法苑珠林 15.32

15.32

唐相州寒陵山寺釋道昂。未詳其氏。魏郡人也。履信標宗風神清徹。獨懷異操高尚世表。慧解夙成殆非開悟。結志西方願生安養。後知命極預告有緣。至八月初當來取別。期月既臨一無患。問齋時至未。景次昆吾即昇高座。身含奇相鑪發異香。援引四眾受菩薩戒。詞理切要聽者慚心。于時七眾圍繞飡承遺味。昂舉目高視。乃見天眾繽紛絃管繁會。中有清音遠聽哀婉。天眾高亮告於眾曰。兜率陀天樂音下迎。昂曰。天道乃是生死根本由來非願。常祈心淨土。如何此誠不遂意耶。言訖便覩天樂上騰須臾遠滅。便見西方香華伎樂充塞。如似團雲。飛涌而來旋環頂上。舉眾皆見。昂曰。大眾好住。今西方靈相來迎。事須聞往。言訖但見香鑪墜手。便於高座而終。卒于報應寺。春秋六十有九。即貞觀七年八月內也。道俗崩慟觀者如山。接捧將殯殮。足下有普光堂等文字生焉。還送寒陵山鑿窟處之。經春不壞坐固如初。又登講之夜。時屬陰暗素無燈燭。昂舉掌高示。便發異光。朗照堂宇。大眾覩瑞怪所從來。昂曰。此光手中常有。何所怪乎。自非道會靈章行符隣聖者。何能現斯嘉應者哉。

During the Tang dynasty, the monk Dao’ang of Hanlingshan Temple in Xiangzhou was of an uncertain surname, a native of Weijun. Practicing faith and upholding the essentials of the doctrine, his spiritual demeanor was pure and lucid; solitary in his uncommon discipline, he stood lofty beyond worldly bounds. His insightful understanding matured early, scarcely needing further awakening. He set his resolve upon the Western Land, vowing to be born in Sukhāvatī. Later, knowing his life had reached its term, he gave advance notice to those connected with him that in the beginning of the eighth month he would come to take his leave. When the appointed month arrived, he had no illness at all. Asking whether the time for the midday meal had arrived, as the sun reached mid-sky he mounted the high seat. His body held wondrous signs, and the incense burner gave forth an extraordinary fragrance. Guiding the fourfold assembly, he transmitted the bodhisattva precepts, his words and reasoning so urgent and essential that the listeners felt shame in their hearts. At that time the sevenfold assembly surrounded him, partaking of the leftover flavor of his teachings. Dao’ang lifted his gaze and looked high up, whereupon he saw celestial beings milling about, with strings and pipes in dense harmony; among them was a clear sound, mournful and delicate when heard from afar. The celestial multitude proclaimed with a clear, loud voice to the assembly: 'The musical sounds of Tuṣita Heaven have descended to welcome you.' Dao’ang said: 'The heavenly realm is the root of birth and death; it has never been my wish. I have always prayed for the Pure Land; how could this sincerity fail to attain its aim?' Having spoken, he saw the heavenly music ascend and vanish in an instant, and then beheld fragrant flowers and musicians from the West filling the void like clustered clouds, billowing forth and circling above his head. The entire assembly saw it. Dao’ang said: 'May the great assembly dwell well; now the spiritual signs of the West have come to welcome me, and it is necessary that I depart.' Having finished speaking, the incense burner was seen to slip from his hand, and he passed away right upon the high seat. He died at Baoying Temple at the age of sixty-nine, in the eighth month of the seventh year of the Zhenguan era. Monastics and laypeople grieved intensely, and onlookers were like a mountain. As they lifted and carried him to prepare for the encoffining and funeral, characters such as 'Hall of Universal Radiance' arose beneath his feet. He was taken back to Mount Hanling, where a cave was excavated to house him; after a whole spring had passed, his body had not decayed, sitting firmly as before. Furthermore, on an evening when he mounted the seat to lecture, the sky was overcast and dark, and there had never been any lamp or candle; Dao’ang raised his palm high, and an extraordinary light burst forth, illuminating the hall. The assembly beheld this auspicious omen and wondered where it came from. Dao’ang said: 'This light is always in my hand; what is there to wonder at?' If one had not united with the spiritual truth of the Way, and if one’s practice had not tallied with that of the neighboring sages, how could such an auspicious response be displayed?