弘贊法華傳 8.8

8.8

The faithful layman Li Shanlong was a native of Fengyi. During the Wude era (618–626), he served as Commandant of the Left Gate Guard. He suddenly died, yet the area over his heart remained warm, about the size of a palm. His family could not bear to place him in the coffin, and after seven days he revived. He recounted of himself: When he died, he was arrested by nether officials and brought to a bureaucratic office hall that was exceedingly grand, with a spacious courtyard. Within the courtyard were several thousand prisoners, some in cangues and chains, others in fetters, all standing in the court. The officers led Shanlong to the hall, where he saw a high official seated on a high couch, attended like a king. Shanlong asked an officer, 'What official is this?' The officer replied, 'It is the King.' When Shanlong reached the foot of the steps, the King asked, 'What meritorious deeds did you perform during your life?' Shanlong replied, 'Whenever my villagers held vegetarian fasts and lectures, I constantly donated goods to join with them.' The King asked, 'What good deeds did you yourself perform?' Shanlong said, 'I recited two fascicles of the Lotus Sūtra.' The King said, 'Very good! You may ascend the steps.' Having ascended into the hall, in the northeast corner there was a high seat resembling a lecture throne. The King pointed to the seat and said to Shanlong, 'You may ascend this seat and recite the sūtra.' Shanlong obeyed the order and went to the side of the seat. The King immediately stood up and said, 'I invite the Dharma Master to take the seat.' After Shanlong took the seat, the King turned to face him and sat down. Shanlong recited: 'The Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra, Introductory Chapter, Number One.' The King said, 'I invite the Dharma Master to stop.' Shanlong immediately stopped and came down from the seat, standing again below the steps. Looking back, all the prisoners in the courtyard were gone; not one remained. The King said to Shanlong, 'The merit of your sūtra recitation was not only for your own benefit, but caused all the prisoners in the courtyard to gain release upon hearing the sūtra. How could it not be good! I now release you to return.' Shanlong bowed and took his leave. After walking several tens of paces, he saw three men approaching, who said to Shanlong, 'The King has released you to return; can you not give us some small gift?' Before Shanlong could speak, the officer said to Shanlong, 'The King released you not through their doing. However, these three men were the emissaries who previously arrested you.' Terrified, Shanlong apologized to the three men, saying, 'In my ignorance I did not recognize you, gentlemen. Please allow me to prepare goods upon reaching home; but I do not know where to deliver them.' The three men said, 'Deliver them at the water's edge.' Shanlong consented. Taking leave of the officer, he returned home and saw his family weeping and preparing funerary goods. Shanlong entered and went beside the corpse, whereupon he came back to life. Later, he cut paper money and cloth, and together with wine and food, delivered them to the water's edge. Suddenly he saw the three men arrive to thank him, expressing their gratitude, and as soon as they finished speaking, they abruptly vanished.