法華傳記 7

English (machine translation) 7

Language: English

7.1

Section 9: Revolving Recitation to Eradicate Sins; Section 10: Writing the Characters to Deliver from Suffering, Part 1.

Rensun's son, 1
Su Chang's concubine, 2
Sui [dynasty] Yanwu, 3
Han Muzhi, 4
Śramaṇa Jingzang, 5
King Mengxun, 6
Sui [dynasty] Huiyuan, 7
Śramaṇa Sengrong, 8
Monk of Tianzhu, 9
Novice Zhu, 10
Mahāyānadeva, 11
Sui [dynasty] Yan Jing, 12
Woman of Anju, 13
Woman of Taiyuan, 14
Nun Miaokong, 15
Daughter of the Jie family, 16.

7.3

Son of Gao Biaoren of the capital, 1.

7.4

The son of Gao Biaoren of the capital used to read the Lotus Sūtra. On the twenty-seventh day of the first month in the third year of the Longshuo era, he rode a horse out through Shunyi Gate. Two horsemen pursued him, saying, "We have been ordered to capture you!" The man asked, "Who are you?" They replied, "We are emissaries of King Yama, specifically sent to pursue you." In panic, the man galloped his horse westward, wishing to take refuge at Puguang Monastery. The emissary said, "Gallop swiftly to the monastery gate; do not let him enter! If he enters, he will escape." When they reached the monastery gate, he saw one horseman charge at the gate. He then fled westward, wishing to enter Kaishan Monastery, but again they directed a horseman to charge at the gate. Thereupon they chased after each other galloping westward, wishing to return to his original residence. The residence was east of Huadu Monastery, but fearing the distance was too great, he wished to enter the Liquan Ward. One horseman was in front; the man struck him with his fist, and the ghost fell from his horse. The trailing ghost said, "This man is extremely violent! Quickly drag him down and pull back his hair!" He was immediately seized by the hair as if sliced by a knife, and thrown afar to the ground, falling from his horse along with his hair. The emissaries returned with him. In the evening, he revived and said that he had appeared before King Yama, who said, "Why did you steal the monastic fruits? And why did you speak of the faults of the Three Jewels?" He thereupon submitted to his guilt, not daring to offer any excuse. The King said, "For the sin of stealing fruits, you are sentenced to swallow four hundred and fifty iron pellets, which will take four years to endure before being exhausted. For the sin of speaking of faults, you are sentenced to have your tongue plowed." He was then released to depart. He revived for a short while, but his mouth remained tightly closed as if swallowing something, his entire body glowing scarlet, entangled in agonizing suffering. Only after an entire day did he awake and say, "In the span of one year, I swallowed over a hundred pellets; the suffering was unspeakable." The next day it was again like this. In exactly four days, the swallowing of pellets was completed. Just as they were about to pull out his tongue to plow it, they pulled, but it would not come out. Checking the case records for the cause, it was stated: "Having once read the Lotus Sūtra, his tongue cannot be pulled out." He was thereupon released to live. He is currently at Master Yuanman's place in Huadu Monastery, listening to the Dharma and practicing repentance.

7.5

Concubine of the family of Su Chang of Chang'an, 2.

7.6

During the Wude era of the Tang dynasty, Su Chang, the Commissioner for Waterways, was appointed Regional Inspector of his home prefecture. Su took his family and dependents to assume his post. While crossing the Jialing River, a wind arose midstream and the boat sank; over sixty men and women drowned simultaneously. There was only one concubine who constantly read the Lotus Sūtra. When water entered the boat, the concubine placed the sūtra case upon her head, vowing to drown along with it. Once the boat sank, the concubine alone did not submerge, floating upon the waves. In a short while she reached the shore, and then carried down the sūtra case and emerged. Opening it to inspect the sūtra, it was completely free of wetness or defilement. She is still alive today, married to a husband in Yangzhou, and has become all the more devout in faith. (Magistrate Cen related, "I saw this concubine speak of it herself. Moreover, when in distress by the river, the boatmen also said the same.")

7.7

Cui Yanwu of Weizhou under the Sui [dynasty], 3.

7.8

During the Kaihuang era of the Sui dynasty, Cui Yanwu of Boling, the Scribe of Weizhou, arrived at a settlement while traveling through the commandery. Astonished and pleasantly surprised, he said to his attendants, "In the past, I was once a woman of this settlement; I now know where my home is." Thereupon he rode his horse into the alleys, winding his way until he reached a household, and ordered them to knock on the door. The master of the house was elderly; he ran out and bowed in greeting. Yanwu entered the house, first ascended to the main hall, and looked upon the eastern wall, six or seven feet from the ground, where there was an elevated bulge. The guest said to the master, "The Lotus Sūtra I once read, together with five gold hairpins, are hidden inside this wall; the sūtra case is there. At the end of the seventh fascicle of the sūtra, the paper was burned by fire and the characters were lost. Nowadays, whenever I recite this sūtra and reach the end of the seventh fascicle, I always forget and cannot remember it." He then ordered his attendants to chisel into the wall; indeed, they found the sūtra case, and upon opening it, the end of the seventh fascicle and the gold hairpins were entirely as he had said. The master wept and said, "When my late wife was alive, she constantly read this sūtra, and the hairpins were also hers. Because my late wife died in childbirth, her whereabouts were lost; I never expected that you, commissioner, would show me the place!" Yanwu pointed to a locust tree in front of the courtyard: "When I was about to give birth, I untied my hair and placed it in the hollow of this tree." He had someone test by reaching in, and indeed they retrieved the hair from inside the tree. Thereupon the master was filled with both grief and joy. Yanwu left behind robes and goods, generously provided for the master, and departed. (Fascicle 26 of the Fayuan says: The above miracle is drawn from the Mingbaoji).

