法苑珠林 14.51

14.51

又問。今五臺山中臺之東南三十里。見有大孚靈鷲寺兩堂隔㵎猶存。南有華園。可二頃許。四時發采色類不同。四周樹圍人移華栽。別處種植皆悉不生。唯在圍內方得久榮。人究年月莫知來由。或云。漢明所立。或云魏孝文帝栽植。古老相傳互說不同。如何為實。答云。俱是二帝所作。昔周穆王之時。已有佛法。此山靈異文殊所居。周穆於中造寺供養。及阿育王亦依置塔。漢明之初摩騰是阿羅漢。天眼亦見有塔請帝立寺。其山形像似靈鷲。名曰大孚者信也。由帝深信佛法立寺勸人。元魏孝文北臺不遠常來禮謁。見人馬行迹石上分明。其事可驗。豈唯五臺獨驗。今終南山太白太華五岳名山皆有聖人。為住持佛法令法久住。有人設供。感訃徵應。事在別篇。不繁此述也。

He also asked: "Now thirty li southeast of the Central Peak of Mount Wutai, there is the Dafu Lingjiu Temple, whose two halls across a stream still exist. To the south is a flower garden, about two qing in area. In all four seasons it blooms with blossoms whose colors and varieties vary. Surrounded by trees on all four sides, if people transplant the flowers and try to plant them elsewhere, none of them will grow; only within the enclosure do they thrive for a long time. People who investigate their date do not know the origin. Some say it was established by Emperor Ming of the Han, while others say Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei planted them. The traditions of the elders differ from one another; which is the truth?"
He answered, saying: "Both were done by the two emperors. In ancient times, during the reign of King Mu of the Zhou, the Buddha's Dharma already existed here. This mountain is a miraculous site where Mañjuśrī resides. King Mu of the Zhou built a temple there to make offerings, and King Aśoka also erected a pagoda there in accordance with this. At the beginning of Emperor Ming of the Han, Dharmaratna was an arhat; seeing with his divine eye that there was a pagoda, he requested the emperor to establish a temple. The mountain's form resembles the Vulture Peak (Gṛdhrakūṭa). It is named 'Dafu' ('Great Trust') because of faith: it was because the emperor had deep faith in the Buddha's Dharma that he established the temple to encourage the people. Emperor Xiaowen of the Yuan-Wei was not far from the Northern Peak and constantly came to pay homage. The tracks of men and horses are clearly visible on the stone, and the matter can be verified. Is it only Mount Wutai that is uniquely verified? Nowadays, Mount Zhongnan, Mount Taibai, Mount Taihua, and the Five Sacred Peaks and famous mountains all have holy persons who preserve the Buddha's Dharma so that the Dharma may long endure. When someone presents offerings, there are signs of resonance and omens. The accounts are in another chapter and need not be elaborated here."