釋門自鏡錄 1.99

1.99

崇真寺僧慧嶷。死經七日時。與五比丘閻羅王所閱過。嶷以錯召放令還活。具說王前事。意如生官莫異。其五比丘者亦是京邑諸寺道人。與嶷同簿而過。一比丘云。是寶明寺僧智聰自云。生時坐禪苦行為業得昇天堂。復有比丘云。是般若寺僧道品自云。誦涅槃經四十卷亦昇天堂。復一比丘云。是融覺寺僧曇謨最稱。注講涅槃華嚴經二部恒領眾千人解釋義理。閻羅王曰。講經眾僧我慢貢高心懷彼我驕己凌人。比丘之中第一麁行。曇謨最言貧道立身已來實不驕慢。唯好講經敷演義理。王言。付司即有青衣十人。送最向於西北。入門屋舍皆黑侶非好處。復有一比丘云。是禪林寺僧道弘自言。教化四輩檀越造一切經人中金像十軀閻王曰。沙門之體必須攝心道場。志念禪誦不預世事。勤心念戒不作有為。教化求財貪心即起。既懷貪心則三毒不滅。付司依式還有青衣送。與曇謨最同入一處。又一比丘云。是靈覺寺寶真自云。未出家之前。曾作隴西太守。自知苦空。歸依三寶。割捨家資。造靈覺寺。寺既得成。捨官入道。雖不禪誦。禮拜不闕。閻羅王曰。卿作大守之日。曲情枉法劫奪民財。以充己物。假作此寺非卿之力。何勞說此。亦付司準式。青衣送入黑門。似非好處。慧嶷以錯召不問。放令還活。具說王前過事。時人聞之奏胡太后。太后聞之以為異事。遣黃門侍郎依慧嶷所陳。訪問智聰等五寺。並云有此死來七日。生時行業如嶷所論也。

When the monk Huiyi of Chongzhen Monastery had been dead for seven days, he was reviewed along with five bhikṣus at the place of King Yama. Because he had been summoned by mistake, Huiyi was released and restored to life. He recounted in full the events before the King, whose manner was no different from that of an official among the living. The five bhikṣus were also clerics from various monasteries of the capital, whose names were on the same register as Huiyi's and were reviewed. One bhikṣu, who said he was the monk Zhicong of Baoming Monastery, said of himself that during his life he took seated meditation and ascetic practices as his vocation, and so he attained rebirth in heaven. There was another bhikṣu who said he was the monk Daopin of Banruo Monastery, who said of himself that he recited forty scrolls of the Nirvāṇa Sūtra and also attained rebirth in heaven. Another bhikṣu, who said he was Damozui of Rongjue Monastery, claimed that he commented on and lectured on the two texts, the Nirvāṇa Sūtra and the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, constantly leading an assembly of a thousand people to explain their doctrinal principles. King Yama said: "Monks who lecture on the sūtras possess arrogance and haughtiness, harbouring thoughts of 'other' and 'self', exalting themselves and lording over others. Among bhikṣus, this is the foremost coarse conduct." Damozui said: "Since this poor monk established himself, he truly has not been haughty or arrogant; he merely liked lecturing on sūtras and expounding their doctrinal principles." The King said: "Hand him over to the tribunal!" Immediately, ten men in green clothes escorted Damozui toward the northwest. Upon entering a gate, the buildings were all black; it appeared not to be a good place. There was another bhikṣu who said he was the monk Daohong of Shanlin Monastery, who said of himself that he converted the four classes of patrons and produced a complete canon of sūtras and ten golden human statues. King Yama said: "The essential duty of a monk requires that he compose his mind in the place of practice, fix his intention upon meditation and recitation, and not involve himself in worldly affairs, diligently keeping the precepts in mind and not engaging in conditioned deeds. In converting people to seek wealth, a mind of greed immediately arises. Once greed is harboured, the three poisons are not extinguished. Hand him over to the tribunal according to the regulations!" Again, men in green clothes escorted him, entering the same place as Damozui. Another bhikṣu, who said he was Baozhen of Lingjue Monastery, said of himself that before renouncing the household, he had served as the Governor of Longxi; knowing for himself suffering and emptiness, he took refuge in the Three Jewels, gave up his family wealth, and built Lingjue Monastery. Once the monastery was completed, he resigned from office and entered the path; although he did not practice meditation or recitation, his worship and bows were never lacking. King Yama said: "In the days when you were Governor, you twisted feelings and bent the law, plundering the people's wealth to fill your own possessions. Falsely constructing this monastery was not by your own effort; why trouble yourself to speak of this?" He too was handed over to the tribunal according to the regulations, and men in green clothes escorted him into the black gate, which seemed not to be a good place. Huiyi, having been summoned by mistake, was not interrogated and was released and restored to life. He recounted in full what transpired before the King. When people of the time heard of it, they presented a memorial to Empress Dowager Hu. Hearing of it, the Empress Dowager regarded it as an extraordinary event. She dispatched a Gentleman Attendant at the Yellow Gates to go, in accordance with Huiyi's account, to make inquiries at the five monasteries of Zhicong and the others. All of them said that such people had indeed died seven days prior, and that their conduct and vocations in life were exactly as Huiyi had described.