法華傳記 7.4

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.