往生集 2.268

2.268

宋黃巖正等寺觀公。畜鴝鵒。能言常念佛不輟。一日立化穴上葬之。俄而舌端出紫蓮花一朵。靈芝律師甞為之讚。有立亡籠閉渾閒事。化紫蓮花也太奇之句焉。

In the Song dynasty, Master Guan of Zhengdeng Temple in Huangyan kept a myna. It was capable of speech and constantly practiced buddhamanasikāra without ceasing. One day it stood upright, transformed, and died; it was buried in a pit. Shortly after, a purple lotus blossom grew from the tip of its tongue. Vinaya Master Lingzhi once composed an appraisal for it, which contained the lines: 'Dying while standing upright with the cage closed was quite ordinary; / But producing a purple lotus blossom was truly extraordinary!'