法華傳記 7.68

7.68

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.