[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法苑珠林](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122) › 72.43 # 法苑珠林 72.43 法苑珠林 72.43 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [72.43](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.72.43) 唐相州滏陽縣人信都元方。少有操尚。尤好釋典。年二十九。至顯慶五年春正月死。死後月餘。其兄法觀寺僧道傑。情切友情。乃將一巫者至家。遣求元方與語。法觀又頗解法術。乃作一符攝得元方。令巫者問其由委。巫者不識字。遣解書人執筆。巫者為元方口授。作書一紙。與同學憑行基。具述平生之意。并詩二首。及其家中亦留書啟。文理順序言詞悽愴。其書疏大抵勸修功德。及遣念佛寫經。以為殺生之業罪之大者。無過於此。又云。元方不入地獄。亦不墮鬼中。前蒙冥官處分。令於石州李仁師家為男。但為隴州吳山縣石名遠於華嶽祈子。乃改與石家為男。又云。受生日逼怱迫不得更住。從二月受胎。至十二月誕育。願兄等慈流就彼相看也。言訖洟泣而去。河東薛大造寓居滏陽。前任吳山縣令自云。具識名遠。智力寺僧慧永法真等說之（右此出冥報拾遺記）。 > Xindu Yuanfang, a man of Fuyang County in Xiangzhou during the Tang dynasty, possessed integrity and noble aspirations in his youth and was especially fond of Buddhist scriptures. He was twenty-nine years old, and in the first month of spring in the fifth year of the Xianqing reign, he died. More than a month after his death, his elder brother, the monk Daojie of Faguan Temple, felt an intense yearning of fraternal affection. He then brought a spirit medium to the house, sending him to seek Yuanfang and speak with him. Daojie also had some understanding of ritual arts; he drew a talisman to summon Yuanfang and instructed the medium to inquire into his circumstances. The medium was illiterate, so they had a literate person hold the brush. The medium dictated on Yuanfang's behalf, writing a single letter addressed to his classmate Ping Xingji, recounting his lifelong sentiments in full, along with two poems. He also left a letter for his family. Its composition was orderly, and its wording was sorrowful. His letters generally exhorted them to cultivate meritorious deeds, chant the Buddha's name, and copy sūtras, stating that the karma of taking life is the greatest of sins, none surpassing it. He also said: 'Yuanfang has not entered hell, nor has he fallen among ghosts. Formerly, I received an assignment from the underworld officials ordering me to be born as a son in the family of Li Renshi of Shizhou. But because Shi Mingyuan of Wushan County in Longzhou prayed for a son at Mount Hua, it was changed so that I will be born as a son to the Shi family.' He also said: 'The date of my rebirth is pressing close; I am constrained and cannot remain any longer. Conceived in the second month, I will be born in the twelfth month. I pray that my elder brothers and the others, in their flowing compassion, will go there to see me.' Having finished speaking, he wept and departed. Xue Dazao of Hedong, who was residing in Fuyang and had previously served as the magistrate of Wushan County, himself stated that he was well acquainted with Mingyuan. The monks Huiyong, Fazhen, and others of Zhili Temple related this. (This comes from the Mingbao shiyi ji). > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 72.42](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.72.42) - [Next: 72.44](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.72.44) - [Up: 72](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.72) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122~en-mt.72.43) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.72.43](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.72.43) · Pramāṇa