集神州三寶感通錄 3.53

3.53

Li Siyi of Zhao Commandery, Assistant of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, lost his voice on the eighth day of the first month in the twentieth year of Zhenguan, and died on the thirteenth day; after a day he revived. He related that he saw the officials of the unseen realm in full, who said that when he was nineteen, he had once taken a life. Siyi then realized this and said: 'At the time of the alleged killing, I was in An Prefecture listening to the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] under Dharma Master Min; how could I have committed murder there?' The officials summoned Dharma Master Min, who answered: 'Min has been born in the realm of Kanakamuni and cannot be summoned.' They released [Siyi] to return home for the time being. His home was near Qingchan Temple, and the monk Xuantong had always had dealings with him; seeing him revive, [Xuantong] heard him recount the affairs of the unseen realm. Thereupon he repented on his behalf, administered the precepts, and encouraged him to chant the Diamond Prajñā five thousand times. By evening, he died again, and revived the next morning. He himself related that he saw the great official, who, seeing him from afar, rejoiced greatly and said: 'You went home and performed great merits and virtues!' He also saw two monks, who testified, saying: 'Dharma Master Min has sent us.' Seeing them, the official was awed and welcomed them. The monks said: 'In former times, Siyi was listening to the lecture and did not kill; on what grounds have you mistakenly registered him?' The official of the unseen realm said: 'He shall be released to return at once.' The monks accompanied him home and said: 'Cultivating wholesome causes with a pure mind, you are thereupon revived,' and so forth.