法苑珠林 79.45

79.45

唐姚明解者。本是普光寺沙門也。性聰敏有文藻。工書翰善丹青。至於鼓琴亦當時獨絕。每欣俗網不樂道門。至龍朔元年舉應詔人。躬赴雒陽。及升第歸俗。頗有餘言。未幾而卒。後託夢於相知淨土寺僧智整曰。明解宿無福業不遵內教。今大受罪非常飢乏。儻有故人之情。頗能惠一飡不。智整夢中許諾及其寤後乃為設食。至夜纔眠。即見明解來愧謝之。至二年秋中又託夢於畫工曰。我以不信佛法今大受苦痛。努力為我寫二三卷經。執手殷勤賦詩言別。教畫工讀十八遍令記。寤乃憶之。其詩曰。握手不能別。撫膺還自傷。痛矣時陰短。悲哉泉路長。松林驚野吹。荒𡑞落寒霜。言離何以贈。留心內典章。

Yao Mingjie of the Tang was originally a śramaṇa of Puguang Temple. By nature intelligent and gifted in literary composition, he was skilled in calligraphy and good at painting; as for playing the zither, he was uniquely peerless in his time. Always taking pleasure in worldly snares, he found no joy in the religious gate. In the first year of the Longshuo era, he was recommended among those responding to an imperial decree, and personally went to Luoyang. When he passed the examination and returned to lay life, he had rather excessive remarks. Not long after, he died. Later, he appeared in a dream to Zhi Zheng, a monk of Jingtu Temple who was an acquaintance of his, saying, "Mingjie had no past meritorious karma and did not comply with the inner teaching. Now I suffer great punishment and am extraordinarily famished and exhausted. If there remains any sentiment of an old friend, would you be able to grant me a meal?" Zhi Zheng promised him in the dream, and upon waking, prepared an offering of food for him. When night fell and he had barely slept, he saw Mingjie come to thank him with shame. In the autumn of the second year, he also appeared in a dream to a painter, saying, "Because I did not believe in the Buddha-Dharma, I now suffer great pain. Strive on my behalf to copy two or three scrolls of sūtras." Grasping his hands earnestly, he composed a poem to bid farewell, and instructed the painter to read it eighteen times so that he would remember it. Upon waking, he recalled it. The poem ran: / "Clasping hands, I cannot bear to part; / Stroking my breast, I grieve for myself once more. / How painful that the worldly light was short; / How sorrowful that the path to the springs is long! / The pine grove is startled by the wild wind; / Upon the desolate mound falls cold frost. / Speaking of departure, what shall I give you? / Set your mind upon the inner scriptures."