集神州三寶感通錄 1.45

1.45

In the eighth year of the Yuanjia era of the Song dynasty, An Qianzai of Kuaiji, whose family had served the Buddha for generations, had someone knock on his door at night. Going out, he saw over ten people dressed in red robes transporting timber and piling it inside the gate, saying, 'The officials have ordered the construction of a stūpa.' Suddenly, they vanished. The next day, when he went to another house for a fasting meal, a śarīra of purple-gold color was obtained on the table. It could not be shattered by hammering. When floated in water, it shone and radiated light; he then raised it in reverence, and there was always an extraordinary fragrance. Later, when he went out intending to pay homage, he suddenly lost it. After searching thoroughly for half a day, he retrieved it. The Prince of Linchuan, who was garrisoning Jiangling, welcomed it and processed with it; variegated lights appeared at intervals, seen differently by the aides, scribes, and monks. The Prince held a water vessel and chanted an incantation (the words are many, as explained separately); whenever the incantation finished, light immediately came forth in response to his voice. At night, over a hundred people were seen circumambulating the śarīra room, burning incense, in a manner just like that around the Buddha. By daybreak, both the people and the śarīra were lost.