三寶感應要略錄 2.9

2.9

Sun Xuande, Chaosan Dafu of the Tang dynasty, was a man of Yong'an County in Yongzhou. Relying on causes and conditions, Xuande made a vow that he would produce a copy of the Avataṃsaka-sūtra. Along the way, encountering worldly affairs, doubt arose; thereupon he abandoned it, leaving no evil uncommitted. Later, while hunting, he fell from his horse and was knocked unconscious. After a day, he regained consciousness, weeping bitterly and throwing himself to the ground, repenting of his faults and reproaching himself. He said to Simiao: 'When I first died, I saw three underworld officials driving condemned officials to the front of a great city. The great ministers of the five destinies were arranged in order of rank, and King Yama was seated. In anger he rebuked me, saying: "You foolish person! You indulged in committing evil. In accordance with the complaints of the birds and beasts you killed, you have been summoned contrary to your span!" Then in the courtyard I saw the hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of living beings I had killed, each reporting to the king the circumstances of their lives being taken contrary to their allotted span. The king grew increasingly enraged. At that time there was a youth who called himself Sudhana, who suddenly came to the king's presence. Reverently stepping down from his seat, the king joined his palms toward the youth. The youth said: "You should release Xuande. Although he did not fulfill his vow to produce the Avataṃsaka, at the time he made the vow, there was none who lacked faith. How could later evil cause earlier good to be discarded?" The king rejoiced and said: "The principle is indeed so. He should be released and sent back." The youth then showed me the path of return, and I was able to awake. The merit of the Great Avataṃsaka-sūtra is inconceivable!' Repenting of his prior foolishness, he further gave all his possessions to copy it. He died at eighty-six. Addressing his relatives and friends, he said: 'Having copied the Avataṃsaka, I shall be born in Tuṣita Heaven to serve Maitreya.'