往生集 2.301

2.301

大明楊嘉禕字邦華。泰和人。世家子也。年十三持不殺戒。蚤虱無所傷。二十三肄業南雍。俄疾作。以萬曆乙巳仲冬十九日卒。卒之先夢遊地獄。見地藏大士於冥陽殿。覺而放諸生命。延僧誦經念佛。謂人曰吾將逝矣。青蓮花現吾前。得非淨土境乎。遂晝夜念佛不輟。命息燭曰。汝輩假燭為明。吾不須燭。常在光明中耳。問何所見。曰蓮開四色。問見彌陀否。曰見彌陀現千丈身。問觀音。曰身與彌陀等。問勢至。曰不見也。言訖忽躍起拈香。連聲語曰。彌陀經功德不可說。不可說。不可說。吾已得上品矣。寂然而逝。

In the Great Ming, Yang Jiayi, courtesy name Banghua, was a native of Taihe and the scion of a prominent family. At age thirteen, he upheld the precept against killing, harming not even fleas or lice. At twenty-three, he studied at the Southern Imperial Academy. Soon, illness struck. He died on the nineteenth day of the mid-winter month in the yisi year of the Wanli era [1605]. Before his death, he dreamed of wandering in hell and seeing the Great Being Kṣitigarbha at the Hall of Darkness and Light. Upon waking, he released living creatures, invited monks to chant sūtras and practice buddhamanasikāra, and told people: 'I am about to pass away. Blue lotuses appear before me—could this not be the realm of the Pure Land?' Thereupon he practiced buddhamanasikāra day and night without ceasing. Ordering the candles extinguished, he said: 'You rely on candles for light; I have no need for candles, as I am constantly amidst radiance.' When asked what he saw, he replied: 'Lotuses opening in four colors.' Asked if he saw Amitābha, he replied: 'I see Amitābha manifesting a body of a thousand zhang.' Asked about Avalokiteśvara, he replied: 'His body is equal to Amitābha’s.' Asked about Mahāsthāmaprāpta, he replied: 'I do not see him.' When he finished speaking, he suddenly leapt up, offered incense, and said repeatedly in a loud voice: 'The merits of the Amitābha Sūtra are ineffable, ineffable, ineffable! I have already attained the highest grade!' He then passed away in silence.