"'And from these omens,' added the Master, 'it seems to me that such merits as I have been able to acquire during my life have not fallen into oblivion, and I believe, with an entire faith, that it is not in vain one practises the doctrine of the Buddha.'
"Immediately, he ordered the master Kia-chang to make a written list of the titles of the sacred books and the treatises which he had translated, forming altogether seven hundred and forty works and thirteen hundred and thirty-five volumes (_livres_). He wrote down also the _Kôti_ (ten millions) of paintings of the Buddha, as well as the thousand images of _Mi-le_ (_Mâitrêya bôdhisattva_), painted on silk, which he had caused to be executed. There were, moreover, the _Kôtis_ (one hundred millions) of statuettes of uniform colour. He had also caused to be written a thousand copies of the following sacred books:
_Nong-touan-pan-jo-king (Vadjra tchhêdika pradjñâ parâmitâ soûtra)._
_Yo-sse-jou-laï-pou-youen-kong-te-king (Arya bhagavati bhâichadja gourou poûrwa pranidhâna nâma mahâ yâna soûtra)._
_Lou-men-t'o-lo-ni-king (Chat moukhi dhârani)._"
He had ministered to the wants of upwards of twenty thousand persons among the faithful and heretical; he had kindled a hundred thousand lamps, and purchased thousands upon thousands (_ocean_) of creatures.
When Kia-chang had finished this long catalogue of good works, he was ordered to read it aloud. After hearing it, the religious crossed their hands and loaded the Master with congratulations. Then he said to them:--"The moment of my death approaches; already my mind grows feeble and seems to be on the point of quitting me. Distribute at once in alms my clothes and goods; let statues be fabricated; and order the religious to recite some prayers."
On the twenty-third day, a meal was given to the poor, at which alms were distributed. On the same day, he ordered a moulder named Song-kia-tchi, to raise, in the Kia-cheou-tien palace, a statue of the Intelligence (Buddha); after which he invited the population of the convent, the translators, and his disciples, to bid "a joyous farewell to that impure and contemptible body of Hiouen-thsang, who, having finished his work, merited no longer existence. I desire," he added, "to see poured back upon other men the merits which I have acquired by any good works; to be born with them in the heaven of the Touchitas; to be admitted into the family of _Mi-le_ (_Mâitrêya_); and to serve the Buddha, full of tenderness and affection. When I shall return to earth to pass through other existences, I desire, at each new birth, to discharge with boundless zeal my duties towards the Buddha, and finally to arrive at the Transcendent Intelligence (_Anouttara samyak sambôdhi_)."