冥報記卷上
Records of Retribution in the Netherworld, Volume 1
吏部尚書唐臨撰
Minister of Personnel Tang Lin Compilation
夫含氣有生。無不有識。有識而有行。隨行善惡而受其報。如農夫之播植。隨所植而收之。此蓋物之常理。固無所可疑也。上智達其本源。知而無見。下愚闇其蹤跡。迷而不返。皆絕言也。中品之人。未能自達。隨緣動見。逐見生疑。疑見多端。各懷異執釋典論其分別。凡有六十二見。邪倒於是乎生者也。臨在中人之後。幸而寤其萬一。比見眾人不信因果者說見雖多。同謂善惡無報。無報之說。略有三種。一者自然。故無因果。唯當任欲待事而已。二者滅盡。言死而身滅。識無所住。身識都盡。誰受苦樂。以無受故。知無因果。三者無報。言見今人有修道德。貧賤則早死。或行凶惡。富貴靈長。以是事故。知無因果。臨竊謂。儒書。論善惡之報甚多。近者報於當時。中者報於累年之外。遠者。報於子孫之後。當時報者。若楚子吞蛭。痼疾皆愈。宋公不禱。妖星多退。𧨳齒凶逆。旋踵伏誅。趙高惑亂。俄而滅族之類。是也。累年報者。如魏顆嫁妾。終以濟師。孫叔埋蛇。竟享多福。漢幽鴆如意。蒼苟成災。齊殺彭生。立豕而祟之類是也。子孫報者。若弗父恭於三命。廣宣尼之道。鄧訓歲活千人。遺和熹之慶。陳平陰計。自知無後。欒黶忲侈。盈被其殃之類。是也。若乃虞舜以孝行登位。周文以仁賢受命。桀紂以殘忍亡國。幽厲以婬縱禍終。三代功德。下祚長久。秦皇驕暴。及子而滅。若斯之比。觸類寔繁。雖復大小有殊。亦皆善惡之驗。但事法王道。理關天命。常談之際。非所宜言。今之所錄。蓋直取其微細驗。冀以發起同類。貽告子孫。徵於人鬼之間。若斯而已也。釋氏說教。無非因果。因即是作果。即是報。無一法而非因。無一因而不報。然其說報亦有三種。一者現報。於此身中。作善惡業。即於此身而受報者。皆名現報。二者生報。謂此身作業。不即受之。隨業善惡。生於諸道。皆名生報。三者後報。謂過去身作善惡業。能得果報。應多身受。是以現在作業。未便受報。或次後後生受。或五生十生。方始受之。是皆名後報。於此三報。攝一切法。無所不盡。是今諸見復然大寤。然今俗士尚有惑之。多習因而忘果。疑耳而信目。是以聞說後報。則若存若亡。見有効驗。則驚嗟信服。昔晉高士謝敷。宋尚書令傅高。太子中書舍人報演。齊司徒事中郎陸果。或一時令望。或當代名家。並錄觀世音應驗記。及齊竟陵王蕭子良作宣驗記。王琰作冥祥記。皆所以徵明善惡。勸戒將來。實使聞者深心感寤。臨既慕其風旨。亦思以勸人。輒錄所聞。集為此記。仍具陳所受。及聞見由緣。言不飾文。事專揚確。庶後人見者。能留意焉。
All living beings that possess breath and consciousness are born with awareness. With awareness comes action, and according to the goodness or evil of one's actions, one receives their corresponding results. It is like a farmer sowing seeds: what is planted is what is harvested. This is the constant principle of things, and there is truly no reason to doubt it.
Those of superior wisdom penetrate to the source of this principle. They know it, yet hold no fixed views. Those of inferior foolishness are blind to its traces. They are lost and do not turn back. For both, words fall short. People of middling capacity, however, are unable to realize this principle for themselves. They form views based on circumstances, and from these views arise doubts. With doubts and views multiplying, each clings to their own biased understanding. The Buddhist scriptures discuss these distinctions, enumerating sixty-two kinds of wrong views, from which perverse and inverted beliefs are born.
I stand among these people of middling capacity, yet I am fortunate to have awakened to even a fraction of the truth. I observe that among those who do not believe in cause and effect, their arguments are many, but they share the common claim that good and evil bring no retribution. Their denial of retribution generally takes three forms:
First, the theory of **spontaneity**: They claim there is no cause and effect, only following desires and awaiting events as they come. Second, the theory of **annihilation**: They say that upon death, the body perishes and consciousness has nowhere to abide. With both body and consciousness completely extinguished, who is there to experience pleasure or pain? Since there is no experiencer, they conclude there is no cause and effect. Third, the theory of **no retribution**: They point to people in the present who cultivate virtue and morality yet live in poverty, die young, or see those who commit wicked deeds enjoy wealth, honor, and long life. From such observations, they conclude there is no cause and effect.
I humbly note that Confucian texts speak extensively about the retribution for good and evil. Retribution can be near, occurring in the present life; intermediate, occurring after several years; or distant, falling upon one's descendants.
Examples of **immediate retribution** include: The Chu nobleman swallowing a leech and his chronic illness being cured; Duke Xiang of Song not offering prayers, and the ominous star receding; the treacherous minister Huan Chi meeting swift execution; and Zhao Gao, who sowed confusion, soon having his entire clan wiped out.
Examples of **intermediate retribution** include: Wei Ke marrying off his father's concubine, which later saved his army; Sunshu Ao burying a snake, ultimately receiving great blessings; Empress Lü of Han poisoning Liu Ruyi, leading to calamity for the Lü clan; and Duke Xiang of Qi killing Pengsheng, followed by the apparition of a boar bringing misfortune.