7.9

Han Muzhi, a man of the city of Pengcheng, 4.

7.10

Han Muzhi was a man of the city of Pengcheng. At the beginning of the Taishi era of the Song dynasty, Pengcheng fell to the northern captives, and Muzhi fled into exile. His son was captured by others during the disorder, and he did not know where he was. Muzhi originally served the Buddha with vigorous effort; he read the Avalokiteśvara Sūtra with utmost sincerity, wishing to read it ten thousand times in the hope of regaining his son. Furthermore, every time he completed a thousand recitations, he would invite the monastic assembly to a vegetarian feast. Having already completed six or seven thousand recitations, there was entirely no miraculous response. Muzhi sighed and said, "How could the Holy One fail to respond to sentient beings? It is simply that my sincerity has not reached the utmost." From then on, day and night, he no longer counted the number of recitations, only vowing that an efficacious response should be his limit. His son had in fact been repeatedly sold, becoming a slave to a man of Yizhou, and was seen being put to labor. One day, while weeding grass and wood alone, he suddenly saw a monk arrive, who asked him, "Are you Han Muzhi's son or not?" Startled, he immediately answered, "I am." The monk asked again, "Do you wish to see your father or not?" He replied, "I do wish to, but how could that be possible?" The monk said again, "Your father's yearning has reached the utmost; today I will take you back." The son did not know he was a spiritual being and declined, not daring to agree. The monk said, "There is no trouble; just grasp the corner of my kāṣāya." The son tried grasping it, and immediately felt dazed as if being whisked away by someone. In an instant, they arrived and rested outside the gate of a house; this was Han's new residence after relocating. The son did not recognize it as his father's house. The monk did not enter, but sent the son inside to speak. Entering, he saw the master sitting upright reading the sūtra; it was indeed his father. Meeting each other, there was no time to express grief or joy; the son could only cry out, "There is a Holy One outside the gate!" The father ran out barefoot, but by the time he came out, he could no longer see anyone. Among the village neighbors, monastics and laity alike, there was no one who was not astonished and sighing in wonder.

7.11

Śramaṇa Jingzang of Baoshi Monastery in Fuzhou under the Sui [dynasty], 5.

7.12

The śramaṇa Jingzang was a native of Fuzhou. Having lost his parents in his youth, he left home and resided at Baoshi Monastery. By nature he was dull and slow-witted, unable to read or recite the scriptural classics. Day and night he sighed, lamenting his past karmic hindrance, and further wished to read the Lotus Sūtra. Eating only vegetables and observing austere discipline, he first received the sūtra from a master; though months and years passed, he barely managed to read a single chapter. Day and night he was diligent, not consuming the five grains; his physical strength declined, and suddenly he fainted and lost consciousness. His spirit arrived at the court of Yama. Upon seeing Jingzang, the King joyfully had him sit upon a golden seat, joined his palms, and praised him: "Excellent, O great disciple of Śākya! Bravely and vigorously reading the Lotus, you will soon attain buddhahood and bring benefit to all sentient beings." After praising him, he said to Zang, "Master, your lifespan was already exhausted three years ago according to your karma. Through the power of reading the Lotus Sūtra, it has been extended until now. Now that your karmic lifespan has been prolonged, I release you to return, Master; you must read the complete text." Having heard these words, he awakened as if from sleep, weeping tears of repentance, and subsequently read its text. I personally met Jingzang and heard this from beginning to end.

7.13

King Mengxun of the Liang [dynasty], 6.

7.14

During the Liang period, King Juqu Mengxun contracted a severe illness due to past karma, suffering ceaselessly. Various medicines were applied, yet in the end he did not recover; he prayed to the celestial and terrestrial deities, yet he was still not cured. Dharma Master Dharmakṣema, styled the Bodhisattva Yibole, was traveling and converting across the Congling Mountains and arrived in Hexi. When the great king heard that the śramaṇa had arrived, he inquired about curing his illness. Dharmakṣema replied, "The great king's illness cannot be healed by the various medicines of India. There is only a wondrous medicine, whose name is the 'Universal Gate of the Wondrous Dharma'; if you have it recited in revolving recitation, [you will be healed]." The king strictly complied with the instruction and ordered that it be read for him, whereupon his illness was completely removed and cured. From this he aroused a mind of deep reverence, and personally excerpted the single chapter on Avalokiteśvara to form a separate fascicle. From that time down to the present day, it has been transmitted.

7.15

Huiyuan of Yuzhou under the Sui [dynasty], 7.

