續高僧傳 26.71

26.71

釋法朗。蒲州人。學涉三藏偏鏡毘尼。開割篇聚不阻名問。加復器用平直無受輕陵。決斷剛正未私強禦。後住勝光披究律典。經其房戶莫不懍然。仁壽二年。勅召送舍利於陝州大興國寺。寺即皇考武元本生處也。故置寺建塔。仰謝昔緣。初達州境。大通善法演業三寺。夜各放光。不知何來。而通照寺內朗徹無障。善法寺中見三花樹形色分明四月二日靈勝寺中夜忽放光。五色彩雲合成一蓋。通變為紫。比靈輿入城。雲蓋方散。又有五色彩雲。從乾巽二處纏糺而來。至於塔上相合而住。及掘塔基下深五尺。獲一異鳥狀如鸜鵒。色甚青黃。巡行基趾。人捉無畏。唯食黃花。三日而死。又青石為函。忽生光影。表裏洞徹現諸靈異。東西兩面俱現雙樹。樹下悉有水文生焉。函內西面現二菩薩。南邊金色北邊銀色。相對而立。又二菩薩坐花臺上。各長一尺並放紅紫光明。函內南面現神尼像。合掌向西。函脣西面又見臥佛。右脇而偃。首北面西。函外東面雙樹間。現前死鳥傾臥。須臾起立。鳥上有三金花。其鳥西南而行。至臥佛下住立不動。凡此光相從已至未形狀儼然。命人圖寫。上紙素訖。方漸歇滅。及將下日。忽然雲起。如煙如霧團圓翳日。又如車輪。雲色條別。又如車輻輪輻。雲色皆如紅紫。人皆仰視其相歎怪希遇。藏瘞既了。天還明淨失雲所在。當斯時也寺院牆外咸見幡蓋圍遶。謂言他處助來供養。事了追問一無蹤緒。朗慶斯神瑞。登即奏聞。晚還京師以疾而卒。

Śramaṇa Falang was a native of Puzhou. In his studies, he covered the three piṭakas, especially discerning the Vinaya. His analysis of the divisions and classes of offenses never faltered under prestigious questioning. Moreover, his talent was balanced and upright; he tolerated no slight or insult. His judgments were firm and just, never showing partiality to the powerful. Later he resided at Shengguang Temple, dissecting and investigating the vinaya texts; whoever passed by his room felt an awe-struck reverence. In the second year of Renshou, an imperial decree summoned him to escort relics to Daxingguo Temple in Shanzhou, which was the birthplace of the late Emperor Wuyuan; hence the temple had been established and the pagoda built to requite that past connection. When he first entered the prefecture's borders, the three temples of Datong, Shanfa, and Yanye each emitted light at night, with no source known, illuminating the temples brightly without obstruction. In Shanfa Temple, three flowering trees were seen, distinct in form and color. On the second day of the fourth month, a bright light suddenly shone at night in Lingsheng Temple, and five-colored auspicious clouds coalesced into a single canopy, entirely turning purple; only when the sacred palanquin entered the city did the cloud canopy disperse. Furthermore, five-colored auspicious clouds entwined from the northwest and southeast, meeting and staying above the pagoda. When the pagoda foundation was excavated to a depth of five feet, an extraordinary bird resembling a myna was discovered; its color was exceedingly bluish-yellow. It strolled along the foundation, showing no fear when handled by people, and ate only yellow flowers, dying after three days. Additionally, a green stone was used as a reliquary, which suddenly emitted light and shadows, translucent within and without, revealing various miraculous portents. On both its east and west sides, twin trees appeared, beneath which water ripples formed. On the west side inside the reliquary, two bodhisattvas appeared, the southern one golden and the northern one silver, standing opposite each other. Moreover, two bodhisattvas were seated upon floral pedestals, each one foot tall, both radiating reddish-purple light. On the south side inside the reliquary, an image of a divine nun appeared, her palms joined facing west. On the western rim of the reliquary, a reclining Buddha was seen, lying on his right side, head to the north and facing west. Between the twin trees on the eastern outside of the reliquary, the previously dead bird appeared lying prostrate; after a moment it stood up. Above the bird were three golden flowers; the bird walked southwest until it reached beneath the reclining Buddha, where it stood motionless. All these luminous forms remained clearly visible from the hour of the serpent to the hour of the sheep. He ordered painters to depict them, and only after they were transferred onto silk and paper did they gradually fade away. When the day of internment arrived, clouds suddenly arose like smoke and mist, circular and shading the sun, resembling a chariot wheel with distinct cloud bands, like wheel spokes; the colors of the clouds were all reddish-purple. All people looked up at this sign, marveling at its rare occurrence. Once the burial was complete, the sky cleared and the clouds vanished without a trace. At that moment, outside the temple walls, banners and canopies were seen circling around; it was thought that others had come to offer support, but when inquiries were made after the event, not a trace was found. Lang rejoiced at these divine omens and promptly reported them to the throne. Later he returned to the capital and died of an illness.