大宋僧史略 3.43

3.43

Whenever Heavenly Kings are placed on city gates, it is to protect the world. In the renzi year, the first year of the Tianbao reign era of the Tang (742 CE), five countries—the Western Tibetans, the Arabs, and Kangju—invaded Anxi. On the eleventh day of the second month of that year, a memorial was submitted requesting troops for relief. Emperor Xuanzong ordered the dispatch of an army, but calculating the distance of over ten thousand leagues, it would take months to arrive. At that time, an intimate courtier said that an imperial inquiry might first be directed to Tripiṭaka Master Amoghavajra. The emperor acted on the proposal and summoned him into the palace to perform recitations and pray to the Heavenly King for rescue. The emperor held an incense burner, and Amoghavajra chanted the *Benevolent Kings Protecting the State Scripture* dhāraṇī fourteen times. The emperor suddenly saw approximately five hundred divine warriors clad in armor and carrying halberds in front of the palace hall. Surprised and suspicious, the emperor asked Amoghavajra, who replied: 'This is Dokken, the second son of Vaiśravaṇa, leading troops. He will surely fulfill Your Majesty's wish and go to rescue Anxi; he has just come to take leave. Please arrange food offerings to dispatch him.' In the fourth month of that year, Anxi sent a memorial stating: 'Since the eleventh day of the past second month, thirty leagues northeast of the city, there were dark clouds and dense fog, amidst which was a multitude of people about ten feet tall, all clad in golden armor. At the hour of you (5–7 p.m.), drums and horns sounded loudly, their roar shaking three hundred leagues around, making the earth tremble and mountains topple. After two days, the five countries including the Arabs and Kangju broke and fled in disarray. Among the tents were golden-haired rats that gnawed through the strings of bows and crossbows and destroyed all weapons, rendering them useless. In a short while, there was radiant light atop the city watchtower, and the Heavenly King manifested his form, which everyone saw.' They respectfully drew a likeness of the Heavenly King and submitted it with a memorial. Thereupon, the emperor ordered the military commissioners of all circuits, and the prefectures and commanderies where they were stationed, each to install and make offerings to the image and retinue of the Heavenly King in the northwest corner of their city walls. As for Buddhist temples, they were also ordered to house them in separate cloisters. To this day, on the first day of the month, prefectures and commanderies offer incense, flowers, food, and drink, and perform singing and dancing, calling it 'pleasing the Heavenly King'. The reason he is called Vaiśravaṇa is that this Heavenly King has the closest affinity with the Kingdom of Khotan and manifests there particularly often. Khotan is the division of Vaiśravaṇa, and so he is called the Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa, just as one might say the Heavenly King of the Kingdom of Khotan. This is just like Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva manifesting everywhere, yet being specifically called Avalokiteśvara of Mount Potalaka.