7.16

The monk Huiyuan was a native of Yuzhou. He left home in his youth, ate vegetarian food, and practiced austerities. In his heart, he aspired to be reborn in Tuṣita, and through the karma of his practices, he made a vow to dedicate that karma, striving with resolve to meet Maitreya. For twelve years, he took no rest. In a dream, a boy came and told Huiyuan, "In your practice, you aspire to Tuṣita; although you may be born in that heaven, you will not be able to attend upon the Great Being Maitreya. Why is that? Because you have not yet recited the Lotus Sūtra. If a person upholds the ten wholesome actions, though he may be born in that heavenly realm, if he does not uphold the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, he will dwell only in the outer heaven and cannot serve the One in the Final Body. Bound by causes and conditions of desire, he will fall back into the three bad destinations." Having spoken these words, [the boy] ascended into empty space. Awakening from the dream, [Huiyuan] wept, regretting and renouncing his former intention. He thereupon received the sūtra from masters and friends, and for three more years, he revolved and recited it day and night. Again, he dreamed that the former boy came and said to Huiyuan, "Your karma is now ripe. Though your lifespan has not ended, you first wish to behold Maitreya Bodhisattva; come under my arm." He immediately took him up to ascend into the Inner Court. Maitreya Bodhisattva, surrounded by great bodhisattvas, was preaching the Dharma. Seeing Huiyuan enter, he spoke a verse in praise: "Excellent, great son of the Śākyas! / Because you revolved and recited the One Vehicle, / In your present body you behold my form; / Casting off this life, you will surely be born here." When Huiyuan finished hearing this verse, he wept with joy. Looking before and behind, to the left and right, he saw an assembly of hundreds of thousands seated there. He also saw many empty seats with no one upon them. He then asked the heavenly host, "Why are there seats with no one upon them?" At that time, there were two bodhisattvas who were attendants: the first named Fayinlin, and the second named Damiaoxiang. They rose from their seats and said to Huiyuan, "You should know that the empty seats are the seats upon which persons in the mleccha age of Śākyamuni Tathāgata who recite the wondrous teaching of the Lotus will sit when they are born here. For this reason, those seats are empty and without occupants. Your seat is among them. Because your practice is sublime, I have welcomed you. Could the boy you saw before be anyone else? I am Damiaoxiang. Quickly return to the human realm and let this matter be heard and known, so that they will revolve and recite the Great Vehicle. Twelve years hence, casting off your lifespan, you shall arrive at this place to receive instruction." He then instructed him to follow the former boy back down. Awakening from the dream with joy, he spoke of this matter to his companions. Twelve years later, he died without illness. Purple clouds soared into the sky, and everyone called it an auspicious sign.

7.17

Sengrong of Donglin Temple in Jiujiang under the Liang (Eight)

7.18

The monk Sengrong lived in the early Liang. He resided at Donglin Temple in Jiujiang. With a resolute mind and broad learning, having completed his travels to preach and convert, he settled down and revolved and recited the Lotus Sūtra. While staying alone on Mount Lu, snow fell from the sky. At midnight, when he had just fallen asleep, he saw ghostly soldiers in great numbers. Among them was a ghost general, wearing armor and holding a blade, remarkably robust and imposing in stature. There was one carrying a folding chair, who planted it before Rong and sat upon it; he then sternly raised his voice and said, "Why do you claim that ghosts and spirits have no efficacy? Quickly drag him down to the ground!" The ghosts were about to lay hands on him when Rong silently invoked the name of Avalokiteśvara without pause. Immediately, behind the bed where he lay, he saw a heavenly general over ten feet tall, wearing yellow leather tunic and trousers, holding a vajra pestle with which he aimed at them. The ghosts fled in fright, and their armor and equipment were crushed to dust. Rong once focused his mind on revolving and reciting [the sūtra] in Jiangling, which moved Samantabhadra to say, "As you recite the Lotus, the nature of your sins is gradually extinguished; within three lifetimes, you will surely behold my body." Where Rong met his end later is unknown (from the Tang Gaoseng zhuan).

7.19

The Āraṇyaka Bhikṣu of India (Nine)

7.20

In ancient times, in the land of India, there was an āraṇyaka bhikṣu who extensively recited the Mahāyāna. The king of that country would regularly spread his hair for him to tread upon as he passed. A bhikṣu said to the king, "This man is an elder (mahallaka) who does not recite the sūtras much; why do you make such great offerings to him?" The king said, "One day at midnight, wishing to see this bhikṣu, I went to his dwelling. I saw this bhikṣu reciting the Lotus Sūtra in a cave, and I saw a person of golden radiance riding a white elephant, joining his palms in offering. As I drew closer, he vanished. I then asked the venerable, 'Did the person of golden radiance vanish because of my coming?' The bhikṣu said, 'That was none other than the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (Bianji). Samantabhadra himself said, "If there are those who chant and recite the Lotus Sūtra, I will mount a white elephant and come to guide and teach them." Because I recite the Lotus Sūtra, Samantabhadra came of himself.' 'Bianji' is the name of Samantabhadra in the Lotus" (from the Zhidu lun).

7.21

The Novice Monk of Gomati Temple in Khotan of India (Ten)

7.22

In the kingdom of Khotan, there was a saṅghārāma named Gomati. It was a Mahāyāna monastery where three thousand monks resided, who took their meals at the striking of the gaṇḍī. At that time, there was an attendant novice sixteen years of age. There was also a Nirgrantha skilled in physiognomy and divination. Seeing this novice, he said, "You are sixteen years old, and your remaining life is only one year. Even if you give up your robes and bowl, you cannot prolong your life." The novice was grieved and sorrowful. The sthavira took pity on him, and for the sake of his future wholesome roots, taught him the Lotus Sūtra. The novice had dull faculties and could not recognize written words; the sthavira imparted to him the two chapters that are foremost in the whole work, Upāyakauśalya and Āyuhpramāṇa. The novice focused his mind on revolving and reciting them. Later, the Nirgrantha saw the novice and, giving rise to wonder, asked, "What merit have you cultivated?" He replied, "I have merely recited one or two chapters of a sūtra." The Nirgrantha praised him, saying, "The power of the Great Vehicle is inconceivable! It has transformed a life of seventeen years into seventy years." He thereupon left home, entered the monastery, and recited Mahāyāna sūtras (from the Xiguo zhuan).

