往生集 2.10

2.10

晉劉遺民。彭城人。漢楚元王之後。少孤事母以孝聞。自負其才。不侶流俗。初為府參軍。即隱去。謝安劉裕交薦不就。旌其號曰遺民。入廬山預遠公蓮社。著念佛三昧詩。以表專志。甞於定中。見佛光照地。皆作金色。居十五年。又見阿彌陀佛。玉毫光照。垂手慰接。遺民懇曰。安得如來為我摩頂覆我以衣。俄而佛為摩頂。引袈裟被之。他日又見。入七寶池。蓮花青白。其水湛然。一人項有圓光。胸出卍字。指池水曰。八功德水。汝可飲之。遺民飲水甘美。及寤猶覺。異香發於毛孔。乃告眾曰。吾淨土之緣至矣。對像焚香再拜。祝曰。我以釋迦遺教。故知有阿彌陀佛。此香供養釋迦如來。次供阿彌陀佛及妙法華經。願一切有情。俱生淨土。言訖面西。合掌而逝。時義熙六年也。

Liu Yimin of the Jin was a native of Pengcheng and a descendant of King Yuan of Chu of the Han dynasty. Having lost his father when young, he served his mother and was renowned for his filial piety. Self-confident in his talents, he did not associate with the vulgar crowd. Initially serving as an army administrative assistant (canjun) to the commandery headquarters, he soon went into retirement. Xie An and Liu Yu repeatedly recommended him, but he declined to take office. The emperor conferred upon him the title 'Yimin' (Left-Behind Citizen). He entered Mount Lu and participated in Master Huiyuan's Lotus Society, composing a 'Poem on the Buddhānusmṛti-samādhi' to express his dedicated aspiration. He once saw in samādhi a Buddha-light illuminating the ground, turning it entirely into the color of gold. After dwelling there for fifteen years, he again saw Amitābha Buddha, the light of whose jade ūrṇā shone forth, lowering his hand to console and welcome him. Yimin earnestly pleaded: 'How might I have the Tathāgata rub my crown and cover me with his robe?' Presently, the Buddha rubbed his crown and drew forward his kāṣāya to cover him. On another day, he also saw himself enter a seven-jeweled pond, where lotus flowers were blue and white and the water was crystal clear. There was a person whose neck bore a circular halo and whose chest bore a svastika; pointing to the pond water, he said: 'This is the water of eight virtuous qualities; you may drink it.' Yimin drank the water, finding it sweet and delicious. Even after waking, he still sensed an extraordinary fragrance emanating from his pores. Thereupon he announced to the assembly: 'The conditions for my rebirth in the Pure Land have arrived!' Facing an image, he burned incense, bowed twice, and prayed: 'Because of the bequeathed teachings of Śākya, I came to know of Amitābha Buddha. This incense I offer first to Śākyamuni Tathāgata, and next to Amitābha Buddha and the Lotus Sūtra of the Wonderful Dharma. I vow that all sentient beings may together be reborn in the Pure Land.' Having spoken, he faced west, joined his palms, and passed away. This was in the sixth year of the Yixi reign era.