佛祖歷代通載 4.142

4.142

（二十五　己巳）　詔以釋迦寶像奉安顯節陵及清涼臺供養。帝於城西雍門外立寺。與騰蘭居之。以白馬駝經而來。遂名白馬寺。騰蘭初譯四十二章經。帝幸其寺。騰蘭進曰。寺東何館。帝曰。昔有阜無因而起。夷之復然。夜有光怪。民呼為聖冢。因祀之。疑洛陽神也。騰曰。按天竺金藏詮所誌。阿育王藏如來舍利。於天下凡八萬四千所。今支那震旦境中十有九處。此其一也。帝大驚。即日駕幸聖冢。而騰蘭隨往拜起。忽有圓光現冢上。三身現光中。侍衛呼萬歲。帝喜曰。不遇二大士安。知上聖遺祐哉詔。塔于上受。制度於騰蘭塔。成九層高。二百尺明。年光又現有。金色手出塔頂尺許。如琉璃中見。天香郁然。帝駕幸拜瞻。光隨步武旋繞。自午及申而滅矣。

(25. Jisi [69 CE]) An edict was issued ordering that the precious image of Śākya be installed and worshipped at the Xianjieling tomb and the Qingliang Terrace. West of the city wall, outside Yong Gate, the emperor established a monastery for Mātaṅga and Dharmaratna to reside in. Because it was brought on a white horse laden with the sūtras, it was accordingly named White Horse Monastery. Mātaṅga and Dharmaratna first translated the Sūtra of Forty-two Sections. When the emperor visited the monastery, Mātaṅga and Dharmaratna came forward and asked: 'What is that mound to the east of the monastery?' The emperor said: 'Long ago, a mound arose without cause; when leveled, it rose again. At night, strange lights appear. The people call it the Sacred Mound and sacrifice to it, suspecting it to be the god of Luoyang.' Mātaṅga said: 'According to what is recorded in the Golden Repository Exposition of India, King Aśoka enshrined the relics of the Tathāgata across the realm in eighty-four thousand places. At present, within the territory of Zhina-Cīnasthāna, there are nineteen such places, and this is one of them.' The emperor was greatly astonished, and on that very day went to the Sacred Mound. Mātaṅga and Dharmaratna accompanied him and prostrated. Suddenly, a round halo appeared over the mound, and the three bodies manifested within the light. The royal guards shouted 'Ten thousand years!' Overjoyed, the emperor said: 'Had I not met the two Mahāsattvas, how would I have known of the supreme sage's bequeathed blessing?' He ordered a stūpa built upon it, following the specifications of Mātaṅga and Dharmaratna. The stūpa was completed with nine storeys, two hundred feet high. The following year, the light manifested again, and a golden hand emerged about a foot above the top of the stūpa, seen as if through lapis lazuli; heavenly incense wafted fragrantly. The emperor processed to the site to prostrate and gaze upon it. The light circumambulated with each of his steps, vanishing only between the hours of noon and late afternoon.