法華傳記 6.22

6.22

Śramaṇa Huisheng received the Way under Huiru. Born of Hui's [guidance], he was named Huisheng. Hearing Master Hui explain the signs of the hells and seeing the blemishes upon his legs, he felt profound dread of future lives and exclusively chanted the Lotus Sūtra. He then sat motionless for a day and a night as if having entered dhyāna-concentration. The assembly all marveled at this, saying, "His master, Huiru, was once motionless for seven days entering samādhi and was summoned by King Yama. This must surely be the same." At the break of dawn, Huisheng opened his eyes, weeping tears of mingled sorrow and joy. The assembly of monks asked him, "Why are you weeping with sorrow and joy?" He answered, "Suddenly I saw two people in red garments of handsome and elegant bearing, dressed in dazzling brocade and silk garments. They said, 'We are King Yama, Lord of Mount Tai, who has sent us to invite the Venerable Master.' They had me mount a white horse, and in an instant I arrived at the King's abode. The King descended from his seat, respectfully escorted me to take a seat, and said to me: 'Venerable Master, in the past you had a karmic destination in hell that you were determined to receive. That hell karma arose because your parents slaughtered pigs, sheep, geese, ducks, and the like on your behalf. Although it was not your own killing, due to this evil karma you must inevitably receive retribution. Furthermore, when you were a novice, you wrongly used monastic provisions and your deportment was unrefined; such offenses are limitless and should cause you to fall into hell. Now, because you have chanted the Lotus Sūtra, these offenses have been entirely eliminated, and you will be born before the Buddhas of the ten directions. However, so that you may know your karmic destinations and that everyone may hear and know the retribution of evil karma and the essentials for eradicating sins, I have invited you, Venerable Master, to go to the hells to see the places where punishment was due to be received.' He then commanded the envoys to take me there. Pointing to the east, there was a great city four or five li away, followed in succession by thirty-two great cities. These were the cities of the hells, and I was to inspect the manifestations of suffering of the sentient beings in each city. I then advanced and entered one city gate and saw iron carts, iron horses, iron oxen, and iron donkeys with raging flames blazing fiercely. The horns and hair of the oxen were all like razor points; the body hair of the horses was like barbed hooks, trampling and leaping upon the sinners. Countless śramaṇas were suffering among them. The envoy said, 'These śramaṇas had no regard for the future, but only grasped at fame and profit in the present, violated the Buddha's pure precepts, accumulated impure property, rode in carriages and on horses, and received the faithful donations of others. This is the retribution they have incurred.' Next, coming to another city, the ground was spread all over with iron spades, scrapers, and shears like razor points. Furthermore, there were iron garments wrapped around the sinners, blazing together with flames. Five hundred śramaṇas were suffering therein. The envoy said, 'These śramaṇas formerly wore secular clothing and abandoned the robes of the true Dharma; therefore, they suffer this severe misery.' Next, coming to another city, the hell wardens were pouring molten bronze into mouths, and the sinners' five limbs were burnt away. There were five thousand śramaṇas suffering this severe misery. The envoy said, 'Formerly they ate without understanding the Three Jewels, the Four Noble Truths, and so forth, seeking offerings from the faithful; therefore they suffer this severe misery.' Like this, in the thirty-two great cities: those who received people's faithful donations yet did not use tooth-wood to brush, rinse, or bathe in scented water, but roamed about the world and touched Buddhist scriptures with their hands; those who violated the four parājikas and knew no contentment; those who lodged together with laypeople; those who stepped upon the master's seat; those who lay down in the cool shade of Buddha statues; those who made profits from money and fields, prepared food with their own hands, and ate it themselves without giving to others; those who did not wash their hands and were full of dirt, grasped the male or female genitalia, had foul grime beneath their fingernails, and immediately grasped scripture scrolls; those whose feet were unclean and came walking on the Buddha's ground or the saṅgha's ground, or rode carriages and horses while roaming into the gates and portals of Buddhist monasteries; those who wore boots and shoes into the privy without taking them off, or stepped upon the shadows of Buddha and saṅgha grounds and sacred stūpas; those who drank alcohol and ate meat, claiming themselves to be without karmic retribution; those who grasped bows and arrows in their hands; those masters and disciples who harbored mutual anger and contention, giving rise to notions of resentment; those who plucked with their own hands the fruit of the monastic community, eating it themselves without giving to others; those who led followers to wander among the laypeople, claiming themselves to be pure men; those who entered villages without wearing their kāṣāya robes; those who gave rise to minds of attachment or aversion while gathering almsfood; those who preached the Dharma with impure motives; those who indulged in lustful conduct yet continually entered halls and monasteries in bodily form to bow to Buddha statues—such sinners filled the place. Having fully seen the places where sinners suffered retribution, I returned to the King's abode. The King said, 'If you, Sir, had been unable to uphold the Mahāyāna scriptures that eradicate sins, you would surely have had to suffer these miseries. There are countless other hells; this was merely a small fraction in one direction.' Hearing this speech, sorrow and joy welled up together, and I merely awakened." When the monks heard these words, their minds were terrified as if walking on iron blades. Each wept with sorrow and joy, and all placed faith in the great scripture. Those who saw or heard of it practiced diligently without ceasing. From that time onward, those chanting and reciting it became as numerous as a forest, adopting it as their model.