7.23

Mahāyānadeva of Kosala in India (Eleven)

7.24

Beside the former vihāra of Mahāprajāpatī in the kingdom of Kosala, there was a śramaṇa called Mahāyānadeva, which in the Qin language means Great Vehicle Heaven. He read and recited Mahāyāna scriptures such as the Lotus. At that time, there was a great arhat whose three knowledges and six abhijñās were purely penetrating; he was a former friend of Mahāyānadeva. The arhat said, "Outside and above the gate of the city of Śrāvastī, I saw a hungry ghost in the sky whose body was extremely tall and large, and whose appearance was hideous. Suddenly, twelve hot iron pellets entered through his mouth and passed straight through his body. Having passed through, they returned into his mouth. His entire body was ablaze, and he writhed in agony, collapsing senseless and rising again, only to collapse once more after rising. I asked him, 'What sin did you commit to suffer agony like this?' He answered, 'In my previous life, I was once a novice serving Mahāyānadeva. At that time, there was great scarcity, and barley cakes were our food. When serving food to the monastic assembly at that time, I showed partiality to Mahāyānadeva and set aside twelve portions for his later meal. Due to this sin, I received the body of a hungry ghost and suffer such agonizing poison. Do you remember this?' He replied, 'It is truly so; what doubt is there of your suffering?' Mahāyānadeva asked, 'By what expedient means can he be saved?' [The arhat] answered, 'Because of you his karma arose; you should revolve and recite the Mahāyāna scriptures.' He then followed the arhat's instruction and recited the Prajñā, the Lotus, the Pratyutpanna, and other sūtras ten times each, dedicating the merit to relieve his suffering. Later, he asked the arhat, 'How is that former novice's suffering?' [The arhat] replied, 'Entering samādhi, I observed and knew: relying on the power of your recitation of the sūtras, his life ended and he was born in the second heaven'" (from the same record).

7.25

Yan Jing of Yangzhou under the Sui (Twelve)

7.26

Yan Jing was a native of Yangzhou. His family was wealthy, but he had no sons. He took refuge wholeheartedly in the true Dharma and made reciting the Lotus Sūtra his practice. Later, a boy was born to him. At the age of three, due to a febrile illness, his eyes became dark. Yan taught him the Āyuhpramāṇa Chapter, but being young, he could not uphold it; he could only recite the title. In helpless circumstances, when encountering turmoil, [Yan] dug a pit inside the house, gave him food and clothing, and abandoned him to flee. After the turmoil subsided and the bandits departed, he returned only after three years. The house was destroyed, with beams and pillars scattered about. From below came a faint sound, and he remembered his blind son. Clearing the pit, [he found] his flesh plump and complete, and both eyes had regained their sight. Weeping with joy, he asked the cause, and the son said, "I upheld the title of the Āyuhpramāṇa Chapter of the Lotus. A person riding a white elephant came, radiated light, and taught me the phrasing and punctuation; as soon as I recited the first chapter, I gained sight, and he assisted me to complete the entire sūtra. Afterwards, I did not see where he went." Yan gave rise to a thought of wonder, and had him recite the sūtra; he was extremely fluent, as if he had upheld it for many years. This was something I personally heard.

7.27

The Daughter of the Yang Family in Anju County (Thirteen)

7.28

A young daughter of the Yang family in Anju County resolved her mind to recite the Devadatta Chapter of the Lotus. Smearing her hands with incense, she touched the sūtra; holding incense in her mouth, only then did she begin to recite. When her mother fell ill, she recited it for her and the illness vanished. Reciting the sūtra facing a lamp in the quiet night, an extraordinary fragrance suddenly arrived. After twelve years of sincerity, her female organs disappeared and male organs arose, but she kept it secret and did not speak of it. At the time of her death, a single stem of lotus grew beside her head. The assembly all considered it a sign of rebirth in the Pure Land.

7.29

The Young Girl of Taiyuan (Fourteen)

7.30

In Taiyuan, there was a young girl whose parents suffered hardship and died. Gradually awakening to human feelings, she yearned for her parents. From the nun Zhenmiao, she received the Bhaiṣajyarāja Chapter, revolving and reciting it day and night, praying for her parents. She dreamed of a śramaṇa who said, "You have recited one chapter of the Lotus; riding upon this wholesome cause, your parents have been born in the Pure Land." She thereupon left home, practiced diligence and vigor, and upheld the entire work, [in which practice] she currently remains.

7.31

The Nun Miaokong of Xunyang (Fifteen)

7.32

The nun Miaokong ate vegetarian food and wore paper clothing, exclusively reciting the Lotus Sūtra, to the extent that she would not accept even a single verse of other sūtras. She constantly vowed to be born in the Land of Utmost Bliss, and also understood the Buddha-remembrance samādhi. At the time of her death, purple clouds covered the room, and an extraordinary fragrance pervaded the entire county. Later, her disciple nun dreamed that [Miaokong said], "Having upheld the Lotus throughout my life, I was born in the middle rank of the highest grade in the Land of Utmost Bliss. If I had also understood its meanings, I would surely have attained the highest rank of the highest grade."

7.33

The Daughter of Gao Shoujie's Household in Bingzhou under the Sui (Sixteen)

7.34

The household of Gao Shoujie had been faithful believers for generations. A daughter of that household suffered from a goiter; she was taught to recite the Lotus Sūtra, and the goiter disease disappeared of itself. Later, the daughter left home to become a nun. Seeing a person with leprosy, she taught him to recite the Lotus, and before long the illness vanished. Furthermore, seeing a mute person, she recited the sūtra for him to hear, and he departed with joy; later, he was able to hear [and speak]. Moreover, seeing a person with malaria, upon hearing the sound of the recited sūtra, the ailment was immediately dispelled. Her sincerity and sympathetic resonance were like this. Her subsequent affairs are not known.

