法苑珠林 17.27

17.27

魏常山衡唐精舍釋道泰。元魏末人。夢人謂曰。爾至某年當終於四十二矣。泰寤懼之。及至其年遇病甚憂悉以身資為福。有友人曰。余聞供養六十二億菩薩。與一稱觀音福同無異。君何不至心歸依。可必增壽。泰乃感悟。遂四日四夜專精不絕。所坐帷下忽見光明從戶外而入。見觀音足趺踝間金色朗照。語泰曰。汝念觀世音耶。比泰褰帷頃。便不復見。悲喜流汗。便覺體輕所患悉愈。聖力所加後終延年。

Shi Daotai of the Hengtang Hermitage in Changshan under the Wei was a man of the late Northern Wei. He dreamed that someone said to him: 'When you reach such-and-such a year, you will die at the age of forty-two.' When he woke, Tai was frightened by it. When he reached that year, he fell ill and was extremely worried, giving away all his personal assets to cultivate merit. A friend said: 'I have heard that making offerings to sixty-two koṭis of bodhisattvas yields merit equal and no different to a single invocation of Avalokiteśvara. Why do you not take refuge with an utmost mind? You can surely prolong your lifespan.' Tai was thereby awakened and moved; thereupon, for four days and four nights, he concentrated his mind without interruption. Under the curtain where he sat, he suddenly saw a bright light enter from outside the door, and saw Avalokiteśvara's instep and ankles shining brilliantly with a golden colour, saying to Tai: 'Are you being mindful of Avalokiteśvara?' By the time Tai lifted the curtain, it was seen no more. Weeping with joy and sweating all over, he immediately felt his body become light and his ailments all cured. Through the grace of the holy power, his life was ultimately prolonged.