法苑珠林 46.40

46.40

Zhou Shi of Xiapi under the Han once traveled to the eastern coast road and met a clerk holding a scroll of a book, who asked for a ride. After traveling more than ten li, he said to Shi, 'I have to visit somewhere for a short while. I will leave the book in your boat; take care not to open it.' After he left, Shi furtively opened and looked at the book. It was entirely a register of dead people, and among the entries below was Shi's name. In a short while the clerk returned, and Shi confessed to having looked at the book. The clerk said angrily, 'I explicitly warned you not to look at it!' Shi kowtowed until he bled. After a long time, [the clerk said], 'I am grateful that you carried me from afar. Your name cannot be deleted from this book. Leave today and return home; for three years do not go outside your gate, and you may escape it. Do not say that you saw my book.' Shi returned and did not go out for two years, and the rest of the household all wondered at it. A neighbor suddenly died, and his father angrily made him go offer condolences. Shi could not refuse. Just as he stepped out of the gate, he saw this clerk. The clerk said, 'I told you not to go out for three years, but now you have come out of the gate. What can be done? I tried not to see you, and for your sake I was repeatedly flogged. Now that I have seen you, nothing can be done. In three days, at midday, I shall come to take you.' Shi returned weeping and recounted the whole matter. His father still did not believe it, but his mother watched over him day and night, weeping together with him. When midday on the third day arrived, he saw [the clerk] come to take him, and he died. (This one proof above is from the Soushen ji.)