大唐內典錄 10.63

10.63

Formerly, at the beginning of the Kaihuang era, there was Dharma Master Tanyan of Hedong. When he first composed a commentary explaining the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, fearing it did not accord with the sage's intent, he displayed the sūtra and commentary before the stūpa of the Buddha's relics, and proclaimed to the spiritual sagacity: "If my explanation accords with reason, may divine resonance be bestowed." When his words ended, each scroll of the Mahāparinirvāṇa radiated light, and the great relic stūpa also radiated light, reaching upward to the heavens and illuminating far and wide in all directions. Monastics and laypeople thought the monastery was on fire, and rushed over in shock; only upon arriving did they know it was not. For three days and three nights, the leaping flames did not cease. The founder of the Sui revered him as a precept master, welcomed him into the capital, and built Yanxing Si for him. His disciples are still alive. The monk Daoxun of Renshou Si in Pu Prefecture was Yan's student; he lectured on the Mahāparinirvāṇa nearly a hundred times and had the resolve to propagate and protect the saddharma. People from the four quarters flocked to him without distinction between guests and hosts, and in extensive enrichment none surpassed him. In the fourth year of Zhenguan, Cui Yizhi was magistrate of Yuxiang and sent someone to invite Xun to lecture on the sūtra. When Xun had announced the title, he wept and said, "We are increasingly distant from the Sage, and the subtle words have faded into obscurity. What is transmitted by an ordinary and base person like me is not worthy to be a model. It is only with faith and aspiration that genuine realization arises naturally. Today's lecture will end at the Lion Chapter. Time is pressing; I hope you listen mindfully." When he reached that chapter, he died without illness. Monastics and laypeople wailed in grief. Barefoot, Yizhi supported the coffin and escorted it to the Southern Mountains. At that time, in the depth of winter in the eleventh month, the ground was frozen solid. When the corpse was lowered to the ground, lotuses grew from the earth, one small one each at the head, hands, and feet. Yizhi marveled at it and ordered people to guard it, but someone unnoticed stole and broke them off. The next morning when they looked, there were flowers all around the body, totaling five hundred stalks, which withered only after seven days.