諸經要集 8.88

8.88

Furthermore, the Guanfo sanmei jing says: At that time, King Udayana yearned for the Bhagavat and cast an image of gold. Hearing that the Buddha was about to descend the jeweled stairs, an elephant carrying the golden image came to welcome the Bhagavat. At that time, the golden image descended from the elephant, just like a living Buddha, walking in the air, with flowers raining down from beneath its feet, also emitting light as it came to welcome the Bhagavat. It joined its palms, clasped its hands, and prostrated before the Buddha. At that time, the Bhagavat also knelt and joined his palms toward the image. Hundreds of thousands of transformation Buddhas in the air likewise all joined their palms and knelt toward the image. At that time, the Bhagavat said to the image: "In future ages, you shall perform great Buddha-deeds. After my parinirvāṇa, I entrust all my disciples to you." With one voice, the transformation Buddhas in the air all spoke these words: "If there are sentient beings who, after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, erect images and present offerings to them, in future ages these people will definitely attain the pure samādhi of buddhānusmṛti."