国初永明寿禅师
[23] [Sòng] Kingdom’s Beginning [Period’s] Chán Master Yǒngmíng [Yán]shòu
禅师名延寿，本丹阳人，后迁余杭。少诵《法华》。
[The] Chán Master’s name [was] Yánshòu, originally [a] Dānyáng person, [who] later moved [to] Yúháng. [When] young, [he was already able to] recite [the Wonderful] Dharma [Lotus] Flower [Sūtra] from memory.
初为县衙校，多折官钱。勘之，止是买放生命。
[He was at] first as [a] county’s military officer, [with] much loss [of] official funds. [Upon] investigating this, [they were used] only [for] buying [animals, for] releasing lives.
罪当死，引赴市曹。钱王使人探之，若颜色变即斩之，不变来奏。临斩，颜色不变。乃贷命。
[For this] crime, [there] should [have been the] death [sentence]. King Qián [i.e. King Wúyuè (吴越王), who later asked the Great Master to be his National Teacher (国师)] [then] ordered [a] person [to] examine him. If [his] facial expression [has] changed, [from not looking guilty to looking regretful and fearful], then executing him. [If] not changing, [then] coming [to] report [this to him. When] approaching execution, [as his] facial expression [did] not change, [he] thus pardoned [his] life, [as he was not really corrupt, and since the releasing of lives was for bettering everyone’s karma, especially from killing of many humans and animals].
遂为僧。于禅观中，见观音以甘露灌其口，乃获观音辩才。
Thereupon, [he was] as [a] monastic. With meditative contemplation, [he] saw Contemplator [Of] Sounds [Bodhisattva] with ambrosia pouring [into] his mouth, then obtaining Contemplator [Of] Sounds [Bodhisattva’s] eloquence.
下笔盈卷，著《万善同归集》《宗镜录》等共数百卷。
[Putting] down [the] brush [for] filling scrolls, [he] authored [the] Collection [On The] Ten Thousand Good [Practices’] Common Return, [the] Essential Mirror’s Record [and] others, together [with] several hundred scrolls.
住持雪窦、永明，日课一百八事，精进以修西方。
[He was the] Abbot [of] Xuědòu [Monastery] [雪窦寺] and] Yǒngmíng [Monastery] [永明寺], [and had] daily practice [of] one hundred [and] eight matters, [with] diligence for cultivating [to reach the] Western [Pure Land].
既坐化，焚毕为一塔。有僧每日绕塔礼拜，人问其故。
Since [he] sat [and] departed [in 975 C.E.], [when] cremation [was] completed, [there was] a pagoda made. [As there] was [a] monastic, every day circumambulating [his] pagoda [and] prostrating [there], people asked him [for the] reason.
僧曰：「我抚州僧也。因病至阴府，命未尽放还。
[The] monastic said, ‘I [am a] Fǔzhōu monk. Because [of] sickness, arriving [at the] nether world, [as my] life [has] yet ended, [I was] released [to] return.
见殿角有僧画像一轴，阎罗王自来顶拜。
[I] saw [that in the] hall’s corner, [there] was [a] monk’s painting [on] a scroll, [which] King Yama personally came [to] prostrate [at].
我问此僧何人，主吏云：『此杭州永明寺寿禅师也。凡人死者皆经此处，唯此一人不经此处，已于西方极乐世界上品上生。
[When] I asked who this monk [is, the] Master Magistrate said, “This [is] Hángzhōu’s Yǒngmíng Monastery’s Chán Master [Yán]shòu. All people [who have] died [will] all pass this place. Only this one person [did] not pass this place, [as he was] already in [the] Western Land [Of] Ultimate Bliss’ High Grade’s High Birth.
王敬其人，故画于此供养。』我闻之，故特发心来此绕塔作拜。」
[As the] King revered this person, thus painting this [for] making offerings.” I, [having] heard this, thus specially gave rise [to the] aspiration, [to] come here, [to] circumambulate [his] pagoda [and] prostrate [at it].’
以此见精修西方者，为阴府所重。
With this, [it can be] seen [that] those diligently cultivating [to reach the] Western [Pure Land, are] those by [the] nether world valued.
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 and notes by Shen Shi’an
相关教理
Related Teachings:
上篇
Previous Essay:
石晋凤翔僧志通
[22] Shíjìn’s Fèngxiáng Monastic Zhìtōng
https://purelanders.com/2022/01/29/22-shijins-fengxiang-monastic-zhitong
下篇
Next Essay:
宋明州僧可久
[24] Sòng Dynasty’s Míngzhōu‘s Monastic Kějiǔ
https://purelanders.com/2022/01/29/24-song-dynastys-mingzhous-monastic-kejiu
三十篇
Thirty Essays:
《龙舒净土文》第五卷：感应事迹三十篇
Lóngshū’s Pure Land Text:
[5] Fifth Scroll: Thirty Essays On Deeds Of Connection And Response
https://purelanders.com/longshu5
相关传记
Related Biographies:
净土宗六祖永明延寿大师传
Biography Of The Sixth Patriarch Of The Chinese Pure Land Tradition Great Master Yǒngmíng Yánshòu
https://purelanders.com/2018/03/13/biography-of-the-sixth-patriarch-of-the-chinese-pure-land-tradition-great-master-yongming-yanshou
阿弥陀佛圣诞的由来
How Did Amitābha Buddha’s Sacred Birthday Arise?
弥陀饶舌的第二则公案
Second Case Of Āmítuófó Speaking Too Much
https://purelanders.com/2019/12/13/how-did-amitabha-buddhas-sacred-birthday-arise
