弘贊法華傳 7.21

7.21

釋法朗。俗姓張。河北武城人也。幼而出家。唯修練行。住彭城郡南山淨道寺。為沙彌時。誦法華經。自少至老。誦習無懈。至年五十三。開皇十三年死。得七日。見閻羅王。王前有六道人。王問初一僧。有何德業。初人答。誦維摩經。王曰。度南邊立。問第二僧。有何德行。答。誦涅槃經十卷。王曰。亦南邊立。問第三僧。有何德業。答。誦金光明經。王曰。亦南邊立。問第四僧。有何行業。答。講涅槃經。王曰。度西行立。問第五僧。有何德行。答。講十地論。王斂眉而言曰。度北行立。第六問法朗云。有何行業。答。誦法華經。王曰。度東行立。問六僧竟。遣人。領北行立者。向地獄道。領西行立者。向畜生道。領南行三僧。向人道。語向三道者云。去不得歸。次語法朗。領往天道。令見其生處。可放還家。賜壽八十五歲。朗後天宮還。忽然而活。看左臂上。隱隱有赤字。作八十五歲字。

Shi Falang, whose secular surname was Zhang, was a native of Wucheng in Hebei. He left home [to become a monk] while young, solely cultivating austere practices. He resided at Jingdao Temple on the Southern Mountain in Pengcheng Commandery. When he was a śrāmaṇera, he recited the Lotus Sūtra. From youth to old age, his recitation and practice never flagged. At the age of fifty-three, he died in the thirteenth year of the Kaihuang reign era (593 CE). After seven days had passed, he saw King Yama. Before the king were six people of the Way. The king asked the first monk, "What virtuous deeds have you performed?" The first man replied, "I recited the Vimalakīrti Sūtra." The king said, "Cross over and stand to the south side." He asked the second monk, "What virtuous conduct have you performed?" He replied, "I recited ten rolls of the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra." The king said, "Stand also to the south side." He asked the third monk, "What virtuous deeds have you performed?" He replied, "I recited the Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra." The king said, "Stand also to the south side." He asked the fourth monk, "What practice and karma have you performed?" He replied, "I expounded the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra." The king said, "Cross over and stand to the west row." He asked the fifth monk, "What virtuous conduct have you performed?" He replied, "I expounded the Daśabhūmika-śāstra." The king knit his brows and spoke, saying, "Cross over and stand to the north row." He asked the sixth, Falang, saying, "What practice and karma have you performed?" He replied, "I recited the Lotus Sūtra." The king said, "Cross over and stand to the east row." When he finished questioning the six monks, he dispatched attendants to lead those standing in the north row toward the realm of the hells; to lead those standing in the west row toward the realm of animals; and to lead the three monks in the south row toward the realm of humans. He spoke to those going to the three realms, saying, "Go, you may not return." Next, he spoke to Falang, commanding that he be led to the heavenly realm to let him see his place of rebirth, and that he might be released to return home, granting him a lifespan of eighty-five years. Falang subsequently returned from the heavenly palace, and suddenly revived. Looking at his left arm, there were faintly red characters, reading "eighty-five years of age."