淨土往生傳 1.9

1.9

Shi Huiqian, secular surname Huangfu, was a man of Heshuo. He upheld the precepts and vinaya with pure diligence, and his resolve was especially firm. At first he resided at Mount Lu for barely ten years, and both monastics and laymen who practised the Buddha's path all looked up to him with longing. Because Master Huiyuan was at the foot of that mountain, his virtuous deeds were heard on the wind, and moreover he expounded the sublime Dharma to stimulate the deaf and the blind, Qian praised him with a sigh, saying: "He is a man, and I too am a man. If his virtuous deeds are not matched by me, how can my heart be without shame?" He then went to the Wu and Kuaiji regions, examining places to propagate the teaching widely. When he reached Jiaxiang Monastery in Shanyin, he gathered disciples and lodged an assembly, opening wide the gates of guidance. At that time, Kumārajīva was translating new scriptures; of those that had not yet been lectured on, Qian lectured on them all in turn. However, in what he lectured, he always said to the assembly: "Fortunately, through the Semblance Dharma age, I lecture on the path and the bequeathed teachings. I vow that relying on this little good, I may reverently serve Amitābha in due time." Five years later he contracted an illness. Qian knew that his time had arrived, and said: "Ascending the golden lotus, sitting in the jade pond, the lotus opening to see the Buddha—this is precisely the time! What I wish to pray sincerely for is that the ocean-like assembly become my true friends in the Dharma, and Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta become my good guides; beyond this, I have no other vows." That night, at the North Monastery of Shanyin, there was a nun named Jingyan. While she was taking a nap, she suddenly saw Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta descending from on high with hundreds of thousands of beings. Banners, flowers, standards, and canopies shone with light rivalling the sun and moon. When Jingyan saw them, she both bowed and gazed up, and stepped forward to ask: "Where are the Great Beings going?" They replied: "We are going to Jiaxiang Monastery to welcome Master Qian." That night, Qian also obtained auspicious signs beforehand on his own. Soon he informed his disciples, and peacefully passed away.