Examples of **retribution upon descendants** include: Fufu He's humility over three appointments, leading to the widespread propagation of Confucius's Way; Deng Xun saving thousands of lives yearly, bequeathing blessings to the Empress Hexi; Chen Ping's secret schemes, of which he knew would leave him without heirs; and Luan Yan's extravagance and arrogance, bringing disaster upon his descendants.
Furthermore, Emperor Shun ascended the throne due to his filial conduct; King Wen of Zhou received the Mandate through his benevolence and worthiness; Jie and Zhou lost their kingdoms through cruelty; Kings You and Li met disastrous ends through licentiousness and indulgence. The virtuous deeds of the Three Dynasties secured long-lasting fortune for their descendants, while the First Emperor of Qin's arrogance and tyranny led to his dynasty's extinction with his son. Examples such as these are numerous. Although their scale differs, they are all evidence of the workings of good and evil.
However, as these matters pertain to the way of kings and the principle of Heaven's Mandate, they are not suitable for ordinary discussion. What I record here focuses specifically on subtle and detailed proofs, hoping to awaken those of similar mind and warn future generations, drawing evidence from the realms of both humans and spirits. That is all.
The teachings of Buddhism speak of nothing but cause and effect. The cause is the action, the effect is the result. There is no phenomenon that is not a cause, and no cause that does not bear fruit. Its explanation of retribution also has three kinds:
First, **visible retribution**: Good or evil deeds done in this present body are experienced within this same lifetime. This is called visible retribution. Second, **rebirth retribution**: Deeds done in this life are not experienced immediately. According to the goodness or evil of one's actions, one is reborn in various realms of existence. This is called rebirth retribution. Third, **subsequent retribution**: Good or evil deeds done in past lives bear fruit that may require many lifetimes to experience. Therefore, actions performed now may not bring retribution immediately. They may be experienced in the next life, or after five, ten, or more lives. This is all called subsequent retribution.
These three kinds of retribution encompass all phenomena, leaving nothing out. They should make all present erroneous views completely clear. Yet, many ordinary people today remain confused. They often focus on causes but forget the effects, trusting only what they see and doubting what they hear. Thus, when they hear of subsequent retribution, they are half-convinced, half-doubting. Only when they witness clear evidence do they exclaim in surprise and believe.
In the past, the Jin dynasty recluse Xie Fu, the Song dynasty Minister Fu Gao, the Palace Secretary Bao Yan, and the Qi dynasty Vice Director Lu Guo—men of great reputation and leading scholars of their time—all compiled records of the verified responses of Guanyin. Also, Prince Jingling of Qi, Xiao Ziliang, wrote the *Records of Manifest Proof*, and Wang Yan wrote the *Records of Hidden Auspices*. These works all aimed to demonstrate good and evil and admonish future generations, truly causing those who heard them to feel deeply and awaken.
Admiring their purpose and style, and wishing likewise to encourage people, I have recorded what I have heard and gathered it into this account. I have fully described what I received and the circumstances of what I heard and witnessed. My words are not adorned with literary flourish; my aim is solely to proclaim the truth clearly. I hope those who see this in the future will pay it due attention.
隨京師大德沙門。釋信行。本相州法藏寺僧。初其母無子。久以為憂。有沙門過之。勸念觀世音菩薩。母日夜祈念。頃之有娠。生信行。幼而聰慧。博學經論。識達過人。以為佛所說經。務於濟度。或隨根性。指人示道。或逐時宜。因事判法。今去聖久遠。根時久異。若以下人修行上法。法不當根。容能錯倒。乃鈔集經論。參驗人法所當學者。為三十六卷。名曰人集錄。開皇初。左僕射齊公。聞其盛名。奏文帝。徵詣京師。住公所造真寂寺。信行又據經律。錄出三階法四卷。其大旨。勸人普敬。認惡本。觀佛性。當病授藥。頓教一乘。自天下。勇猛精進之士。皆宗之。信行嘗頭陀乞食。六時禮拜。勞力定心。空形實智而已。每坐禪說法。常見青衣童子四人。持花立侍。嘗與徒眾。在堂中坐禪。眾人忽聞奇香。光照堂內。相共怪異。諮問信行。信行令問弟子僧邕惠如。邕曰。向見化佛從空中來。至禪師前。摩頂授記。如云亦摩邕頂授記。餘狀與邕說同。後邕典其徒眾。隱太白山。一旦謂眾僧曰。當與師等還京。眾敬邕皆從之。即下山。夜宿武功。未明便發。謂眾曰。師等努力。今暝必須入城。日沒至漕上。聞鼓音歎曰。城門閉矣。遂宿於逆旅。至昏時。悲泣曰。無所及矣。眾問其故不答。明早入城。至真寂寺。而信行昨夜昏時氣絕。寺僧怪問邕來。答曰。在山遙見多人持香花幡蓋。從西來入開遠門。向真寂寺。邕疑禪師欲去。故來也。昨夜昏時。見禪師導從西去。顧與邕別。故知不及也。初京城諸師。有疑信行法者。至是相與議。據付法藏經。若人通身。過去聞正法故。於是。共觀信行頭骨。兩耳正通。乃皆慚悔信服。初信行。徒眾居京城五寺。後雖侵廣。今猶號五禪師(老僧。及臨舅說云爾)。
