法苑珠林 33.84

33.84

唐坊州人上柱國王懷智。至顯慶初亡歿。其母孫氏及弟懷善懷表並存。至四年六月。雍州高陵有一人。失其姓名。死經七日背上已爛而蘇。此人於地下見懷智云。見任泰山錄事。遣此人執筆。口授為書。謂之曰。汝雖合死今方便放汝歸家。宜為我持此書至坊州訪我家。通人兼白我孃。懷智今為太山錄事參軍。幸蒙安泰。但家中曾貸寺家木作門。此既功德物。請早酬償之。懷善即死。不合久住。速作經像救助。不然恐無濟理。此人既蘇之後。即齎書故送其舍。所論家事無不闇合。至經三日懷善遂即暴死。合州道俗聞者莫不增修功德鄜州人勳衛侯智純說之（右一驗出冥報拾遺）。

Wang Huaizhi of Fangzhou in the Tang was a Superior Pillar of State. In the early Xianqing era he died. His mother, Lady Sun, and his younger brothers Huaiwei and Huaibiao were all still living. In the sixth month of the fourth year, in Gaoling of Yongzhou, there was a man whose name has been lost; he had been dead for seven days, and his back was already putrefied, when he revived. In the underworld this man had seen Huaizhi, who said he was serving as the Record-Keeper of Mount Tai. He had this man take up a brush and dictated a letter to him, saying to him, 'Although you were due to die, I have now devised a expedient to release you to return home. You should take this letter for me, go to Fangzhou, seek out my family, report to them, and also inform my mother: "Huaizhi is now the Assistant Magistrate of Records for Mount Tai, and fortunately enjoys peace and well-being. However, the family once borrowed timber from a temple to make a gate. Since this is an object belonging to a field of merit, please repay it quickly. Huaiwei will soon die and is not permitted to remain long; quickly make scriptures and images to save him. Otherwise, I fear there will be no way of rescue."' After this man revived, he promptly took the letter and went expressly to deliver it to his household; everything discussed regarding the domestic affairs matched in secret harmony. After three days had passed, Huaiwei suddenly died. None among the monastics and laity throughout the prefecture who heard of this failed to redouble their cultivation of meritorious virtues. Hou Zhichun, an Honoured Guard from Fuzhou, recounted this. (The single verification above is taken from the Supplement to the Records of Miraculous Retribution.)