廣弘明集 11.32

11.32

According to the Account of Anomalies from the Book of Zhou: On the eighth day of the fourth month in the twenty-fourth year of King Zhao of Zhou's accession, the jiayin year, the rivers, springs, and pools suddenly flooded, and well waters all overflowed. Palaces, dwellings, mountains, rivers, and the great earth all shook. That night, an atmosphere of five-colored light pierced through into the Taiwei enclosure, and all across the western region became completely bluish-red. King Zhao of Zhou asked the Grand Astrologer Su You, 'What omen is this?' You replied, 'A great sage has been born in the western regions; therefore this auspicious sign has appeared.' King Zhao said, 'How will it affect All Under Heaven?' You said, 'At present there is no effect. Beyond a thousand years, the sound of his teaching will reach this land.' King Zhao thereupon sent men to engrave a stone to record it, burying it in front of the celestial shrine in the southern suburbs. At this time, the Buddha was first born in the royal palace. In the thirty-second year of King Mu's accession, he repeatedly saw an atmosphere of light in the west. Having previously heard of Su You's record, he knew that a sage was abiding in the world in the west. King Mu did not comprehend its principle, and fearing it was unsuited to the way of Zhou, he thereupon went west with State Chancellor Marquis Lü to assemble the feudal lords at Mount Tu in order to ward off the anomalous light. At this time, the Buddha had already long been abiding in the world. When it reached the fifty-second year of King Mu, the renshen year, at dawn on the fifteenth day of the second month, a violent wind suddenly arose, tearing off and damaging houses, and snapping and breaking trees. The mountains, rivers, and the great earth all shook. After noon, the sky grew overcast and clouds turned black; in the west were twelve streaks of white rainbow running through from south to north, persisting through the night without extinguishing. King Mu asked the Grand Astrologer Hu Duo, 'What sign is this?' He replied, 'A great sage in the west has entered extinction; signs of decline are merely appearing.' King Mu was greatly pleased and said, 'We have always feared him; now that he has already entered extinction, what sorrow have We?' At this time, the Buddha entered nirvāṇa.