道宣律師感通錄 1.7

1.7

I also asked: "Thirty *li* southeast of the Central Peak of Mount Wutai, there is now Dafu Lingjiu Temple. The two halls separated by a ravine still stand. To the south there is a flower garden of about two *qing*, blooming with brilliant colours in all four seasons, which no one can fully explain. Some say it was established by Emperor Ming of Han; others say Emperor Xiaowen of Wei built it. How do we account for these differing accounts?"
He replied: "It was built by both emperors. Formerly, in the time of King Mu of Zhou, the Buddha-Dharma was already present. This mountain is miraculous and numinous, the abode of Mañjuśrī. King Mu of Zhou constructed a temple therein to make offerings, and King Aśoka also erected a stūpa according to tradition. At the beginning of Emperor Ming of Han, Kāśyapa Mātaṅga also saw with the divine eye that there was a stūpa, and petitioned the emperor to establish a monastery. Because the shape of the mountain resembles Gṛdhrakūṭa (Vulture Peak), it was named Dafu. *Fu* means faith. The emperor had faith in Buddhist principles and established the temple to encourage the people. As for Emperor Xiaowen of the Yuan Wei, because the Northern Peak was not far off, he frequently came to pay homage, and the tracks of his men and horses can be clearly seen on the rocks; this matter can well be known. Not only Mount Wutai, but now Mount Zhongnan, Mount Taibai, Mount Taihua, and the Five Sacred Peaks and celebrated mountains all have holy persons who abide there for the sake of the Buddha-Dharma; they exist everywhere.
If someone prepares an offering, they must invite them beforehand. Seven days prior, within a quiet room, one arranges an altar and seat, burns incense, lays out the memorial petition, and closes the door to pray; there is none that does not receive a response. When the time comes, they will arrive, though ordinary beings and holy ones are hard to distinguish. If one does not do so, since invitations based on affinity are numerous, they will rarely come to partake of the meal.
Nowadays there are those who fashion statues of the holy monk Piṇḍola and place them in their rooms to make offerings; this is also a viable way. However, on a separate piece of ground, one must place a bowl before an empty seat. When the monastic meal arrives, have a senior monk receive it on his behalf; one must not serve it with monastic trays and dishes. For although the ordinary and the holy differ, neither touches monastic food vessels. When arriving at a lay household, it is what the laity set out. If one does not prepare a quiet room beforehand in this manner, only the rest of the holy assembly might descend; since the three continents share the same offerings, they respond separately according to conditions, so that this Piṇḍola can rarely be encountered."