---
title: "金剛般若經集驗記 · 神力篇第四(并序十六章)"
description: "唐代孟献忠所撰《金剛般若經集驗記》是一部汇集金刚经灵验事迹的佛教著作。该书以《金刚经》为核心，辑录了大量持诵此经获得感应与功德的真实故事，内容涵盖消灾解难、智慧增长及往生善道等。在历史背景上，它反映了唐代佛教民间信仰的盛行，尤其突显了《金刚经》在中国佛教中的重要地位。作为一部灵验记类文献，它不仅强化了信徒对般若经典的信心，也为研究唐代佛教社会史提供了珍贵资料，是汉传佛教中宣扬经典神力与实践价值的重要著作。"
url: "https://rushiwowen.co/en/r/cmcxkmqn7001kjr0455280hc0"
---
### 神力篇第四并序十六章
> Chapter of Supernatural PowerA Collection of Sixteen Sections
昔者媧皇御極斷鼇以補天。夷羿音詣彎弓解鳥而落日。璿臺之上。載駈夏后之龍。瑤水之濵。更舞周王之駿。音浚仙公之潛流吐火。元方之匿影分形。況乎道契如如。切無等等。將開于塔。移天人於他界。不起于座。示妙喜於閻浮。聖烈巍巍。固無得而稱矣。故迹其尤異者。列為神力篇。
> Once, the ancient empress Nüwa severed the legs of the giant turtle to mend the heavens; the archer Yi drew his bow and shot down the suns from the sky. On the jade terrace, she once drove the dragon of the Xia dynasty; by the shores of the Jasper Lake, a king danced with his heavenly steeds. Some Immortals caused rivers to appear or breathed fire, while others hid their shadows or multiplied their forms. Even more so, those who abide in Suchness and transcend all comparables: they open up a pagoda, moving humans and celestial beings to another realm; or, without rising from their seat, they display the joy of the Blissful Land in this world. Their holy deeds are so vast and magnificent that they cannot be fully described. Thus, we collect the most extraordinary of these acts and present them in the chapter on Miraculous Powers.
蕭瑀金剛般若經靈驗記曰。梁時有一婆羅門師。名法藏。能持經呪辟諸邪惡。有一小僧。學呪數年。自謂成就。堪伏邪魅。同行來詣江畔。遂投宮亭湖神廟止宿。誦諸禁呪。其夜廟神遂來殺之。藏聞弟子身死。怨恨。自來到神廟廡。夜宿謂呪。因亦致死。于時同寺一僧。每持金剛般若經。聞藏師徒並為神殺死。故來神廟。座上誦般若經。夜半聞有風聲。極大迅音峻速。須臾見一大人。身形瓌異。奇特可畏。種種形容。眼光似電。師端坐正念。誦經不輟。不怕不懼。神來至前。攝諸威勢。右膝著地。合掌恭敬。聽誦經訖。師問神曰。檀越是何神祇。初來猛迅。後乃寂然。神言。弟子是此宮亭湖神。為性剛強猛戾。見師誦習大乘經典。功德大大不可思議。是以伏聽。師言。檀越既能如此信敬。何意打殺前者誦呪二僧。神言。彼僧不能誦持大乘經典。弟子入廟。逆前放罵。專惡言降伏弟子。二僧見弟子形貌。自然怕死。非故殺比丘。諸人知師入神廟宿。恐同前二僧。至明相率往廟迎問。師乃安然。諸人等甚大嘉慶。問師具知。諸人因此發心受持般若經者甚眾。
> \*\*Record of a Spiritual Testimony on the Diamond Sutra, by Xiao Yu\*\* During the Liang dynasty, there was a Brahmin master named Fazang who was skilled in reciting scriptures and mantras to ward off all evil. One of his young monks, after studying mantras for several years, believed he had mastered them enough to subdue malevolent spirits. Together they traveled to the riverside and decided to stay overnight at the Gongting Lake Temple. As the young monk chanted various protective mantras, the temple's spirit appeared that night and killed him. When Master Fazang heard of his disciple's death, he was filled with anger and resentment. He went to the temple's corridor, spent the night chanting his own mantras, and was also killed. At that time, another monk from the same monastery regularly recited the Diamond Sutra. Hearing that Master Fazang and his disciple had both been slain by the spirit, he decided to go to the temple. Sitting in the main hall, he began reciting the Diamond Sutra. Around midnight, he heard a rushing wind—extremely fast and powerful. Soon, a huge being appeared with a terrifying and unusual appearance, its eyes flashing like lightning. The monk remained seated, kept his mind focused, and continued reciting the sutra without pause, showing no fear. The spirit approached, but then withdrew its fierce demeanor, knelt on its right knee, joined its palms in respect, and listened until the sutra recitation was finished. The monk asked the spirit, "Benefactor, what kind of deity are you? You came so violently at first, but then became so calm." The spirit replied, "I am the spirit of Gongting Lake. By nature, I am fierce and stubborn. But when I heard you reciting the Mahayana scripture, I saw that its merit was vast and inconceivable, so I bowed down and listened respectfully." The monk said, "Since you have such faith and reverence, why did you kill those two monks who were chanting mantras earlier?" The spirit answered, "Those monks did not know how to recite Mahayana scriptures. When I entered the temple, they confronted me with curses and tried to subdue me with evil words. When they saw my true form, they were frightened to death out of natural fear. I did not intentionally kill them." When the other monks learned that this new monk had stayed overnight at the spirit's temple, they feared he might meet the same fate as the previous two. At dawn, they all went to the temple to check on him. To their great relief and joy, they found him perfectly safe. After hearing his full account, many people were inspired to take up the practice of reciting the Diamond Sutra.
