三寶感應要略錄 2.106

2.106

When the bodhisattva Śākyamuni was completing his six years of austerities and about to realize correct enlightenment, he climbed Mount Prāgbodhi—translated into Tang Chinese as the Mountain Prior to Correct Enlightenment. Ascending from its northeastern peak to the mountaintop, the great earth shook and trembled, and the mountain was on the verge of collapsing. The mountain deity, filled with dread, announced, "This mountain is not the place for attaining correct enlightenment. If you dwell here and enter the vajra-samādhi, the mountain will quake and collapse." He then descended the mountain, and seated himself cross-legged in a large stone chamber halfway down the cliff to the southwest; the earth quaked there as well. At that time, the gods of the Śuddhāvāsa proclaimed from midair: "This is not the place for attaining the Way. Fourteen or fifteen li southwest of here, not far from the site of your austerities, stands a bodhi tree. Beneath it is a vajra seat, which the three disasters cannot destroy; it is a firm foundation upon which the Buddhas of the three times all sat to attain the Way. The Bodhisattva should proceed to that place." At that time, a great nāga in the stone chamber requested the World-Honoured One to remain, so the Bodhisattva left behind his shadow and departed. As the celestial beings guided his path toward the bodhi tree, the earth deity welled up from the ground midway, bearing a three-inch gold box, and presented it to the Bodhisattva, saying: "This is the sealed box of the former Buddhas, in which is stored the Dharma door of the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā). The Buddhas of the three times all received this box, and by the power of prajñā they vanquished Māra, attained the Way, turned the great wheel of the Dharma, and delivered sentient beings. If one has not obtained this sealed box, even if one sits beneath the tree, the Buddhadharma will not manifest before one, and one will not attain the Buddha Way. In the past, when the six Buddhas were first about to attain the Way, I presented this box to each of them." The Bodhisattva rejoiced; extending his hands, he accepted it and placed it atop his head. Proceeding to the bodhi tree, he sat upon the vajra seat. When he opened the golden box, within the box the Buddha lands of the ten directions spun forth extensively, and the stamped characters of prajñā all transformed into Buddhas, emitting white curl-marks of light that illuminated the Bodhisattva's crown and conferred upon him the status of Dharma King; only then did he attain correct enlightenment. He first praised prajñā, and Brahmā kings of the ten directions came to request the turning of the wheel of the Dharma. At that time Śākyamuni reflected in silence, not rushing to speak immediately.