English
English version An old man was reborn in the Western Paradise. He met Yama-raja (the King of Hell) in the underworld. The King then released him back to the world, saying, 'You should be reborn in the Pure Land.' The old man had vowed to recite the Vajra-chedika-sutra (Diamond Sutra, an important Buddhist scripture) ten thousand times and wished to pay homage to Mount Wutai (a famous Buddhist mountain in China). This wish had not yet been fulfilled, so he did not want to be reborn. Wen Wanjing's Wife Forty-first Wen Wanjing's wife was from Bingzhou. She was sick in bed. Her husband told her, 'You should recite Amitabha (the Buddha of the Western Pure Land).' Her recitation of the Buddha's name never ceased, and she saw the Buddha-land. Later, she told her husband to prepare a vegetarian feast, as she was going to be reborn in the Western Paradise. After the feast, she said, 'Strive to recite the Buddha's name.' An Old Man and Woman from Yueshan Village, Suizhou Forty-second The old man and woman understood the principles of suffering and emptiness. Every month on the twenty-ninth day, they invited two monks from the mountain to perform rituals and recite the Buddha's name. The old woman personally prepared the vegetarian meals. The old man said, 'Why not have someone else do it?' The old woman said, 'We should do it ourselves as long as we can. If we have others do it, it will only be their merit.' At the time of their death, light filled the entire house, as bright as day in the middle of the night. Female Disciple Liang Forty-third Liang was from Haozhou and was blind in both eyes. Because a monk advised her to recite Amitabha, she did so continuously for three years after receiving the teaching, and both her eyes regained their sight. Everyone in the village saw it. When her life came to an end, she saw the Buddha and Bodhisattvas (enlightened beings who vow to help all sentient beings) coming to greet her. After her death, the Bodhisattvas together built a pagoda and temple for her, and all who came and went respected her. All the men and women in the county turned their hearts to reciting the Buddha's name. Female Disciple Pei Forty-fourth Pei lived during the Zhenguan era. Because a monk taught her to recite the Buddha's name, she used small beans to count, reciting until she had filled three 'shi' (a unit of measurement). She knew where she would be reborn, so she bid farewell to her relatives and friends. Then, she adorned herself according to the Dharma, recited the Buddha's name until her death, and was reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Female Disciple Yao Po Forty-fifth Yao Po was from Shangdu. During the Zhenguan era, she was persuaded by Fan Po to recite Amitabha. At the time of her death, she saw the Buddha and Bodhisattvas coming to greet her. She said that she had not yet said goodbye to Fan Po and asked the Buddha to wait temporarily. The Buddha remained in the void waiting. Fan Po arrived, holding an incense burner in her hand, and passed away peacefully. Zhang Wenzhi's Wife Xun Forty-sixth Xun made a vow to recite the Buddha's name. After two years, there was... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