又貞觀元年。蓬州儀隴縣丞劉弼。前在江南任縣尉。忽有一鳥於房門前樹上鳴喚。人云。是甚惡鳥。此鳥至者。必殺家長。弼聞恐懼。思念無計。夜間夢見一僧。令讀金剛般若經一百遍。善神來。此樹隔舍擲著大街巷中竟無亦答。般若之力其大矣哉。
> During the first year of the Zhenguan era, Deputy Magistrate Liu Bi of Yilong County in Pengzhou was formerly a county sheriff in the Jiangnan region. Suddenly, a bird began calling from a tree in front of his house. Someone said, "This is an ominous bird. Whenever it appears, it inevitably spells death for the head of the household." Hearing this, Liu Bi was terrified and could think of no solution. That night, he dreamed of a monk who instructed him to recite the Diamond Sutra one hundred times. A benevolent spirit then intervened, causing the tree—separated by a house—to be uprooted and flung into the middle of the street, yet there was still no reply. The power of the Prajna Paramita is truly immense!
郎余令冥報拾遺曰。隴西李虔觀。今居鄭州。明慶五年。丁父福胤憂。乃刺血寫金剛般若經。及般若多心經各一卷。隨願往生經二卷。出外將入。即一度浴後。忽聞院中有異香氣。非常郁烈。隣側並就觀之。無不稱嘆余令曾過鄭州見彼親說。友人所傳。
> Lang Yuling's "Records of Retribution" states: Li Qianguan of Longxi, currently residing in Zhengzhou. In the fifth year of the Qingqing era, while mourning his father Li Fuyin, he pricked his own blood to copy one scroll each of the Diamond Prajna Sutra and the Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra, along with two scrolls of the Sutra of Aspiration for Rebirth. Every time he took them out and brought them back in, he would bathe once. Suddenly, a rare and extremely intense fragrance filled his courtyard. Neighbors came to witness it, and all were filled with admiration. Yuling once passed through Zhengzhou and heard this story told in person; it was passed down by a friend.
又曰。曹州濟陰縣西二十里村中。有一精舍。龍朔二年冬十月。有野火暴起。非常熾盛。乃至精舍。遂踰越而過。兼及僧房。草舍焚燎總盡。唯有金剛般若經一卷。猶儼然如故曹州參軍事〔廗〕元褘所說。
> He also said: "In a village twenty li west of Jiyin County, Caozhou, there was a monastery. In the winter of the second year of the Longshuo era, during the tenth month, a wildfire suddenly broke out. It raged with extraordinary ferocity, reaching the monastery and sweeping right through it, consuming both the monks' quarters and thatched dwellings completely. Only a single scroll of the \*Diamond Wisdom Sutra\* remained untouched, looking perfectly intact as before." Told by Yuan Hui, Military Advisor of Caozhou
又曰。明慶年中。平州人孫壽於海濵遊獵。見野火炎熾。草木蕩盡。唯有一叢茂草。不被焚燎。疑此草中有獸。遂以火爇之。竟不能著。壽甚怪之。遂入草間尋覓。乃見一函金剛般若經。其傍又見一死僧。顏色不變。火不延燎。葢為此也孫壽親自見。說之。
> The account continues: During the Mingqing era of the Tang dynasty, a man named Sun Shou from Pingzhou was hunting along the coast. He saw a wildfire blazing fiercely, burning all the grass and trees to ashes. Only one clump of lush grass remained untouched by the flames. Suspecting that an animal might be hiding inside, he set fire to it again, but still the grass would not burn. Greatly puzzled, Sun Shou went into the grass to search and found a scroll of the \*Diamond Sutra\*. Beside it lay the body of a deceased monk, whose complexion remained unchanged. The fire had not spread to them—this was the reason. Sun Shou witnessed this himself and recounted it.
又曰。前大理司直河內司馬喬卿慳。純謹有至行。永徽年中。為揚州戶曹。丁母憂。居喪毀瘠。刺心上血。寫金剛般若經一卷。未幾於廬音閭上生芝草二莖。經九日長一尺八寸。綠莖朱蓋。日瀝汁一升。傍下食足。味甘如蜜。盡而復生。如此數四音鄉同僚數人向余令說。余令孝子傳亦具說焉。
> Furthermore, there was Sima Qiaoqing, a former Expositor of the Grand Court from Henei. He was frugal, honest, and of the highest filial conduct. During the Yonghui era, he served as Registrar of Yangzhou. When his mother passed away, he observed mourning so intensely that he wasted away to skin and bones. He pricked his own heart to draw blood and, using it as ink, copied one scroll of the \*Diamond Sutra\*. Not long after, two stalks of \*lingzhi\* mushroom grew on the roof of his hut. Over nine days, they grew one foot eight inches tall, with green stems and red caps. Each day, they dripped a liter of juice, enough to feed those below. The juice tasted as sweet as honey, and after it was consumed, it would regenerate. This happened several times.
