集神州三寶感通錄 3.59

3.59

Furthermore, on the twenty-seventh day of the first month in the third year of the Longshuo era, there was a grandson of Gao Biaoren of the capital who constantly recited the Lotus Sūtra. As he rode out of Shunyi Gate on horseback, two horsemen pursued him, saying, "Now you are captured!" He asked, "Who are you, gentlemen?" They replied, "We are emissaries of King Yama, coming specifically to pursue you." Terrified and flustered, the man spurred his horse westward, wishing to take refuge in Puguang Temple. The emissaries said, "Quickly seize the temple gate and do not let him enter; if he enters, he will escape!" When he reached the temple gate, he saw one horseman guarding it. He then fled west wishing to enter Kaishan Temple, but they again ordered a horseman to guard the gate. Pursuing one another westward, he wished to return to his own residence. His residence was east of Huadu Temple; fearing the distance was too great, he wished to enter Liquan Ward. One horseman was in front, and the man struck him with his fist, whereupon the ghost fell from his horse. The ghost behind said, "This man is extremely rough! Quickly drag him down and pull back his hair!" He was then pulled by the hair as though cut with a knife and cast far onto the ground, falling from his horse as well. His family carried him back. By evening he revived and recounted: "I saw King Yama, who said, 'Why did you steal the monastic sangha's fruit? Why did you speak of the faults of the Three Jewels?'" Thereupon, submitting to the charges, he dared not utter a word. The king said, "For the sin of stealing fruit, you ought to swallow four hundred and fifty iron pellets; only after enduring it for four years will it be exhausted. For the sin of speaking faults, your tongue ought to be ploughed." He was then released, whereupon he revived. After a short while, he died again, his mouth appearing to swallow something, his entire body glowing fiery red, bound in agony. Only after a whole day did he awaken, saying, "In the course of one year, I swallowed more than a hundred pellets; the suffering was unspeakable." The next day it was again like this. After precisely four days, the swallowing of the pellets was also completed. Just as they were about to pull out his tongue and plough it, they pulled it but it would not come out. Investigating the cause in the records, it was said, "Having recited the Lotus Sūtra, his tongue cannot be pulled out." He was then released to live. He is currently at the quarters of Master Yuanman in Huadu Temple, listening to the Dharma and performing repentance.