淨土往生傳 3.5

3.5

Shi Fazhao: It is not known where he was from. In the second year of the Dali reign of the Tang dynasty, he resided at Yunfeng Monastery in Hengzhou. For his compassionate forbearance, precepts, and concentration, he was revered by his contemporaries. One morning, while eating in the sangha hall, he saw five-colored clouds within his alms bowl. Within the clouds was a monastery. To the northeast of the monastery was a great mountain. On the mountain was a ravine, and north of the ravine was a stone gate. About five li beyond the gate, there was another monastery with a golden plaque inscribed: “Monastery of the Great Sage’s Bamboo Grove.” Though Zhao saw it with his own eyes, his heart still felt unsettled. On another day at mealtime, he again saw five-colored clouds in his bowl. Within the clouds appeared several monasteries, completely free of the foulness of worldly mountains and forests, a realm of pure gold where ponds, terraces, and multi-storied pavilions were interspersed with myriad treasures, and an assembly of ten thousand bodhisattvas dwelt therein. Within it were all kinds of exquisite signs of the Buddhas’ adorned and pure lands. Rejoicing at what he had seen, Zhao inquired about it. Two monks, Jiayan and Tanrui, said, “The transformations of holy beings cannot be fathomed by ordinary sentiments. Judging from the disposition of the mountains and streams, it is none other than Mount Wutai.” In the summer of the fourth year, Zhao inaugurated a five-session buddhānusmṛti sanctuary at Hudong Monastery in Hengzhou. On the second day of the sixth month of that year, auspicious five-colored clouds covered the monastery completely. Within the clouds were also pavilions, and upon the pavilions were several Indian monks, each about a zhang in height, holding锡 staves and circumambulating in practice. He also saw Amitābha Buddha and two bodhisattvas, their bodies vast and tall, equal to the realm of empty space. When evening came, outside the sanctuary Zhao met an old man who said, “You previously made a vow to pay homage to the Great Sage in the golden realm; why have you now abruptly stopped?” Zhao said, “The times are difficult and the road is treacherous; how could I not stop?” The old man said, “If you only set out swiftly, then how could the journey be difficult?” Before Zhao had time to reply, the old man vanished. Because of the wondrous spectacles he had witnessed, Zhao renewed his vow, saying, “I vow to offer this body to behold the Great Sage; even if I must cross heaps of fire and rivers of ice, I shall never turn back or become remiss.” On the thirteenth day of the eighth month of that year, together with several like-minded companions, he set out from Mount Nanyue; indeed, there were no dangers. On the fifth day of the fourth month of the fifth year, they reached Wutai County and saw several rays of light south of the monastery in the distance. On the sixth day, they arrived at Foguang Monastery, which matched exactly what he had seen in his bowl without the slightest discrepancy. At the fourth watch of that night, an extraordinary light again came from the north and shone upon Zhao. Not knowing what to make of it, Zhao asked, “What kind of omen is this? Is it auspicious or calamitous?” A resident monk said, “This is the inconceivable light of the Great Sage, gathering in your body and mind; why do you even ask?” Hearing this, Zhao immediately adjusted his dignified demeanor and proceeded forward to a monastery. About five li to the northeast of the monastery, there was indeed a mountain. On the mountain was a ravine, and north of the ravine was a stone gate. Beside the gate were two boys in blue robes, barely eight or nine years old, with handsome features; one was named Sudhana (Shancai) and the other Nanda. They led Zhao through the gate. Walking north for nearly five li, he saw a golden gate with a tower above it. Beside that tower was another monastery. On the monastery gate was a large golden plaque inscribed: “Monastery of the Great Sage’s Bamboo Grove.” The monastery measured about twenty li in circumference, with more than a hundred compounds, and every compound possessed jeweled pagodas, with the ground made of yellow gold and filled with flowering terraces and jade trees. Zhao entered the lecture hall of the monastery and saw Mañjuśrī in the west and Samantabhadra in the east, both seated upon elevated lion thrones. The sounds of their expounding the Dharma were distinctly