大唐西域記 2.46

2.46

大窣堵波石陛南面有畫佛像，高一丈六尺，自胸已上，分現兩身，從胸已下，合為一體。聞諸先志曰：初，有貧士傭力自濟，得一金錢，願造佛像。至窣堵波所，謂畫工曰：「我今欲圖如來妙相，有一金錢，酬功尚少，宿心憂負，迫於貧乏。」時彼畫工鑒其至誠，無云價直，許為成功。復有一人，事同前迹，持一金錢，求畫佛像。畫工是時受二人錢，求妙丹青，共畫一像。二人同日俱來禮敬，畫工乃同指一像，示彼二人，而謂之曰：「此是汝所作之佛像也。」二人相視，若有所懷。畫工心知其疑也，謂二人曰：「何思慮之久乎？凡所受物，毫釐不虧。斯言不謬，像必神變。」言聲未靜，像現靈異，分身交影，光相照著。二人悅服，心信歡喜。

On the southern side of the stone steps of the great stûpa there is a painted figure of Buddha about sixteen feet high. From the middle upward there are two bodies, below the middle, only one. The old tradition says: In the beginning, there was a poor man who hired himself out to get a living; having obtained a gold coin, he vowed to make a figure of Buddha. Coming to the stûpa, he spoke to a painter and said, "I wish now to get a figure of Tathâgata painted, with its beautiful points of excellence; but I only have one gold coin; this is little enough to repay an artist. I am sorry to be so hampered by poverty in carrying out my cherished aim." Then the painter, observing his simple truth, said nothing about the price, but promised to set to work to furnish the picture.

Again there was a man, similarly circumstanced, with one gold coin, who also sought to have a picture of Buddha painted. The painter having received thus a gold piece from each, procured some excellent colours (blue and vermilion) and painted a picture. Then both men came the same day to pay reverence to the picture they had had done, and the artist pointed each to the same figure, telling them, "This is the figure of Buddha which you ordered to be done." The two men looking at one another in perplexity, the mind of the artist understanding their doubts, said, "What are you thinking about so long? If you are thinking about the money, I have not defrauded you of any part. To show that it is so there must be some spiritual indication on the part of the picture." Scarcely had he finished when the picture, by some spiritual power, divided itself (from the middle upwards), and both parts emitted a glory alike. The two men with joy believed and exulted.