集神州三寶感通錄 1.39

1.39

原夫。大聖謀權通濟為本。容光或隨緣隱。遺景有可承真故將事拘尸從於俗化入金剛定。碎此金軀欲使福被天人功流海陸。至於牙齒髮爪之屬。頂蓋目精之流。衣鉢瓶杖之具。坐處足蹈之迹。備滿中天罕被東夏。而齒牙髮骨時聞視聽。昔育王土中之塔略顯於前。而偏感別應之形隨機又出。自漢洎唐。無時不有。既稱靈骨。不可以事求。任緣而舉止得以敬。及通信之士舉神光而應心。懷疑之夫假琢磨而發念。所以討尋往傳及以現祥。故依纘序。庶有披者識釋門之骨鯁。萬載之後難可塵沒矣。

Now, the great sage devised expedient means, taking universal salvation as the foundation. His physical form might hide according to conditions, yet his remaining traces could carry forth the truth. Therefore, when about to enter Kuśinagara to conform with worldly transformation, he entered the vajra-samādhi and shattered this golden body, wishing to cause blessings to cover heavenly and human beings and his efficacy to flow across sea and land. As for his teeth, hair, and nails, his cranial bone and eyeballs, his robes, bowl, water jar, and staff, and the traces where he sat and walked—they filled Central India, but rarely reached the Eastern Xia. Yet his teeth, hair, and bones are occasionally heard of and seen. Formerly, King Aśoka's earthen stūpas were briefly revealed above, and the forms of specific resonance and individual response have appeared again in accord with capacities. From the Han down to the Tang, there has been no era without them. Since they are called numinous bones, they cannot be sought through worldly means; they move or stay according to conditions, and can only be venerated. When persons of open faith behold their divine radiance, their hearts respond; when men harboring doubt resort to scrutiny, they arouse thoughts [of devotion]. Therefore, having investigated past records and present auspicious signs, I have compiled this preface according to them, in the hope that those who unfold it will recognize the unbending core of the Śākya clan, which even after ten thousand ages can hardly be buried in dust.