法苑珠林 64.30

64.30

唐汾州孝義縣。縣泉村人劉摩兒。至顯慶四年八月二十七日。遇患而終。其男師保明日又死。父子平生行皆險詖。其北隣有祁隴威。因採樵被車輾死。經數日而蘇。乃見摩兒男師保在鑊湯中須臾之間。皮肉俱盡。無復人形。唯見白骨。如此良久還復本形。隴威問其故。對曰。為我射獵故受此罪。又謂保曰。卿父何在。對曰。我父罪重不可卒見。卿既即還。請白家中。為修齋福。言訖被使催促。前至府舍。見館宇崇峻。執仗者二十餘人。一官人問之曰。汝比有何福業。對曰。隴威去年正月在獨村看讀一切經。脫衫一領布施。兼受五戒。至今不犯。官人乃云。若如所云。無量功德。何須來此。乃索簿勘見簿曰。其人合死不虛。側注云。受戒布施福助更合延壽。乃遣人送還。當即蘇活。

In Xiaoyi County of Fenzhou during the Tang dynasty, there was a man of Quancun named Liu Mo'er. On the twenty-seventh day of the eighth month in the fourth year of the Xianqing era, he encountered an illness and died; his son, Shibao, died the following day as well. Throughout their lives, the conduct of both father and son had been deceitful and dangerous. Their northern neighbor, Qi Longwei, was run over and killed by a cart while gathering firewood, but revived after several days. He saw Mo'er's son, Shibao, in a cauldron of boiling water; in an instant, his skin and flesh were entirely consumed, no longer retaining human shape, and only white bones could be seen. After a good while like this, he returned to his original form. Longwei asked him the reason, and he replied, 'Because of my shooting and hunting, I suffer this punishment.' He further asked Shibao, 'Where is your father?' He replied, 'My father's sins are heavy, so he cannot be seen right away. Since you are returning soon, please inform my household to cultivate fasts and merits on our behalf.' When he finished speaking, he was urged on by an emissary. Advancing to an administrative hall, he saw that the buildings were lofty and imposing, with more than twenty men holding weapons. An official questioned him, saying, 'What meritorious karma have you performed in recent times?' He replied, 'In the first month of last year, Longwei watched the recitation of the entire Canon at Ducun, took off a robe to offer as a gift, and moreover received the five precepts, which I have not violated to this day.' The official then said, 'If it is as you say, your merits are immeasurable; why was there a need for you to come here?' He then called for the register to examine it, and saw that the register said: 'It is true that this person was meant to die.' An annotation at the side read: 'By virtue of the merit from receiving the precepts and giving alms, his life should further be prolonged.' Thereupon a man was sent to escort him back, and he revived immediately.