佛祖統紀 39.11

39.11

八年。曇延法師亡。帝輟視朝。勅王公已下往臨（去聲）內史薛道衡白弔文曰。聖皇啟運像法載興。卓爾緇衣欝為稱首。屈宸極之威重。申師資之禮文。三寶藉之弘通。二諦由其宣暢。以誘人為善之德。為助國行仁之方。豈謂法柱忽傾慈舟遽覆。匪直悲纏四眾。固亦酸感一人○京兆杜祈暴亡至冥府。王審其名曰。誤矣。問祈識周武帝否。答曾任左武候司法常在殿陛。王顧吏引至大鐵屋。從窓中望。一人瘦身鐵色著鐵枷鎖。祈見泣曰。大家何苦。答曰。我信衛元嵩毀滅佛法。故此受罪。祈曰。臣誤追當還。大家有說否。曰汝若還為聞大隋天子。昔與我共食倉庫。我滅法受大苦。望為我作福相救。及還以事聞。帝乃勅天下人出一錢為武帝追福（見唐高僧傳。法苑珠林。作趙文昌入冥。恐當時有此二事。皆可為證）。

Eighth year. Dharma Master Tanyan passed away. The Emperor suspended imperial audiences and ordered princes and dukes down to attend the mourning. The Palace Attendant Xue Daoheng read a eulogy saying: 'The Sage Sovereign initiated the era, and the Semblance Dharma arose once more. Eminently among the black-robed sangha, he stood as the chief. The Emperor humbled the solemn majesty of the imperial throne to perform the courteous etiquette of master and disciple. The Three Jewels relied on him for broad propagation; the two truths were expounded and clarified through him. His virtue in guiding people toward goodness served as a means to assist the state in practicing benevolence. Who would have thought the pillar of the Dharma would suddenly tilt, and the boat of compassion would abruptly capsize? Not only are the fourfold assembly overwhelmed with grief, but the One Man [the Emperor] is surely deeply sorrowed.' Du Qi of the capital district died suddenly and went to the underworld. The king examined his name and said, 'It is an error.' He asked Qi if he recognized Emperor Wu of the Zhou. He replied that he had served as the Judicial Officer of the Left Martial Guard and was often in the palace hall. The king looked to an officer to lead him to a large iron chamber. Peering through the window, he saw a man with an emaciated body of iron color, wearing iron cangues and fetters. Qi saw him, wept, and said, 'Great Master, what suffering is this?' He replied, 'I believed Wei Yuansong and destroyed the Buddha-Dharma, hence I suffer this punishment.' Qi said, 'I was summoned by mistake and must return. Does the Great Master have any words?' He said, 'If you return, report to the Son of Heaven of the Great Sui that in the past, he and I shared the granaries and storehouses. Because I destroyed the Dharma, I suffer great torment; I hope he will create merit for me to rescue me.' When Qi returned, he reported the matter, and the Emperor ordered everyone in the empire to contribute one coin to cultivate merit on behalf of Emperor Wu. (Found in the Tang Biographies of Eminent Monks; the Fayuan zhulin records it as Zhao Wenchang entering the underworld. Perhaps both events occurred at that time, and both may serve as evidence.)