法華傳記 8.14

8.14

李遺龍者并州人。其家書業相繼究微。龍父名曰烏龍。偏重此土道經。不信佛經。性耽嗜酒肉。謗佛經云。胡聖制酒肉。豈有慈悲。凡一生中。不書佛經。設復有人。贈投金玉利。都不見經。況自書寫。遂發狂亂。語遺龍曰。若汝吾子。不可信佛經。信而犯者。災橫不少。即吐血而卒。後并州司馬。發心貞固。偏重法華。如法欲寫其經無能書。同志有人謂司馬曰。烏龍之子遺龍。繼業能書。其家邪見不寫佛經。君威能伏邪心。堪任書寫。司馬以方便調伏。更不隨。自稱家傳固辭。更雇餘書生。造一部畢。若紙若筆。必以淨心。自出珍寶。如法營。欲清淨供養。復思惟。我既州主。龍豈不肯受言。逼以刑言。贖以金玉。龍遂立題目。悔責父遺囑。入夜不覺。一日一夜。次夜夢。百千天人。圍遶大威德天。龍前庭中住立問。誰人天。答我是汝父烏龍。先生愚氣不信佛經。墮大地獄。炎火纏身一日一夜。萬死萬生。求死不得。求生不得。五百利犁搆我舌肉。不可具說。昨日地獄上忽有光明。於中現一化佛。說偈言。

Li Yilong was a native of Bingzhou. His family had handed down the profession of calligraphy for generations, mastering its subtleties. Long's father was named Wulong. He was partial to the Daoist scriptures of this land and did not believe in Buddhist scriptures. By nature he was addicted to wine and meat, and he slandered Buddhist scriptures, saying: "The barbarian sage proscribed wine and meat; how could he possess compassion?" Throughout his entire life, he never wrote out a Buddhist scripture. Even if someone offered him the wealth of gold and jade, he would not look at the scriptures at all, much less copy them himself. Eventually he went mad and said to Yilong: "If you are my son, you must not believe in Buddhist scriptures. If you believe and violate this, your calamities and misfortunes will not be few." Thereupon he spat blood and died. Later, the marshal of Bingzhou aroused a steadfast resolve, giving special reverence to the Lotus [Sūtra]. He wished to copy this sūtra in accord with the Dharma, but there was no one skilled in calligraphy. Someone of like mind said to the marshal: "Wulong's son, Yilong, has inherited the profession and is skilled in calligraphy. His family holds wrong views and does not copy Buddhist scriptures, but your authority can subdue his erroneous mind, making him capable of undertaking the copying." The marshal tried to subdue him with skillful means, but he still would not comply, persistently declining on the grounds of his family tradition. [The marshal] then hired other scholars to produce a complete set. Whether paper or brushes, they had to be [handled] with a pure mind; he personally contributed precious treasures to produce them in accord with the Dharma, wishing to make pure offerings. He thought again: "Since I am the master of the prefecture, how could Long be unwilling to accept my word?" He coerced him with threats of punishment and redeemed him with gold and jade. Long then set down the title, regretting and blaming his father's dying injunction. Unawares, night fell, and one day and one night passed. On the next night, he dreamed that hundreds of thousands of devas surrounded a deva of great majesty and virtue, who stood in the courtyard before Long. When he asked who this deva was, the answer came: "I am your father, Wulong. In my previous life, out of foolish stubbornness, I did not believe in Buddhist scriptures and fell into the great hells. Blazing fires bound my body, and for one day and one night I suffered ten thousand deaths and ten thousand rebirths. Seeking death, I could not obtain it; seeking life, I could not obtain it. Five hundred sharp ploughs tore at the flesh of my tongue, beyond all description. Yesterday, above the hells, there suddenly appeared a radiant light, in which an emanation Buddha appeared and spoke a verse, saying: