集神州三寶感通錄 2.10

2.10

7. In the Eastern Jin, under Emperor Mu, in the sixth year of the Yonghe reign period, the cyclical year dingwei—which according to the extended calendar was actually the third year—on the night of the eighth day of the second month, an image appeared north of the city of Jingzhou. It was seven feet five inches tall, and together with its halo and pedestal measured one zhang and one foot high. No one could fathom where it had come from. Earlier, in the fifth year of the Yonghe reign period, merchants from Guangzhou were loading cargo onto their vessel, but upon finishing they regretted that the boat was too light. In the middle of the night, they felt that someone came rushing aboard. Alarmed, they searched together, but saw nothing at all. Yet the ship's load had naturally become so heavy that no more could be added. Although astounded by its strangeness, they could not explain it. Steering onward, they navigated smoothly, continually staying ahead of the other boats, and before long reached the Zhugong palace [precinct]. Just as they moored at the water's edge, at night they again felt someone disembarking from the boat to the shore, and the ship's load became light once more. Only when the image appeared did they realize it had not been an ordinary occurrence. At that time, Huan Wen, the Grand Marshal, governed the western Shan region. He personally bowed and worshipped it, stirring the entire province and town. The monastic assemblies of the various monasteries all vied to welcome and conduct it, but it remained heavy and immovable. There was the Governor of Changsha, Teng Jun (another version says Teng Han) of Jiangling, who in the second year of the Yonghe reign period had donated his residence to be a monastery, with a plaque displaying the name of the commandery. Hearing that Master Dao'an was superintending Xiangchuan, he requested a guardian [for the monastery]. Dao'an said to his disciple Tanyi, 'The gentry and commoners of Jing and Chu are just beginning to have faith in the Dharma. Who other than you can accomplish this good work? You should go.' Tanyi, carrying his staff, journeyed south and undertook construction for a whole year. Although the monastic quarters were completed, the image installations were not yet arranged. He often sighed and said, 'The images of King Aśoka's monasteries are disseminated according to conditions. If one's utmost sincerity is not lacking, why worry that it will not descend?' When he heard that an image had arrived at the city of Jing[zhou], joyful and deeply moved, he said, 'This image is the object of my fundamental vow. It will surely come to my Changsha [Monastery]. It may be expected through the heart, but is difficult to bring by force.' The assembly all agreed, saying, 'If it is as you say, the proof will not be far off.' Tanyi burned incense, bowed, and prayed. He ordered three disciples to lift it, and it suddenly lifted as lightly [as a feather], and they installed it in their home monastery. Monastics and laypeople rejoiced. In the Eastern Jin, in the second year of the Xian'an reign period of Emperor Jianwen, a lotus pedestal was first cast for it. In the Taiyuan reign period of Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin, Yin Zhongkan was regional inspector. In the middle of the night, the image walked out through the western gate of the monastery. A night patrolman thought it was a person and questioned it, but received no answer. He struck it with his sword, which made a clanging sound. Looking closely, it was the image. The mark where the sword struck its chest appeared on the outside. There was the Dhyāna Master Saṅghananda of Kashmir, who was widely learned and well-travelled, coming from Shu to Jing[zhou]. He entered the monastery to pay homage to the image, and sighed with choked tears for a long time. Tanyi asked him the reason, and he replied, 'It was recently lost in India. How has it descended so far to this land?' Thereupon they verified the months and years, and all coincided. They then examined the back of the image's halo, and there was a Brāhmī inscription stating, 'Made by King Aśoka.' When people heard this inscription, their reverence redoubled. This was proof of Tanyi's thought evoking a response. When he was critically ill, the light of the image suddenly vanished. Tanyi said, 'The Buddha is showing this sign; my illness will not recover. The light has gone to other regions to perform Buddha-work again.' Within ten days, he passed away. Later, the monks, modelling upon the halo, cast another one, which is the present one. In the time of Emperor Xiaowu of the Song, the image emitted a great light, and the Buddha-Dharma in Jiangdong flourished