廣弘明集 17.13

17.13

On the morning the stupas were to be erected, the Emperor stood facing west in the courtyard of the Daxing Hall of the Daxing Palace, holding an ivory tablet. He welcomed statues of the Buddha and three hundred sixty-seven śramaṇas, who, accompanied by banners, canopies, incense, flowers, singing of praises, and music, came from Daxingshan Temple to dwell in the palace halls. The Emperor burned incense and bowed in reverence, then descended to the eastern corridor to lead the civil and military officials in person, observing a vegetarian fast. At that time, throughout the inner palace, the Eastern Palace, the capital city, and across the boundless myriad dwellings wherever boats and carts could reach, all kin and common folk alike faithfully practiced the holy Dharma. When the monks first entered, [the Emperor] ordered attendants to discreetly flank and count them. From the Xianyang Gate up to ascending the steps, they counted three times, and there was always one extra person. The Emperor saw an unusual monk with a patchwork robe covering his shoulder, and said to his attendants: 'Do not disturb him; leave him be.' After he had gone, they counted again, and the one with the patchwork robe covering his shoulder indeed did not appear again. When the relics were about to set forth, the Emperor had said: 'Now that the Buddha-Dharma is being revived, there must surely be miraculous responses.' Subsequently, memorial reports from every quarter were all just as he had said.