佛祖歷代通載 16.16

16.16

（九　辛亥）　文宗喜食蛤蜊。一日御饌中有蛤蜊劈不張者。忽變菩薩像。帝驚異。有旨送興善寺令眾僧瞻禮。因問侍臣。此何祥也。或對。太一山有惟政禪師。深明佛法。詔問之。帝召政而問焉。對曰。物無虛應。此殆啟陛下信心耳。經云。應以菩薩形得度者。即現菩薩形而為說法。帝曰。菩薩形今見矣。未聞其說法何也。對曰。陛下見此以為常耶。非常耶。信耶。弗信耶。帝曰。非常之瑞。朕焉不信。政曰。陛下聞其說法矣。何謂未聞。帝大悅。詔天下寺並立觀音像奉祀焉。

(9 / Xinhai) [831 CE] — Emperor Wenzong was fond of eating clams. One day, among the imperial dishes, there was a clam that could not be split open. Suddenly, it transformed into an image of a Bodhisattva. The Emperor was astonished and issued an edict to send it to Xingshan Monastery, ordering the assembly of monks to gaze upon and worship it. He then asked his attendants, 'What omen is this?' Someone answered, 'Chan Master Weizheng of Mount Taiyi deeply understands the Buddha Dharma. You should issue an edict to inquire of him.' The Emperor summoned Zheng and questioned him. He replied, 'Things do not respond in vain; this is surely to arouse Your Majesty's faithful mind. A sūtra says: "To those who should be saved by the form of a Bodhisattva, he immediately manifests the form of a Bodhisattva to expound the Dharma for them."' The Emperor said, 'The form of the Bodhisattva has now been seen, but I have not heard it expound the Dharma. Why is that?' Zheng replied, 'Does Your Majesty regard seeing this as ordinary or extraordinary? Do you believe it or not believe it?' The Emperor said, 'An extraordinary auspicious sign—how could I not believe it?' Zheng said, 'Your Majesty has already heard it expound the Dharma; why say you have not heard it?' The Emperor was greatly pleased and decreed that all monasteries under heaven should erect images of Avalokiteśvara and make offerings to them.