大中大夫楊體幾。京兆人也。去太極元年。任饒州長史。奉勑兼充銀山大使。檢校採銀。其銀之窟。所夫匠。動越萬人。側近百姓。共為章市。其市之中。總無瓦屋。咸以篷篨為舍。簷廡音撫相接。其夜有一家忽然失火。市內之屋。蕩盡無餘。唯中心一家。火所不燎。體幾巡檢。問其所由。為家內有一老人。常受持金剛般若經。般若之力。火不能燒。合州之中。莫不驚異。
> Grand Master Yang Tiji was from the capital region of Jingzhao. During the inaugural year of the Taiji era, he served as the Senior Administrator of Raozhou. By imperial decree, he was also appointed as the Supervisory Envoy of the Silver Mountain, overseeing silver mining operations. The workforce at the silver mine often exceeded ten thousand laborers. Nearby residents set up a bustling market, but within this market, there were no tile-roofed buildings at all—every structure was a simple mat shed, with eaves and rafters touching one another. One night, a fire suddenly broke out in one of the homes. The entire market was reduced to ashes—except for a single house at the very center, which the flames did not touch at all. When Yang Tiji made his inspection rounds, he asked how this was possible. He learned that the household had an elderly man who constantly recited the Diamond Sutra. Because of the power of this sutra, the fire could not harm his home. Everyone throughout the entire prefecture was astonished.
梓州惠義寺僧釋清虗。俗姓唐氏。立性剛烈。少誦金剛般若經。去萬歲通天元年十月初。於齊州靈巖寺北三總山中。深心發願。為三途受苦眾在等。受持金剛般若經。願一切眾生。早得離苦解脫。從十月三日誦至六日。有七頭鹿忽來聽經。及至誦時即來伏聽。誦訖便去。及其總了。更不復來。僧清虗去萬歲通天元年十月二十三日。日西於齊州靈巖寺地三總山中。端坐誦經。忽非似夢。遂不見所住處屋宅及山河石壁。唯見一城。似梓州城。其僧從東門入。至一橋見一捉鋪人。是山東人士。遂行出城西門可五六里許。又見一城。在於道左。其城縱廣可有五里。其僧下道至城東門。其門纔猜可容一人入。僧問捉門者曰。得知大王何時放地獄受苦眾生。報云。昨日午時。齊州靈巖寺有一禪師。手執錫仗。年可七十。已上來詣王前。語王言。有一客僧為三塗受苦眾生誦金剛般若。王得知否。天王何時息放地獄受苦眾生。王報阿師言。弟子先知。明日午時為阿師放却少分輕者。其捉門人謂其僧云。阿師即去。請更莫語。其僧遂迴還從西門入。到一驛門前。前見一顆苽。如椀許大。破作兩片。僧食一片。仍餘一片。至前捉鋪處。鋪家問僧何處得此苽。請乞一片。其人得此苽食。口云。十月有此美苽。所言未訖。忽見城西門外有無量人眾。入城門來。婦女多。大夫少。縗音催麻服者眾。吉服者稀音希。至其僧坐前。各各禮拜。蒙阿師濟拔。其僧報云。元不相識。何處救拔。後有三箇橑奴。亦來禮拜。蒙阿師救拔弟子。其僧問云。你是誰家小兒。面無血色太劇顇。從何處來。衫衣並新。何因如此。答言。我是玄宗觀家人。為盜觀家糓麥。治酒買肉。不知多少。破閻羅王勘。當經今五年。不識漿水一滴。其衫是生時所造。死後始著。當被勘。當其衫被剝。掛著奈何樹頭。所以得新。語訖辭去。靈驗如此。
> In Zizhou Huiyi Temple, there was a monk named Qingxu, whose secular surname was Tang. He was resolute and strong-willed by nature, reciting the Diamond Wisdom Sutra from a young age. Around the beginning of the tenth month of the first year of the Wansui Tongtian era (696 CE), he was in the Sanzong Mountains north of Lingyan Temple in Qizhou. With deep sincerity, he made a vow on behalf of all beings suffering in the three lower realms to uphold and recite the Diamond Wisdom Sutra, wishing for all beings to soon be freed from suffering and attain liberation. From the third to the sixth day of the tenth month, seven deer suddenly came to listen to his chanting. Whenever he recited the sutra, they would come and lie down to listen, then leave when he finished. After he completed the entire recitation, they never returned. On the twenty-third day of the tenth month of the Wansui Tongtian era, Monk Qingxu was sitting upright in meditation and reciting the sutra in the Sanzong Mountains area of Lingyan Temple. Suddenly, he felt as if in a dream. He could no longer see his dwelling place, the mountains, rivers, stone walls, or any familiar surroundings—only a city that resembled Zizhou City. He entered through the east gate. At a bridge, he saw a gatekeeper from Shandong. Continuing, he left through the west gate and walked about five or six li, where he saw another city on the left side of the road, about five li in circumference. He stepped off the road and went to its east gate, which was barely wide enough for one person to enter. He asked the gatekeeper, "When does the King of Hell release the suffering beings from the hells?" The gatekeeper replied, "Yesterday at noon, a Chan master from Lingyan Temple in Qizhou, about seventy years old and holding an iron staff, came before the King and said: 'There is a visiting monk reciting the Diamond Sutra for the sake of beings suffering in the three lower realms. Does the King know of this? When will you release these beings?' The King replied, 'I already know. Tomorrow at noon, for your sake, I will release a few whose offenses are lighter.'" The gatekeeper then told the monk, "Master, you should leave now. Please say nothing more." The monk turned back and entered through the west gate. Near a post station, he saw a melon about the size of a bowl, cut into two pieces. He ate one piece and left the other. When he reached the gatekeeper's post near the bridge, the gatekeeper asked, "Master, where did you get this melon? Could you spare a piece?" After receiving and eating the piece, the gatekeeper remarked, "Such a delicious melon in the tenth month!" Before the gatekeeper finished speaking, the monk suddenly saw a countless multitude of people entering through the west gate—mostly women, fewer men. Many were dressed in mourning clothes of coarse hemp, while few wore festive garments. They all came before the monk and bowed, saying, "We have been saved by the Master's merit." The monk replied, "I don't know any of you. How could I have saved you?" Then three young slaves also came and bowed, saying, "We have been saved by the Master." The monk asked them, "Whose children are you? Why are your faces so deathly pale? Where have you come from? Your clothes are new. How is this possible?" They answered, "We are servants of the Xuangong Temple household. We stole grain from the temple to make wine and buy meat—we don't know how much. We have been judged by King Yama and have been in hell for five years now. We haven't tasted even a drop of water or soup since. These shirts we are wearing were made while we were alive, but we began to wear them only after death. During judgment, our original clothes were stripped off and hung on the branches of the Naihe Bridge tree. That's why these clothes appear new." After saying this, they bid farewell and left. Such is the miraculous power of this sutra.