In the capital, there was a great virtuous monk named Shi Xinxing, originally a monk at the Fazang Temple in Xiangzhou. At first, his mother had no children and was long troubled by this. A monk passing by advised her to chant the name of Guanyin Bodhisattva. Day and night, she prayed and chanted. Soon after, she became pregnant and gave birth to Xinxing. From a young age, he was intelligent and wise, widely learned in sutras and treatises, with insight surpassing others. He believed that the sutras spoken by the Buddha aimed at salvation—some were taught according to people’s capacities, guiding them on the path; others were given according to the times, judging matters through the Dharma. Now, as the time since the sage’s passing was long, and people’s capacities and the era had changed greatly, if those of lesser capacity practiced higher teachings, the Dharma would not match their roots, and errors could arise. Therefore, he compiled and collected sutras and treatises, examining what teachings suited which people, and compiled them into thirty-six volumes titled *The Collected Records for People*. At the beginning of the Kaihuang era, the Left Imperial Counselor, Duke Qi, hearing of his great reputation, petitioned Emperor Wen to summon him to the capital. He resided at the Zhenji Temple, which Duke Qi had built. Xinxing also drew from sutras and vinaya to compile the *Three Stages Dharma* in four volumes. Its main purpose was to encourage people to universally respect others, recognize the root of evil, contemplate Buddha-nature, prescribe medicine according to the illness, and teach the sudden doctrine of the One Vehicle. Throughout the land, courageous and diligent practitioners revered him. Xinxing often practiced asceticism by begging for food, made prostrations six times a day, exerted effort to settle the mind, and cultivated emptiness of form and true wisdom. Whenever he sat in meditation or taught the Dharma, he often saw four blue-clad youths holding flowers standing in attendance. Once, while sitting in meditation with his disciples in the hall, everyone suddenly smelled a wondrous fragrance, and light filled the hall. They were all astonished and asked Xinxing about it. Xinxing told them to ask his disciples Sengyong and Huiru. Sengyong said, “Just now, I saw a transformation Buddha descend from the sky, approach the Chan master, touch his head, and give him a prediction.” Huiru said that the Buddha also touched Sengyong’s head and gave a prediction, and the rest of the details matched what Sengyong described. Later, Sengyong led the disciples and retreated to Mount Taibai. One day, he said to the monks, “We must return to the capital with the master.” Out of respect for Sengyong, they all followed him. They descended the mountain and stayed overnight at Wugong. Before dawn, they set out again. Sengyong said to the group, “Everyone, strive hard. We must enter the city by nightfall.” At sunset, they reached Cao Shang. Hearing the drum, Sengyong sighed, “The city gates are closed.” So they lodged at an inn. At dusk, Sengyong wept sorrowfully and said, “It’s too late.” When asked why, he did not answer. The next morning, they entered the city and went to Zhenji Temple, only to find that Xinxing had passed away the previous evening at dusk. The temple monks were surprised to see Sengyong arrive and asked why he had come. He replied, “While in the mountains, I saw from afar many people holding incense, flowers, banners, and canopies coming from the west, entering the Kaiyuan Gate and heading toward Zhenji Temple. I suspected the Chan master was about to depart, so I came. Last evening at dusk, I saw the Chan master leading a procession westward. He turned and bid me farewell, so I knew I would not make it in time.” Earlier, some masters in the capital had doubted Xinxing’s teachings. At this point, they discussed together and, based on the *Sutra of the Transmission of the Dharma Treasury*, which says, “If a person’s ears are fully pierced, it is because they heard the true Dharma in past lives,” they examined Xinxing’s skull and found both ears completely pierced. They all felt ashamed, repented, and became faithful believers. Initially, Xinxing’s disciples resided in five temples in the capital. Although they later expanded, they are still called the Five Chan Masters(This was told by the old monk and my maternal uncle.).
京城真寂寺沙門慧如。少精勤苦行。師事信行。信行亡後。奉遵其法。隋大業中。因坐禪修定。遂七日不動。眾皆歎異之。以為入三昧也。既而慧如開目。涕泣交流。僧眾怪問之。答曰。火燒脚痛。待視瘡畢乃說。眾逾怪問。慧如曰。被閻羅王請。行道七日滿。王問。須見先亡知識不。如答曰。欲見二人。王即遣喚一人。唯見龜來。舐慧如足。目中淚出而去。更一人者。云罪重不可喚。令就見之。使者引慧如至獄門。門閉甚固。使者喚守者。有人應聲。使者語慧如。師急避道。莫當門立。如始避而門開。大火從門流出。如鍛鐵者一星。迸著如脚。如以被拂之。舉目視門。門已閉訖。竟不得相見。王施絹三十匹。固辭不許云。已遣送後房。眾僧爭往。後房視之則絹在床矣。其脚燒瘡。大如錢。百餘日乃愈。武德初卒。真寂寺。即今化度寺是也(此寺。臨外祖齊公所立。常所遊觀。每聞舅氏說。云爾)。
In the capital city's Zhenji Temple, there was a monk named Huiru. From a young age, he was diligent and dedicated to ascetic practices, studying under Master Xinxing. After Xinxing passed away, Huiru continued to uphold his teachings. During the Sui dynasty's Daye era, while practicing seated meditation, he remained motionless for seven days. Everyone marveled at this, believing he had entered deep concentration.
When Huiru finally opened his eyes, tears streamed down his face. The monks, puzzled, asked him what had happened. He replied, "My feet are burning with pain. Let me check the sores first, then I will explain." This only deepened their curiosity.
Huiru then said, "I was invited by the King of the Underworld to practice the Dharma for seven days. Afterward, the king asked if I wished to see any deceased acquaintances. I said I wanted to see two people. The king sent for one of them, but all I saw was a turtle that came, licked my feet, shed tears from its eyes, and left. As for the other person, I was told his sins were too heavy to summon, so I was allowed to go see him instead.
