法苑珠林 78.55

78.55

陳庾季孫性甚好殺。滋味漁獵故是常事。奴婢愆罪。亦或盡之。常大篤病。夢人謂曰。若能斷殺。此病當差。不爾必死。即於夢中誓不復殺。驚寤戰悸汗流浹體。病亦漸瘳。後數年有三門生。竊其兩妾以叛。追尋獲之。即並敺殺。其夕復見前人來云。何故負信。此人罪不至死私家不合擅刑。今改決無濟理。投明嘔血。數日而終。

Yu Jisun of the Chen by nature was extremely fond of killing; savouring meats and engaging in fishing and hunting were his everyday affairs. Whenever male or female slaves committed an offense, he would sometimes execute them all. Once he became gravely ill, and dreamed that someone said to him, 'If you can desist from killing, this illness will be cured; otherwise, you will surely die.' Thereupon, within the dream, he vowed never to kill again. Waking in fright, trembling with fear, sweat soaked his whole body, and his illness gradually improved. Several years later, three retainers stole two of his concubines and fled. He pursued and captured them, and immediately beat them all to death. That night, he again saw the previous person come, saying, 'Why did you break faith? The offense of these men did not warrant death, nor are private households permitted to execute punishments arbitrarily. Now it is changed; there is definitely no way to save you.' At dawn he vomited blood, and after several days he died.