往生集 2.241

2.241

唐張善和。殺牛為業。臨終見群牛。作人語索命。於是大怖。喚其妻云。速延僧為我懺悔。僧至諭之曰。觀經中說。臨終惡相現者。至心念佛即得往生。和云。地獄至急。不暇取香爐矣。即以右手擎火。左手拈香。面西專切稱佛。未滿十聲。自言佛來迎我。即化去。

Zhang Shanhe of the Tang dynasty made his living by butchering cattle. On the verge of death, he saw a herd of cattle speaking in human language demanding his life. Thereupon, in great terror, he called to his wife, saying, "Quickly invite a monk to perform repentance for me!" When the monk arrived, he instructed him, saying, "The Guan jing states that when evil signs appear on the verge of death, if one practices buddhamanasikāra with utmost sincerity, one will immediately attain rebirth." Shanhe said, "Hell is arriving with utmost urgency; there is no time to fetch an incense burner!" He immediately held fire in his right hand, pinched incense with his left hand, and facing west, recited the Buddha's name with focused urgency. Before he had finished ten recitations, he stated of his own accord, "The Buddha has come to welcome me!" and immediately transformed.