audible. To Mañjuśrī’s left and right were tens of thousands of bodhisattvas, and Samantabhadra was likewise surrounded by various bodhisattvas. Before the two bodhisattvas, Zhao made prostrations and asked, “Ordinary beings in the terminal age are shallow and inferior in wisdom and understanding; the mind-ground of Buddha-nature has no means to manifest. I do not know which Dharma door is the most essential to cultivate? I only pray that the Great Sages will cut through my web of doubts.” Mañjuśrī said, “The question you ask is just at the proper time. Among all the doors of cultivation, none surpasses buddhānusmṛti. In eons past, because of buddhānusmṛti, I attained omniscience. Therefore, all phenomena, prajñāpāramitā, profound dhyāna-contemplations, and even the ocean of the Buddhas’ samyaksaṃbuddha knowledge, all arise from buddhānusmṛti.” Zhao asked, “How should one practice buddhānusmṛti?” Mañjuśrī said, “West of this world is Amitābha Buddha. That Buddha’s vow-power is inconceivable. You should continuously practice recollection without interruption; after your life ends, you will definitively attain rebirth.” When he spoke these words, the two great bodhisattvas extended their golden-colored arms, rubbed Zhao’s crown, and bestowed a prophecy upon him, saying, “Because of the inconceivability of buddhānusmṛti, you shall ultimately realize unsurpassed awakening. If good men and good women wish swiftly to escape, they should practice buddhānusmṛti.” Then the two bodhisattvas recited gāthās to each other; having heard them, Zhao leaped with even greater joy. Mañjuśrī also said, “You may go to the various bodhisattvas’ compounds, make a pilgrimage, and receive their instructions.” Zhao acted according to his words, going round to request instructions. Next, he arrived at a garden of seven-jeweled flowers. Coming out from that garden, he bowed and took his leave before the Great Sages. He saw the two boys in blue robes from before, Sudhana and Nanda, escorting him outside the gate. Zhao bowed again, and when he raised his head, they had all vanished. On the thirteenth day, Zhao went with more than fifty monks to the Diamond Cave, the place where Asanga had seen the Great Sage. Suddenly he saw that the ground was vast, adorned, and pure, with lapis lazuli and myriad jewels forming palaces and halls. Mañjuśrī, Samantabhadra, some ten thousand bodhisattvas, and Buddhapāli were also among them. Having witnessed this, Zhao returned to the monastery with the assembly. At the third watch of that night, on the western pavilion of the Huayan Compound, he saw five lamps halfway up the eastern crags and valleys of the monastery, each more than a foot square. Zhao said, “I vow that they divide into a hundred lamps to illuminate one side.” The lamps divided as he wished. He vowed again that they divide into a thousand torches, and the torches did likewise, arranged in rows facing each other, their lights interpenetrating. The extraordinary sights within the light filled the mountains and plains. Zhao again went forward to the Diamond Cave, wishing to see the Great Sage. Around the third watch, he saw an Indian monk who called himself Buddhapāli, who led him into a monastery. On the first day of the twelfth month, in the Huayan Compound, he entered a buddhānusmṛti sanctuary. In the sanctuary, he repeatedly recollected that the two bodhisattvas, Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra, had told him, “You shall ultimately realize unsurpassed awakening,” and had also prophesied to him that by practicing recollection of Amitābha Buddha, he would definitively attain rebirth. Thereupon he recollected the Buddha single-mindedly. While he was practicing recollection of the Buddha, suddenly he saw the Indian monk from before enter the sanctuary and say, “Your flower terrace in the Pure Land has already come into being; after three years, when the flower opens, you shall arrive there. But why do you not make the Bamboo Grove and other monasteries that you saw known to all living beings?” Hearing this, Zhao recalled what he had seen previously; he thus engaged artisans to carve stone and also built a special monastery at the place where he had seen the Bamboo Grove Monastery, naming it Bamboo Grove. When the monastery was completed, Zhao said, “My work is finished; how could I linger here for long?” Within a few days, he passed away. Calculating backward, it was indeed three years from when he had heard the Indian monk’s words.