"A guide led me to the gates of hell, which were tightly shut. The guide called for the gatekeeper, and someone answered. The guide then said to me, 'Master, step aside quickly—do not stand in front of the gate.' As soon as I moved away, the gates opened, and a great fire rushed out, like molten iron. A single spark flew out and struck my foot. I brushed it off with my robe and looked up—the gates had already closed. In the end, I was unable to meet that person.
"The king offered me thirty bolts of silk as a gift. I firmly declined, but he insisted, saying, 'I have already sent them to your quarters.' The monks rushed to check the back room, and there, on the bed, lay the silk. The burn on my foot was as large as a coin and took over a hundred days to heal."
Huiru passed away in the early years of the Wude era. Zhenji Temple is what is now known as Huadu Temple.(This temple was founded by my maternal grandfather, the Duke of Qi. I often visited and heard my uncles tell this story.)
絳州大德沙門。釋僧徹。少而精練。於孤山西阿。造立堂宇。多樹林等。頗得山居形勝。僧徹嘗出行山間。土穴中。見一癩病人。瘡痍臭穢。從徹乞食。徹愍之。呼出與歸。於精舍旁。為造土穴。給衣食。教令誦法華經。此人不識文字。性又頑鄙。徹句句授之。殊費功力。然終不懈倦。此人誦經向半。便夢。有人教之。自後稍聰寤。至得五六卷。漸覺瘡愈。比誦一部畢。鬚眉平復。生肥體如常。而能為療疾。臨嘗患腫。僧徹遣此人。禁呪有驗。自說云然。後房仁裕為秦州刺史。表僧徹所立精舍。為陷泉寺。初此地無水。僧徹常遠汲山下。以自供。一朝忽有陷。陷處泉出。故因以名陷寺也。僧專以勸善為務。而自修禪業。遠近崇敬如父焉。永徽二年正月。忽屬累徒眾。自言將死。既而端坐繩床。閉目不動。其天氣晴朗。而花如雪。香而不消。方二里許。樹葉上皆有白色。如輕粉者三日。乃復常色。而僧徹已終。至今三歲。獨坐如故。亦不臭懷。唯目淚下云(徹弟子實秦等。及州人並說云爾也)。
In Jiangzhou, there was a great virtuous monk named Shi Sengche. From a young age, he was diligent and refined. On the western slope of Gu Mountain, he built a hall and planted many trees, creating a serene and beautiful mountain retreat.
One day, while walking in the mountains, Sengche came across a leprosy patient in a cave. The man’s sores were foul-smelling and repulsive. He begged Sengche for food. Moved by compassion, Sengche called him out and brought him back. Beside the monastery, he built a small earthen shelter for the man, providing him with food, clothing, and teaching him to recite the Lotus Sutra.
The man was illiterate and stubborn by nature. Sengche patiently taught him line by line, which required great effort, but he never grew weary. After reciting about half of the sutra, the man began to have dreams in which someone instructed him. Gradually, his mind became clearer. By the time he reached the fifth or sixth chapter, his sores started to heal. When he finished reciting the entire sutra, his beard and eyebrows had regrown, his body was restored to health, and he even gained the ability to heal others’ illnesses.
Once, when Sengche suffered from a swelling ailment, he sent this man to perform healing incantations, which proved effective. The man himself spoke of this.
Later, when Fang Renyu served as the governor of Qinzhou, he petitioned to have Sengche’s monastery named Xianquan Temple. Originally, there was no water at this site, and Sengche had to fetch water from far down the mountain for daily use. One day, the ground suddenly collapsed, and a spring emerged from the depression. Hence, the temple was named “Xianquan” (Collapsed Spring).
Sengche devoted himself to encouraging goodness while cultivating meditation. People near and far revered him as a father figure.
In the second year of the Yonghui era, in the first month, Sengche suddenly gathered his disciples and told them he was about to pass away. He then sat upright on his meditation chair, closed his eyes, and remained motionless. The weather was clear and bright, yet flowers fell like snow, fragrant and lingering. For about two miles around, the leaves of trees turned white, as if lightly powdered. This lasted for three days before returning to normal. By then, Sengche had already passed away.
Even after three years, his body remained seated as before, without decay or foul odor. Only tears flowed from his eyes.(Sengche’s disciples, such as Shi Qin, and the local people all attest to this.)
河東有練行尼。常誦法華經。訪工書者一人。數倍酬直。特為淨室。令寫此經。一起一浴。燃香熏衣。仍於寫經之室。鑿壁通外。加一竹筒。令寫經人。每欲出息。輒遣含竹筒。吐氣壁外。寫經一卷。八年乃畢。供養嚴重。盡其恭敬。龍門僧法端。常集大眾。講法華經。以此尼經本精定。遣人請之。尼固辭不與。法端責讓之。尼不得已。乃自送付。法端等。開讀。唯見黃紙。了無文字。更開餘卷。皆悉如此。法端等慚懼。即送還尼。尼悲泣受。以香水洗函。沐浴頂戴。遶佛行道。於七日七夜。不暫休息。既而開視。文字如故。貞觀二年。法端自向臨說(當具說尼名字。臨忘之。唯記其事云爾)。
In the area east of the Yellow River, there was a nun who regularly recited the Lotus Sutra. She found a skilled calligrapher and paid him many times the usual fee, preparing a special clean room for him to copy the sutra. Each time before beginning, she would bathe, burn incense, and perfume her robes. In the copying room, she had a hole drilled through the wall, fitted with a bamboo tube, so that whenever the calligrapher needed to exhale, he would place the tube in his mouth and breathe out through the wall. It took eight years to copy a single scroll of the sutra, and she offered it with utmost reverence and devotion.
