法華傳記 9.10

9.10

昔天竺摩訶陀國王舍城中有旃陀羅。名惡意。有一男子。初生之時眾毒雨宅。號曰毒意。殺害生命心無慈悲。若人犯法王就毒意。即入火坑。永不得活。耽酒肉面色如血。見者忙怖失神識。為劫盜故。夜往詣僧房。比丘誦經。隨釋其義。即法華經譬喻品奧偈也。毒意聞之起悔心。即還不久遭鬼病。吐血而死。父母捨塚間。狐虎豺狼。敢不食噉。如朽株而臥。已過七日還活。於塚間悲泣。投身大地。親友來問。敢不酬答。時父母是謂妖媚。皆捨而去。時有一沙門。往塚間觀惡露不淨。次見毒意。問汝鬼媚歟。答不。復問。何故悲泣。答曰。吾是王舍城旃陀羅惡意所生毒意是也。愚頑不識因果耽嗜酒肉。宰殺生業。生業既盡。初死之時。見八人阿防夜叉。三人持鐵棒。二人擔火車。一人持鐵繩。一人持神囊。一人捧火籠。驅吾入火車持搼。率在三方相副。火籠在頭上。隨振火迸如鐵火。繩率在前導。各口吐火炎。二呵責之。汝閻浮惡人。惡果忍不。爾時五體燒折。苦痛無量。適到大城門外。閻魔大王五道大官。於門外露地而坐。杻械枷鎖反縛面縛罪人。千萬在庭。推問輕重。加杖捶見我來呵責言。汝依宿業生旃陀羅家。倍犯重罪。報在阿鼻。無量劫中不聞三寶名。不得人身分。即召棒率。欲加打捶。時有一道人。來至王所。王臣冥官。如風靡草。王胡跪。道人謂王曰。今此三界皆是我有。唯我一人能為救護。毒意既聞法華句偈。罪即輕微。應妨人間。王敬白言。唯願人尊。我賜恩赦。即放毒意。即時道人。以錫杖示歸路。七日還活。親屬來問。吾不酬答。皆是惡友不可親近。唯願沙門慈悲覆育。聽我出家。即將還寺度為沙彌。勤行精進。諸親屬等。聞之發心同出家。即生見佛矣（出要傳）。

Formerly, in the city of Rājagṛha in the land of Magadha in India, there was a caṇḍāla named Evil Will. He had a son. At the time of his birth, a shower of various poisons fell upon the residence; thus he was called Venomous Will. He slaughtered living creatures with a heart devoid of mercy. If someone broke the law, the king would send for Venomous Will, whereupon they were cast into a fire pit, never to survive. Indulging in wine and meat, his complexion was as red as blood; whoever saw him was terrified and lost their wits. Once, intending to commit theft, he went at night to a monastic chamber. A bhikṣu was reciting a sūtra and expounding its meaning as he went along; it was the abstruse verses of the 'Parable' chapter of the Lotus Sūtra. Hearing them, Venomous Will felt a repentant mind. He returned home immediately, and before long he contracted a demon illness, vomited blood, and died. His parents cast him into a cemetery. Yet the foxes, tigers, jackals, and wolves dared not feed upon him; he lay there like a rotten log. After seven days had passed, he revived. Weeping in the cemetery, he threw himself onto the ground. When relatives and friends came to inquire, he dared not reply. Thereupon his parents thought him bewitched by an apparition, and they all abandoned him and left. At that time, a śramaṇa went to the cemetery to contemplate foulness and impurity, and next saw Venomous Will. He asked, 'Are you a ghost or an apparition?' He replied, 'No.' The śramaṇa asked again, 'Why are you weeping?' He answered, 'I am Venomous Will, born of the caṇḍāla Evil Will in the city of Rājagṛha. Ignorant and stubborn, I did not recognize karma; indulging in wine and meat, my occupation was the slaughter of living beings. When my lifespan ended and I first died, I saw eight aban yakṣas: three held iron rods, two carried fire-carts, one held an iron rope, one held a magic bag, and one held a fire basket. They drove me into the fire-cart, holding their fists ready. Their ranks stood on three sides, and the fire basket was placed over my head; whenever they shook it, fire burst out like molten iron. The rope-wielders led ahead, each spewing flames from their mouths and rebuking me: "You wicked man of Jambudvīpa, can you endure this evil retribution?" At that moment my five limbs were scorched and broken, and my agony was immeasurable. Just as we reached outside the gate of the great city, King Yama and the great officials of the five destinies were seated in the open ground outside the gate. Criminals in handcuffs, stocks, and chains, bound behind their backs or face-to-face, numbered by tens of thousands in the courtyard. The officials were investigating the gravity of their crimes and beating them with staves. Seeing me arrive, they rebuked me: "Because of your past karma you were born into a caṇḍāla family, yet you multiplied your grave offenses. Your retribution lies in Avīci! Throughout immeasurable kalpas you shall not hear the name of the Three Jewels, nor obtain a human body." Thereupon they summoned the rod-bearing ranks, preparing to beat me. At that time, a holy practitioner came to the king's presence. The king, his ministers, and the nether officials bent before him like grass before the wind. The king knelt reverently. The practitioner said to the king: "All these three realms are now mine; I alone can rescue and protect them. Since Venomous Will has already heard the verses of the Lotus Sūtra, his sins are made light; let him not be prevented from returning to the human realm." The king reverently addressed him: "I wish only, Honored of Men, that you grant him an act of clemency!" and he immediately released Venomous Will. Thereupon the practitioner indicated the path of return with his khakkhara. After seven days I revived. When relatives came to ask, I did not reply, for they are all bad companions whom one should not associate with. My only wish is that the śramaṇa will compassionately shelter me and allow me to leave household life.' The śramaṇa then brought him back to the temple and ordained him as a śrāmaṇera. He practiced with diligent vigor. When his various relatives heard of this, they gave rise to the resolve and also left household life together, and in this very life they saw the Buddha (from the Chuyao zhuan).