弘贊法華傳 7.13

7.13

The upāsikā Lady Zhang was the wife of Chen Ling, Right Grand Master of Splendid Happiness under the Sui. She recited the Lotus Sūtra, always lamenting that her four limbs were weak and exhausted, unable to endure prolonged recitation. Suddenly she dreamed of a monk holding a bowl of medicine that was yellow in color; he came before Lady Zhang and gave it to her, telling her to take it. After a short while, she was startled awake by abdominal pain. As the pain was severe, she immediately had Ling summoned, who arrived shortly. Lady Zhang said, "People of the world say that if one dreams of a man of the Way, it is usually a ghost. Tonight I suddenly dreamed of taking a man of the Way's medicine, which means taking a ghost's medicine; there is no doubt I will surely die." In the midst of speaking, she had Ling withdraw. In a moment, she had diarrhea that was purely of a dark-smoked color, resembling what she had seen in the dream. After the diarrhea ended, all her ailments were cured. From then on, her four limbs were healthy and robust; she was regularly able to read and recite once day and night, no longer suffering extreme fatigue.