集神州三寶感通錄 2.31

2.31

27. At the beginning of the Jianyuan era of the Qi (479 CE), Wang Yan of Taiyuan, who in his youth had received the five precepts from Dharma Master Xian in Jiaozhi, had been given a golden image of Avalokiteśvara to make offerings to. He subsequently brought it back to the capital Yangdu and deposited it at Nanjian Temple. Yan took a nap during the day and dreamed that the image was standing at the corner of his seat; he felt this was very strange, and immediately galloped to welcome it back. That evening, more than ten images were lost at Nanjian [Temple], having been stolen, destroyed, and melted to cast coins. In the autumn of the seventh year of Daming of the Song (463 CE), [the image] emitted light at night illuminating about three feet around; its golden radiance was dazzling, and the whole family witnessed it together. Later, this image was deposited at Duobao Temple. Yan went to Jingchu for nearly ten years, not knowing the image's whereabouts. When he returned to Yangdu, he dreamed that it was among many small images east of the hall, distinct and unmistakable. At dawn he went to the temple and obtained it just as in the dream, on the thirteenth day of the seventh month in the first year of Jianyuan (479 CE). Thus, in his own preface to the Mingxiang ji (Records of Signs from the Unseen Realm), Yan says: 'I have constantly made offerings to this image myself, hoping it will forever serve as a bridge to liberation. Reflecting upon these events, my heart is deeply moved; following these evidential encounters, I have compiled this record. For reflecting and approaching ordinary human feelings, nothing surpasses images; the occurrence of auspicious confirmations mostly arises from this. The sūtras say that those images cast, molded, or painted in the likeness of physical forms can even move and emit light. Now the two images of Śākyamuni and Maitreya in the Western Regions shine and function as if they were real—is it not because they have attained the true marks? Now in the Eastern Lands, models and manifestations of divine resonance have frequently appeared; or perhaps it is through the sympathetic resonance of the living beings of those times due to conditions coming together, borrowing wood and stone to display unseen wonders, not necessarily because the [artistic] forms and beauty alone could bring it about. Therefore, when sunken stones floated on the deep, it truly unfolded the conversion of Min and Wu; when dust of gold poured forth liquid, it served to unfold the blessings of Peng and Song. The rest of the diverse demonstrations in numerous places, though difficult to explain in detail, generally all return to and follow this principle. As for the manifest efficacy of scriptures and stūpas, their purport and proof are likewise the same. The principles do not follow a separate thread, and thus accord with what is sought. The rest is fully contained in the entire work of the Mingxiang ji.'