greatly for a period. At the end of the Taishi reign period of Emperor Ming of the Song, the image often shed tears. Emperor Ming soon died, and his successor was deranged and violent, whereupon the dynastic change from Song to Qi took place. Shen Youzhi, regional inspector of Jingzhou, initially did not believe in the Dharma and purged the monks and nuns. Changsha was one monastery with over a thousand monks, of whom several hundred were to be returned to lay life. The entire assembly was terrified, and young and old wept in grief. The image perspired for five days without ceasing. When Shen heard of this, he summoned the monastery's Great Worthy, Master Xuanchang, and questioned him about the reason. Chang said, 'The holy is not far away; no grief fails to penetrate it. The Buddhas of the past, future, and present are mindful of one another. Could it be that the present Buddha is mindful of all the Buddhas? Wishing to purify the patron's unbelieving mind, this response has occurred.' He asked which sūtra it came from. [Chang] answered, 'It comes from the Amitāyus [Sūtra].' Youzhi obtained the sūtra, examined it, and was extremely pleased; he immediately halted the purge. In the second year of the Yongyuan reign period of the Qi, Xiao Yingzhou, General of the Guard, together with the founder of the Liang, joined with Xiao Baorong, Prince of Nankang and regional inspector of Jingzhou, to raise troops in rebellion. At that time, the image walked out of the hall and was about to descend the steps. Two monks saw it, cried out in alarm, and it returned into the hall. In the third year, Yingzhou died suddenly, Baorong was also deposed, and good fortune accrued to Gaozu [of Liang]. At the end of the Tianjian reign period of the Liang, the monastery prior Daoyue and a layman were clearing grass beside the stūpa; when they opened the stūpa door, they saw the image circumambulating its niche, practicing the way. Yue worshipped it in secret and forbade speaking of it. When the hall was fully opened, the image was also on its seat. When the Prince of Poyang of Liang was in Jingzhou, he repeatedly requested it to be brought into the city to establish great merit. When he fell ill, he went to welcome it, but it became twice as heavy and could not be raised; a few days later, he died. When Gaozu was formerly in Jingzhou, he had long harbored sincere devotion and repeatedly sent men to bring it, but could never succeed. In the third month of the fourth year of the Zhongdatong reign period, he sent the monk Jin of Baima Temple and the Chief Clerk He Siyuan, carrying incense and flowers for offering, to express his earnest sincerity. That night, it emitted light, seeming to follow the envoys. The next morning, when they received it, it was once again detained and obstructed. Only after they repeatedly entreated and prayed did it assent to go. The fourfold assembly, filled with yearning, saw it off to the riverbank. On the twenty-third day, it arrived at Jinling, eighteen li from the capital. The Emperor personally went out to welcome it. Along the entire road it emitted light continuously without cease. Monastics and laypeople rejoiced and exclaimed at such an unprecedented event. It was kept in the palace for three days, where he made offerings with the utmost sincerity (another version says it stayed at Zhongxing Temple), and held an unrestricted great vegetarian feast (pañcavārṣika) for twenty-seven days. Leaving and entering through the Datong Gate, it was brought to Tongtai Temple. That night, the image emitted a great light. An imperial decree ordered that a hall of three bays and two side-wings be built to the northeast of the main hall of Tongtai Temple, and a seven-jeweled curtained throne was provided to enshrine the auspicious image. In addition, two gilt-bronze bodhisattvas were made; mountains were piled up, ponds excavated, rare trees and strange rocks placed, and flying bridges and balustrades flanked both flights of steps to the hall. Furthermore, a pair of bronze caldrons was offered, each holding thirty hu. Multi-storied pavilions on three sides wound gracefully and exquisitely. In the third month of the second year of the Zhongdatong reign period, the Emperor visited Tongtai Temple, held an assembly, and delivered a lecture. Passing through the various halls to pay homage, he arrived at the Auspicious Image Hall at dusk. Just as the Emperor mounted the steps, the image emitted a great light, illuminating the bamboos, trees, mountains, and water, all turning them golden, which did not cease until midnight. When Tongtai Temple was burned down, the halls and chambers were completely destroyed, and only the hall where the image resided survived.