法苑珠林 39.27

39.27

代州東南五臺山。古稱神仙之宅也。山方三百里。極巉巖崇峻。有五臺上不生草木。唯松栢茂林。經中明文殊將五百仙人往清涼雪山。即斯地也。地極嚴寒多雪。號曰清涼山。所以古來求道之士。多遊此山。遺迹靈窟即目極多。中臺最高。去并七百。望如抵掌。上有小石浮圖。其量千計。即是魏文帝宏所立也。石上人馬跡宛然如新。有大泉名曰太華。清澄如鏡。有二浮圖夾之。中有文殊師利像。人有至者。鐘聲香氣無日不有。神僧瑞像往往逢遇。龍朔三年下勅令長安會昌寺。僧會賾往彼修理。寺塔。前後再返亦遇靈感。中臺東南下三十里有大孚靈鷲寺。古傳漢明所造。現有東西二道場像設猶存。南有華園二頃許。四時相間互相映發。古今常然不知元由。貞觀年中有禪師名解脫。聚住習定。自云於華園北四度見文殊師利菩薩。翼從滿空。群仙異聖不可勝紀。近有僧朗禪師。居山三十餘載。亦遇仙聖。飛空而去。唯留故皮。南臺三十里內多是名華遍於峯岫。俗號華山。中有聖寺。鍾聲時發。曾見異人形偉冠世。言語之間超騰遂遠。其山甚近滯俗罕登。登者必感勝緣。

Mount Wutai, southeast of Daizhou, was anciently called the abode of the immortals. The mountain measures three hundred li square, extremely craggy, towering, and steep. It has five terraces upon which no grasses or shrubs grow, only lush forests of pine and cypress. The scripture explains that Mañjuśrī, leading five hundred immortals, went to the Cold and Clear Snow Mountains; this is that very place. The terrain is exceedingly cold and snowy, so it is called Mount Qingliang (Clear and Cold). For this reason, seekers of the Path since antiquity have frequently visited this mountain, and its historical traces and miraculous caves are exceedingly numerous right before one's eyes. The Central Terrace is the highest, seven hundred [li] from Bing[zhou], yet viewing it is as easy as pointing to one's palm. On it are small stone stūpas, numbering by the thousands, which were erected by Emperor Wen of the Wei, [Tuoba] Hong. The prints of people and horses on the stones are distinct as if fresh. There is a great spring named Taihua, clear and mirror-like. Two stūpas flank it, and inside is an image of Mañjuśrī. Whenever people arrive there, bell chimes and fragrant scents are never absent a day. Divine monks and auspicious images are frequently encountered. In the third year of the Longshuo era (663), an imperial edict ordered the monk Huize of Huichang Temple in Chang'an to go there and repair the temples and stūpas. Traveling back and forth twice, he also met with miraculous resonances. Thirty li down to the southeast of the Central Terrace is Dafu Lingjiu Temple, which tradition says was built by Emperor Ming of the Han; currently, the Eastern and Western bodhimaṇḍas still stand with their images. To the south is a flower garden of about two qing; in the four seasons they alternate and reflect one another, ever so from past to present, their source unknown. During the Zhenguan era, there was a Chan master named Jietuo who gathered a group to dwell and practice meditation. He himself said that north of the flower garden he had four times seen the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, whose retinue filled the sky, along with hosts of immortals and extraordinary sages beyond number. Recently there was Chan Master Senglang, who dwelt in the mountain for over thirty years; he also encountered an immortal sage and flew off into the void, leaving only his cast-off skin behind. Within thirty li of the Southern Terrace are mostly celebrated flowers covering the peaks and cliffs, popularly called Mount Hua (Flower Mountain). Within it is a holy temple whose bells ring out from time to time. Someone once saw a remarkable person of surpassing stature, who in the midst of conversation soared high and far away. That mountain is very near, but those bogged down in the secular world rarely climb it; those who climb it are bound to encounter excellent conditions.