法華傳記 7.6

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.")