7.35

Copying [the Scripture] to Relieve Suffering, Chapter 10, Part 1

7.36

1. Yao Xing of the Qin
2. The Indian Monk
3. The Foreign Woman
4. Fellow Student Sui
5. The Monk Daojun
6. Novice Ji
7. The Sūtra of Yuezhou
8. The Monk Fafeng
9. The Monk Seng'an
10. The Monk Zhiyan
11. The Monk Yiche
12. The Widowed Concubine of the Tang
13. Sima Ji
14. Sima Bing
15. Lady Chen of the Tang
16. Jian'an of the Tang

7.37

Emperor Zhaowen, Yao Xing of the Qin (One)

7.38

Yao Xing was posthumously named Emperor Zhaowen and had his capital at Chang'an. In the era of Emperor An of the Jin, the Indian Dharma master Kumārajīva arrived at Chang'an in the winter of the third year of the Hongshi era. Yao Xing showed him generous courtesy, invited him to enter the Xiaoyao Garden, and lodged him in a separate residence. He decreed that Senglüe assemble more than eight hundred śramaṇas to inquire about and receive Kumārajīva's teachings. In the eighth year, inside the Caotang [Vihāra] of the Great Monastery, the translation of the Lotus Sūtra was completed. He commanded Sengrui and Daorong to lecture on the new Lotus, revering and honoring the Buddha's Dharma. The lord of Qin made a vow, saying, "When Master Kumārajīva copies the scripture, the tip of his brush emits light, and within the light transformation buddhas and Mañjuśrī are seen. Thus do we know of sympathetic resonance in this land." He himself copied the scripture with his own brush, wishing also to deliver his deceased parents. He then established a separate pure chamber beside the Translation Bureau, adorned the interior of the room with the seven jewels, sprinkled scented water, and personally bathed in fragrant water. On the eighth day of the third month of the eighth year, he undertook the copying; when he first wrote the title, it emitted five-colored light. When he had completed just two scrolls, the lord of Qin dreamed that the pure chamber suddenly became like an expansive, adorned pure land, and golden radiance filled it. Within the light he saw his deceased parents, who joyfully spoke a verse, saying:

7.39

"Excellent, O sage king! / You have yourself originally produced the scripture. / Riding upon this merit, / We are born in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. / On the day of making offerings, / We shall be born in the fourth [heaven], / To attend upon Maitreya, / Hearing the Dharma and awakening to understanding."

7.40

He immediately awoke and found that the entire work had been completed in the pure room. On the fifteenth day of the first month of the ninth year, he offered food to three thousand monks in the Great Monastery. [Kumāra]jīva, on the high seat, said, "Do not cast aside the true gold within a foul sack," and expounded the great meaning. Flowers rained down and the earth shook; from all four directions people gathered like clouds. More than ninety thousand people simultaneously planted the cause for the Buddha Vehicle. With the mind of the Lord of Ten Thousand Chariots, he revered the teaching of the three secrets. Because [Yao] Xing revered and fostered the Buddha Dharma with a spiritual mind, he illuminated those who came before and enriched those who came after.

7.41

2. A Monk of the Kingdom of Vārāṇasī in India

7.42

Anciently, south of the kingdom of Vārāṇasī, there was a continuous range of mountains, desolate and devoid of people. The secluded valleys were dark and gloomy, filled with venomous serpents and evil dragons. Those who lost their way and entered their deep valleys—not one or two in ten survived. At that time, there was a monk from the kingdom of Kauśāmbī traveling to study, who aspired to the Mahāyāna and searched for its Sanskrit manuscripts. He heard a worldly rumor that inside the royal palace in the city of Vārāṇasī were manuscripts of the Lotus Sūtra. He then prepared clothing and provisions and journeyed alone through the perils. When the sun set in the west, he stayed overnight in the mountains. At midnight, there was suddenly a green light, and gradually a great dragon appeared, shaking the mountains and illuminating the earth. It came opening its mouth toward the monk. The monk became terrified and thought, "Having lived this life in vain without fulfilling my original wish, let the power of the Mahāyāna save the suffering of this venomous dragon!" He then asked, "Will you eat me?" The dragon said, "As my retribution I spew venomous vapor; those who see it perish in terror, but I have no intention to harm you. In my past life I was a śramaṇa. I constantly harbored wrath and malice and did not practice the correct path. Because of this sin I have received an ugly body; eighty-four thousand small worms devour the flesh of my body, causing unbearable agony. Bestow your compassion and save me from this suffering!" The monk said, "How may I save you?" It replied, "Produce copies of the Lotus Sūtra." It then offered up a luminous divine pearl. The monk accepted the pearl, went out to Vārāṇasī, and presented it to the king. The king assembled skillful scribes and produced two sets of manuscripts of the Lotus Sūtra, both written on white fine cotton. Having completed them, he gave them to the monk. The monk returned to the mountain; the mountain was foul-smelling and repulsive, impossible to approach. At that time, countless devas arrived in the mountain; heavenly fragrance filled the air, and the foul odor ceased. The monk asked a deva, and the deva replied, "I was the venomous dragon of this mountain. I offered the luminous pearl, and the master began to make the sūtras; I have escaped suffering and been born in heaven. Now I have come to make offerings to my former body, and also wish to repay the master’s kindness." It then gave him three pearls and returned. The monk went back to his home country, erected a stūpa, and stored the sūtras. Devas constantly came to make offerings to the sūtra stūpa. (From the Account of the Western Countries.)

7.43

3. A Laywoman of a Foreign Country

7.44

Anciently, in a foreign country, there was an upāsikā who made a vow and copied the Lotus Sūtra on white fine cotton. It was completed only after a summer retreat. Bearing it on the crown of her head and upholding it, she reached a certain kingdom and stayed overnight in a saṅghārāma. She recited the "Bhaiṣajyarāja" chapter, and while weeping fell asleep. When dawn arrived, she saw her body again, and it had become a man. The monastic assembly found it strange and said, "Yesterday a woman came to seek lodging; why is there a man this morning?" He replied, "Formerly I was a woman, now I am a man. It is simply because within this one body I made a vow and upheld the sūtra." None of the assembly believed him. They further asked, "From what place are you, and whose child are you?" He replied, "I am the eldest daughter of the Brahmin Sujāta in a foreign country. When I produced this sūtra in my native land, I stored ink and writing brush inside the pillar at the eastern corner of the room, and inside the moss I put a gold slip and a string of pearls. If you do not believe me, send someone to the room and you will know the truth." They immediately dispatched an envoy to inquire, and it was truly as had been said. When the parents met him, they gave rise to the thought of what is rare, and gave up the room to make it a monastery. This is the Zhangfu Monastery ("Monastery of the Man").