萬歲通天元年十一月二十三日。清虗在齊州三總山中。暮間忽有東地風起。遙見野火燒山。相去可有一十餘里。至人定時。其火漸近。去僧坐處司百餘步。其僧心驚。誦經念佛。并誦十一面呪。其火去所住屋可五十步已來。忽然迴風。其火遂自滅。逮音代至一更。忽然還熾。僧將掃帚撲火。遂不焚。去屋不逾十步。火即自滅。其屋十步之內。茅共簷音鹽平。仍有亂草一聚。去脊不盈數尺。至時亂草及茅。並為煨燼。唯有臥屋得免火燒。其東北兩面。屋簷并被火燒。信知般若之力。不可思議。
> On the 23rd day of the 11th month, in the 1st year of the Wansui Tongtian era, Qing Xu was in the Sanzong Mountains of Qizhou. At dusk, a wind suddenly arose from the east. In the distance, a wildfire could be seen burning across the mountain, about ten li away. By the time of the evening meditation hour, the fire had drawn closer, now just over a hundred steps from where the monk was sitting. The monk grew fearful and began reciting sutras, chanting the Buddha's name, and reciting the Eleven-Faced Mantra. The fire approached to about fifty steps from the dwelling where he stayed, and then suddenly the wind shifted, causing the fire to extinguish itself. Around the first watch of the night, the fire suddenly blazed up again. The monk took a broom to beat out the flames, but found them unburned. Before it could reach within ten steps of the dwelling, the fire died out once more. Within ten steps of the house, thatched grass was level with the eaves, and there was a pile of loose grass less than a few feet from the ridge of the roof. By then, both the scattered grass and the thatched roofing had turned to ashes. Only the sleeping quarters were spared. The eaves on the northeast side were partially burned. From this, one can truly know: the power of Prajna wisdom is inconceivable.
登對元年二月。其僧清虗至徒來山中。尋常誦經。不過兩遍。腰脊疼痛。不能堪忍。僧於佛前遂發誓願。弟子今夜結跏趺坐。為一切眾生誦金剛般若。必滿五遍然後始息。縱使疼痛。狀猶割刺。終須滿數。以死為限。誦至三遍。骨節有如支解。誦至四遍。有物在佛堂內闘。聲似水牛大蟲爭力而闘。佛堂亦動。誦至五遍。將半諸痛都愈。舉目四望。朗然明徹。佛殿講堂。一皆不見。唯覺端坐在於空中。大地平正。無有高下。及至同伴來喚。空聞其喚。不見有人。同伴曳手挽起。方始醒覺。般若神力。無得而稱焉。
> In the second month of the first year of the Dengdui era, a monk named Qingxu came to the mountain with his disciples. He typically chanted sutras no more than twice, but suffered from severe back pain that he could barely endure. Before the Buddha, he made a vow: "Tonight, while sitting in full lotus posture, I will recite the Diamond Sutra for the sake of all beings. I must complete five full recitations before I rest. Even if the pain is like being cut or stabbed, I will finish the count, even if it costs me my life." When he finished the third recitation, his bones felt as if they were being torn apart. By the fourth recitation, something inside the shrine began to fight fiercely, its sounds like a water buffalo and a tiger locked in combat, shaking the whole shrine. At the fifth recitation, when he was about halfway through, all his pain vanished. Lifting his eyes to look around, everything became bright and clear. The Buddha hall and lecture halls had all disappeared. All he could feel was himself sitting upright in the sky, the earth flat and even, with no ups or downs. When his companions came to call for him, he could only hear their voices but could see no one. They tugged at his arms and pulled him up; only then did he wake. The power of the Perfection of Wisdom is beyond description.
聖曆元年仲秋八月。其僧清虗。時在豫州。向法王寺禮拜。見舍利塔內著一切經。其塔上四面無門。遂有群鴿。入舍利塔內。見僧入塔禮拜。一時飛散。其僧禮懺既畢。至塔門內坐。一鴿從空飛下。直入僧懷。歷左右肩。音堅遂至頭上。下繞經三帀。便即高飛。鳥尚解敬持經。在人亦希。勉勵。音例。
> In the autumn of the eighth month of the first year of the Shengle era, the monk Qing Xu was in Yuzhou. He went to pay homage at the Temple of the Dharma King, where he saw a complete collection of scriptures stored inside a stupa. The stupa had no doors on any of its four sides. Suddenly, a flock of pigeons that had entered the stupa saw the monk coming in to pay his respects and flew off all at once. After finishing his prostrations and repentance, the monk sat down just inside the entrance of the stupa. Then a pigeon descended from the sky, flew straight into the monk's arms, and moved around his shoulders and head. It then circled the scriptures three times before soaring high into the air. If even a bird can understand the reverence due to the scriptures, how much more should humans? Take this as encouragement.
