法華傳記 7.52

7.52

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.