往生集 2.28

2.28

宋王日休。龍舒人。端靜簡潔博極經史。一旦捐之曰。是皆業習。非究竟法。吾其為西方之歸。自是精進念佛年六十。布衣蔬食。日課千拜。夜分乃寢。作淨土文勸世。將卒三日前。遍別親識。有不復相見之語。至期讀書罷如常禮念。忽厲聲稱阿彌陀佛唱言。佛來迎我。屹然立化。如植木矣。邦人有夢。二青衣引公西行者。自是家家供事云。

Wang Rixiu of the Song was a native of Longshu. Dignified, tranquil, concise, and pure, he was broadly learned in the classics and histories. One day he set them aside, saying: 'These are all karmic habituations, not the ultimate Dharma. I shall make the Western Direction my refuge.' From then on he diligently engaged in buddhamanasikāra. At the age of sixty, wearing coarse cloth and eating vegetarian food, he performed a daily regimen of a thousand prostrations, sleeping only at midnight. He composed a Pure Land Text to exhort the world. Three days before he was to die, he bade farewell to all his relatives and acquaintances, uttering words indicating they would not meet again. When the time came, having finished reading books, he performed his customary prostrations and recitations. Suddenly he called out the name of Amitābha Buddha in a loud voice, declaring: 'The Buddha has come to welcome me!' He passed away standing upright, like a planted tree. A person of the commandery dreamed that two boys in blue robes led the gentleman westward. From then on, every household made offerings to him.