長安三年閏四月內。其僧清虗。向藍田縣南山中悟真寺坐夏。其寺上坊禪院。院舊無泉水。皆向㵎底取水。往還十里有餘。禪院僧徒。將為辛苦。華嚴法師康藏。共三綱平議。眾請祈泉。其僧報眾言。此火難事。徒眾咸曰。阿師既在此座夏。作意念誦。為寺家祈請。不廢脩道。願不推託。既不能苦違眾心。欲覔一困處念誦。其禪院上坊下坊皆亦人滿。唯中間有一彌勒閣。閇而恒鎖。無人敢開。僧既見閇。即喚直歲平章。欲開此閣。於中念誦。主人并客僧等語其僧言。莫向此閣。閣中有一黑蛇。其大如鉢。身長二丈。常護此閣。恐損阿師。其僧報云。江南有宮亭湖神。身長數里。變化自在。亦是大蛇。能致驟雨飄風。尚來歸伏。況乎小者。亦何足言。其僧即索鑰音藥匙開門。把火直入。更不見物。唯聞蛇腥。其僧正念燒香啟請。弟子聞大身眾生。守護此閣。恐是過去賢聖。或是山龍諸神。弟子今日向此閣中。一心念誦。為上坊禪院求請一泉。幸願諸神。咸加擁護。勿令恐畏。聽誦金剛般若。布施弟子一箇小泉。以供上坊禪院。即至心念誦。一坐三日三夜。目不交睫。音接心眼之中。見三婦人在彌勒閣西北。於山之腹。以刀子剜地。忽然不見。迄于明發。遂向東北。臨㵎合眼誦般若經。見一道水。從婦人刀子掘地處來。歷僧前而過。經三五日。傣然常見。未以為信。誦仍不輟。更經二日。轉轉分明。其僧即移向見婦人刀子掘地處誦經。合眼還見水從背後流出。又經三日。其僧遂取杖抉看。撥音鉢却木葉。見一濕地。大小如二尺面盤。將鋤掘之。遂見一水脈。因成一坎。可受石餘轉。更至心誦得五遍。其坎堪感反中水。不覺滿盈。引向禪庭。供給眾用。則知聖無不應。感而必通。信乎般若之功無得而稱者也。
> During the leap month of the third year of Chang'an (703 CE), the monk Qingxu stayed at Wuzhen Temple in the Southern Mountains of Lantian County for the summer retreat. The upper cloister of this temple had no spring water, so everyone had to fetch water from the ravine below, a round trip of over ten li. The monks found this very arduous. The Huayan Dharma teacher Kangzang discussed the matter with the temple administrators, and everyone asked Qingxu to pray for a spring. Qingxu told them, "This is a difficult matter." But the monks replied, "Master, since you are spending the summer retreat here, you can recite scriptures and pray for the temple, without neglecting your spiritual practice. Please do not decline." Unable to refuse their request, Qingxu sought a quiet place for recitation. All the upper and lower cloisters were full, except for a Maitreya Hall in the middle, which was locked and sealed, with no one daring to open it. Qingxu saw it was closed and asked the steward to discuss opening it for his recitation. The resident monks and visiting practitioners warned him, "Do not enter this hall. There is a black snake inside, as thick as a rice bowl and two zhang long. It constantly guards this hall, and we worry it might harm you." Qingxu replied, "In Jiangnan, there is the spirit of Gongting Lake, which is a snake several li long, freely transforming itself, able to bring sudden storms and gales. Yet it still submitted to me. How much less this small creature? Do not worry." He then asked for the key, opened the door, and entered with a torch. He saw nothing, but smelled the snake's odor. Qingxu began to recite scriptures, burned incense, and prayed: "Disciple has heard that a great being guards this hall. You may be a past sage or a mountain dragon or spirit. Today, I come to recite sincerely and pray for a spring for the upper cloister. I humbly ask all spirits for protection, that I need not fear. Please listen to the Diamond Sutra and grant me a small spring for the upper cloister's use." He recited wholeheartedly for three days and three nights, without closing his eyes. In his mind's eye, he saw three women northwest of the Maitreya Hall, on the mountain's flank, digging the ground with knives. They suddenly vanished. By dawn, he faced northeast, closed his eyes near the ravine, and recited the Prajna Scripture. He saw a stream of water flowing from where the women's knives had dug, passing before him. For three or five days, he saw it repeatedly, but was still uncertain, so he continued reciting without pause. After two more days, the vision grew increasingly clear. He moved to the spot where the women had dug and recited there. Closing his eyes, he saw water flowing from behind him. After another three days, he took a staff to probe the spot. Brushing away the fallen leaves, he saw a damp patch, about the size of a two-foot tray. Using a hoe to dig, he discovered a water vein, forming a pit large enough to hold over a stone of water. He then recited five more times with complete devotion, and the pit became filled with water. He channeled this water to the cloister to supply everyone's needs. Thus it is known that the sacred never fails to respond; if you sincerely seek, you will surely find. Truly, the merit of the Prajna Sutra is beyond all measure and praise.
