淨土往生傳 3.12

3.12

釋僧藏。西河人也。不本其氏。賦性謙損。不與物競。見耆年則敬之。遇有德則尊之。凡涉勞苦必居眾。先念彌陀佛二十許年。未甞口言非惡。每以速出三界。無先念佛。以故行若遺坐。若忘飲食。寢息安養之志在焉。唐僖宗。乾符中臥病。病中見淨土化佛光照其身。侍疾者在藏之側。藏曰。自惟塵劫。以至今日。所積愆尤如微塵數。豈意。今日聖眾光燭吾身。此真淨土教主。大慈攝我。爾次日又謂僧曰。吾適冥目正在淨土。接諸上善。又曰。諸上善人。咸樂吾來。且與吾等散華。爾未逾食頃。又曰。諸上善人。方茲召我。我其去矣。乃起整衣。西向云滅。

Shi Sengzang was a native of Xihe. His family surname is unknown. By nature he was humble and modest, never contending with others. When he saw the elderly, he respected them; when he met the virtuous, he revered them. Wherever there was toil or hardship, he would certainly place himself ahead of the assembly. He had practiced buddhānusmṛti of Amitābha for over twenty years, and his mouth never uttered wrong or malicious words. Always considering that for swiftly escaping the three realms nothing comes before buddhānusmṛti, therefore whether walking he seemed to leave, whether sitting he seemed to forget, and while drinking, eating, or sleeping, his mind was set upon Anyang. In the Qianfu era of Emperor Xizong of the Tang, he fell ill in bed. While ill, he saw the Pure Land's transformation Buddhas illuminating his body with light. Those attending the sick were beside Zang; Zang said: 'Reflecting upon myself from dust-eon times up to the present day, the sins and errors I have accumulated are like the number of dust motes. How could I expect that today the holy assembly's light would illuminate my body? This is truly the Lord of the Pure Land Teachings, who with great compassion embraces me.' The next day, he again addressed the monks, saying: 'I just closed my eyes and was right in the Pure Land, receiving the various superior virtuous persons.' He also said: 'The various superior virtuous persons all rejoice at my coming, and are scattering flowers together with our kind.' Before the span of a meal had passed, he said again: 'The various superior virtuous persons are presently beckoning me; I shall depart.' Thereupon he arose, adjusted his garments, faced west, and passed away.