皇后往生净土记
Record Of An Empress’ Rebirth In Pure Land
◎ 隋独孤皇后
Suí [Dynasty’s] Dúgū Empress
独孤皇后，河南洛阳人，周大司马河内公信之女也。
Dúgū Empress, [was a] Hénán Luòyáng person, [the] daughter of Zhōu’s minister of war, Hénèi Gōngxìn.
隋文帝未贵时，娶为夫人。及受禅，立为皇后。
When Suí [Dynasty’s] Emperor Wén [was] yet [to be] honoured, [he] married [her] as [his] wife. When [he] accepted abdication [of Emperor Jìng of Northern Zhōu (北周静帝), she was] established as Empress.
性贤明，朝廷政事，多所匡益。然颇妒忌，后宫希得进御。
[With] nature wise [and] capable, [of the] imperial court’s government affairs, many [of] them [were] redressed [with] benefits. However, perhaps [due to] jealousy, [the] rear palace rarely attained advancing [of her] imperial [petitions].
帝宏护佛法，敕诸州郡，遍造灵塔，安置舍利，多感瑞应。
[The] Emperor greatly protected [the] Buddha’s Dharma, decreeing all administrative districts everywhere [to] build relic pagodas, [to] safely house śarīra, [with] many connecting [to have] auspicious responses.
后亦敬慕大乘，常持佛名。当持名时，必先易净衣，嚼沉水香盥口，以为常。
[The] Empress also revered [and] admired [the] Great Vehicle, [and] constantly upheld [the] Buddha’s name. When upholding [his] name, [she] would first change [into] clean clothes, [and] chew agarwood [with] water, [using its] fragrance [to] wash [her] mouth, with [this] as [her] constant [practice].
仁寿二年八月甲子，崩于永安宫，年五十。于时异香满室，天乐振响。
[In] Rénshòu’s second year’s eighth month [of] Jiǎzǐ [i.e. first year of the sixty-year cycle], [she] died in Yǒng’ān Palace, [at the] age [of] fifty. At that time, extraordinary fragrance filled [the] room, [as] heavenly music rose [and] sounded.
帝问梵僧阇提斯那：「是何祥也？」
[The] Emperor asked [the] Indian monk Dūtísīnà, ‘What [do] these signs [mean]?’
对曰：「净土有佛，名阿弥陀，皇后往生，故现斯瑞耳。」
In reply, ‘[The] Pure Land has [a] Buddha, named Āmítuófó, [with the] Empress reborn [there], thus appearing [with] these auspicious signs.’
（隋书，续高僧传，佛祖统纪)
(Book [Of] Suí, Continuation [Of] High Monastics’ Biographies, [The] Buddhas’ [And] Patriarchs’ Chronicles)
《净土圣贤录》
(Record [Of] Pure Land’s Noble Sages):
卷九 • 往生女人第九
Ninth Scroll: Ninth [Section On] Reborn Women
彭希涑撰
Compiled [By] Péng Xīsù
Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an
