法苑珠林 33.79

33.79

唐梓州通泉寺釋慧震。姓龐。身長八尺。聽暠三論玄寤逾䔍。每年正月轉經。千僧袈裟周足奉施無闕。常弘三論聽僧百餘。忽於高座似悶。見人語曰。西山頭好造大佛。既覺下座。領眾案行。中龕造像。兩邊泉流。即命石工鐫鑿坐身。高百三十尺。貞觀八年周備成就。四面都集。道俗三萬慶此尊像。其像口中放大白光。遠近同覩。先有一馬日行五百里。曾經入渾餘馬並死。唯此得還。至十四年七月。忽自嘶鳴不食三日。震聞毛豎。有一異僧。名為十力。語震曰。馬與主別。主當先行。來年正月十五日。日正中時應入涅槃。法師須財物無留於後。於身無益言已而隱。莫知其由。先造藏經請僧常轉。開大施門四遠悲敬。來者皆給。至終年初又請眾僧。讀經行道作三七日。俗緣昆季內外同集。至於八日氣猶不歇。從旦至午。寺內樹木土地皆生蓮華。眾覩奇瑞知其即世。震曰。嘉相已現不容待滿。便行䞋施早令食訖。手執香爐遶盧舍那三匝。還於佛前胡跪正念。大眾滿堂不覺已逝。春秋六十有六。停喪待滿香氣猶存。兄弟三人各捨錢五十萬。於墓所作僧德施。及以悲田。作石塔高五丈。龕安繩床扶屍置上。經百餘日猶不委仆。道俗萬餘悲泣相繼。

Shi Huizhen of Tongquan Temple in Zizhou during the Tang was surnamed Pang and stood eight feet tall. He listened to the Three Treatises under [Master] Gao, his profound awakening growing ever more earnest. Every year in the first month, he turned the scriptures; he provided robes to a thousand monks, making offerings everywhere without lack. He frequently propagated the Three Treatises, with over a hundred monks listening. Once, while on the high seat, he seemed to faint, and saw a person who told him: 'The peak of the Western Mountain is an excellent place to make a great Buddha.' Having awakened, he descended from the seat, led the assembly to inspect the site, carved a niche for the image in the center, with springs flowing on both sides. He then commanded stonemasons to chisel and carve a seated body one hundred and thirty feet high. In the eighth year of the Zhenguan reign, it was completely finished. From all four quarters they gathered; thirty thousand clerics and laypeople celebrated this venerable image. From the mouth of the image emanated a great white light, seen alike from near and far. Previously, he had a horse that could travel five hundred li a day; once, entering a muddy marsh, all the other horses died, and only this one managed to return. In the seventh month of the fourteenth year, it suddenly neighed of its own accord and did not eat for three days. Hearing it, Zhen's hair stood on end. There was an anomalous monk named Dashabala (Shili), who said to Zhen: 'The horse is parting from its master; the master should go first. On the fifteenth day of the first month of next year, at the exact middle of the day, you shall enter nirvāṇa. Master of the Dharma, keep no wealth or goods behind, for they are of no benefit to your body.' Having spoken, he disappeared; none knew whence he came. Zhen had earlier made a scripture canon and invited monks to turn it constantly; he opened wide the gate of great donation, so that those from the four directions, moved with grief and reverence, were all provided for if they came. In the first month of the year of his passing, he again invited the monastic assembly to read scriptures and practice the path for three weeks. His secular kin, brothers, and relatives from within and without all gathered together. By the eighth day, his breath had not yet ceased. From dawn until noon, the trees and ground within the temple all sprouted lotus flowers. The assembly, witnessing this wondrous portent, knew that his departure from the world was imminent. Zhen said: 'The auspicious signs have already appeared; they cannot wait for the full period.' He then distributed gifts and had them finish eating early. Holding an incense burner in his hands, he circled Rocana three times, returned before the Buddha, knelt on his right knee in correct mindfulness, and as the great assembly filled the hall, without their realizing it, he had already passed away. His spring and autumn were sixty-six. His remains were kept to complete the full period, and the fragrance still lingered. His three brothers each gave five hundred thousand coins, making offerings of monastic merit and fields of compassion at the tomb. They built a stone pagoda fifty feet high, placed a rope-bed in the niche, and supported his corpse upon it. After more than a hundred days, it had still not collapsed. Over ten thousand clerics and laypeople wept in succession with sorrow.