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4. Fellow Monks of Zhu Tanxiu

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Zhu Tanxiu's origin was unknown. In his youth he wandered dissolutely, did not cultivate monastic discipline, and was arrogant and self-reliant, skilled in deceit and excess. If a single word gave offense, he would harbor resentment for years. Among those young and old in the same monastery, there was none who did not incur his anger and hatred. One night he dreamed that a woman came and said to him, "You should become the deity of the Qingxi Shrine." Later he fell ill. As he was about to die, he said to his fellow students, "Throughout my life I was contrary and rarely straightforward. Moreover, because my blessings and virtues are shallow, I will receive the body of a ghost or spirit to be the master of the Qingxi Shrine. If you gentlemen have karmic affinity, please pay a visit." When he died, it was indeed heard that there was a new deity at the shrine. The monks went to the shrine and conversed with him; his voice, speech, and laughter were just as in life. Thereupon they requested monks to recite the Lotus Sūtra. There was a śramaṇa named Huijin who had long read and recited it regularly; for his sake he recited several chapters. Whenever he finished and sang in deep tones, he would also call out "Bodhisattva!" and, overcome with sorrow, shed tears for him. [The deity] said, "Now I have received an evil body; it is extraordinarily ugly and foul, with hardships and severe suffering beyond words. Under the threshold of my old room, there are five thousand coins; you may perform meritorious deeds for me with them in the hope that I may leave this suffering." Thereupon they parted. His fellow monks produced three copies of the Lotus Sūtra for him and held a vegetarian feast for repentance. Thereupon the shrine fell silent without any spirit traces. It was known that by relying on the power of copying the sūtra, he had escaped suffering and been born in a pure place.

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5. Daoxun of Qingzhou under the Qi

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Shi Daoxun's secular surname was Wang. He did not cultivate monastic discipline, but extensively managed fields and estates, accumulating silk, cloth, damask, and gauze, easily numbering in the tens of thousands. Yet he was greedy, stingy, and mean, refusing to pluck a single hair. Later he suddenly fell gravely ill: his private parts closed up and he could pass neither urine nor stool; his life was about to end. In this monastery there was a Dharma master who came to preach the Dharma to him. His mind was slightly awakened, and he thereupon gave away one-third of all he owned, distributing it all at once to various monasteries. As soon as the giving was completed, his illness immediately lessened and healed. Soon after his illness was cured, within a few days he inspected the upper story of the pavilion and saw that it was empty of goods. Reminiscing over the wealth and silk, he went mad, constantly crying out, "Thieves! The monks of the various monasteries have come and robbed my goods!" His companions admonished him, but he never regained his senses. The Dharma master then notified all the monasteries to return the goods and wealth. Only after Daoxun saw them did his shouting stop. Within a day or two, his old illness recurred, and his distress was even more severe. He again requested the Dharma master and sought repentance once more. The Dharma master scolded and exhorted him, telling him to relinquish his stinginess and greed and give back the previous goods. His illness was cured again. After he recovered, he begrudged the money, silk, cloth, damask, and gauze, constantly harboring hatred and resentment. A few days later, he died suddenly for nothing. When he died, his eyes were as large as cups, and his entire body was crimson red like a ghost. The Dharma master took pity on him and said, "How foolish! Stubbornly stingy and attached to wealth, he has fallen among the hungry ghosts. Even after hundreds of thousands of kalpas, he cannot escape. Wealth harms one across the three existences—these words are truly so!" He then took all that Daoxun possessed, copied several tens of sets of the Lotus Sūtra for him, gave them to various monasteries, and completed the transfer of merit. The Dharma master dreamed that Daoxun, wearing patched robes and without any foul smell, told him, "In my foolishness I begrudged wealth and fell into the realm of ghosts to suffer. From now on my condition will grow superior: the master gave away my wealth and produced copies of the Lotus Sūtra, so I have escaped suffering and attained bliss."

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6. A Śrāmaṇera of Lingguang Monastery in Jizhou under the Tang

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At Lingguang Monastery in Jizhou, there was an old monk whose name is lost. He purely cultivated monastic discipline and always held an earthenware alms bowl for several decades, never once letting another person handle it. Later, on account of urgent business, he ordered a śrāmaṇera to wash it. The śrāmaṇera accidentally dropped and broke the bowl. When the old monk heard this, he cried out in shock, lost his composure, and was so deeply aggrieved and distressed that he lay down and died. His disciples buried him in the wilderness. After several days, the śrāmaṇera together with the monks went again to the grave. They saw a great serpent come out from inside the grave and wrap itself around the śrāmaṇera from foot to crown, bending its head downward, about to swallow him. The monastic assembly sighed in astonishment, chanted prayers, and said, "For the sake of a single bowl, with stinginess, venom, and anger, you died and became a serpent; not repenting your past error, you now wish to swallow and kill your disciple! Why have you incurred such great sinful karma?" They spoke extensively of good and evil, performed repentance for him, and made vows for a long time; only then did the serpent release its coil and leave. The śrāmaṇera, dazed and stunned with fear, gradually came to his senses after ten days. He produced a copy of the Lotus Sūtra for him and made offerings at the grave. Later, when he saw that the grave serpent had died, he knew that its retribution had ended. (The above three accounts also come from the Mirror of Self-Cultivation.)

