釋氏稽古略 4.57

4.57

Imperial praise of the relic: Formerly, Taizu welcomed the Buddha-tooth relic—presented during the Xianqing era of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang to the great śramaṇa Vinaya Master Xuan by the prince of the Heavenly Kings—from Luoyang, and enshrined it in the Guanding (Abhiṣeka) Cloister of Xiangguo Monastery in the Eastern Capital. At this time, the emperor personally tested it with intense fire; it was crystalline, clear, hard, and solid, its five-colored brilliance illuminating people. The emperor composed a eulogy: / "Achieved through accumulated kalpas, the mark and pattern are upright; / Were it not for Nanshan (Vinaya Master Xuan's original biography), it would have been difficult to obtain. / The eyes behold layered golden tints moist and gleaming; / The hands hold a piece of jade-like light cool and pristine. / Calcined through a hundred fires, its spirit pierces through; / Preserved for a thousand years, its lustrous radiance remains whole. / Cultivating the fruit of meditative concentration is truly profound and secret; / With a righteous mind, do not regard it as something ordinary." / He changed the Guanding Cloister to the Fahua (Lotus) Cloister, built a multi-storied pavilion, and appointed Master Zhizhao Huiwen to preside over the incense and lamps (Nanshan sheli bei).