三寶感應要略錄 1.45

1.45

執師子國西南極目不知幾里。有絕嶋。編居屋舍五百餘戶。捕鳥為食。更不聞佛法。時數千大魚。海渚寄來。一一作人語。唱南無阿彌陀佛。海人見之。不了所由。唯依唱言。名阿彌陀魚。有人唱阿彌陀。魚漸近岸。頻唱殺之而不去。肉甚美。若諸人久唱。所執取者。肉味最上。少唱得者辛苦之。一渚漁人。耽嗜魚肉。唱阿彌陀佛名為業。初食者一人壽盡。命終三月之後。乘紫雲放光明。來至海渚濱。告諸人曰。吾是捕魚之中老首。命終生極樂世界。其大魚者。阿彌陀如來化作。彼佛哀愍我等愚氣。作大魚身。勸進念佛三昧。若不信者。當見魚骨。皆是蓮花。諸人歡喜。見所捨骨。皆是蓮花。見者感悟。斷殺生念阿彌陀佛。所居之人。皆生淨土。空荒年久。執師子國師子賢大阿羅漢。乘神通往到彼島。傳說如此矣。

As far as the eye could see to the southwest of Siṃhala, an unknown number of leagues away, there was an isolated island with over five hundred households living in clustered dwellings. They caught birds for food and had never heard of the Buddha's Dharma. At that time, several thousand great fish gathered at the seashore. Each one spoke human language, chanting, 'Namo Amitābha Buddha.' When the islanders saw them, they did not understand the reason, but merely following the chanted words, they called them the 'Amitābha fish.' If someone chanted 'Amitābha,' the fish would gradually approach the shore; if they chanted repeatedly, they could kill them and the fish would not flee. Their flesh was extremely delicious. If people chanted for a long time, the flesh of those they captured tasted the finest; if they chanted little, those they caught tasted pungent and bitter. The fishermen of the whole island became addicted to the fish meat, making the chanting of the name of Amitābha Buddha their occupation. After the lifespan of the first person who ate them came to an end, three months after his death, he came to the seashore riding a purple cloud and emitting bright light. He announced to the crowd, saying: 'I was the elder chief among the fishermen; after my death, I was born in the World of Utmost Bliss. Those great fish were transformed by Amitābha Tathāgata. That Buddha, having pity on our ignorance, took the body of great fish to encourage us to cultivate the samādhi of mindfulness of the Buddha. If you do not believe me, you should look at the fish bones; they are all lotus flowers.' The people rejoiced. Looking at the discarded bones, they were all lotus flowers. Those who saw it were deeply moved and awakened; they ceased killing living beings and recited [the name of] Amitābha Buddha. The people living there all attained birth in the Pure Land. After being desolate and deserted for a long time, the great arhat Siṃhabhadra of Siṃhala traveled to that island with his supernatural powers, and this account has been handed down.