03.同得奇異兆 Seeing the same rare portent

同得奇異兆

一日玉堂夫妻。見寺橋工程完竣。甚悅。是夕同夢一著青袍。修髯之長者。頭頂觀音。跨虎而來。躍登榻上。驚醒互告。自是遂有娠。喜念佛。誦經拜懺等。親近善知識。遠離諸惡法。樂善不倦。

宣化偈曰： 跨虎入胎世間稀。頂上出現丈夫軀。 覺悟同倫常精進。普度含識不休息。

Seeing the same rare portent

One day, Mr. and Mrs. Yu T’ang were pleased to see that the construction of the temple and the bridge had been completed according to design. That evening they both dreamt of a dark robed, long-bearded sagely cultivator, who , astride a tiger and with Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva atop his head, pounced upon the bed. Startled awake. They recounted their experience to each other. Afterwards, Mrs. Yu T’ang was pregnant. They happily recited the Buddha, and drew near Good ad Wise Advisors. Leaving evil dharmas far behind, they engaged in charitable deeds without weariness.

The verse says: Astride a tiger, entering the womb, came one seldom found in the world. Manifesting atop his head was the compassionate hero’s form. Enlightening five kinds of fellow-beings with ever-advancing vigor. He went everywhere saving those with sentence, and never stopped to rest.