慈悲道場懺法 1.2

1.2

此懺者，梁武帝為皇后郗氏所集也。郗氏崩後數月，帝常追悼之，晝則忽忽不樂、宵乃耿耿不寐。居寢殿，聞外有騷窣之聲，視之乃見一蟒盤躃上殿，睒睛呀口以向於帝。帝大驚駭，無所逃遁，不得已蹶然而起，謂蛇曰：「朕宮殿嚴警，非爾蛇類所生之處，必其𪥲孽欲祟朕耶？」蛇為人語啟帝曰：「蟒則昔之郗氏也。妾以生存嫉妬六宮，其性慘毒，怒一發則火熾矢射損物害人，死以是罪謫為蟒耳。無飲食可實口、無窟穴可庇身，飢窘困迫力不自勝。又一鱗甲則有多虫唼嚙肌肉，痛苦其劇若加錐刀，為蟒非常蛇，亦復變化而至，不以皇居深重為阻耳。感帝平昔眷妾之厚，故託醜形骸陳露於帝，祈一功德以見拯拔也。」帝聞之，嗚呼感激，既而求蟒遂不復見。帝明日大集沙門於殿，庭宣其由，問善之最，以贖其苦。

This repentance rite was compiled by Emperor Wu of Liang on behalf of Empress Chi. A few months after Empress Chi passed away, the Emperor constantly mourned her; by day he was disheartened and joyless, and by night he tossed and turned sleeplessly. While staying in his bedchamber, he heard a rustling sound outside, and looking out he saw a python coiling and dragging itself up into the hall, staring with flashing eyes and agape mouth toward the Emperor. The Emperor was greatly terrified, with nowhere to flee, and having no choice he sprang to his feet and said to the snake: “Our palace is heavily guarded and is no place where your kind of serpent dwells. Must it not be that you are a demonic monstrosity seeking to haunt Us?” The snake spoke in human speech and addressed the Emperor: “This python was formerly Empress Chi. During my life, I was jealous of the women of the imperial quarters; my nature was cruel and venomous, and once anger flared, it was like blazing fire and shot arrows, damaging things and harming people. Because of this sin, I died and was banished to become a python. I have no food or drink to fill my mouth, and no burrow or den to shelter my body; tormented and pressed by hunger and distress, my strength cannot sustain itself. Moreover, beneath each of my scales are many insects gnawing my flesh, and the pain is so excruciating that it is as if awls and knives were driven in. Being a python, I am no ordinary snake, and having arrived through transformation, I was not obstructed by the depth and security of the imperial residence. Moved by the depth of Your Majesty’s past affection for your concubine, I have availed myself of this hideous form to reveal myself to the Emperor, praying for a single meritorious deed to deliver and save me.” When the Emperor heard this, he sighed with sorrow and was deeply moved, but when he looked for the python afterward, it was no longer to be seen. The next day, the Emperor assembled a great gathering of śramaṇas in the palace court, proclaimed the circumstances, and asked what supreme good deed could redeem her suffering.