廣弘明集 17.61

17.61

A memorial from Heng Prefecture stated: 'The relics arrived in the prefecture to establish a numinous stūpa, arriving in the prefecture on the fourth day of the third month. Together with the prefectural officials, we inspected the places for enshrinement; only the Longzang Temple under the prefectural seat was fit to erect the stūpa. On the tenth day of that month, the ground was measured and the foundation dug. By the wei hour on the sixteenth day, a wind came from the south, and an extraordinarily incomparable fragrance filled the temple; monastics, laity, officials, and commoners all smelled it together. There was an old man named Jin Zan, who had suffered from an inability to smell fragrances or foulness for more than twenty years; being among the crowd at that time, he also smelled the fragrance, and his nose was immediately cured. On the eighth day of the fourth month, approaching the noon hour when the relics were about to be placed, the light was bright and pure, and the sky broad and without clouds. Precious crumbs and heavenly flowers immediately rained down from the sky, resembling thin碎 shards of gold and silver, mixed in varying sizes, falling down abundantly like falling snow. They first descended onto the stone casket of the stūpa foundation, and then fell all over the temple and the prefectural seat. All had variegated colors, shimmering like golden crystal in the sunlight. People immediately held out their garments to catch them, and also picked them up from the ground. Over a hundred thousand monastic and lay people all saw and obtained them. Moreover, an extraordinary vapor suddenly appeared to the east and west of the mast; its color was yellow-white, thin at first and thick later, meandering like beacon smoke or a dragon, winding straight up, swirling around the top of the stūpa and soaring into the clear sky, its length immeasurable. It vanished only after a long while. There were also four white cranes that came from the northeast, circled the stūpa, and went off to the southwest. By the si hour on the twentieth day, when the ramming of the stūpa foundation was just completed, it again rained precious crumbs and heavenly flowers. A peck was collected; Adjutant Wang Liang was immediately sent to present them to the throne ahead of time. The Emperor opened the flowers, and within the precious crumbs obtained three more relics, being greatly delighted.' A memorial from Ying Prefecture stated: 'When digging the ground to place the stone casket for the relics, at a depth of about six feet, a true purple light suddenly appeared in the earth, vanishing in an instant. The earth bore black markings intermingled in seal script, reading: "Buddha Stūpa of the Wheel-Turning Sage King." Respectfully submitted for imperial notice.'