法苑珠林 62.53

62.53

宋陳安居者。襄陽縣人也。伯父少事巫俗鼓舞祭祀。神景廟宇充滿其宅。父獨敬信釋法。旦夕齋戒。後伯父亡無子。父以安居紹焉。安居雖即伯舍而理行精求。淫饗之事廢不復設。於是遂得篤病。而發則為歌神之曲。迷悶惛僻。如此者彌歲。而執心愈固。常誓曰。若我不殺之志遂當虧奪者。必先自臠截四體乃就其事。家人並諫之。安居不聽經積二年。永初元年病發遂絕。但心下微暖。家人不殮至七日夜。守視之者。覺屍足間如有風來。飄衣動衾。於是而蘇有聲。家人初懼屍蹶並走避之。既而稍能轉動。未求飲漿。家人喜之問從何來。安居乃具說所經見云。初有人若使者。將刀數十呼將去。從者欲縛之。使者曰。此人有福未可縛也。行可三百許里。至一城府。樓宇甚整。使者將至。數處如局司所居。末有人授紙筆與安居曰。可疏二十四通死名。安居即如言疏名成數通。有一寺從內出。揚聲大呼曰。安居可入。既入稱有教付刺姦獄吏兩人。一云與大械。一云此人頗有福。可止三尺械。疑論不判。乃共視文書。久之遂與三尺械。有頃見有貴人。翼從數十形貌閑雅。謂安居曰。汝那得來。安居具陳所由。貴人曰。汝伯有罪。但宜錄治。以先植小福故暫得游散。乃敢告訴。吾與汝父幼少有舊。見汝依然可隨我共游觀也。獄吏不肯釋械。曰府君無教。不敢專輒。貴人曰。但付我不使走逸也。乃釋之。貴人將安居。遍至諸地獄。備觀眾苦。略與經文相符。游歷未竟。有傳教來云。府君喚安居。安居忙懼然求救於貴人。貴人曰。汝自無罪。但以實對必無憂也。安居至閤。見有鉗梏者數百一時俱進。安居在第三。既至階下。一人服冠冕立于囚前。讀諸罪簿。其第一者云。昔娶妻之始。夫婦為誓。有子無子終不相棄。而其人本是祭酒。妻亦奉道。共化導徒眾得仕女弟子。因而姦之。遂棄本妻。妻常冤訴府君曰。汝夫婦違誓。大義不罪。二終罪一也。師諮義著在三。而姦之。是父子相婬無以異也。付法局詳形。次讀第二女人辭牒。忘其姓名。云家在南陽冠軍縣黃水里。家安爨器於福竈口。而此婦眠重。嬰兒於竈上匍匐走行。糞污爨器中。此婦寤已。即請謝神祇。盥洗精熟。而其舅每罵詈此婦言。無有天道鬼神。置此女人得行穢污。司命聞知。故錄送之。府君曰。眠竈非過。小兒無知。又已請謝神明。是無罪也。舅罵詈言無道誣謗幽靈。可錄之來。須臾而到。赤官捉至安居。階下人具讀名牒。為伯所訴。云云。府君曰。此人事佛。大德人也。其伯殺害無辜訾誑百姓。罪宜窮治。以昔有小福故。未知罪耳。今復謗訴無辜教催錄取。未及至而府君遣安居還。云若可還去善成勝業。可壽九十三。努力勉之。勿復更來也。安居出至閤。局司云。君可拔却死名。於是安居以次抽名。既畢而欲向游貴人所。貴人亦至云。知汝無他。得還甚善。努力修功德。吾身福微不辦生天受報。於此輔佐府君亦優游。富樂神道之美。吾家在宛陵。姓某名某。君還為吾致意。深盡奉法。勿犯佛禁。可具以所見示語之也。乃以三力士送安居。出門數步。有傳教送符與安居。謂曰。君可持此符經過戍邏以示之。勿輒偷過。偷過有徒讁也。若有水礙可以此符投水中。即得過也。安居受符而歸。行久之阻大江不得渡。安居依言投符。曚然如眩。乃是其家屋前中方地也。正聞家中號慟哭泣。所送三人勸還就身。安居之身已臭穢。吾不復能歸。此人乃強排之。踣於屍脚上。安居既愈欲驗黃水婦人。故往冠軍縣尋問。果有此婦。相見依然如有曩舊。云已死得生。舅即以其日而亡。說所聞見與安居悉同。授五戒師。字僧旻。襄陽人也。末居長沙。本與安居同里。聞其口說。安居之終亦親覩。果九十三焉。

Chen Anju of the Song was a native of Xiangyang County. In his youth, his paternal uncle worshipped shamanistic popular spirits, beating drums, dancing, and offering sacrifices; images of spirits and shrines filled his residence. His father alone reverently had faith in the Buddhist teaching, keeping fasts and precepts morning and night. Later, when the uncle died without a son, the father had Anju succeed him as his heir. Although Anju took up the uncle’s residence, he was refined and exacting in his principles and conduct; the matters of illicit sacrificial feasts were discarded and never arranged again. Thereupon, he fell seriously ill; whenever the illness struck, he would sing songs of the spirits, becoming deluded, distraught, and confused. This went on for a whole year, yet his resolve grew ever firmer. He constantly vowed: “If my resolve not to kill is ever to be compromised or wrested away, I must first slice and cut off my own four limbs before submitting to such deeds!” His family members all remonstrated with him, but Anju would not listen. Two years passed. In the first year of the Yongchu era, his illness struck and he breathed his last, though there was slight warmth below his heart. His family did not encoffin him. On the seventh night, those watching over him felt something like a wind coming between the corpse’s feet, fluttering its clothes and stirring the quilt. Thereupon he revived, making a sound. The family was at first terrified that the corpse was leaping, and all fled in avoidance. Soon after, he was gradually able to move, though he had not yet asked for drink. The family rejoiced and asked where he had come from. Anju then related in full what he had experienced and seen, saying: “At first, there was someone like an emissary leading dozens of men armed with knives, who called out to take me away. The attendants wished to bind me, but the emissary said: ‘This man possesses merit; he must not yet be bound.’ After traveling about three hundred li, we arrived at a walled administrative seat whose towers and buildings were very orderly. The emissary brought me to several places that looked like the quarters of bureaucratic departments. At last, someone handed paper and brush to Anju, saying: ‘You may write down twenty-four registers of the names of the dead.’ Anju accordingly wrote down several registers of names as instructed. An official came out from within and called out loudly: ‘Anju may enter!’ Once I entered, it was declared that an order instructed me to be handed over to two jailers of the tribunal that investigates misdeeds. One said to put on heavy fetters, while the other said: ‘This man has quite some merit; three-foot fetters will suffice.’ They debated in doubt without reaching a verdict, and then examined the documents together. After a long while, they gave me three-foot fetters. Shortly thereafter, I saw a noble person accompanied by dozens of attendants, whose countenance was poised and refined. He said to Anju: ‘How did you come to be here?’ Anju stated the reasons in full. The noble person said: ‘Your uncle has offenses and ought to be arrested and dealt with; because he previously planted slight merit, he was temporarily allowed to wander about, and thus dared to lodge a complaint. Your father and I have been acquaintances since our youth; seeing you evokes fond remembrance, so you may follow me to tour and observe.’ The jailers were unwilling to release the fetters, saying: ‘The prefectural lord has given no order, so we dare not act on our own authority.’ The noble person said: ‘Just entrust him to me; I will not let him escape.’ They then released me. The noble person took Anju to all the hells, where I observed all manner of sufferings, which broadly matched the canonical scriptures. Before our tour was finished, a messenger arrived and said: ‘The prefectural lord summons Anju.’ Anju was flustered and frightened, and begged the noble person for help. The noble person said: ‘You yourself have no offenses; just answer with the truth, and there will surely be no worry.’ Anju reached the hall and saw several hundred people in pillories and fetters advancing at once; Anju was third in line. Once we reached the foot of the stairs, a person wearing a formal cap and gown stood before the prisoners and read out the registers of offenses. The first one said: ‘Long ago when he first married his wife, the husband and wife made a vow that whether they had children or not, they would never abandon each other. Now this man was originally a libationer (jijiu), and his wife also served the Dao. Together they converted disciples, and took in a female disciple from an official family, whom he subsequently violated. He then abandoned his original wife. The wife frequently lodged grievances with the prefectural lord, who said: “You husband and wife breached your vow. Violating fundamental righteousness is a grave offense, one of the two fatal crimes. The righteousness taught by the master is preeminent among the three, yet you violated her; this is no different from father and son committing incest.” He was handed over to the bureau of laws to scrutinize his punishment.’ Next was read the second petition, concerning a woman whose surname and name I forget. It said that her home was in Huangshui Village, Guanjun County, Nanyang. The family placed their cooking vessel at the mouth of the stove of blessings (the kitchen stove). This woman was a heavy sleeper, and her infant crawled and went about on the stove, defecating into the cooking vessel. When the woman awoke, she immediately prayed and apologized to the spirits and gods, washing and cleaning it thoroughly. But her father-in-law repeatedly cursed this woman, saying: ‘There is no heavenly Way or ghosts and spirits, leaving this woman free to commit foul defilements.’ The Arbiter of Fate heard of this, and thus arrested and sent her here. The prefectural lord said: ‘Sleeping by the stove is not a transgression; the small child was unknowing, and she already prayed and apologized to the deities, so she is without offense. The father-in-law cursed and claimed there is no Way, slandering the unseen spirits; he may be arrested and brought here.’ In an instant, he arrived. The red-robed official brought Anju forward. The person at the foot of the stairs read the registered charge in full, which was a complaint lodged by his uncle, and so forth. The prefectural lord said: ‘This man serves the Buddha and is a person of great virtue. His uncle killed the innocent and cheated the common people; his offenses ought to be punished to the utmost. It is only because he had slight merit in the past that he has not yet experienced his punishment. Now he again slanders and accuses the innocent, urging and pressing for his arrest.’ Before the uncle arrived, the prefectural lord sent Anju back, saying: ‘You may return; successfully cultivate excellent karma, and you may live to ninety-three. Strive diligently, and do not come back again.’ Anju exited to the hall, and the departmental official said: ‘You, sir, may pluck out the names of the dead.’ Thereupon, Anju drew out the names in order. When finished, he wanted to go to the place of the noble person who had toured with him. The noble person also arrived and said: ‘I know you are unharmed; it is very good that you can return. Strive diligently to cultivate meritorious virtues. My own merit is slight, insufficient to be born in heaven to receive retribution; serving here as an aide to the prefectural lord, I am also leisurely, rich, and happy with the beauty of the spirit realm. My home is in Wanling, my surname is such-and-such, and my given name is such-and-such. When you return, convey my regards to them, urging them to serve the Dharma with utmost devotion, never violate the Buddhist prohibitions, and describe all that you have seen to tell them.’ He then sent three strongmen to escort Anju. A few paces out the gate, a messenger delivered a talisman to Anju, saying: ‘You may hold this talisman to show when passing through garrisons and checkpoints; do not sneak through on your own authority. Sneaking through incurs penal servitude. If there is an obstruction by water, you may throw this talisman into the water, and you will be able to cross.’ Anju took the talisman and returned. After traveling for a long time, he was obstructed by a great river and could not cross. Anju threw the talisman as told; dazed as if dizzy, he found himself in the central courtyard before his family’s house. He just heard his household weeping and wailing loudly. The three escorts urged him to return to his body. Anju said: ‘My body is already foul-smelling and defiled; I cannot return.’ These men then forcibly pushed him, and he stumbled onto the corpse’s feet. After Anju recovered, wishing to verify the matter of the Huangshui woman, he intentionally went to Guanjun County to inquire; there indeed was this woman. Seeing each other, it was just like meeting an old acquaintance; she said that she had died and returned to life, and that her father-in-law had died on that very day. What she described seeing and hearing was entirely identical with Anju’s account. The master who conferred the five precepts on him was named Sengmin, a native of Xiangyang, who later resided in Changsha. He was originally from the same village as Anju and heard him relate it with his own mouth; he also personally witnessed Anju’s end: he indeed lived to ninety-three.