佛祖統紀 36.8

36.8

述曰。晉書言。羊祜識前身是李氏兒。能取所弄金環。今此言前身造此寺者。蓋前身之前身也。世間罪福果報不差。可不知鑑。祜能知前身者。佛教謂之宿命通。祜蓋學佛有得現身世間者。

The author remarks: The Book of Jin states that Yang Hu knew his previous life was as a son of the Li clan and was able to retrieve the gold ring he used to play with. Now, the statement here that in a previous life he built this monastery refers to the life before his previous life. In the world, the retributions of sin and blessing do not err; how could one not take this as a mirror? That Hu was able to know his previous lives is what Buddhism calls the supernormal knowledge of past lives (pūrvanivāsānusmṛti-jñāna). Hu must have studied Buddhism and attained results, manifesting in bodily form in the world.