his palms in greeting, formed double mudrās with his hands, and passed away joyfully. The entire city heard heavenly music and an exquisite fragrance that gradually vanished toward the west. His two sons successively recited the Buddha's name and passed away sitting. He had once, through recollecting the Buddha, seen the Buddha's body manifest in the sky; he immediately addressed the Buddha, saying: 'I only pray that my Buddha will pause for a short while, so that my two sons may also gaze upon and pay homage to You.' He ran outside, found his two sons, and returned; the Buddha paused and stood there for quite some time. Later generations therefore named that place 'Buddha-Pausing Lane' (his other deeds appear in the Jiu Fahua zhuan).