宋高僧傳 24.7

24.7

Shi Fazhi, of unknown origins. He renounced secular life in his youth and ascended the ordination platform according to the Dharma. Upright as a pine reaching for the sky, pure and hard as jade free from defilement, he paid heed to all lecture halls without exception. In his later years, regarding no gate as more direct than reciting the Buddha's name, he often said to people: 'I have heard the scriptures say that committing a single duṣkṛta causes one to fall into hell for an intermediate kalpa, which is believable. But I have also heard the scriptures say that a single recitation of the name of Amitābha Buddha extinguishes eighty billion kalpas of grave offenses of birth and death, which I find hard to believe.' People challenged him: 'Why give rise to such great wrong views? Both are the Buddha's words. You must urgently recite the Buddha's name; in time, samādhi will manifest.' Thereupon, upon the Tuṣita Platform of Guoqing Temple, he recited the Buddha's name day and night with diligence. Suddenly he took prior leave of clergy and laity, saying: 'I am going to the Western Pure Land; let my relatives and acquaintances hold a vegetarian feast for me for the whole day.' At midnight, he passed away without illness. At that time, a golden light came to welcome him, illuminating several hundred li. Those aboard boats on the river thought it was dawn, but full daylight came only after a long delay. Only then did they realize that Zhi had attained rebirth [in the Pure Land].