釋門自鏡錄 2.47

2.47

Shi Daoxiang was a native of Jizhou. Having heard that the monastic assembly of Lingyan Monastery in Qizhou was strictly disciplined and its spirits were awe-inspiring and solemn, he came to the monastery in the sixteenth year of Kaihuang to practice the Way. Soon after, he died suddenly. In the underworld tribunal, he saw Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva, who had manifested under the name of the vihārasvāmin Tanxiang, taking him to view the hell of the monks. First, he saw the monk Sengzhen. Sengzhen had fallen into the Black Darkness Hell, where charcoal fire burned him. On its gate was a placard stating: 'This man privately used twenty strings of the community's lamp-oil money.' The monastery's inexhaustible lamp-oil store had abundant wealth and goods; Sengzhen had previously served as vihārasvāmin and thought that the monks had the right to use the inexhaustible lamp oil. Although it was called borrowing, he secretly intended not to return it; therefore, in the karmic paths he could not escape retribution. For many years, Sengzhen's body had constantly been emaciated and dark, afflicted with many burning sores that medical treatment could not cure. Xiang said to Daoxiang, 'Return to the monastery and tell Sengzhen to return the lamp store's property quickly, and he will escape hell.' Sengzhen repaid it on that very day, and was thereby freed, the placard on the hell disappearing accordingly. Next, he saw the monk Fahui in the Hell of Crushing Square Beams. Its placard stated: 'This man privately used thirty bolts of the saṃgha's silk.' Xiang said to Daoxiang, 'Return to the monastery and tell Fahui to return the saṃgha's silk quickly, so he can leave hell.' Daoxiang related the above matter in full, but Fahui refused to admit it, saying, 'Lately I have not used a single foot of the saṃgha's goods; how could there be thirty bolts?' Daoxiang recounted the placard, which stated: 'In the fifth year of Kaihuang, the monks sent Fahui to the capital to request an inscription placard for Lingyan Monastery, taking one hundred bolts of silk and two donkeys, excluding provisions. When Fahui reached the capital, he met a Palace Attendant who was a donor of Lingyan Monastery, who submitted a memorial on their behalf and obtained the placard without spending a single coin. Fahui thought to himself: "This monastery placard was obtained because of me, Fahui; I have performed a great service for the monastery, and thirty bolts of silk should be consumed [as my reward]." He then used ten bolts to buy gold, five bolts to exchange for silk cloth, six bolts to purchase stalactite and Dendrobium, six bolts to buy agarwood, and three bolts to buy thirty sets of brass cage locks. Twenty-five of the sets he sold, while five sets remain in his chest. The incense is also still present; the stalactite and Dendrobium have been consumed; two bolts of the silk cloth remain in his chest; and one ounce of gold has also not yet been used.' Confronted with these verified facts, Fahui immediately confessed, surrendered, and repaid the thirty bolts of silk on that very day; the placard on the hell gate disappeared. Next, he saw Daokuo in the Hell of Fire Burning. The placard stated: 'This man burned eighty coins' worth of the saṃgha's firewood, and therefore fell into this hell.' Daoxiang recounted this in full, but Daokuo would not admit it, saying, 'Since coming to this monastery, I have never dared to burn even an inch of grass or leaf, much less privately use eighty coins' worth of firewood!' Daoxiang said the placard stated: 'Someone stole an apricot tree from the saṃgha's woods and dragged it beyond the boundary to cut into comb materials, but some wood remained. Daokuo picked up the leftover wood and cut it into three bundles; because one piece was thick, it was calculated to be worth eighty coins.' Daokuo still refused to submit, saying, 'I brought three bundles of firewood from outside the woods, and one thick piece was put into the bundle. At that time, the market price of firewood brought to the monastery was twenty coins for a cut; how could three bundles of apricot firewood be worth eighty coins?' Daoxiang recounted the placard: 'Because the one thick piece was still fit to make combs, it was valued at eighty coins.' Seeing this, Daokuo confessed and repaid the saṃgha eighty coins; as above, he was released. Next, he saw Huitai in the Hell of Fire Burning. The placard stated: 'He burned one winnowing basket of the saṃgha's wood splinters, worth only twenty coins.' Huitai immediately confessed and repaid twenty coins, and as above was released. Next, he saw Huikan. The placard stated: 'The forty people of the hermitage were all eating a single midday meal. Huikan urged visiting monks from outside that they could eat gruel, thus wasting three sheng of rice; therefore he entered hell.' After repaying it, he was released. Next, he saw another monk named Daoxiang, who had fallen into the Hell of Holding Candles, his hands scorched by fire. The placard stated: 'This man was assigned to make candles for the saṃgha, but was negligent and did not make them. When his co-worker called him repeatedly without success, he made a joke, saying, "How could a Great Worthy make candles for you?" Because he thus defied the community, he fell into this hell.' Daoxiang repaid the cost of the candles to the saṃgha and was released from this hell. Next, he saw three novices whose names were forgotten, who had fallen into the Hell of Fire Burning. The placard stated: 'The rule of this monastery strictly forbids burning dry firewood. These novices arbitrarily burned dry firewood. At the hell gate was a swarm of insects demanding their lives from the novices; therefore they fell into this hell.' Xiang said to Daoxiang, 'Return to the monastery and tell the three novices each to provide a meal offering to the community monks and repent, and they will be freed.' The three novices each provided a meal offering and were released. Next, he saw the novice Mingji, who had fallen into the Hell of Boiling Iron Pancakes, where splashing fire burned his face. The placard stated: 'This man constantly made thin pancakes for the saṃgha and was assigned no other duties. Because he did not take care to protect the flour, he brushed flour so that it fell onto the ground and could not be retrieved; therefore he entered this hell.' For four or five years, this Mingji had been afflicted all over his face with sores, suffering great torment, which medical treatment could not cure. Xiang said to Daoxiang, 'You may tell Mingji.' Mingji admitted it, provided an offering, and was freed. Next, he saw the novice Daohong entering the Hell of Swallowing Iron Pellets; the glowing pellets entered his mouth, searing and rotting it entirely. The placard stated: 'When this man made wontons for the saṃgha, before the great assembly had eaten, he stole and ate one bowl; therefore he entered this hell.' For several years, this Daohong had had sores in his mouth and suffered extraordinary pain. Xiang had him provide an offering for the saṃgha, and he was freed from this hell. In this manner, there were over thirty people in all. Within seven days, Daoxiang died thirteen times, each time seeing Tanxiang point out the manifestations of their sins, as recorded at length in a separate chronicle.