三寶感應要略錄 1.55

1.55

昔天竺有婆羅門。富貴而無子息。祈請自在天。其婦有身。九月滿足生男子。色貌端正。生眾人愛敬。時有一尼乾善占。相見不悅云。此兒有眾相。未足繼家業。餘壽二年。父母聞之生憂惱。如中毒箭。時有昔親友。作沙門洞達奧祕。問其因緣。具答上事。沙門云。汝依七佛法。造藥師如來形像。如法供養。即以白初齋日。如法式供養。父婆羅門夜夢。異服赤冠冥道乘青馬。捧札來造言。汝依七佛法。造像供養。更得子五十年壽。果後如夢矣。

Long ago, in India, there was a wealthy and noble brahmin who had no offspring. He prayed to Maheśvara, and his wife became pregnant; when nine months were completed, she gave birth to a boy, handsome in appearance, who was loved and respected by all. At that time, a Nirgrantha who was skilled in divination examined his marks and said with displeasure, “This child has many marks, yet he will not live to inherit the family estate; his remaining lifespan is two years.” When the parents heard this, they were filled with grief and distress, as if struck by a poisoned arrow. At that time, they had an old friend who had become a śramaṇa and thoroughly penetrated the profound mysteries. He asked about the cause, and they fully related the above matter. The śramaṇa said, “Relying on the method of the Seven Buddhas, fashion an image of Bhaiṣajyaguru Tathāgata and make offerings to it according to the Dharma.” On the first day of the fast of the waxing moon, they made offerings according to the prescribed rites. The father brahmin dreamed at night of an underworld deity wearing strange clothing and a red cap, riding a blue-black horse, holding a slip [of writing] and coming to announce, “Because you relied on the method of the Seven Buddhas to fashion an image and make offerings, your son has gained an additional fifty years of life.” Later, events indeed unfolded as in the dream.