宋高僧傳 14.37

14.37

釋道光，姓褚氏，踰齓出家。方冠受具，詣光州和尚學通毘尼。於時夏淺德崇，壇場屬望，蓋天賚真士，為「東南義虎」，雲雨慈味，笙鏞道聲。光持《法華經》，創塔廟，洎沒身不怠也。上元元年庚子仲秋示疾，終於本寺，春秋七十九，法臘五十八。是日馳陽昧昧，淫雨㴓㴓，烈風崇朝，嘉木為折，乃東土福盡之徵也。俄然喜氣五色，亭亭如蓋，移晷不散，偏映精廬，即西方往生之意也。初光未歿，其月三日質明，支疾凝神，依色身觀，彌陀具相現在其前。滿庭碧華，昔所未覩者。四日昧爽，有異人請光為和尚，遂開目彈指曰：「但發菩提心」。至五日，曼陀羅華自天而雨。門人神烈、義津追慕弗遑，各分法味，流布行化，香火無窮云。

Shi Daoguang, whose secular surname was Chu, left home shortly after losing his milk teeth. Upon coming of age, he received the full precepts, and proceeded to the Venerable of Guangzhou to study and master the Vinaya. At that time, though his years as a monk were few, his virtue was exalted, and he was highly regarded on the ordination platforms. Truly, Heaven had bestowed an authentic master, regarded as the 'tiger of exegetical meaning in the southeast'; he showered down clouds and rain of compassionate flavor and sounded the chimes and drums of the voice of the Way. Daoguang upheld the Lotus Sūtra and erected stupas and monasteries, never slackening until the end of his life. In the middle of autumn of the gengzi year, the first year of Shangyuan, he manifested illness and passed away at his own monastery, at seventy-nine years of age and fifty-eight dharma age. On that day, the gallop of the sun grew dark and gloomy, soaking rains fell steadily, and a fierce gale raged all morning, snapping fine trees—this was an omen that blessings were exhausted in the Eastern Land. Suddenly, auspicious vapors of five colors appeared, towering like a canopy, lingering for hours without dispersing and shining especially on the monastery; this was an indication of rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Earlier, before Daoguang passed away, at daybreak on the third day of that month, he endured his illness and concentrated his spirit, contemplating the physical form of Amitābha, who then appeared completely manifested before him. The courtyard was filled with azure flowers, such as had never been seen before. At dawn on the fourth day, an extraordinary person asked Daoguang to be his preceptor; thereupon he opened his eyes, snapped his fingers, and said: 'Simply generate the bodhicitta.' On the fifth day, mandārava flowers rained down from the sky. His disciples Shenlie and Yijin mourned him without pause; each inherited a portion of his Dharma flavor, spreading and teaching his practices, maintaining the incense and lamps without end.