釋門自鏡錄 2.19

2.19

Jiang Xiaode was a native of Jiangling. In his youth he had faith, devotion, precision, and scrupulousness surpassing others. At the end of the Daming era, he contracted an illness and died. In the middle of the third night watch, as he was about to be encoffined, he revived, saying that an envoy claiming the king's order had summoned him. Xiaode followed him, and once they arrived, the king said: 'You have been diligent, attentive, and reverently devoted to the Great Dharma. Pointed out by Śakra Devānām Indra, because you are single-minded and earnest, you should quickly be born in an auspicious land. Yet because your lifespan is still long, he ordered me specially to summon you. Today you are to receive celestial joys, and I rejoice for you.' Xiaode joyfully consented. The king said: 'You may return home for a time to arrange whatever you wish to entrust and perform meritorious deeds. Do so quickly; in seven days come again.' Xiaode received his words and returned. On the road, he passed by a place with a small room that was exceedingly crude and dilapidated. He met the śramaṇa Master Nan of Xin Monastery living in this room. Having previously been old acquaintances, they inquired after each other in detail. Master Nan said: 'Since I entered the renunciant life, this poor monk had never drunk wine. Just recently I visited Master Lan, and Master Lan earnestly urged and pressed me to drink about a sheng. Now I have been summoned by the king to be questioned regarding this reason. Had this poor monk not been implicated in this, I ought to have been born in heaven; now I dwell in this dilapidated hut, and only after three years will I be able to ascend.' Xiaode returned home, and wishing to verify his words, immediately that evening dispatched someone in haste to inquire after Master Nan. It indeed happened that on this day, Master Nan had lain down to sleep at Master Lan's place, and by evening died without illness. After Xiaode recovered, within seven days he set out great offerings for merit. When the appointed time arrived, he suddenly passed away. The two monks Lan and Nan both resided at Xin Monastery, and Nan's religious practice was particularly refined, etc.