釋迦方志 2.106

2.106

During the Taiyuan reign of the Jin dynasty, there was a śramaṇa named Tanyi, who founded Changsha Monastery in Jingzhou. When the monastery was completed, it lacked a Buddha statue. Yi said: 'The traces left behind by the Great Sage pervade Jambudvīpa. Could it be that through my lack of resonance he does not descend?' Thereupon, having purified himself with fasting, he prayed with yearning. On the night of the eighth day of the second month, [a statue] appeared north of the city: its appearance was grave and solemn, exceeding seven feet in height, with radiant marks piercing the heavens. Though people from various quarters came to welcome and receive it, at first it could not be lifted. Yi said: 'Could it be that through psychic resonance it has descended for my Changsha?' He and two other men then raised it with their hands, and it lifted lightly and swiftly as the wind, whereupon they welcomed it into the monastery. In former times, a nocturnal traveler, suspecting it to be a monstrous phantom, struck it with a knife; it resounded with a metallic clang, and upon inspection it proved to be a golden statue. The trace struck by the knife on its chest remained visible on the outside. Later, a monk from Gandhāra said: 'This is a statue of King Aśoka.' There were characters upon its halo, which was held in great reverence at the time. When Emperor Wu of the Liang heard of it, he repeatedly tried to bring it down to the east; although he applied human labor, he could never manage to convey it. Only after he exhausted his utmost sincerity, solemn and earnest, did it finally descend into the vessel. Eighteen leagues from the capital, the emperor himself came out to welcome it. Along the road, it continuously emitted light without cessation, and monastics and laity rejoiced. Later, he renewed offerings to it in the Taiji Hall. Afterward, it was brought out through the Datong Gate and entered Tongtai Monastery, where further offerings were made. When fire broke out in the monastery, incinerating the hall and pagoda entirely, this statue alone stood aloft in the hall, surviving intact. Later it returned to its original monastery in Jingzhou. It stepped out at night and circled the pagoda, its manifestations of miraculous response occurring more than once. Whenever Emperor Yuan passed away or other calamitous events occurred, it would consistently stream sweat down to the ground. Recently, when the Grand Ancestor (Emperor Taizong) passed away, it also streamed sweat as before. Its auspicious omens were exceedingly numerous. During the Xianhe reign of the Jin dynasty, Gao Kui, the Governor of Danyang, saw an extraordinary light in the waters of the Zhanghou Bridge. He sent men to investigate, and they found a golden statue lacking a halo and pedestal. When they transported it to the entrance of Changgan Lane, the oxen halted and refused to advance, so they let them go where they would. They went straight to Changgan Monastery. Several years later, Zhang Xishi, a fisherman of Linhai, saw a bronze lotus pedestal floating upon the water at the mouth of the sea. Thereupon he reported it, and by imperial decree it was delivered [to the monastery]. The statue's feet matched it seamlessly. Later, five Indian monks came to visit Kui and said: 'In the past, we obtained a statue of King Aśoka in our home country. Upon reaching Ye, we encountered disorder and hid it on the riverbank. Recently we had an evocative dream saying: "I have already gone out south of the Yangtze and have been found by Gao Kui."' He then guided them to the monastery; seeing it, the monks shed tears. For them the statue emitted light, illuminating both inside and out. The monks said: 'This statue was fashioned by the fourth daughter of King Aśoka. The inscription is upon the lotus pedestal.' Upon examining it, this proved to be the case. They also said: 'Originally it possessed a circular halo, which should surely arrive shortly.' Later, in the first year of the Xian'an reign of the Jin dynasty, Dong Zongzhi, a pearl diver of Hepu in Jiaozhou, saw a light at the bottom of the sea floating up to the surface. Upon retrieving it, it was a Buddha halo, and the matter was reported to the throne. Emperor Jianwen decreed that it be affixed to the hole on the statue's back; it fit precisely, and its radiance and color had not altered. Separated by rivers and oceans for more than forty years, it became whole in a single morning, causing countless people to sigh with wonder. From the Jin through the Chen dynasties, not one of the sovereigns of the five eras failed to pay personal reverence to it. Whenever there was a severe drought, they would request that the statue be placed upon a palanquin and enter the palace; whenever they prayed earnestly, copious rain was unfailingly granted. During the Zhenming reign of the Chen dynasty, the statue spontaneously turned its body to face west; even when set straight, it reverted to that position. The matter was reported in full to the throne. The emperor invited it to reside in the Taiji Hall, where he held a fast and performed circumambulation. The statue then took off its seven-jewel crown and hung it from its hand. The emperor burned incense and made a vow, saying: 'If there is misfortune for the state, may a portent be shown once more.' He then replaced the crown upon its head, but by dawn it had slipped off again. Ruler and ministers lost color. When the Sui conquered the Chen, and the ministers of the court entered the capital bareheaded and bound, Emperor Wen learned of this, invited [the statue] into the palace, and constantly attended and made offerings to it. Later an imperial decree was issued, saying: 'We are aged and cannot stand for long; a seat may be fashioned.' King Aśoka's [statue] was brought inside; its original statue was at Xingshan Monastery, and seeing that it appeared small, it was placed on the north side, but by dawn it was seen to be on the south side. The attendants inwardly felt ashamed. At present it resides in the hall, and its depicted images are exceedingly numerous (and during the Renshou reign, when stupas were erected across more than a hundred prefectures, all experienced luminous marvels, as recounted in the *Ganying zhuan*).