淨土往生傳 3.6

3.6

Shi Zijue was a native of Wangdu in Boling. At the age of ten, he served Zhiqin of Kaiyuan Monastery in his home commandery as a disciple. Qin, observing that his aspirations were uncommon, named him Zijue (“Self-Awakening”) and teased him, saying, “Hearing your name and reflecting on its meaning, could it not bring you benefit?” Jue said, “The Buddha-seed arises from conditions; how could I forget your clear instruction?” In the second year of the Zhide reign of the Tang dynasty, he received the full precepts. He went north to Chanfa Monastery in Lingshou and studied various sūtras and vinaya texts of both the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna vehicles, distinguishing their branches clearly. After a long time, he reflected, “Human affairs are chaotic, renewing themselves ten-thousandfold each day. If I were to enter Mount Tai and find a flat boulder upon which to tie a thatched hut to dwell, that would suffice.” In the first year of the Dali reign, he obtained the Chonglin Compound west of Pingshan. Jue said, “In an empty mountain with no people, vexations do not arise. In a place where vexations do not arise, how could it be right for the Buddha’s teaching to go unheard? Indeed, the way of spirits and ghosts is present here.” Thereupon, for three years, morning and evening he lectured and practiced for the hidden spirits. In the fifth year, there was a great drought, and bands of bandits swarmed like bees; in addition, the forest at the foot of the mountain was dense and overgrown, with the tracks of tigers and wolves crossing. Jue gathered fruits to serve as his single daily meal. Zhang Zhao, the military commissioner of Hengyang, because of the protracted drought and having heard that Jue’s rigorous asceticism had repeatedly elicited auspicious responses, personally entered the mountain and petitioned him, saying, “Zhao lacks governmental skill, and calamity has burdened the common people. For three years the sun has blazed, and not a drop of moisture has fallen. Blaming myself and taking the fault upon myself truly brings no remedy.” He also said, “Zhao has heard that dragon kings rely on the master to listen to the Dharma, and together with their companions, they have forgotten to bestow rain. I pray you take pity on the common folk to arouse great compassion; then Zhao’s sincerity will not have been in vain.” Jue then burned incense, gazed toward the pool and cave, and prayed, “The purpose of dragons is to provide rain and bring abundant moisture; if they provide neither moisture nor rainfall, what virtue do dragons possess?” In no time, clouds and mist arose on all four sides, and sweet rain poured down abundantly. That year, the people of Hengyang had a bountiful harvest. Ever since Jue entered the Dharma, he had made forty-nine vows; one of those vows was that he wished to be received and see Amitābha through the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion [Avalokiteśvara]. Thereupon he gathered donations and cast an image of Great Compassion forty-nine feet high, building a temple to house it. When the temple was completed, he lavishly arranged Buddhist services, bowed down prostrate before the image of Great Compassion, and wept, saying, “The holy form is completed, and the pure sanctuary is built. I pray that, relying on holy power, I may quickly ascend to Anyang.” At the third watch of that night, suddenly two rays of auspicious light appeared, of an intermediate golden color. Within the light, Amitābha Buddha descended upon a cloud, with Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta accompanying him on left and right. The Buddha lowered his golden arm, placed his hand upon Jue’s head, and said, “Keep your vow and do not waver; put benefiting beings first. When you are born in the jeweled pond, what will not be according to your wish?” Presently the light withdrew and the clouds dispersed, leaving no trace behind. Eleven years later, on the full moon night of the seventh month, he again saw a person manifest half a body amidst the clouds, appearing in the likeness of Vaiśravaṇa, who looked down and said to Jue, “The time for Anyang has arrived at this moment.” On the same day, Jue told his disciples what he had seen and admonished them to be diligent and vigorous in the Tathāgata’s Dharma, never giving rise to laxity. Soon after, before the image of Great Compassion, he sat cross-legged and transformed his consciousness. His disciples wished to escort his sacred casket back to his former mountain, but the people of the prefecture pleaded earnestly to keep him; they thereupon relocated his pagoda south of Dabei Monastery.