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7. Sūtras for Establishing Karmic Ties in Yuezhou

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In the seventeenth year of the Tianjian reign of the Liang dynasty, following the imperial decree of Emperor Wu, each prefecture and county produced copies of the Lotus Sūtra. At that time, Yuezhou jointly organized the copying of the sūtra, intending to bring it to the Guanyin Bodhimaṇḍa to make offerings to it. In that prefecture there was an old woman named Shenmu. Her wrong views flourished, and she did not believe in the Buddha Dharma. Hearing the imperial decree universally enjoining the establishment of karmic ties, her heart was filled with distress and anxiety. She intended to hide below a spirit shrine. When messengers came knocking at doors, Shenmu shut her doors and hid in the shrine, lying inside a wooden cage. The prefectures and counties each copied and made offerings for over a month. Shenmu thought to herself that the offerings were already over; she left the shrine and returned home. On the road she met messengers coming down from the bodhimaṇḍa; terrified, she ran away, unwittingly fell to the ground, and lost consciousness. After half a day she revived and returned home. Weeping, she told her neighbors, "On the road I lost consciousness and saw four officials in red garments riding white horses, who drove me and scolded, 'You have wrong views, do not believe in cause and effect, and slander the Buddha's sūtras as having no efficacy, pretending neither to see nor hear! The Great King has sent us to summon you.' They immediately ordered foot messengers to drive me forward, heading northeast for over fifty li to a great city. In the city there was King Ting sitting with a white fly-whisk in hand. Seeing me, he angrily said, 'Foolish woman, most evil! Now that you have experienced and known the matters of life, you are pressed into repenting not having copied the Lotus Sūtra.' The king suddenly smiled and said, 'You have corrected your errors and given rise to right faith; your lifespan is not yet exhausted. You must return to the human realm to cultivate good and cease evil.' Having admonished me, I left the city and returned to my original path, and thereupon revived." Those who heard this felt both sorrow and joy. Shenmu gave away all she owned, copied two sets, and expounded them at the Guanyin shrine. She went forth as a nun, named Miaogong.

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8. Shi Fafeng of the Song

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Shi Fafeng, whose surname was Zhu, was a native of Dunhuang. He went to Kucha and repaired a monastery, handling all affairs thoroughly; at the time it was called Fafeng Monastery after him. Having long taken sole charge of the monastery's responsibilities, he gradually relied on his merits, and his receiving and giving departed considerably from moderation. He arbitrarily reduced the monks' food provisions, leaving them inadequate. After a long time he died and was born among the hungry ghosts. He was constantly in the monastery, and after the initial watch of the night, he would make the sounds of hungry scampering and crying out, patrolling the rooms and shouting. His disciple Baohui heard it, sighed, and said, "This is my master's voice." He then asked why it was so. Feng said, "Because I reduced the monks' food supplies, I suffer the torment of a hungry ghost; the pain is severe and hard to bear. I pray you will rescue me!" His disciple copied the Lotus Sūtra and extensively held vegetarian feasts and repentances for him, whereupon he was born in a pure and superior realm. (Etc., etc. The Mirror of Self-Cultivation states that this is from the Accounts of Evidential Verifications.)

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9. Shi Seng'an of Fahai Monastery under the Tang

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Shi Seng'an was of unknown origin. He lived at Fahai Monastery and personally hand-copied the Lotus, Prajñā, and various other Mahāyāna texts. He dreamed that Samantabhadra, riding a white elephant king, appeared before him and said, "In your sūtra, two lines such as 'expounding the Buddha's wisdom' are missing." When he awoke, he saw that the new sūtra was just as told in the dream.

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10. Shi Zhiyan of Dingshui Monastery under the Tang

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Shi Zhiyan studied under Zhiyi. He possessed considerable moral purity and his calligraphy was incomparably skillful. He wished to copy the Lotus Sūtra himself, but being a poor monk, he could not obtain paper. He dreamed that a phoenix came holding paper in its beak. When he awoke, he saw paper on his desk; he immediately wrote out one copy and deposited it inside a stūpa. He made a vow, saying, "May this sūtra not decay, and may I certainly be born in the era of a future Buddha!" His vow had sympathetic resonance: neither rain nor frost ever dampened the top of the stūpa.

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11. Shi Yiche of Xianquan Monastery in Puzhou under the Tang

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Shi Yiche lived at Xianquan Monastery on Mount Gujie in Puzhou. He made a vow to copy sūtras with his own blood and bury them on the south side of Mount Gujie, awaiting the appearance of a future Buddha in the world, where birds and beasts would not tread upon the ground. Furthermore, he considered that material sūtra scrolls would be dampened and decayed by wind and rain, so he faced empty space and vowed to write the sūtras there: in this space, frost and rain would not fall, and birds and beasts would not fly. If people pray and contemplate with pure faith, within more than ten fathoms of that space, they can see the text of the Lotus Sūtra, clearly appearing like interlocking chain links. This was witnessed personally in that place.

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12. A Widowed Concubine of Mianzhou under the Tang

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In Mianzhou there was a widowed concubine. For her deceased husband she wished to copy the Lotus Sūtra, so she hired a scribe for one hundred cash to copy it in a clean room. An ox arrived and died before the copying room. The concubine was alarmed and amazed by this wonder. In a dream a śramaṇa appeared and said to the woman: “The ox was your husband. Because he had taken grain from another’s field, he received the body of an ox, serving as a beast of burden for the landowner. Now, because of the copying of the Wonderful Dharma, he has cast off that body and been reborn in heaven, nothing more.”

