宋高僧傳 24.4

24.4

Shi Xingjian, whose origins are unknown, was devoted to the practice of dhyāna contemplation, and his moral discipline was exceptionally strict. Once traveling east, his path took him past Mount Tai. As the sun set, he entered the shrine of the sacred peak, intending to spend the night. The keeper of the shrine said: 'There are no spare rooms here; you may only stay under the veranda of the deity. However, those who come to board here inevitably suffer the calamity of sudden death. Master, please consider it.' Jian said: 'There will be no trouble.' Having no choice, the keeper yielded to him and laid out a mat of dried sedge under the veranda. Jian sat upright and intoned scriptures. At about the first watch, he heard the tinkling sound of jade pendants from within the hall. In an instant, the deity emerged, dressed in splendid robes and cap, accompanied by a glittering retinue. He clasped his palms toward Jian. Jian said: 'I heard that many who stay here die; could it be that the dānapati harms them?' The deity said: 'The deaths of those who perished were caused by themselves; upon hearing this disciple's voice, they died of their own accord—I did not kill them. Master, please have no anxieties.' Jian firmly invited him to sit and converse. After the space of a meal, he asked him: 'Tradition has it that Mount Tai governs ghosts; is that truly so?' The deity said: 'Because of this disciple's meager merit, I indeed govern them. Would you like to see those who have previously died?' Jian said: 'Two of my fellow student monks have died; I wish to see them.' The deity asked their names and said: 'One has already been reborn among humans; the other is in purgatory undergoing judgment and cannot be summoned here. If the Master goes there, you can see him.' Jian was delighted to hear this, so he arose and went out not far, arriving at a place where he saw the flames of hell blazing furiously. A messenger guided Jian into a walled courtyard, where from afar he saw a man wailing in the fire, unable to speak, his form distorted beyond recognition, with scorched blood and flesh giving off a foul stench that broke the heart. Unable to bear watching, Jian pitifully asked to leave. In a moment, he was back under the veranda of the shrine, sitting with the deity as before. He asked: 'If I wish to save my fellow student, is there a way?' The deity said: 'Yes. If you can copy the Lotus Sūtra for him, he will surely be delivered.' As dawn approached, the deity took leave of the monk and entered the hall.