法苑珠林 18.43

18.43

Sima Qiaoqing of Henei, former Judicial Investigator of the Court of Judicial Review during the Tang, was by nature pure and prudent, possessing noble aspiration and conduct. During the Yonghui reign era, he served as Revenue Officer of Yangzhou. Mourning the death of his mother, he grew emaciated with grief. He pricked blood from over his heart to copy one scroll of the Diamond Prajñā Sūtra. Before long, two stalks of miraculous fungi sprouted above his mourning hut. After nine days, they grew to a height of one chi and eight cun, with green stalks and vermilion caps, dripping a sheng of juice daily. When bystanders tasted it, its flavor was sweet as honey. After being plucked, they sprouted again, several times over. Several of Qiaoqing's colleagues related this account to Lang Yuling, and many scholars throughout the realm know of it.