往生集 1.109

1.109

唐道昂。魏郡人。師靈裕法師。常於寒陵山寺。講華嚴地論。稽洽博詣。志結西方。願生安養後自知命極。預期八月。人未之測也。至八月朔日無所患。問齋時至未。即昇高座。身含奇相。爐患異香。引四眾受菩薩戒。詞理切至。聽者寒心。昂舉目高視。見天眾繽紛。管絃嘹喨。告眾曰。兜率陀天迎我。然天道乃生死根本。由來非願常祈心淨土。如何此誠不果遂耶。言訖天樂還滅。便見西方香花伎樂。充塞如雲。飛湧而來旋環頂上。舉眾皆見。昂曰。今西方靈相來迎事須願往。但見香爐墜手。即於高座而逝。足下有普光堂等字。遐邇驚嘆。

Dao'ang of the Tang was a native of Weijun. He studied under Dharma Master Lingyu. He frequently lectured on the Avataṃsaka and Daśabhūmivyākhyāna at Hanlingshan Monastery. His erudition was broad and thorough. He bound his aspiration to the Western Direction, wishing to be reborn in Peaceful Nourishment. Later, knowing his life had reached its limit, he set the eighth month as the appointed time, though people could not fathom it. When the first day of the eighth month arrived, he had no illness. He asked whether the time for the midday meal had arrived, and immediately ascended the high seat. His body displayed extraordinary marks, and an unusual fragrance wafted from the incense burner. He led the fourfold assembly in receiving the bodhisattva precepts, his words and reasoning so earnest and piercing that the listeners felt a chill in their hearts. Ang raised his eyes and looked upward, seeing heavenly hosts in profusion and wind and string instruments resounding clearly. He told the assembly: 'Tuṣita Heaven is welcoming me. Yet the heavenly realm is the root of saṃsāra, and has never been my wish; I have always set my heart on the Pure Land. Why should this sincere resolve not be fulfilled?' When he finished speaking, the heavenly music vanished, and he then saw Western incense, flowers, and instrumental music, filling the sky like clouds, soaring and surging forth, swirling around above his head. The entire assembly saw this. Ang said: 'Now the sacred manifestations of the Western Direction have come to welcome me; by all means I must depart.' Then the incense burner was seen falling from his hands, and he passed away on the high seat. Beneath his feet appeared characters such as 'Hall of Universal Light'. Near and far marveled and sighed in praise.