法苑珠林 5.26

5.26

Shi Shiguang of the Jin dynasty was a native of Xiangyang. In the eighth year of the Xianhe reign era, he died at Wuchang. On the seventh day, the śramaṇa Zhi Fashan was chanting the Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā. Becoming tired, he lay down briefly and heard what sounded like a human voice above the spirit altar. The Shi family had a maidservant named Zhang Xin, who saw Shiguang sitting upon the seat, dressed in a robe and cap just as in life. He said to Xin: 'I was originally due to fall among the dragons, but Upādhyāya Zhi chanted the sūtra for me, and Tanhu and Tanjian have welcomed me up to the seventh Brahma heaven, a place of joy.' Hu and Jian were both novices under Shan who had already passed away. Later, Zhi Fashan went again to chant the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā for him, and he appeared upon the seat once more. During his lifetime, Shiguang had made an offering of two banners, which were then in the monastery. He called out to Zhang Xin to take the banners and see him off. Xin said, 'Yes,' and thereupon swooned and died. Shiguang took Xin, who held the banners, and together they flew northwest, ascending an azure mountain the color of lapis lazuli. Arriving at the mountain peak, they saw the heavenly gate in the distance. Shiguang then took the banners himself and sent Xin back, giving her a piece of azure incense shaped like a croton seed, saying, 'Present this to Upādhyāya Zhi.' Before Xin had returned, she saw Shiguang from afar enter directly into the heavenly gate. Xin returned by the same road and suddenly revived; she also could no longer see the incense in her hand, and the banners were still in the monastery as before. When Shiguang and Xin had left the house, his six-year-old son saw it, pointed, and said to his grandmother: 'The young master is flying up to heaven! Grandmother, do you see him or not?' Later, Shiguang returned again with more than ten heavenly beings to his home, lingered, and then departed. Every time he came, he was seen wearing a hairpin and cap, but whenever he left, his hair knot was bare. Xin asked him about it, and he replied: 'In heaven there are crowns, so I do not wear this.' Later, he wore a heavenly crown, and together with the host of heavenly beings, played lutes and walked along singing, heading straight up to his mother's hall. Xin asked, 'Why do you come repeatedly?' He said, 'I come wanting you all to know of karmic offenses and blessings, and also to gladden mother.' The sound of the lute was clear and marvelous, unlike earthly sounds. The family, both young and old, all could hear it, yet they heard the sound as if separated by a wall or barrier, unable to perceive it closely; only Xin heard it distinctly on her own. After a short while, he left. Xin saw him off herself and saw Shiguang enter a dark gate. After a while, he came out and said to Xin: 'My maternal uncle is here, daily beaten with clubs and whips, suffering excruciating pain beyond endurance. I went to visit him and have now returned. Uncle was condemned for committing the crime of killing, and therefore receives this retribution. You may tell aunt to assemble monks to chant sūtras, and he should gradually be liberated.' The uncle was the General of Light Chariots, who had already died. (The preceding one is from the Ming xiang ji).