[7] [89] Later Wèi Dynasty’s Bìgǔ’s Monastic Tánluán 后魏壁谷僧昙鸾

后魏壁谷僧昙鸾
[7] Later Wèi [Dynasty’s] Bìgǔ’s Monastic Tánluán

昙鸾，初自陶隐居得《仙经》十卷，鸾欣然自得，以为神仙必可致也。

Tánluán, first personally [from] Táo [Hóngjǐng (陶弘景), who] lived [in] seclusion, attained [the] Immortality Classic’s ten scrolls. Luán [was] glad [to] personally attain [them], assuming immortality can certainly [be] achieved.

后遇僧菩提留支，问曰：「佛道有长生乎？能却老为不死乎？」

Later meeting [the] monastic Bodhiruci, [he] asked, ‘[Does the] Buddha path have [a method to have] long life, [that is] able [to] retreat [from] ageing [and] not die?’

支云：「长生不死，吾佛道也。」遂以《十六观经》与之，云：「汝可诵此，则三界无复生，六道无复往。盈虚消息，祸福成败，无得而至。其为寿也，有劫石焉，有河沙焉。沙石之数有限，寿量之数无穷。此吾金仙氏之长生也。」

Ci said, ‘[For] long life without death, [is] my Buddha path.’ Thereupon, with [the] Sixteen Contemplations’ Sūtra given [to] him, saying, ‘You can recite this, then [in the] three realms without again born, [to the] six paths without again going. [Of the] abundant [and] empty, rising [and] falling, [of] disasters [and] blessings, successes [and] failures, [with] non-attainment [of them] then reached. [Of] that as lifespan[‘s analogies, there] are kalpas’ rocks, [and there] are rivers’ sand [grains. The] numbers [of] sand [grains and] rocks have limits, [while the] number of [the Pure Land’s] lifespan’s [number of years is] inexhaustible. This [is] my golden immortal’s [i.e. the Buddha] clan’s long life.’

[Note: The Buddha spoke of an analogy to describe the lengthiness of a kalpa, which is one world cycle, the time for a world to be formed and destroyed, about 1,334,000,000 (one billion, three hundred and thirty-four million) years. He spoke of a great rock mountain of 40 lǐs (i.e. 20 kilometres) in height, with a long-living person using a piece of fine and soft cloth, wiping it once every 100 years to gradually reduce its size. By the time this rock is completely ‘sanded’ away, the end of one kalpa will still not be reached. Thus, ‘kalpas’ rocks’ (劫石) are used to describe a duration of time that is long and distant. As the ‘Ganges River’s sand grains’ (恒河沙) are extremely fine like powder, they are also used by the Buddha to describe the innumerable or immeasurable. Note that this is not the same as the infinite.]

鸾深信之，遂焚《仙经》而专修《观经》，虽寒暑之变，疾病之来，亦不懈怠。

[As] Luán profoundly believed him, [he] thereupon burnt [the] Immortality Classic, then [with] focused cultivation [of the] Contemplation Sūtra. Although [with] changes [of] winter [and] summer, [and] coming of sicknesses, likewise not lazy.

魏主怜其志尚，又嘉其自行化他，流传甚广，号为「神鸾」。

[As the Eastern] Wèi [Dynasty’s] Emperor sympathised [with] his Aspiration, also [for] commending his personal practice [and] transforming [of] others, [with] circulation [of the Dharma] extremely great, [he] named [him] as [the] ‘Divine Luán’.

一日，告弟子云：「地狱诸苦，不可以不惧；九品净业不可以不修。」

One day, [he] told [his] disciples, ‘[The] hells’ all [forms of] suffering, cannot [be] not feared. [The] nine grades’ pure karma cannot [be] not cultivated [for].’

因令弟子高声念阿弥陀佛，鸾西向闭目，叩头而亡。是时僧俗同闻管弦丝竹之声从西而来，良久乃止。

Thereupon ordering [his] disciples [to] recite aloud Āmítuófó[‘s name], Tánluán towards [the] West closed [his] eyes, bowed [his] head, [and] then departed. [At] this time, [the] monastics [and] laypersons together heard sounds of wind [and] string [instruments’] music, from [the] West then coming, [for] a long time, then stopping.

宋‧王日休
《龙舒净土文》
第五卷： 感应事迹三十篇
Sòng [Dynasty’s] Wáng Rìxiū
Lóngshū’s Pure Land Text:
Fifth Scroll: Thirty Essays [On] Deeds [Of] Connection [And] Response

Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an

[7] [89] Later Wèi Dynasty’s Bìgǔ’s Monastic Tánluán 后魏壁谷僧昙鸾

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