集神州三寶感通錄 2.32

2.32

28. On the eighth day of the first month in the first year of Tianjian (502 CE), Emperor Wu, founder of the Liang, dreamed that a sandalwood image entered his realm. Thereupon he issued an edict recruiting people to go and welcome it. According to the Record of the Buddha's Travels in India and the two-fascicle King Udayana Sūtra, when the Buddha ascended to the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven to preach the Dharma to his mother for one summer, the king and ministers longed to see him. King Udayana sent thirty-two artisans and brought sandalwood, requesting the divine power of Mahāmaudgalyāyana to transport them there to sketch the Buddha's likeness. Once the likeness was sketched as desired, they returned; the seated image was five feet high, and was housed in Jetavana Monastery, where offerings are made to it down to the present day. The Emperor wished to invite and welcome this image. At that time, General of Decisive Victory Hao Qian, Xie Wenhua, and others—eighty persons in all—responded to the recruitment and arrived [there], stating their request in detail. The king of Śrāvastī said: 'This original image of Central India cannot [be moved]; instead, let thirty-two artisans carve another piece of purple sandalwood, each person sketching one mark.' They set to work at the hour of the rabbit (5–7 a.m.) and completed it by noon. The primary and secondary marks were fully complete, and the crown of the image emitted light, while a fine drizzle fell along with an extraordinary fragrance. Thus the King Udayana Sūtra says: 'After the true body has hidden away, the second image will appear, broadly producing profound benefits for living beings'—which refers to this. Qian and the others carried the second image on their backs and traveled tens of thousands of li, experiencing all kinds of hardships and dangers difficult to relate in full. They also crossed the great sea, braving wind and waves; carried by the waves to a mountain, their provisions were exhausted. Many among the men brought along and the escorts perished. Facing various ferocious beasts, they single-mindedly recollected the Buddha, and then heard the sound of armor behind the image, as well as the sound of a bell. Beside a cliff, there was a monk sitting upright under a tree. Qian took the image from his back and placed it before him. The monk rose and paid homage to the image; Qian and the others paid homage to the monk. The monk gave them water for washing to drink, and they were all fully nourished. The monk said: 'This image is named Samyaksambuddha Kumbhīra King. Since it will arrive there, it will perform great Buddha-works.' In an instant, he vanished. That night, they all dreamed of seeing a spirit, and at dawn sketched it together. On the fifth day of the fourth month in the tenth year of Tianjian (511 CE), Qian and the others arrived in Yangdu. The Emperor, together with the hundred officials, walked forty li on foot to welcome it back to the Taiji Hall. He held a vegetarian feast, ordained people, declared a general amnesty, and prohibited killing. All bows, swords, lances, and the like were converted into lotus and stūpa finials. From then on, the Emperor ate only vegetables and severed desire. In the fifth month of the third year of Taiqing (549 CE), the Emperor passed away. When the Prince of Xiangdong ascended the throne in Jiangling with the reign title Chengsheng, he sent people to welcome it from Yangdu up to the Jing capital, housing it in the Chengguang Hall for offerings. In the eighth year of Dading of the Later Liang (569 CE), when Daming Temple was built at Jingling north of the city, the image was transferred to it. It is extant today, and many copies have been made and circulated throughout the capitals and commanderies.