經律異相 37.23

37.23

Formerly there were five brothers whose father taught them to uphold the precepts. The eldest son alone was unwilling to uphold the precepts. Taking five coins, he went to a physiognomist's place for a reading. The physiognomist said, "Your lifespan could reach a hundred years, and you should attain great wealth and nobility." Yet he also said it was definitely bad, and furthermore said it was inauspicious: "In precisely thirteen days, you shall die." The man was terrified and said, "This is not something an ordinary worldly master can cure. Only the Buddha possesses foreknowledge of what has not yet happened. He is nearby on Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain; I can go and ask him." Thereupon he went to ask the Buddha. The Buddha said, "You have an adversarial enemy from a past life who wishes to come and take you. If you wish to escape, you must uphold the five precepts; only then can you be delivered. Return home, prepare an abundance of fat-candles and burn them, and let thirteen days pass. Receive the refuges and precepts, light lamps to keep the brightness burning, and throughout the day and the entire night recite scriptures and verses, saying, 'Namo Buddhāya; I take refuge in the Buddha,' being careful not to rest. Once the thirteen days have passed, you will naturally be delivered." That night, two ghosts went together to kill him. One ghost stayed a hundred paces away and sent the other ghost ahead to kill him. Seeing the brightness of the lamplight and only hearing the sound of calling out, "Namo Buddhāya; I take refuge in the Buddha," it did not dare go forward. Turning back, it said to the other ghost, "This man cannot be reached anymore. He only calls out, 'Namo Buddhāya; I take refuge in the Buddha.' I hate hearing this sound; it gives me a headache." Thereupon the two ghosts supported each other and fled, never coming near him again. From then on, he attained lasting peace. (Extracted from Essential Matters from Various Sūtras.)