法華傳記 5.46

5.46

涼州有寡婦。姓李家本事佛。恒隨逐齋會。每聰性罷輒能誦之。後忽有虜公主婦寄宿。日瞑不忍遣去。須臾吏來錄之云。李藏叛婢。既被錄付獄。便至心誦觀世音經。得十餘日。欻目晝夜見觀世音。問李何以不去。具答不能得去。又曰。但起而鎖即已脫。於是徑直歸家。獄官及守防人。都自不覺。虜後知之遣問。那得歸。具答如此。亦不復更錄。此是誦經力。感聖應而已。

In Liangzhou there was a widow surnamed Li whose family originally served the Buddha. She constantly attended fasting assemblies; with her keen intelligence, whenever they concluded she was always able to recite [the texts]. Later, the primary wife of a barbarian lord unexpectedly lodged with her; as darkness fell, [Li] could not bear to turn her away. Shortly thereafter, officers came to arrest her, saying that Li was harboring a runaway slave girl. Having been arrested and handed over to prison, she single-mindedly recited the Avalokiteśvara Sūtra. After ten-odd days, her eyes suddenly beheld Avalokiteśvara day and night, who asked Li, "Why do you not leave?" She answered in full that she was unable to leave. [The Bodhisattva] further said, "Just arise, and the chains will come off." Thereupon she went straight home. The prison officials and the guards were entirely unaware of it. Later, when the barbarians learned of this, they sent someone to ask how she was able to return. She answered in full as it had happened, and they did not arrest her again. This was solely the power of reciting the scripture that stimulated a sacred response.