長安四年三月末。其僧清虗向少室山少林寺坐夏。其寺禪院在西。其院北山上有一佛堂。但是師僧。並不敢侵夜往。彼有一律師。侵夜往彼誦律。聞空中有言。阿師急去。遲即損害阿師。至二更盡。未及得出。被神將刀弰音笑刺其肋音勒下。便即下山而歸。至明日午時。律師便即捨壽。不經半歲。有一小師。專持火頭金剛神呪。徒眾同試呪力。小師即作法呪樹。其樹或眾條俱束。或群柯同屈。眾見靈驗。即共小師平議。上坊有一故堂。前後無敢宿者。阿師既持神呪。敢於其中念誦宿否。小師報言。神靈勝伊萬倍之處。尚自降伏。此亦小小之者。蓋不足言。小師乃嚴持香鑪。往彼念誦。恃其呪力。降伏彼神。其夜。神遂現身。捉其兩脚。擲向㵎底。七日失音。半年已來。精神短少。少林大德。承聞清虗在京之日。於悟真寺請泉。兼伏大蛇。俱有神驗。遂語僧曰。阿師持經。大有靈應。請阿師作少法事。遣眾知聞。報云。大德欲遣清虗作何法事。僧眾同曰。上坊有一佛堂。比來無敢宿者。阿師能獨自念誦於彼宿否。其僧報曰。此是三代尊客住持之處。正是師僧依止之處。云何不得。其僧即辨香油。往彼念誦。再宿三日。都無所見。僧等問禪院僧曰。昨日□□□僧已三二日。總不見出。向何處去。禪院僧等報言。上坊佛堂之中。便宿念誦。大德等令急喚取。參差被神打殺。大眾自來同喚。阿師出來。其僧報言。終無所慮。徒眾咸曰。阿師未異凡人。共我一種。何故於此。自欲損害。答曰。萬事不畏。大德但歸。及至一更向盡。其神即到。於佛堂東。轟然發響。似擲數十口尾。聲震空中。其僧即燃火出看。寂然無所見。身毛皆竪。即誦十一面觀世音呪。繞佛堂一帀。堂內若水牛闘聲。像亦震動。誦呪七遍。其聲逾烈。轉更哮吼。響谷動山。即向佛堂前。正立思惟。欲不敢入。忽然更却思惟。如何在此。不能降伏。捺心即入。聲更轉盛。堂中之燈。尚亦示滅。呪既無驗。即誦金剛般若經。及誦一遍。其聲漸小。至於三遍。其聲即斷。迄于天明。寂然安靜。故知般若之力。不可思議。
> In the last month of the third year of Chang’an, the monk Qingxu went to Shaolin Temple on Mount Shaoshi for the summer retreat. The temple's meditation hall was on the west side, and to the north of that hall, on the mountain, there was a shrine. None of the monks dared to go there at night. One Vinaya master went there at night to recite the monastic rules. He heard a voice in the air saying, "Reverend, leave quickly. If you delay, you will be harmed." Before the second watch ended, he hadn't managed to get out. A spirit struck him under the ribs with the tip of a sword. He then went down the mountain and returned. By noon the next day, the Vinaya master had passed away. Less than half a year later, a young monk who specialized in chanting the "Fire-Head Vajra Spirit Mantra" came along. The community tested his mantra's power. The young monk performed the rite on a tree: its branches either all bunched together or its limbs bent at once. Seeing this efficacy, the group discussed with him. There was an old shrine upstairs that no one had dared to stay in overnight. "Reverend, since you hold the spirit mantra, dare you stay and chant there overnight?" The young monk replied, "A place where spirits are ten thousand times more powerful than this has already been subdued. This is a small matter, hardly worth mentioning." The young monk solemnly took an incense burner, went there, and chanted, relying on the power of his mantra to subdue that spirit. That night, the spirit appeared, grabbed both his feet, and threw him into a ravine. He lost his voice for seven days. For over half a year, his spirit was depleted. The senior monks at Shaolin heard that when Qingxu was in the capital, he had asked for a spring at Wuzhen Temple and had also subdued a large snake—both proven efficacies. So they said to him, "Reverend, your sutra-chanting is greatly responsive. Please perform a small dharma act so the community may know." He replied, "Venerable, what dharma act do you wish Qingxu to perform?" The community said together, "There is a shrine upstairs that no one has dared to stay in overnight. Could the reverend alone stay and chant there overnight?" The monk replied, "This is where the honored guests of three generations have dwelt. It is precisely where monastics should rely. Why would it not be possible?" He then prepared incense and oil, went there, and chanted. He stayed two nights and three days, but saw nothing. The monks asked the meditation-hall monks, "Yesterday that monk... it's been two or three days, and we haven't seen him come out. Where has he gone?" The meditation-hall monks replied, "He stayed overnight in the shrine upstairs, chanting." The senior monks said, "Call him quickly, or he might be beaten to death by the spirit." The entire community came together to call, "Reverend, come out!" The monk replied, "There's nothing to worry about." The community all said, "Reverend, you are no different from an ordinary person—just like us. Why would you harm yourself here?" He answered, "There is nothing to fear. Please, venerable ones, return." When the first watch was nearly over, the spirit arrived. East of the shrine, a loud crash sounded, like dozens of tails being thrown, shaking the air. The monk lit a fire and went out to look, but saw nothing but silence. His hair stood on end. He then chanted the Eleven-Faced Guanyin mantra and circled the shrine once. Inside, there was a sound like water buffaloes fighting, and even the statue shook. He chanted the mantra seven times, but the sound grew fiercer—more roaring, shaking the valley and the mountain. He went before the shrine and stood upright, thinking. He dared not enter. Then he thought again: "How can I be like this? Unable to subdue?" Steeling his resolve, he entered. The sound became even louder. The lamp inside the shrine even went out. Since the mantra had no effect, he chanted the \*Diamond Sutra\*. After the first recitation, the sound gradually diminished. By the third recitation, the sound cut off entirely. By dawn, all was quiet and still. Thus we know the power of the \*Diamond Sutra\* is inconceivable.
