Rebirth of Bhikkhu Huiyong (Eastern Jin Dynasty) 东晋 慧永

Bhikkhu Huiyong - His surname was Pan. He was from Henei, Hebei. He became a monk at the age of twelve and served the monk Zhu Tanxian, who was his teacher. He first practiced meditation in Mount Heng. Later, he converted to Buddhism along with Master Huiyuan (i.e. first patriarch of Chinese Pure Land Buddhism) and studied under Master Dao’an (also Master Huiyuan’s teacher).

In the early years of Emperor Xiaowu of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (376 AD), he went to Mount Lu. The governor Tao Fan donated his house Xilin (Western Forest Temple) and invited Master Huiyong to live there. Master Huiyong usually wore coarse clothes and ate simple food. He single-mindedly focused on his practice. He always had a smile on his face and never hurt sentient beings with his words. He built another hut on the top of the mountain and often went there to meditate and contemplate. People who went to his hut often smelled a strange fragrance, so it was called "Fragrant Valley". There was a tiger living with the master on the top of the mountain. When guests came, the master drove the tiger away. Master Huiyong practiced diligently and vowed to be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. In the tenth year of Yixi reign of Emperor An of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (414 AD), he fell ill. One day, he suddenly put on his clothes and tried to get up. When asked why, he replied, "The Buddha has come!" He attained rebirth at the age of 83. The strange fragrance in the room lasted for seven days before it disappeared. (Donglin Biography)

- Excerpt from ‘Records of the Pure Land Sages’

慧永。俗姓潘，河北河内人，年十二岁出家，奉事沙门竺昙现为师，最初在恒山修习禅定，后来与远公一同皈依道安法师。东晋孝武帝太元初年 ( 西元三七六年 ) 到庐山，刺史陶范供养施舍自己的住宅为西林，迎请慧永居住。慧永法师平日粗布为衣饮食清简，专一 心志返观自照。面容常常带着微笑，言语从不损伤众生。他在山顶另外建立一间茅屋，常常往茅屋去禅定思惟，到他茅屋的人，往往都闻到奇异的香气，因此被称为“香谷”。山顶有一只老虎与法师一同居住，有客人来访就把它赶出去。慧永平时严谨行持精进苦修，并发愿要往生极乐世界。东晋安帝义熙十年 ( 西元四一四年 ) 得疾病，有一天突然整束衣服找鞋子穿，要起身站起来，大众问何以故？回答说 ：“佛来了！”说完后就往生，年八十三岁，室内奇异的香气七日之久才消失。( 东林传 )

- 摘自《净土圣贤录》