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13. The Vice Prefect of Jizhou under the Tang

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Li Tong, Vice Prefect of Jizhou, made a vow to copy seven sets of the Lotus Sūtra for his deceased wife, and went to Jishan Monastery to make offerings. In a dream a heavenly maiden appeared in the air and said to Tong: “Relying on your merit, my retribution in the ghost realm has been altered, and I have now been born in Trāyastriṃśa.” Tong said he wished to draw near to her. The heavenly woman said: “A human body is utterly foul and filthy; one cannot draw near to it. If you cultivate this good karma, you will be born in the same heaven and become my consort.” Suddenly she was gone. After waking, his longing, sorrow, and joy did not cease. He died at eighty-six. An extraordinary fragrance filled the room, and he was welcomed by heavenly beings.

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14. Chu Xuanzong, Vice Prefect of Bingzhou under the Tang

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Chu Xuanzong’s household was very wealthy. He had three sons and two daughters. The youngest son fell ill and died suddenly. Xuan fell into madness, running about naked and crying out for over a month. At that time, in Daxingguo Monastery, there was a śramaṇa named Huichao who comforted Xuanzong, saying: “Life is impermanent; fathers and sons do not remain together forever. Who remains permanent and unchanging? Yet parents and children may see each other again. If you wish to see him again, you should make a copy of the Lotus Sūtra for him.” Lord Xuan rejoiced and copied the Lotus Sūtra for him. Day and night he longed for his boy. In a dream a bhikṣu appeared and said to Xuan: “If you wish to see your boy, follow me.” He thereupon followed the śramaṇa and came to a flower garden. In the garden were hundreds of thousands of boys playing joyfully. The śramaṇa pointed to a boy of five or six and said: “This is your young boy, sir.” Xuan rejoiced and wished to embrace him, but the boy ran off quickly and would not comply. Xuan said: “I have longed for you without ceasing waking or sleeping. Why do you not draw near?” The boy said: “I was merely born into your household for a time; in impermanence, what affection can there be between father and son? Because you copied the sūtra for me, I have met with you briefly. If you wish to see me in future lives, cultivate the making of sūtras with a deep mind as your life's work, and we shall be reborn together in a Buddha-field, to be united forever.” Having spoken these words, he departed. Lord Xuan addressed the śramaṇa: “Now that I am awakened, I will pursue him no longer.” The śramaṇa also went back, and Xuan followed him back. Upon waking from the dream, he related this matter to Huichao. He gave rise to deep faith and took the copying of sūtras as his lifelong practice. Later he went forth from the household, was welcomed by the Pure Land, and manifested this to others.

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15. Lady Chen under the Tang

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In the third year of the Longshuo era of the Tang, in Tonggui Ward within the city of Chang’an, the mother of Lady Chen, wife of Liu Gongxin of the Three Guards, had previously passed away. Chen fell suddenly ill and died abruptly. She saw people about to enter hell, fully witnessing all kinds of suffering that cannot be recounted in detail. At the very end she saw a hell with sturdy stone gates, and two great demons of immense and imposing appearance guarding the gate on the left and right, glaring at Chen: “What manner of person are you, to come here?” She saw the stone gates suddenly open, and her deceased mother inside, undergoing suffering that cannot be recounted in detail. When the suffering eased slightly, mother and daughter met near the gate and were able to speak with each other from a distance. The mother said to her daughter: “When you return, make an effort to copy a sūtra for me.” The daughter inquired of her mother: “What sūtra do you wish to have copied?” “Copy the Lotus Sūtra for me.” As soon as she finished speaking, the stone gates closed. Chen then revived and related the matter fully to her husband. The husband then relied on his brother-in-law Zhao Shizi, wishing to copy the Lotus Sūtra. Shizi had long been acquainted with copying sūtras and had a scribe who had brought a newly copied set of the Lotus Sūtra that was not yet mounted and scrolled. That scribe had previously been hired by someone else to copy it, the patron being of the surname Fan. This scribe took the other person's Lotus Sūtra and traded it to Zhao Shizi for two hundred cash. The original patron was unaware of this sale. Shizi then said to his wife’s elder brother: “Now that you need a sūtra, I have a set of the Lotus Sūtra at home. Brother, you can redeem this sūtra; its value is one thousand cash.” Chen’s husband took four hundred cash, redeemed it, had it mounted, and having completed this, kept it at home to make offerings for the mother. Later, the daughter Chen saw her mother in a dream, demanding the sūtra from her daughter: “I sent you previously to copy a set of the Lotus Sūtra for me; for what reason have I not yet received it?” The daughter reported to her mother, saying: “I have already redeemed a set of the Lotus Sūtra for mother, and it is now mounted and being offered at home.” The mother said to her daughter: “It is solely because of this sūtra that I have suffered even more! In the underworld, the hell wardens beat my back until it broke. Look at the sores on my body! The underworld official said: ‘For what reason did you take the Fan family’s sūtra to make it your own? What merit could you have? You have committed a great offense!’” Seeing her mother speak thus, the daughter had another copy of the Lotus Sūtra made separately for her mother. Before that sūtra was finished, the daughter again saw her mother in a dream coming to urge the sūtra forward. Immediately she saw a monk holding a scroll of the Lotus Sūtra in his hand, who said to the mother: “Your daughter has already finished copying the first fascicle of the sūtra for you, and the merit is already accomplished. Why do you come again to press and coerce her? Wait until it is finished; what need is there for impatience?” Later, when the copying of the sūtra was completed, the mother came to inform the daughter: “Because you copied the sūtra for me, I have now been able to leave the underworld and be reborn in a good place. Having received the power of your kindness, I came to inform you. You should live well, observe good conduct as a wife, and take faith as your foundation.” Having spoken, they parted in tears of grief. Later on, when inquiries were made, the patron of the previously redeemed Lotus Sūtra was indeed of the surname Fan. Although the Fan family did not receive the sūtra, the sūtra was already completed and their merit as donors was fulfilled. Those who later resold it incurred guilt themselves. Liu’s wife received only a small amount of merit from the redemption, but the deceased mother obtained no efficacy from it.

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法華傳記 — Classical Chinese