去神龍二年十二月十一日。齊州義淨三藏及景闍梨。奏清虗入內祈雪。二七日。雖得少分。未能普足。勑語清虗。阿師祈請。雖不能稱意。任阿師選寺住好否。其僧自恨祈請不稱聖意。遂答勑云。實不歡喜。大德等見作此對。亦皆失色。阿師既觸天威。即合付法。勑又云。如得雨雪。即與阿師亂綵二百段。兼授阿師五品。并作薦福寺綱維。阿師何意。遂不歡喜。答云。幸蒙天思。驅使祈請雨雪。自恨上不覆天心。下不允人望。愚誠徒懇。不愜聖心。夙夜兢懼。唯知待罪。濫荷天恩。所以不喜。勑云。且放阿師出外念誦。還須祈請。忽得雨雪。即須進狀。因便奏云。此度不降雨雪。即為一切眾生燒指。又降勑曰。朕喚阿師來供養。可遣阿師來受苦。又父母遺體。豈可毀傷。阿師必不得漫有傷損。食訖。辭聖上出。即向南山炭谷瀧湫子由反上祈請雨雪。雖復雪下。終不能稱心。更移就索曲村安樂佛堂中誦金剛般若。又經七日。時得薄雪。還不稱心。遂即發願燒指兩節。經一日一夜。燒未盡間。忽然四面雲合。雨雪參雜而下。眾皆愕然驚怪。二日始絕。百姓父老等。連狀欲奏。且於薦福等共三藏平章。清虗昨城南燒兩節指。為法界祈請雨雪。燒盡兩節。眾人同看。所有骨灰。今示見在。今朝村人大小欲為塗藥。其兩指節還復如故。三藏遂云。此事難信。不近人情。伊是凡僧。未至羅漢。如何燒指已盡。更得却生。既非聖流。無有此事。即語村人父老等急歸州縣知聞。直是將作妖惑。欲益返損。却責老人。非但誑炫凡庸。亦是誣罔聖上。僧徒聞此。轉加不信。其僧既見眾人起謗。更入道場。啟請十方諸佛。一切賢聖。弟子為法界蒼生。燒指祈雪。蒙諸天龍王等。應時降雪。又令弟子所燒之指。燼而重生。咸起謗言。不加淨信。誤他四眾。墮於地獄。弟子今更發願誦般若經。兩日之間。願生指重落。至于二日。勤加念誦。兩節重生之指。還復更落。眾見指落。重起謗言。阿師當時燒生。如今始落。其僧即報眾曰。且向城南前祈雪處。於彼養瘡。還遣重生。不知得否。眾人同曰。阿師似著狂病。常行謗語。即往城南而養瘡。念誦不輟。至十五日內。指節又生長一節半。指甲亦出。眾人見者。莫不驚異。咸曰。亦不足怪。此道人有妖術。則知般若之力。二乘之所不知。凡俗聞之。皆能起謗。
> On the eleventh day of the twelfth month in the second year of the Shenlong era, the Tripitaka Master Yijing from Qizhou and the Upadhyaya Jing presented a request to Qingxu to enter the palace to pray for snow. After fourteen days of prayer, some snow fell but not enough to satisfy the needs. The Emperor then said to Qingxu, “Teacher, although your prayers have not been entirely successful, you are free to choose a monastery to reside in—will that be good?” Deeply ashamed that his prayers had not met the Emperor’s expectations, the monk replied, “I am truly not pleased.” Upon hearing this bold response, even the senior monks present were alarmed. Since the monk had offended the imperial authority, he should have been punished according to the law. However, the Emperor said, “If rain and snow come, I will grant you two hundred bolts of fine silk and appoint you to the fifth rank, as well as make you the overseer of the Jianfu Monastery. So why are you not happy?” The monk replied, “I am fortunate to receive the imperial grace, being commanded to pray for rain and snow. Yet I deeply regret that above I could not align with Heaven’s intent, and below I could not fulfill people’s hopes. My sincere efforts were in vain, failing to meet the Imperial Heart. Day and night I tremble in fear, only waiting for punishment. What I have received is grace beyond my merit—therefore I am not pleased.” The Emperor then said, “For now, go out and continue chanting. You must still pray. Should rain or snow come suddenly, report it immediately.” Thus Qingxu submitted a statement saying, “If it does not rain or snow this time, I will burn my fingers for the sake of all beings.” The Emperor then issued another decree: “I summoned you here to honor you with offerings, not to make you suffer. Moreover, the body given by one’s parents should not be harmed. You must not recklessly injure yourself.” After the meal, Qingxu took leave of the Emperor and went to the Nanshan Carbon Valley LongqiuPronounced “zi you fan” to pray for rain and snow. Although some snow did fall, it still did not satisfy. He then moved to the Peaceful Joy Buddha Hall in Suoqu Village and chanted the \*Diamond Sutra\* for another seven days. Only a light snow fell, still insufficient. So he made a vow to burn two segments of his finger. After burning for one day and one night, before the burning was complete, clouds suddenly gathered from all directions, and rain and snow fell together. Everyone was astonished. The downpour lasted two days before stopping. The local elders planned to submit a report about this, but first they consulted with the Tripitaka Master at Jianfu Monastery. “Yesterday, Qingxu burned two finger segments south of the city, for the sake of all beings, to pray for rain and snow. Both segments were completely burned, and everyone witnessed it. The ashes of the bones are now preserved. Today, the villagers of all ages want to apply medicine, but remarkably, the two finger segments have been restored to their former state.” The Tripitaka Master then said, “This is hard to