僧见七宝池中莲花。白佛言。折一枝将与女子。莫有罪否。言讫。所见之境并皆散失。舍寿之日。异香来迎而往生净土。 汾阳县老人第四十七 老人贞观五年并州汾阳县住。常诵西方。遂取粮。于法忍山借一空房。止宿念佛。临终时。大光遍照。面西而终。似登莲台遂而去。 邵愿保第四十八 邵愿保雍州人。发心念佛声声不绝。自业忏悔。夜梦。宝莲台被牛牵来。触损牛曰杀。我遂念弥陀经三卷。念佛百声。牛乃欢喜。后遇金台。乘空而去往。 往生西方净土瑞应传 天德二年(岁次戊午)四月二十九日(庚辰木曜觜宿)延历寺度海沙门日延(大唐吴越州称日赐紫惠光大师)劝导传持写之传焉。 年来所传之□保延元年火事烧失了 康治二年九月九日令改书之 （朱） 移点并比校了应安三年三月比参诣北野之处或人与之毕 求法比丘任秀之生年三六劝修寺西林房。 今此删传四十八结校合数本来勘韵篇为证宗立教初造施板印矣。 愿以此功德 平等施一切 同发菩提心 往生安乐国 贞永元年(岁次壬辰)三月二十七日立笔四月二十一日毕功 释子 日真 现代汉语译本 一位僧人看见七宝池（由七种珍宝组成的池子）中的莲花，问佛说：‘折一枝莲花送给女子，会有罪过吗？’话音刚落，所见的景象全部消失。舍弃寿命的那天，奇异的香气前来迎接，于是往生净土。 汾阳县老人第四十七 这位老人于贞观五年住在并州汾阳县。他经常诵念西方（指西方极乐世界）。于是准备了粮食，在法忍山借了一间空房，在那里住宿念佛。临终时，巨大的光芒普照，面向西方而终。像是登上了莲花台，于是离去。 邵愿保第四十八 邵愿保是雍州人。他发心念佛，声音声声不绝，并忏悔自己的业障。夜里梦见，一个宝莲台被牛牵来，（牛）触碰损坏了（莲台）。（有人）说要杀（这头牛）。我于是念诵《弥陀经》三卷，念佛百声。牛于是欢喜。后来遇到金色的莲台，乘空而去往（西方净土）。 《往生西方净土瑞应传》 天德二年（岁次戊午）四月二十九日（庚辰木曜觜宿），延历寺的度海沙门日延（大唐吴越州称日赐紫惠光大师）劝导传持并写下此传。 多年来所传的□在保延元年的火灾中烧毁了。 康治二年九月九日命令重新抄写。 （朱） 移点和比对校正完毕，应安三年三月在参诣北野的地方，有人将此（书）赠与（我）完毕。 求法比丘任秀之，生年三十六，住在劝修寺西林房。 如今这部删节过的传记四十八篇已经校对完毕，总数与原本勘韵篇相符，可以作为宗立教最初制造施舍的印版了。 愿以此功德，平等施一切，同发菩提心，往生安乐国。 贞永元年（岁次壬辰）三月二十七日开始书写，四月二十一日完成。 释子 日真
English
English version A monk saw lotus flowers in the Seven Treasure Pond (a pond made of seven kinds of treasures). He asked the Buddha, 'Is it a sin to pluck a lotus flower and give it to a woman?' As soon as he finished speaking, the scene he saw disappeared completely. On the day he relinquished his life, extraordinary fragrances came to greet him, and he was reborn in the Pure Land. The Old Man of Fenyang County, Number Forty-Seven This old man lived in Fenyang County, Bingzhou, in the fifth year of the Zhenguan era. He constantly recited the Western (referring to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss). So he prepared provisions and borrowed an empty room on Mount Faren, where he stayed and recited the Buddha's name. When he was about to die, a great light illuminated everywhere, and he passed away facing west. It was as if he ascended a lotus platform and then departed. Shao Yuanbao, Number Forty-Eight Shao Yuanbao was a person from Yongzhou. He resolved to recite the Buddha's name, his voice continuous and unbroken, and he repented of his karmic obstacles. In a dream at night, he saw a precious lotus platform being pulled by an ox, and the (ox) touched and damaged (the platform). (Someone) said to kill (the ox). Thereupon, I recited three volumes of the 'Amitabha Sutra' and recited the Buddha's name a hundred times. The ox then rejoiced. Later, he encountered a golden lotus platform and ascended into the sky to go (to the Western Pure Land). Record of Auspicious Responses of Rebirth in the Western Pure Land On the twenty-ninth day of the fourth month of the second year of Tiande (year corresponding to Wuwu), (Gengchen, Jupiter, Zi constellation), the monk Riyen (named Zihuiguang Master by the Emperor in the Wuyue region of the Great Tang Dynasty) of Enryaku-ji Temple, who crossed the sea, encouraged the transmission and wrote this record. The □ that has been transmitted for many years was burned and lost in the fire of the first year of Hoen. On the ninth day of the ninth month of the second year of Kōji, an order was given to rewrite it. (Vermilion) The moving of dots and comparison and correction are completed. In the third month of the third year of Ōan, at the place of visiting Kitano, someone gave this (book) to (me) completely. The Dharma-seeking monk Renxiu, born in the thirty-sixth year, resides in the Xilin room of Kenshū-ji Temple. Now this abridged transmission of forty-eight chapters has been proofread and the total number matches the original Kan'on chapter, which can be used as the first printing plate for establishing the sect and teaching. May this merit and virtue be equally bestowed upon all, may we together generate the Bodhi mind, and be reborn in the Land of Bliss. Started writing on the twenty-seventh day of the third month of the first year of Jōei (year corresponding to Mizunoe-Tatsu), and completed on the twenty-first day of the fourth month. Disciple of the Buddha, Nichishin --------------------------------------------------------------------------------