The monk Fazheng, from Longmen Temple, often gathered a large assembly to lecture on the Lotus Sutra. Hearing that this nun's copy of the sutra was exceptionally accurate and well-prepared, he sent someone to request it. The nun firmly refused to give it away. Fazheng reproached her, and left with no choice, she personally delivered it to him.
When Fazheng and the others opened the scroll to read it, they saw only yellow paper—there were no words at all. When they opened the other scrolls, the same thing happened. Fazheng and the others were filled with shame and fear, and immediately returned the sutra to the nun. Weeping with sorrow, she accepted it. She washed the case with scented water, bathed, placed the sutra on her head, and walked reverently around the Buddha, for seven days and seven nights without rest. When she opened it again, the words had returned as before.
In the second year of the Zhenguan era [628 CE], Fazheng himself told this to me (Lin). (At the time, he told me the nun's name, but I forgot it—I only recall the events.)
蒲州仁壽寺僧。釋道縣。少聰慧。好學。為州里所崇敬。講涅槃八十餘遍。號為精熟。貞觀二年。崔義直任虞卿縣令。人請縣講經。初發題。悲泣。謂眾人曰。去聖遙遠。微言隱絕。庸愚所傳。不足師範。但以信心歸向。自當識悟。今之講說。止於師子。時日既沒。願各在心。既而講至師子。一旦無疾而卒。道俗驚慟。義直身自徒跣。送之南山之陰。時十一月。土地氷凍。下屍於地。地即生花。如蓮而小。頭及手足。各有一花。義直奇之。令人夜守。守者疲睡。有人盜折其花。明旦視之。周身並有花出。總五百餘莖。經七日乃萎乾(義直及道俗皆說云爾)。
A monk from Renshou Temple in Puzhou, named Daoxian, was intelligent and diligent in his studies from a young age. He was deeply respected by the people in his region and gave over eighty lectures on the Nirvana Sutra, becoming renowned for his mastery of the text.
In the second year of the Zhenguan era, when Cui Yizhi was the magistrate of Yuqing County, the people invited Daoxian to give a lecture at the county seat. At the very beginning of his opening remarks, he wept and said to the audience: "The time of the Sage is far behind us, and the profound teachings have become hidden and lost. What ordinary, ignorant people pass on is not worthy of being a model. But if you place your trust and devotion in the Dharma, you will naturally come to understand it yourselves. Today's discourse will only go as far as the 'Lion' chapter. Since the day is drawing to a close, I hope each of you will keep this teaching in your hearts."
As soon as he finished his lecture and reached the "Lion" chapter, Daoxian suddenly passed away without any sign of illness. Both the monks and laypeople present were shocked and deeply grieved. Magistrate Cui Yizhi personally went barefoot to accompany the procession, carrying the body to the southern side of the mountain.
It was the eleventh month, and the ground was frozen solid. Yet when they laid the body on the ground, flowers immediately sprang forth from the earth. They resembled small lotuses, with one appearing at the head, and one at each hand and foot. Magistrate Cui found this extraordinary and ordered someone to guard the site through the night. But the guard grew tired and fell asleep, and someone stole and broke off one of the flowers.
When they checked again the next morning, flowers had emerged all over the body—over five hundred stems in total. The flowers withered and dried up only after seven days. (Magistrate Cui Yizhi and both monks and laypeople all confirmed that this had happened.)
河東沙門。釋道英。少修禪行。以練心為本。不慎威儀。然而經律奧義。莫不一聞縣解。遠近僧尼。爭就請決。英輒報謂曰。汝尚未疑。宜且思疑。凝成然後來問。問者還而思疑多。固思自解而去。有思而不寤。重來問者英為說其機要。皆喜寤而還。嘗與眾人。乘船黃河。中流船沒。眾人皆死。道俗望見英沒。臨河慟哭。是時冬末。河氷始泮。兩岸猶堅。英乃水中出行至岸。穿氷而去。岸人敬喜。爭欲解衣衣之。英曰。體中尚熱。勿覆衣也。徐出而歸。了無寒色。視其身體。如火炙處。其識者以為入定故也。或時為人牧牛駕車。食䔉噉飯。或著俗衣。髮長數寸。嘗至仁壽寺。道懸敬安處之。日晚求食。懸謂曰。上德雖無食相。豈不為息譏嫌。英笑答曰。懸公心方馳驚。不暫休一息。而空飢餓。何自苦也。道懸歎服。貞觀中卒(法端。及道俗皆說云爾)。
幽州沙門釋智苑。精練有學識。隋大業中。發心造石經藏之。以備法滅。既而於幽州北山。鑿巖為石室。即磨四壁。而以寫經。又取方石。別更磨寫。藏諸室內。每一室滿。即以石塞門。用鐵錮之。時隨賜帝幸涿郡。內史侍郎蕭瑀皇后之同母弟也。性篤信佛法。以其事白后。后施絹千匹。餘錢物。以助成之。瑀亦施絹五百匹。朝野聞之。爭共捨施。故苑得遂其功。苑嘗以役匠既多。道俗奔湊。欲於巖前。造木佛堂。并食堂寢屋。而念木瓦難辨。恐分費經物。故未能起作。一夜暴雨雷電震山。明旦既晴。乃見山下有大松柏數千株。為水所漂流。積道次。山東少林木。松柏尤稀。道俗驚駭。不知來處。推尋蹤跡。遠自西山。崩岸倒木。漂送來此。於是遠近歎服。謂為神助。苑乃使匠擇取其木。餘皆分與邑里。邑里喜悅。而共助造堂宇。頃之畢成。皆如其志焉。苑所造石滿七室。以貞觀十三年卒。弟子猶繼其功(殿中丞相里玄奘。大理丞采宣明等。皆為臨說云爾。臨以十九年從車駕幽州。問鄉人。亦同云爾而以軍事不得云)。
The monk Shi Zhiyuan of Youzhou was a man of refined cultivation and deep learning. During the Daye era of the Sui dynasty, he made a vow to carve the Buddhist scriptures onto stone and store them, to ensure they would survive the end of the Dharma. He then excavated a stone chamber in the northern mountains of Youzhou, smoothing the four walls to inscribe the scriptures. He also selected square stones, polished them, and carved additional texts to be stored inside the chamber. Each time a chamber was filled, he sealed the entrance with stone and reinforced it with iron.
