集神州三寶感通錄 2.28

2.28

二十四宋泰始中。東海何敬叔。少而奉法。隨湘州刺史劉韞監縣。遇有栴檀。製以為像。既就無光。營索甚勤而卒無可獲。憑几思之。如睡見沙門納衣杖錫來曰。檀非可得麁木不堪。唯縣後何家桐盾堪用。雖惜之苦求可得。寤問左右。果如所言。因固求買之。何氏曰。有盾甚愛。患人乞奪曾未示人。明府何以得知。直求市耶。敬叔以事告之。何氏驚喜。奉以製光。後為湘府。直省中夜夢像云。鼠嚙吾足。清旦疾歸視像。果然。

24. During the Taishi era of the Song (465–471 CE), He Jingshu of Donghai had revered the Dharma from an early age. Following Liu Yun, the Inspector of Xiangzhou, to supervise a county, he happened upon some sandalwood and fashioned it into an image. Once completed, it had no halo. He sought one very diligently, but in the end could find nothing. Leaning on his armrest in contemplation, as if in a dream, he saw a monk wearing patched robes and holding a tin staff, who came and said: 'Sandalwood cannot be found, and coarse wood will not do. Only the paulownia shield of the He family behind the county office is suitable. Although they cherish it, if you plead earnestly, you can obtain it.' Upon waking, he asked his attendants, and it was indeed as said. He then firmly sought to buy it. Mr. He said: 'I have a shield that I cherish very much. Fearing someone would beg for it or take it, I have never shown it to anyone. How did Your Honor come to know of it and directly seek to buy it?' Jingshu told him the matter. Mr. He was astonished and delighted, and presented it to make the halo. Later, while serving at the Xiangzhou headquarters, he was on duty in the provincial office, and in the middle of the night dreamed that the image said: 'Rats are gnawing at my foot.' At dawn, he rushed back to look at the image, and it was indeed so.