法苑珠林 63.51

63.51

晉尋陽廬山西有龍泉精舍。即慧遠沙門之所立也。遠始南渡。愛其區丘欲創寺宇。未知定方。遣諸弟子訪履林㵎。疲息此地。群僧並渴。率同立誓曰。若使此處宜立精舍。當願神力即出嘉泉。乃以杖掘地。清泉涌出。遂畜為治。因搆堂宇。其後天甞亢旱。遠率諸僧轉海龍王經。為民祈雨。轉讀未畢。泉中有物形如豆蛇。騰空而去。俄爾洪雨四澍。㵎過离畢以有龍瑞故取名焉。

To the west of Mount Lu in Xunyang of the Jin dynasty, there was the Longquan Vihāra, which was founded by the śramaṇa Huiyuan. When Yuan first crossed to the south, he loved the beauty of this place and wished to build a monastery, but had not determined the precise site. He sent his disciples to explore the forests and ravines, and they rested wearily at this spot. The monks were all thirsty and made a vow together: “If this place is suitable for founding a vihāra, we pray that divine power immediately cause a fine spring to appear.” He then struck the ground with his staff, and a clear spring gushed forth; they gathered it into a reservoir, and built the halls based upon it. Later, when the weather suffered a severe drought, Yuan led the monks in reciting the *Sūtra of the Dragon King of the Ocean* to pray for rain for the people. Before the recitation was completed, a creature in the spring resembling a bean snake soared into the air and departed. Shortly thereafter, torrential rain poured down on all four sides, flowing through the ravines until it ceased; because of this auspicious omen of the dragon, the monastery took its name.