At that time, Emperor Yang of Sui was visiting Zhuo Commandery. The Inner History Attendant Xiao Yu, who was the uterine younger brother of the Empress, was a devout follower of Buddhism. He reported the matter to the Empress, who donated one thousand bolts of silk and other money and goods to help complete the project. Xiao Yu himself also donated five hundred bolts of silk. When news of this reached the court and the public, people vied to offer donations. In this way, Zhiyuan was able to accomplish his work.
Once, because the workers and craftsmen were so numerous—monks, laypeople, and volunteers all flocking to the site—Zhiyuan wished to build a wooden Buddha hall, along with a dining hall and sleeping quarters, in front of the cliff. However, he worried that obtaining wood and tiles would be difficult and that the expense might divert funds meant for the scriptures. So he hesitated to begin construction.
One night, a violent rainstorm broke out, with thunder and lightning shaking the mountain. By dawn, the sky had cleared, and the people saw thousands of large pine and cypress trees that had been washed down by the floodwaters, piled up along the road. In the eastern mountains, wood was scarce, and pine and cypress trees were especially rare. Monastics and laypeople alike were astonished, unable to tell where the trees had come from. When they traced their origin, they found that from a distant western mountain, a landslide had toppled the trees, and the flood had carried them here. At this, people from near and far were filled with awe and admiration, saying it was divine assistance.
Zhiyuan then had the craftsmen select the best timber, distributing the rest to the local villages. The villagers were overjoyed and helped build the halls. Soon, the construction was completed, just as Zhiyuan had wished.
The stone scriptures carved by Zhiyuan filled seven chambers. He passed away in the thirteenth year of the Zhenguan era, and his disciples continued his work(The Palace Attendant Xiang Li Xuanzang and the Grand Councilor Cai Xuanming both related this account to Lin. In the nineteenth year, Lin accompanied the imperial carriage to Youzhou and asked the locals, who confirmed the same story. However, due to military duties, he was unable to record it in detail.).
東魏末。鄴下人。共入西山採銀鈔。出穴未畢。而穴崩。有一人在後。為石塞門不得出。而無傷損。其穴崩處。有小穴不合。微見日光。此人自念終無理。乃一心念佛。其父聞子已壓。無處求屍。家又貧窶。無以追福。乃持麁飯一鉢。往詣僧寺。請一人齋。眾僧多逐豐厚。莫肯為食。父持飯大哭。有一僧愍之受請。食訖為呪願。因別去。是日中其子在穴中。忽於小穴明處。見一沙門。從穴中入來。持一鉢飯。以授此人。食訖。便不復飢。唯端坐正念。經十餘年。齊文皇帝即位。於西山造涼殿。匠工除此崩石。乃見穴中人尚活。出之與歸。父母驚喜。遂闔練行(雍州司馬盧承業。為臨說云。是著作郎降所傳之)。
In the late Eastern Wei dynasty, in the city of Yedu, a group of people went into the western mountains to mine for silver. While inside the cave and before they could all get out, the entrance collapsed. One man was left behind, trapped by the fallen rock that sealed the entrance. Though safely enclosed, he was uninjured. A small gap in the collapse allowed a sliver of daylight to show through.
The man, realizing there was no natural way out, focused his mind single-heartedly on reciting the Buddha's name. Meanwhile, his father, who had heard the cave had collapsed and that his son was presumed dead, had no way to find his body. The family was poor and could not afford grand funeral ceremonies. So the father took a simple bowl of coarse rice to a monastery and asked a monk to accept it as a meal offering. Most monks there were accustomed to more generous and elaborate offerings, so none were willing to eat this humble meal. The father began to weep, holding the bowl.
A monk took pity on him and accepted the offering. After eating, he recited a blessing and then left.
On that very same day, from the small opening in the cave, the trapped man saw a monk enter and hand him a bowl of food. After eating, his hunger subsided. He sat upright in meditation, maintaining his mindfulness.
Ten years passed. During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Qi dynasty, a construction team was dispatched to the western mountains to build a summer palace. When the workers cleared the collapsed rocks, they discovered the man alive inside. They brought him out and returned him to his family. His parents were overjoyed, and the entire family devoted themselves to diligent practice of the Dharma.
(Chief Military Registrar of Yongzhou, Lu Chengye, relayed this story, saying it was handed down by the Bureau Director Jiang.)
