往生西方淨土瑞應傳 1.5

1.5

Dharma Master Tanluan of the Qi dynasty lived near Mount Wutai and had a penetrating understanding of the various teachings. Because he had obtained ten fascicles of Daoist immortal scriptures from this land, he wished to visit the Hermit Tao to learn the arts of immortality. Later, encountering a Tripiṭaka Bodhisattva, he asked, "Is there in the Buddha's Dharma a method of longevity and immortality superior to the immortal scriptures of this land?" The Tripiṭaka [Master] spat on the ground and said in astonishment, "Where in this region is there a method of longevity and immortality? Even if one gains an extension of life, when one's years are exhausted one must still fall!" He then handed the Guan Wuliangshou jing to Tanluan, saying, "This is the prescription of the Great Immortal. Practice according to it, and you will forever attain liberation and permanently leave birth and death." Tanluan immediately called for fire and burned the immortal scriptures. Suddenly, in the middle of the night, he saw an Indian monk enter his room, who said to Tanluan, "I am Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva." He then spoke a verse: / "Fallen leaves cannot attach again to the branch; / Grain of the future cannot be sought in the granary. / A white colt passing a crevice cannot be halted even briefly; / What is already gone cannot return, and what has not yet come cannot be pursued. / Where is the present? The white colt is difficult to turn back." / The Dharma Master then knew his life had ended. Gathering over three hundred disciples, he personally held an incense burner, faced west, instructed his followers, and exhorted them to venerate the Western Pure Land. At sunrise, they chanted buddhamanasikāra in unison, and he thereupon passed away. Five li to the west of the temple was a convent, where music in the air was heard coming from the west and going east, and after a moment was heard coming from the east and going west.