法苑珠林 6.75

6.75

Among the various mountain counties of Linchuan, demonic spectres appear. Often coming upon heavy wind and rain, making sounds like whistling, they can shoot people. Where they hit swells up like a horse's hoof; the poison is exceedingly great, having male and female forms. The male is swift, while the female is slow. The swift takes no more than half a day; the slow does not extend past an overnight. If there are bystanders, they always try to rescue them; if the rescue falls slightly short, they die. Popularly they are called Daolao ghosts (knife-toiling ghosts). Therefore, external texts say: ghosts and spirits are the verifications of fortune and misfortune manifested in the world. Laozi says: "Formerly, those that attained the One: Heaven attained the One to become clear; Earth attained the One to become tranquil; Spirits attained the One to become numinous; Valleys attained the One to become full; Feudal lords and kings attained the One to become the upright standards of the world." Thus, Heaven, Earth, ghosts, and spirits are born together with us. When the qi divides, natures differ; when realms are established, forms diverge. None can encompass the other. The living govern yang; the dead govern yin. Where their natures reside, each is at peace in its place; within the Great Yin, monstrous beings exist (the above two items are taken from the Soushen ji).