往生集 2.304

2.304

大明郝熙載。錢塘人。法名廣定。生平忠信不欺。以德行稱於黌校。晚歸佛。禪誦夙夜匪懈。萬曆辛亥春二月得疾。每睡覺云。吾夢於山中求見佛。佛未見。見百鳥叢集。如是累日。至二十七食時。忽舉首視窓外。謂其子世翰曰。今日別是一乾坤矣。顧家人為置銀錢。俄而曰。吾向恐見官備用。今無用此。三鼓云。有二童子來迎。佛坐蓮花臺現吾前。吾往矣。吉祥而逝。

In the Great Ming, Hao Xizai was a native of Qiantang, Dharma name Guangding. Throughout his life he was loyal, trustworthy, and deceitless, renowned for his virtuous conduct in the academies. In his later years he took refuge in Buddhism, tireless day and night in meditation and recitation. In the second month in spring of the xinhai year of the Wanli era [1611], he fell ill. Whenever he awoke from sleep, he said: 'I dreamed of seeking to see the Buddha in the mountains. I did not see the Buddha, but saw a hundred birds flocking together.' This continued for several days. On the twenty-seventh day at mealtime, he suddenly raised his head, looked out the window, and said to his son Shihan: 'Today is an entirely different world.' He looked around, asking his family to provide silver and coins. Soon after, he said: 'Previously I feared being summoned by officials and prepared them for use; now there is no use for these.' At the third watch, he said: 'Two boys have come to welcome me. The Buddha sits upon a lotus pedestal appearing before me. I am going!' He then passed away in an auspicious posture.