集神州三寶感通錄 2.11

2.11

太清二年。像大流汗。其年十一月。侯景亂階。大寶三年賊平。長沙寺僧法敬等迎像還江陵復止本寺。後梁大定七年。像又流汗。明年二月中宗宣帝崩。天保三年。長沙寺延火所及。合寺洞然煙焰四合。欲救瑞像無方轉移。此像由來舉必百人。爾日六人便起。天保十五年。明帝延像入內禮懺冥感。二十三年帝崩。嗣主蕭琮移像於仁壽宮。又大流汗。廣運二年而梁國亡滅。開皇七年。長沙寺僧法籍等。復迎還寺。開皇十五年。黔州刺史田宗顯至寺禮拜。像即放光。公發心造正北大殿。一十三間。東西夾殿九間。彼運材木在荊上流五千餘里。斫材運之至江散放。其木流至荊州。自然泊岸。雖風波鼓扇終不遠去。遂引上營之。柱徑三尺。下礎闊八尺。斯亦終古無以加也。大殿以沈香帖遍。中安十三寶帳。並以金寶莊嚴。乃至榱桁藻井無非寶花間列。其東西二殿瑞像所居。並用檀怗。中有寶帳花炬。並用真金所成。窮極宏麗天下第一。大業十二年。瑞像數汗。其年朱粲破掠諸州。來至荊邑營于寺內。大殿高臨城北賊上殿上射。城中留守患之。夜以火箭燒之。城中道俗悲悼瑞像滅矣。其夜不覺像踰城而入至寶光寺門外立。旦見像存合城欣悅。賊散後看像故處一不被燒灰炭不及。今續立殿。不如前者偽梁蕭銑鳳鳴五年。偽宋王楊道生等至寺禮拜。像大流汗。身首雨流竟日不息。其年九月。大唐兵馬從蜀江下。其月二十日。寺僧法通以唐運將統希求一瑞。繞像行道。其夜放光明滿堂。至二十五日光彩漸滅。其日趙郡王兵馬入城。斯亦慶幸大同。故流光為其善瑞也。至於亢陽之月。宰牧致誠無不畢應。貞觀六年六月大旱。都督應國公武彠迎像。建齋行道七日。官僚上下立於像前一心觀佛。良久雲氣四布甘雨滂流。其年遂登。都督乃捨黃金更鍍瑞像。輦輿幡花莊嚴眾具備矣。今見在江陵長沙寺。又有外國銅像。高七尺許。古異不甚重云。道安在石城長安所送令弟子於髻中得一舍利。有光失之。

In the second year of the Taiqing reign period, the image sweated profusely. In the eleventh month of that year, Hou Jing raised a rebellion. In the third year of the Dabaao reign period, the rebels were pacified, and the monk Fajing and others of Changsha Temple welcomed the image back to Jiangling to reside in its home monastery again. In the seventh year of the Dading reign period of the Later Liang, the image sweated again. In the second month of the next year, Emperor Xuan, Zhongzong, passed away. In the third year of the Tianbao reign period, Changsha Temple was reached by spreading flames; the entire monastery blazed, smoke and flames gathering from all four sides. They wished to rescue the auspicious image, but had no means to move it. This image had always required a hundred men to lift, but on that day, six men lifted it. In the fifteenth year of the Tianbao reign period, Emperor Ming invited the image into the palace to practice repentance and had an unseen spiritual resonance. In the twenty-third year, the Emperor died. His successor Xiao Cong moved the image to the Renshou Palace, and it again sweated profusely. In the second year of the Guangyun reign period, the Liang state was destroyed. In the seventh year of the Kaihuang reign period, the monk Faji and others of Changsha Temple again welcomed it back to the monastery. In the fifteenth year of the Kaihuang reign period, Tian Zongxian, regional inspector of Qianzhou, arrived at the monastery to worship, and the image immediately emitted light. His Lordship resolved to build a main northern hall of thirteen bays, and east and west side halls of nine bays. The timber for this was transported from over five thousand li upriver from Jing[zhou]; they cut the logs and transported them to the river to float freely. The timber floated down to Jingzhou and naturally moored at the shore; though wind and waves stirred and buffeted it, it never drifted far away. They then hauled it up and built with it. The columns were three feet in diameter, and the stone plinths beneath were eight feet wide. This was indeed unparalleled in all antiquity. The main hall was completely inlaid with agarwood, and inside were thirteen jeweled curtains, all adorned with gold and jewels, down to the rafters, purlins, and caisson ceilings, which were all interspersed with jeweled flowers. The east and west halls, where the auspicious image resided, were both lined with sandalwood, and within were jeweled curtains and flower lanterns, all fashioned from pure gold, reaching the extreme of magnificent splendor, the foremost under heaven. In the twelfth year of the Daye reign period, the auspicious image sweated several times. In that year, Zhu Can pillaged various prefectures, arrived at the town of Jing[zhou], and encamped inside the monastery. The main hall towered over the north of the city; the rebels climbed onto the hall to shoot arrows. The garrison in the city was troubled by this and burned it at night with fire arrows. Monastics and laypeople in the city mourned that the auspicious image was destroyed. That night, without anyone noticing, the image crossed the city wall, came to the gate of Baoguang Temple, and stood outside. At dawn, seeing that the image survived, the whole city rejoiced. After the rebels dispersed, they looked at the image's former site, and not a trace had been burned, untouched even by ash or charcoal. Now a hall has been rebuilt, but it is not equal to the former one. In the fifth year of the Fengming reign period of the false Liang ruler Xiao Xian, the false King of Song, Yang Daosheng, and others went to the monastery to worship, and the image sweated profusely; streams of rain flowed from its body and head, not ceasing all day long. In the ninth month of that year, the troops and horses of the Great Tang came down from the Shu River. On the twentieth day of that month, the temple monk Fatong, hoping for an auspicious sign as the Tang's fortunes were about to unite the realm, circumambulated the image, practicing the way. That night, it emitted bright light that filled the hall. By the twenty-fifth day, the radiant light gradually faded. On that day, the troops and horses of the Prince of Zhaojun entered the city. This was also a joyous celebration of the great unification, so it shed light as a favorable omen. When it comes to months of severe drought, whenever the governors and magistrates expressed utmost sincerity, it never failed to respond completely. In the sixth month of the sixth year of the Zhenguan reign period, there was a great drought. The Area Commander, Duke of Yingguo, Wu Shiyue, welcomed the image and held a vegetarian feast, practicing the way for seven days. Officials high and low stood before the image, contemplating the Buddha single-mindedly. After a good while, clouds spread on all sides, and sweet rain poured down. That year there was an abundant harvest. The Area Commander then donated gold to regild the auspicious image; carriage, palanquins, banners, and flowers, all manner of adornments were fully provided. It is now located at Changsha Temple in Jiangling. There is also a foreign bronze image, about seven feet tall, ancient and extraordinary, said not to be very heavy. When Dao'an was at Shicheng, it was sent from Chang'an; he instructed a disciple to find a śarīra within the usnīṣa, which radiated light and was lost.