樂邦文類 2.180

2.180

侍御武君，當年喪其配，斂其遺服櫛珥鞶帨于篋。月旦十五日，則一出而陳之，抱嬰兒以泣。有為浮屠之法者，造武氏而諭之曰：「是豈有益耶？吾師云：『人死則為鬼，鬼且復為人，隨所積善惡受報，環復不窮也。極西方有佛焉，其土大樂。親戚姑能相為，圖是佛而禮之，願其往生，莫不如意。』」武君撫然辭曰：「吾儒者，其可以為是？」既又逢月旦十五日，復出其篋實而陳之，抱嬰兒以泣。殆而悔曰：「是真何益也。吾不能了釋氏之信不，又安知其不果然？」於是悉出其遺服櫛𤧑，合若干種，就浮屠師，請圖前所謂佛者，浮屠師受而圖之。韓愈聞而弔之曰：「晢晢兮目存，丁寧兮耳言。忽不見兮不聞，奔誰窮兮本源。圖西佛兮道予懃，以妄塞悲兮慰新魂。嗚呼柰何兮弔以茲文。」

The Censor Lord Wu lost his wife in his prime; he gathered her remaining clothes, combs, earrings, sashes, and scarves into a box. On the first and fifteenth days of each month, he would bring them out once and display them, weeping while holding his infant child. A practitioner of the Buddhist teachings approached the Wu household and admonished him, saying, "How could this be of any benefit? My teacher says, 'When a person dies, they become a ghost; as a ghost, they will again become a human, receiving retribution in accord with the good and evil they have accumulated, revolving endlessly in a cycle. In the far Western Direction there is a buddha whose land is of great bliss. If relatives are indeed able to act on their behalf, painting this buddha and paying homage to him, vowing for her rebirth, nothing will fail to be as wished.'" Lord Wu sighed with resignation and declined, saying, "I am a Confucian; how could I do this?" When the first and fifteenth of the month arrived again, he once more brought out the contents of the box to display them, weeping while holding his infant child. In distress, he repented, saying, "What benefit is this truly? I cannot know whether the Śākyan teachings are trustworthy or not, yet how can I know that they are not indeed so?" Thereupon he brought out all her remaining clothes, combs, and earrings, totaling several kinds, approached a Buddhist master, and requested him to paint the aforementioned buddha; the Buddhist master accepted and painted it. Han Yu heard of this and offered condolences, saying: / "Clear and bright—her eyes seem present; / earnest and gentle—her voice sounds in the ear. / Suddenly she is neither seen nor heard; / racing away, who can fathom the primal source? / Painting the Western Buddha, speaking my earnest sincerity, / using falsehood to stem sorrow and comfort the new soul. / Alas, what can be done? I offer condolences with this text."