孫稚
Sun Zhi
○字法暉。齊國般陽縣人也。父祚。晉太中大夫。稚幼而奉法。年十八。以咸康元年八月病亡。父後移居武昌。至三年四月八日。沙門于法。街行尊像。經過家門。夫妻大小出觀。見稚亦在人眾之中。隨侍像行。見父母拜跪問訊。隨共還家。祚先病。稚云。無他禍祟。不自將護所致耳。五月當差。言畢辭去。其年七月十五日。復歸問訊。悉如生時。說其外祖父。為太山府君。見稚曰。汝未應來。那得至此。稚答。伯父將來。欲以代譴。有教推問。欲鞭罰之。稚救解得原。稚兄容。字思淵。時在其側。稚謂曰。雖離故形。在優樂。處但讀書。無他作。願兄勿復憂也。但勤精進。繫念修善。福自隨人矣。我二年學成。當生國王家。同輩有五百人。今在福堂。學成皆當上生。第六天上。我本亦應上生。但以解救先人。因緣纏縛。故獨生王家耳。到五年七月七日復歸。說邾城當有宼。難事例甚多。悉皆如言。家人祕之。故無傳者。又云。先人多有罪讁。宜。為作福。我今受身人中。不須復營。但救先人也。願父兄勤為功德。作福供僧。食時務使鮮潔。一一如法者。受上福。次者次福。若不能如言。皆費設耳。當使平等。心無彼我。其福乃多。祚時有婢。稚未還時。忽病殆死。通身皆痛。稚云。此婢欲叛。我前與鞭。不復得去耳。婢云。前實欲叛。與人為期。日垂至。而便住。云云(太同泰)。
Fahuī of the Qi dynasty was a native of Banyang County. His father, Zuo, served as a Grand Master of the Palace in the Jin dynasty. From childhood, Fahuī was devoted to the Dharma. At the age of eighteen, in the first year of the Xiankang era, in the eighth month, he fell ill and died. His father later moved to Wuchang. On the eighth day of the fourth month in the third year, a monk named Yu Fa was respectfully parading a sacred image through the streets. As it passed by their home, the entire family came out to behold it. They saw Fahuī also among the crowd, following and serving the image. He saw his parents, bowed, knelt, and inquired after their well-being, then accompanied them back home. Zuo had been ill previously. Fahuī said, "There is no other calamity or affliction. It is merely due to not taking care of oneself. He will recover in the fifth month." Having said this, he took his leave.
On the fifteenth day of the seventh month of that year, he returned again to inquire after them, just as when he was alive. He spoke of his maternal grandfather, who served as the Lord of Mount Tai. The grandfather saw Fahuī and said, "Your time has not yet come. How have you arrived here?" Fahuī replied, "My uncle is about to come, intending to take my place in receiving punishment. An order was issued to interrogate and intended to whip and penalize him. I intervened and secured his pardon."
Fahuī's elder brother, Rong, styled Siyuan, was present at his side at the time. Fahuī said to him, "Although I have left my former body, I dwell in a place of ease and joy, merely studying texts, with no other tasks. I beg my elder brother not to worry further. Only diligently practice with vigor, maintain mindfulness, and cultivate goodness. Blessings naturally follow a person. After two years of study, I shall be born into a royal family. There are five hundred persons in my cohort. They are now in the Hall of Blessings. Upon completing their studies, they shall all be reborn in the Heaven of the Sixth Desire Realm. I, too, was originally destined to be reborn there, but due to the karmic bonds formed from rescuing my forebears, I alone shall be born into a royal family."
On the seventh day of the seventh month in the fifth year, he returned again. He foretold that the city of Zhu would face banditry and calamity, citing many specific instances. All came to pass as he had said. The family kept this secret, so it was not transmitted. He also said, "Our ancestors have many offenses and demerits. It is fitting to create merit on their behalf. I am now receiving a human body and need not make further provisions for myself, but only to rescue our ancestors. I wish my father and brother to diligently perform virtuous deeds, create merit, and make offerings to the Sangha. When providing food, ensure it is fresh and pure. If every detail is in accordance with the Dharma, one receives superior blessings. The next level receives lesser blessings. If one cannot act as instructed, it is merely a waste of provisions. One should maintain equanimity, a mind free of self and other. Then the merit will be abundant."
Zuo had a maidservant. Before Fahuī's return, she suddenly fell gravely ill, near death, with pain throughout her body. Fahuī said, "This maidservant wished to rebel. I previously had her whipped, so she cannot leave." The maidservant said, "I truly intended to rebel before and had set a date with someone. The day was approaching, but then I remained."(Datong Tai)