believe, and goes against common sense. He is an ordinary monk, not yet an Arhat. How can it be that after his fingers were completely burned, they grew back? Since he has not attained the level of a sage, this cannot be true.” He then told the village elders to quickly report to the local authorities. “This should be considered sorcery and deception—seeking gain will actually result in loss. Instead of that, reprimand the elders. This is not only deceiving ordinary people, but also misleading the Emperor.” Upon hearing this, the other monks grew even more skeptical. Seeing that everyone had begun to slander him, Qingxu entered the meditation hall again and prayed to the Buddhas of the ten directions and all the noble ones: “For the sake of all beings, I burned my fingers to pray for snow. The dragons and devas responded by sending snow immediately. Moreover, they caused the ashes of my burned fingers to regenerate. Yet these slanders arise without pure faith, misleading the fourfold assembly and causing them to fall into hell. I now vow to chant the \*Prajna Sutra\*; within two days, may the regenerated fingers fall off again.” After two days of diligent recitation, the two segments of the regenerated finger indeed fell off again. Seeing this, the people began to slander further: “Master, you burned them while they were fresh, and now they have finally fallen off.” The monk responded to the crowd: “Let me go back to the place south of the city where I prayed for snow, and there heal the wound. I will try to regenerate them again. Whether I can do it or not remains to be seen.” The crowd replied together, “Master, you seem afflicted by madness; you always speak slanderous words.” He then went south of the city to heal the wound, chanting without ceasing. Within fifteen days, one and a half finger segments grew back, and fingernails also appeared. Everyone who saw it was shocked and amazed. Yet they said, “This is not miraculous; this monk merely has sorcery tricks.” This shows the power of the \*Prajna\* Sutra—something unknown even to the Two Vehicles, and which only provokes slander among ordinary people.
去景龍二年。清虗始還故里。至太極元年六月二十九日夜。東江水漲。僧時在惠義寺停。其水直入寺中。眾僧各自併當衣物。其僧房中有一小閣。所有衣物。并遂閣上。便即然燈趺而坐。一心正意念誦金剛般若經。良久聞水入房聲。把火照看。了無一滴之水。其餘諸房皆被水入。僧徒聞見非是一人。般若威力。卒難縷說。
> In the second year of the Jinglong era, Qingxu finally returned to his hometown. On the night of the twenty-ninth day of June in the first year of the Taiji era, the Dong River swelled. The monk was staying at Huiyi Temple when the floodwater poured directly into the temple. The other monks all hurriedly gathered their belongings. Inside the monk's room was a small attic where he stored all his possessions. He then lit a lamp, sat in cross-legged meditation, and focused his mind on reciting the \*Diamond Sutra\*. After some time, he heard the sound of water entering his room. He picked up his lamp to look, but there was not a single drop of water. All the other rooms, however, were flooded. Many monks witnessed this event. The power of the \*Diamond Sutra\* is truly beyond words.
陳文建者。梓州郪音妻縣人也。身有騎都慰勳。每於州城門首堂上。常誦金剛般若。發願為父母祖父母等。誦滿八萬四千遍。尋亦誦了。刺史元善應氵事。被追入京。令文建誦般若經。滿五千遍。建即為誦。及善應至京。皆得清雪。
> Chen Wenjian was a native of Qi County in Zizhou. He held the honorary title of Cavalry Commandant. He often recited the Diamond Sutra at the gate tower of the city. He made a vow to recite it 84,000 times for his parents and grandparents, and soon fulfilled that vow. The prefect, Yuan Shanying, was involved in a legal case and summoned to the capital. He ordered Chen Wenjian to recite the Diamond Sutra 5,000 times, and Chen immediately did so. When Yuan arrived in the capital, the charges were all cleared.
銅山縣人陳德者。常以寫經為業。忽然因病疹。為冥司所追。見地下築音竹臺。德問。是何臺也。冥司報云。是般若臺。為陳文建欲至。築此臺以待之。其德却蘇。具說此事。遠近知聞。競持般若牛頭山靈瑞寺禪師惠融所說。
趙郡孛音貝廷光者。為德州司馬。深信因果。諸持金剛般若。每眼所見。常有圓光。誦念稍勤。其光漸大。誦念若簡。其光即小。即知般若冥感。精誠所通也。
贊曰。大哉神力。不可思議。蓮承法座。芥納須彌。地變神足。天開聖池。非定非慧。斯焉取斯。
## 金剛般若經集驗記卷中
> Middle Volume of the Diamond Sutra Collection of Miracles