Emperor Liang's Dream

According to Buddhist scriptures, during the Southern Dynasties of the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties period, Emperor Liang Wu of the Liang Dynasty was a devout believer in Buddhism. One night, he had a dream in which a divine monk appeared to him. The monk said:

"Sentient beings in the six realms suffer endlessly. Why not perform a Water and Land Ceremony to universally save all spirits?"

When Emperor Liang Wu awoke, he recounted the dream to his ministers. They all looked at each other in confusion—none could grasp the meaning of the dream. At that moment, Chan Master Baozhi submitted a memorial, saying that the dream must have a deeper cause, and he advised the emperor to consult the Buddhist scriptures thoroughly to find the answer.

Emperor Liang Wu immediately ordered all kinds of Buddhist sutras to be brought to the Lotus Sutra Hall, where he personally studied them day and night together with Master Baozhi. Several days later, when they read the story of Ananda encountering the Flaming-Face Ghost King, he suddenly understood the dream’s meaning.

Upon realizing this, Emperor Liang Wu and Master Baozhi took the “Immeasurable Virtue, Sovereign Radiance Tathagata Dharani” as the central method for food offerings and spent nearly three years formulating the complete Water and Land Ritual liturgy.

After completing the ritual texts, Emperor Liang Wu first set up a ceremonial site inside the palace. He made a sincere vow before the Buddha without lighting any lamps or candles, holding the ritual text in his hands, and prayed:

"If this Water and Land liturgy can truly aid beings of the six realms, liberating sentient beings and aligning with the Buddha’s teachings, may the lamps ignite themselves after my worship; if not, let them remain dark as before. This is my humble request."

After making the vow, he bowed in prayer before the Buddha. As soon as he knelt, the entire hall was instantly filled with radiant light as if it were daytime, even though no lamps were lit. On the second bow, the palace slightly trembled, showing a sign of peace. Upon the third bow, fragrant flowers fell from the sky, a rare auspicious omen. This greatly strengthened Emperor Liang Wu’s faith and resolve.

Thus, on the 15th day of the 2nd lunar month that year, the first Water and Land Dharma Assembly in the history of Chinese Buddhism was held. Since then, the Water and Land Ceremony has been passed down through generations and evolved into the most solemn and comprehensive Buddhist ritual performed in Chinese monasteries.