法苑珠林 63.62

63.62

Under the Tang, at Guangfu Temple in Xiangzhou, there was the Śramaṇa Huixuan, surnamed Dong. He was well-versed in the Three Treatises and the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, and had long thoroughly understood secular books such as Zhuangzi and Laozi. Due to this, his fame had long spread throughout the region south of the Han River. In the twenty-third year of the Zhenguan reign-period, he lectured on the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra. On the night of the eighth day of the fourth month, a mountain spirit told him, "Dharma Master, quickly build rooms and quarters; before long you will be born in the Western Realm." On the fourteenth day of the seventh month, having finished lecturing on the Ullambana-sūtra, he folded his hands and said, "Throughout my life, I have received offerings of faith; now all of it, down to a single hair or more, must be distributed and relinquished to the Saṃgha of the ten directions, as well as to the destitute, solitary beggars, and those of heterodox ways." Having finished speaking, he passed away upon the Dharma seat, at the age of seventy-nine. When he first resided at Guangfu Temple, he dwelt on the mountain peak. Fetching water was laborious, and he was about to move to another temple. At night, he saw a divine person, one zhang tall, dressed in a purple robe, who made obeisance to Huixuan, saying, "I invite you to reside here and constantly lecture on the Mahāyāna sūtras; do not concern yourself with the Hīnayāna. That Hīnayāna is also like a high mountain without water, unable to benefit people. The Mahāyāna sūtras are like the great ocean. Since I have stayed on this mountain, many Buddhas have appeared in the world. If one person recites and explains the Mahāyāna, it can cause the place of dwelling to have precious jewels, radiant light, prosperous and superior followers, and abundant food and drink. If there is Hīnayāna, all the former benefits are lost. I only wish you will propagate and uphold it, and not disappoint my hopes." As this mountain-peak temple previously had no water obtainable, the mountain spirit said, "The Dharma Master needs water; this can be easily obtained. On the eighth day of the coming month, you will certainly obtain it. I will personally go to the great spring of Mount Cimu in Jiannan to invite a dragon king." Having spoken, he disappeared. Precisely when the appointed time arrived, in the early night of the seventh day, a great wind suddenly arose from the southwest, with thunder shaking and rain pouring down about a hundred paces behind the Buddha hall below the Han Gao Temple north of the monastery. It continued throughout the night, stopping only at dawn. They saw only a clear spring, fragrant and delicious, to the collective joy of the whole community. After he took up residence here, the original Dragon Spring gradually dried up. Basing upon this verification, it was truly an extraordinary spiritual communication. (The above three verifications are drawn from the Tang Biographies of Eminent Monks).