北齊時。有冀州人。從軍伐梁。戰敗。見擒為奴。其父母在鄉不知音問。謂以死。為追福。造塼浮圖。塼浮圖成。設齋會。道俗數百人。方坐食。聞叩門聲。主人父出視。見一僧。形容甚雅。謂主人曰。乞齋食𥞫糜。可以布手巾裹之。並乞鞋一量。主人請留住食。僧不肯曰。欲早去。不暇坐食也。主人如其言。以新布裹糜。并鞋一量奉之。僧受而去。是日齋時。主人子在江南澤中。為其主牧牛。忽見一僧手持糜一裹。及新鞋一量。至奴所。問曰。亦思歸見父母乎。奴泣曰。無敢望也。僧以與糜令坐食。食畢。又與鞋令著之。而敷袈裟於地。令坐袈裟上。僧取袈裟四角。總把擎舉而揮之。可移二丈許著地。奴開視。不見僧及袈裟。而身已在其宅門外。入門見。大眾方食。父母驚喜。就問。具說由緣。視其巾內。餘糜及鞋。乃向奉僧者也。鄉邑驚駭。競為篤信。是日。月六日也。因名所造浮圖。為六日浮圖。浮圖今尚。邑里猶傳之矣。
During the Northern Qi dynasty, there was a man from Jizhou who was conscripted to fight against the Liang dynasty. Defeated in battle, he was captured and made a slave. His parents, back home, had no news of him and assumed he was dead. To transfer merit to him, they built a brick pagoda. When the pagoda was completed, they held a vegetarian feast. Several hundred clergy and laypeople had just sat down to eat when they heard a knock at the door.
The father of the family went to see and found a monk of very refined appearance. The monk said to the host, "I beg for some millet porridge as an offering. Could you wrap it in a cloth? And I also beg for a pair of shoes."
The host invited him to stay and eat, but the monk refused, saying, "I need to leave early; I don't have time to sit and dine." The host did as instructed, wrapping fresh millet porridge in a new cloth and giving him a pair of shoes as well. The monk accepted and left.
That same day at the mealtime, the parents' son was out in the marshes of Jiangnan, tending his master's cattle. Suddenly he saw a monk carrying a wrapped bundle of porridge and a new pair of shoes approaching him. The monk asked, "Do you want to go home and see your parents?"
The slave wept and replied, "I dare not even hope for such a thing."
The monk gave him the porridge and told him to sit and eat. When he had finished, the monk gave him the shoes to put on. Then he spread his monastic robe on the ground and told the slave to sit on it. Taking the four corners of the robe, the monk lifted it and swung it through the air. After moving about two zhang (roughly twenty feet), he set it down on the ground.
The slave opened his eyes and looked around, but the monk and the robe had vanished. Yet there he was, standing outside his own family's gate! He went inside and saw a large crowd just beginning their meal. His parents were overjoyed and shocked to see him. They gathered around and pressed him for an explanation. He told them everything. Then they looked inside the cloth, and there was the leftover porridge and the shoes—the very same that had been offered to the monk earlier.
Everyone in the village was astonished; they all became deeply devoted to the faith. This happened on the sixth day of the month, so the pagoda they had built came to be called "the Pagoda of the Sixth Day." The pagoda still stands today, and the story is still told in the village.
梁武帝微時。識一寒士。及即位。遊於苑中。見牽舟。帝問之。尚貧賤如故。勅曰。明日可上謁。吾當與汝縣令。此人奉勅而往。會故不得見。頻往遇有事。終不得通。自怪之以問沙門寶誌。誌方為大眾講經。聽者數千人。寒士不得進。寶誌謂。眾曰。有人欲來見問。請開道內之。眾人乃為開。此人進未至。寶誌迎謂曰。君為不得縣令來問耶。終不得矣。但受虛恩耳。過去。帝為齋主。君其疏許施錢五百。而竟不與。是故今日但蒙許官。終不得也。此人聞之終去。帝亦更不求之(江東道俗至今傳之)。
Emperor Wu of Liang, when he was still a commoner, once knew a poor scholar. After he became emperor, he was strolling in the imperial garden and saw this same man pulling a boat. The emperor asked about him, and found that he was still poor and lowly as before. So the emperor gave an order: "Come to court tomorrow, and I will appoint you as a county magistrate."
The man followed the imperial order and went, but due to some circumstances, he was not able to see the emperor. He went again several times, but each time something came up, and he never got an audience. Puzzled, he went to ask the monk Baozhi for advice. At that time, Baozhi was giving a lecture to a large crowd, with thousands of listeners, preventing the poor scholar from approaching. But Baozhi said to the crowd, "Someone is coming to see me with a question. Please make way and let him in." So the people opened a path for him.
Just as the man was about to reach Baozhi, the monk went to meet him and said, "You've come to ask why you haven't gotten the county magistrate position, haven't you? You will never get it. You have only received an empty kindness. In a past life, when the emperor was hosting a vegetarian feast, you wrote down a pledge to donate five hundred coins but never actually gave them. That is why today you have only been promised a position, but will never receive it."
Hearing this, the man finally left, and the emperor never sought him out again. (This story has been passed down among Buddhists and laypeople in the Jiangdong region to this day.)
