佛祖統紀 47.15

47.15

In the fourth year, Liu Yu of the puppet Qi invaded together with the Jin barbarians. The Emperor issued an edict to lead the campaign in person. In the ninth month, the Emperor personally went to the Great Being Hall at Tianzhu, burning incense and reverently praying for an early pacification of the northern barbarians. Soon afterward, Pacification Commissioner of Huaidong Han Shizhong defeated the Jin and Qi forces at Chengzhou. Shizhong presented the captives at the temporary capital, and in doing so set forth the case of those who had fallen in battle, begging for supplementary posthumous relief. The Emperor said with distress, "Those who died by blade and arrow are truly pitiable!" He immediately ordered Academician of the Hanlin Academy Hu Songnian to draft the text and establish a Great Water-Land Feast to provide salvation. On that evening, some saw ghosts and spirits gathering in great numbers, and some dreamt of the fallen soldiers all rejoicing and congratulating one another, considering that from then on they would attain rebirth in good destinies. When the Emperor heard this, he was greatly pleased. In the fifth year, there was a great drought lasting a full month. An imperial decree summoned Master Dao into the palace to pray for rain. He erected an altar and performed the ritual, placing fresh crucian carp into each of four golden vases, spurting water upon them, and silently praying. He dispatched four swift runners to cast them into the river; before the messengers had returned, the rain was already falling abundantly. The Emperor was greatly pleased and specially bestowed a golden alms bowl upon him. In the ninth month, the Emperor visited the Great Being Hall at Tianzhu to burn incense. The abbot Yingru answered his inquiries fluently. The Emperor was pleased, and bestowed Mount Wanshuixiang to provide for the Great Being, along with ordination certificates, silver, coins, and the like.