華嚴經傳記 1.44

1.44

Dharma Master Huiyuan of Jinying Temple during the Sui composed a commentary on this sūtra in his later years. When he reached the chapter on Dedication, he suddenly felt pain in his chest, and upon looking, he saw blood flowing outward from the pores over his heart. He also dreamed that he held a sickle climbing a great mountain, systematically cutting and clearing; half-way through, his strength was exhausted and he could rise no more. Waking, he said to his disciples, "I dreamed that this commentary will certainly not be completed," and thereupon he ceased. Dharma Master Xiu of Xiangzhou listened to the Avataṃsaka over fifty times, yet the more he examined and recited the text and principles, the dimmer and vaguer they grew. He then reflected to himself, "These are truly the ultimate words of the supreme sage; how could an ordinary mortal fathom them?" Considering that these two worthy masters possessed vast erudition and immense learning rarely equaled since ancient times, yet even in working with this text could not exhaustively illuminate it—whereas Qianzhi, having studied it for less than several decades of days, annotated this magnificent treatise—how magnificent it is! This was truly an unseen transmission from the Great Sage, so it is not to be wondered at. According to the "Abodes of Bodhisattvas" chapter of this sūtra, in the northeast there is an abode of bodhisattvas called Mount Qingliang, where currently resides a bodhisattva named Mañjuśrī, who constantly dwells and expounds the Dharma with ten thousand bodhisattvas. Therefore, below this mountain today is the Qingliang Prefecture, and on a small peak to the south of the mountain is Qingliang Temple. Another name is Mount Wutai, because its five peaks are the highest and no forests or trees grow atop them; like mounds of piled earth, they are therefore called "terraces" (tai). The perimeter of the mountain is more than four hundred li, bordering Mount Heng to the east. Atop the central terrace is a great lotus pond, clear and pure, producing many omens. There are also refined abodes and stone stupas. On the northern terrace are two iron pagodas along with relics and images of Mañjuśrī. More than thirty li southeast down from the central terrace is Dafo Temple, established by Emperor Ming of the Han. Because of the long passage of time, it is exceptionally desolate, yet the remnants of its foundations can still be recognized. Within it are eastern and western halls where icons remain preserved. In front lies a flower garden of two or three qing, intricately interwoven with hundreds of varieties and thousands of names, dazzling like unfurled brocade and glowing like radiant clouds. As for transcendent, unheard-of varieties rarely known to the world, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, ten thousand kinds bloom all together. Next, eight or nine li to the north is the place where the former prince relinquished his body; a commemorative stupa currently stands there. Formerly in the days of the Northern Qi, widely opening the mysterious gate, more than two hundred monasteries were established on this mountain. Furthermore, the taxes of eight prefectures including Heng and Ding were allocated to supply the mountain assemblies with clothing and medicine. Today, divine dwellings and precious places are found here and there. According to a separate biography, because Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva constantly expounds the Avataṃsaka Sūtra there, from ancient times down to the Tang dynasty, Indian monks from the Western Regions have often traversed tens of thousands of li without regarding the distance to come here and pay homage, and the tracks of both monks and laypeople of this land follow one after another. At times, one may encounter divine monks and holy assemblies, immortal pavilions and jeweled terraces, brilliant spiritual lights, wondrous fragrant scents, bells sounding spontaneously in the empty air, and jeweled verses heard from afar—fleeting in an instant, shifting in thousands of variations—as fully recounted in the Records of Mount Qingliang. The mountain is one thousand six hundred li from the capital, within the borders of Daizhou. However, situated on the frontier, it is exceptionally severe and cold; hence before the fourth month and after the seventh month, hard ice and accumulated snow spread dazzlingly white. Unless it is the height of summer, there is no way to climb it. Strive, gentlemen who cherish the Path! How could one not hope to go there once?