淨土往生傳 1.11

1.11

釋慧恭。俗姓龔豫章之豐城人。入佛以來。與僧光慧堪慧蘭三法師。最相友善。蘭等力學。殆不如恭。而於淨土。陶蒸醞藉。以繫願想。恭不殆之。蘭甞謂曰。汝之力學博聞。是於佛道有資乎。聾夫奏樂而已。無聞聖人之明譏。汝承其譏乎。恭曰。胡為其然也。學不可已。達人之通議。孰能未死。昧昧如癡哉。後七年。蘭等俱死。死時各有先應。又五年。即晉義熙十一年。恭且病焉。病中載念。蘭等已死。自又纏困病苦。忽忽無所依。乃曰。六道相㳂。其何止焉。既而篤甚。又曰。死生去來。吾安歸哉。於是叩頭泣血。矢心于安養。雖夫病苦之甚。而其念也無一間焉。一日目睇無量壽佛。以紫金臺前至迎恭。恭覺其身乘彼金臺。臺中流出光明。若諸寶聚。又見昔者僧光慧堪慧蘭等。於其光中。欣然告曰。長老受生之處。已居上品。吾等之懷。不勝浣慰。但念五濁淹延淨土相依之晚也。恭於其日驟覺。身心無諸苦痛。奮身自起。言之乃滅。

Shi Huigong, whose lay surname was Gong, was a native of Fengcheng in Yuzhang. Ever since he entered the Buddhist order, he was on terms of closest friendship with the three Dharma masters Sengguang, Huikan, and Huilan. In diligent scholarship Lan and the others were hardly a match for Gong, yet regarding the Pure Land, they cultivated and immersed themselves deeply, anchoring their aspirations and reflections there; Gong did not match them in this. Lan once said to him, “Does your diligent learning and vast erudition truly aid you on the Buddha-path? It is merely a deaf man playing music. Have you not heard the clear reproach of the sage? Will you bear that reproach?” Gong replied, “Why should that be so? Learning cannot be abandoned—this is the consensus of wise men. Who, before dying, would willingly remain dim-witted like a fool?” Seven years later, Lan and the others all passed away, and at their deaths each had prior omens. Five years later—in the eleventh year of the Yixi reign-era of the Jin dynasty—Gong fell ill. During his illness he reflected repeatedly: “Lan and the others have already died, whereas I am entangled and oppressed by the suffering of sickness, agitated and without any reliance.” He then said, “Swept along through the six destinies, where will it ever stop?” As his condition grew critical, he further lamented, “Between death and birth, going and coming, where shall I return?” Thereupon he knocked his head until it bled and pledged his resolve to Anyang; though his illness and suffering were extreme, his mindfulness never lapsed for an instant. One day he beheld with his own eyes the Buddha Amitāyus advancing to welcome him with a purple-golden dais. Gong felt his body mount that golden dais, from which light streamed forth like clusters of various jewels. He also saw Sengguang, Huikan, and Huilan of former days amidst that light, who joyfully said to him, “The place of the Elder's rebirth is already in the superior grade! The feelings in our hearts are beyond consoling and delighting. We only reflect that your delay in the five defilements has made our reunion in the Pure Land so late.” On that day, Gong suddenly felt his body and mind freed from all pain. He exerted himself to rise, spoke of this, and then expired.