三寶感應要略錄 3.77

3.77

天竺法師傳說。佛滅度後千三百年中。彌提國百鬼亂入。疾疫流行。人民病痛。妖死蓋多。王臣大眾相議云。昔無上法王。勅五大力菩薩。守護我等國土。然我等宿運不幸。上癈法王教勅。下亂國土寶祚。進恥先王。退眄後王。如何除妖怪方免災禍。時智臣白王。須圖五大力菩薩像。設仁王齊會。延國土寶祚。除人民災禍。即以初年月八日。勅國中人民。令圖五大力菩薩。王臣以上妙細疊畫之。至夜初更。綵色方滿。金剛波羅蜜多菩薩。放五色光。金剛寶菩薩放白光。金剛手菩薩。放青色光。金剛藥叉菩薩。放瑠璃光。金剛利菩薩。放金色光。自然照耀一國土中如晝。王臣歡喜。遇斯光者。身心安樂。諸惡鬼神。見光出於國。若入死門。還得蘇活。若當時病者。消除方安。一時之中。國內皆得安穩。身心快樂。如入禪定。至三更像方收光。從其以來。此國免百病。每年法式。初年月八日。設仁王齋會。供養五大力菩薩像。將三百歲。相續不絕矣。

An Indian Dharma master transmitted this account: Within one thousand three hundred years after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, in the country of Miti, a hundred ghosts violently invaded, epidemics spread, and the people suffered illnesses, with very many dying unnatural deaths. The king, his ministers, and the great multitude discussed together, saying: "Formerly, the Unsurpassed Dharma King commanded the Five Powerful Bodhisattvas to protect our state. Yet our past destiny has been unfortunate: above, we have abandoned the Dharma King's instructions, and below, we have thrown into turmoil the state's precious dynastic fortune; advancing, we shame the former kings, and retreating, we are seen by later kings. How can we eliminate the phantoms and avert disasters?" Then a wise minister said to the king: "We must paint the images of the Five Powerful Bodhisattvas and establish a Benevolent Kings' vegetarian feast, so as to prolong the state's precious dynastic fortune and eliminate disasters among the people." Then, on the eighth day of the first month, an order was issued to the people of the country to paint the Five Powerful Bodhisattvas. The king and ministers painted them on superior, exquisite fine muslin. At the first watch of the night, when the coloring had just been completed, Vajrapāramitā Bodhisattva emitted five-colored light, Vajraratna Bodhisattva emitted white light, Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva emitted blue light, Vajrayakṣa Bodhisattva emitted lapis lazuli light, and Vajratīkṣṇa Bodhisattva emitted golden light. Naturally, the entire state was illuminated as if it were day. The king and ministers rejoiced. Those who encountered this light became peaceful and happy in body and mind. Seeing the light, all the evil ghosts and spirits left the country. Those who had entered the gates of death were revived; those who were ill at the time were cured and set at ease. In a single moment, the entire state attained peace and security, and their bodies and minds were happy as if entering dhyāna. At the third watch, the images finally withdrew their light. From then on, this country was freed from all hundred diseases. By annual ritual, on the eighth day of the first month, they establish a Benevolent Kings' vegetarian feast to make offerings to the images of the Five Powerful Bodhisattvas; this has continued unbroken for nearly three hundred years.