楊州嚴恭者。本泉州人。家富於財。而無兄弟。父母愛恭。言無所違。陳太建初恭年弱冠。請於父母。願得錢五萬。往楊州市物。父母從之。恭乘船載錢。而下去楊州。數十里。江中逢一船載黿。將詣市賣之。恭問知其故。念黿當死。請贖之。黿主曰。我黿大頭。千錢乃可。恭問有幾頭。答有五十。恭曰。我正有錢五萬。願以贖之。黿主喜取錢。付黿而去。恭盡以黿放江中。空船詣楊州。其黿主。別恭行十餘里。船沒而死。是日恭父母在家。昏時有烏衣客五十人。詣門寄宿。并送錢五萬。付恭父曰。君兒在楊州市。附此錢歸。願依數受也。恭父怪愕疑謂恭死。因審之。客曰。兒無恙。但不須錢。故附歸耳。恭父受之。記是本錢。而皆水濕。留客為設食。客止。明旦辭去。後月餘日。恭還。父母大喜。既而問附錢所由。恭答無之。父母說客形狀。及附錢月日。乃贖黿之日。於是知五十客。皆所贖黿也。父子驚歎。因共往楊州起精舍。專寫法華經。遂徙家楊州。家轉富。大起房廊為寫經之室。莊嚴清淨。供給豐厚。書生常數十人。楊州道俗。共相崇敬。號曰嚴法華。甞有知親。從從貸經錢一萬。恭不獲已與之。貸者受錢。以船載歸。中路船傾。所貸之錢落水。而船人不溺。是日恭入錢庫。見有萬濕錢如斯出水。恭甚怪之。後見前貸錢人。乃知濕錢是所貸者。又有商人。至宮湖。於神所。祭酒食。并上物。其夜夢。神送物還之。謂曰。倩君為我持此。奉嚴法華。以供經用也。且而所上神物。皆在其前。於是商人歎異。送達恭處。而倍加厚施。其後。恭至市買經紙。適遇少錢。忽見一人。持錢三千。授恭曰。君買紙。言畢不見。而錢在其前。怪異如此。非一。隋開皇末恭死。子孫傳其業。隋季盜賊至江都者。皆相與約勿入嚴法華里。里人賴之獲全。其家今。寫經不已(州邑共見。京師人士亦多知之。駙馬守國公蕭銳最所詳審也)。
In Yangzhou, there lived a man named Yan Gong. He was originally from Quanzhou, and his family was very wealthy. He had no brothers. His parents loved him dearly and never refused him anything.
In the early years of the Taijian era of the Chen dynasty, when Yan Gong was about twenty, he asked his parents for fifty thousand coins to go to Yangzhou to buy goods. His parents agreed. Yan Gong set off by boat, carrying the money. When he was still a few dozen miles from Yangzhou, he encountered a boat on the river carrying softshell turtles that were to be sold in the market. Yan Gong asked about them and learned that the turtles were about to be killed. His heart went out to them, and he decided to buy them. The turtle seller said, "These turtles have large heads; you need a thousand coins for each." Gong asked, "How many are there?" The seller replied, "Fifty." Gong said, "I happen to have exactly fifty thousand coins. I will use them to ransom these turtles." The seller gladly took the money, handed over the turtles, and left.
Yan Gong released all the turtles into the river and then proceeded empty-handed to Yangzhou. The seller, who had left Gong, continued on his way. After about ten more miles, his boat sank and he drowned. That same day, Yan Gong's parents were at home. At dusk, fifty men dressed in black arrived at their door asking for lodgings for the night. They presented Yan Gong's father with fifty thousand coins and said, "Your son is in Yangzhou. He asked us to bring this money home for you. Please accept it as he instructed."
Gong's father was astonished and alarmed, suspecting that something had happened to his son. He questioned the guests carefully. The guests replied, "Your son is perfectly fine. He simply said he had no need for the money and asked us to bring it home." Gong's father accepted the coins, noting that they were the same amount his son had taken, except now they were all wet. He hosted the guests for a meal, and they stayed overnight. The next morning, they took their leave.
About a month later, Gong returned. His parents were overjoyed, and when they asked him about the money sent back, Gong said he knew nothing of it. His parents described the appearance of the guests and the date on which the money had arrived, which turned out to be the very day Gong had ransomed the turtles. Then they understood that the fifty guests were none other than the fifty turtles he had saved. The father and son were astonished and deeply moved.
Together they traveled to Yangzhou, where they built a meditation hall dedicated to copying the Lotus Sutra. Eventually, they moved their entire family to Yangzhou. The family grew even wealthier, and they built an extensive compound with rooms specifically for the copying of sutras. These rooms were made dignified and pure, and offerings were generous. Dozens of scribes worked there at any given time. Monks and laypeople throughout Yangzhou revered them, and Yan Gong came to be known as "Yan, the Lord of the Lotus Sutra."
Once, a close relative asked Yan Gong to lend him ten thousand coins. Feeling obliged, Gong agreed. The borrower took the money and set off in a boat. Midway, the boat capsized, and the borrowed coins fell into the water, but the man was not hurt. That very day, Gong went into his treasury and discovered an odd sight: ten thousand coins, all soaking wet, had appeared there as if just taken from the water. Gong found this very strange. Later, when he met the borrower who had borrowed the money, he learned that the wet coins were exactly the ones that had been lost.
On another occasion, a merchant went to the Palace Lake region, where he made offerings of wine and food at a shrine. That night, he dreamed that the deity returned his offerings and said, "Please take these and deliver them to Yan, the Lord of the Lotus Sutra, to be used for the expense of copying sutras." When the merchant awoke, he found the offerings lying in front of him. Greatly amazed, he took them to Yan Gong and added even more of his own generous offerings.
Later, when Gong went to market to buy paper for copying sutras, he found himself short by some money. Suddenly, a man appeared and handed him three thousand coins, saying, "Buy your paper." As soon as he said this, the man vanished, but the coins were right there in front of Gong. Such miracles happened more than once.
Yan Gong died near the end of the Kaihuang era of the Sui dynasty. His descendants continued his work. During the rebellions at the end of the Sui dynasty, when bandits reached the area of Jiangdu, they made a pact not to enter the neighborhood of Yan, the Lord of the Lotus Sutra. Because of this, the entire community was spared. To this day, his family continues to copy sutras without ceasing(This story was seen widely in the prefectures and counties, and was also well known among scholars and officials in the capital. Duke of Shouguo, Xiao Rui, the imperial son-in-law, was the most thorough in verifying these events.).
冥報記卷第上