法苑珠林 7.56

7.56

Zhao Tai of the Jin dynasty, whose style was Wenhe, was a native of Beiqiu in Qinghe. His grandfather was the Grand Administrator of Jingzhao. Tai was recommended by the commandery as Filial and Incorrupt, but when summoned by the Ducal Ministry, he did not take up the post. He reflected deeply on the classic texts and was well-reputed in his home district. Late in life he finally accepted an official post and ended his career as Grandee of the Center and Cavalier Attendant. When Tai was thirty-five years of age, he suffered sudden heart pain and died in an instant. His corpse was placed on the ground, yet his chest remained continuously warm, and his limbs could be flexed and extended by others as they pleased. After the corpse had been kept for ten days, suddenly a sound like falling rain came from his throat, and a moment later he revived. He related that when he first died, he dreamed that a person came near his chest. There were also two men riding yellow horses, accompanied by two attendants who supported Tai under the arms. They led him straight to the east for an unknown number of leagues, arriving at a great city that was towering and lofty, its walls dark blue-black resembling tin. They took Tai toward the city gate and passed through two sets of gates. There were several thousand tiled rooms, and several thousand people, men and women, old and young, standing in rows. Five or six officials wearing black garments were drawing up lists of names and surnames, saying that they must submit their classifications to the Prefect Lord. Tai's name was twentieth. In an instant, they brought Tai forward together with the several thousand men and women all at once. The Prefect Lord sat facing west, and after examining the registers of names, he sent Tai south into a dark gate. A person wearing crimson robes was seated beneath a great hall, calling names in sequence to ask what they had done during their lives: 'What transgressions did you commit, and what blessings and merits did you practice? Confess your accounts truthfully! Six divisions of envoys are regularly sent to record good and bad deeds in the world of humans; their detailed reports are complete and allow no falsehood.' Tai answered, 'My father and elder brothers were officials of the two-thousand-bushel rank. When young, I merely stayed at home pursuing my studies; I had no official post, nor did I commit misdeeds.' Thereupon, they sent Tai to be the Water Official Overseer, ordering him to lead more than two thousand men to transport sand and shore up embankments, laboring day and night. Later, Tai was transferred to become Chief Controller of the Water Bureau, overseeing all the prisons. They provided Tai with horse-soldiers and ordered him to inspect the hells. The tortures and sufferings in each of the hells he visited were completely different. In one, needles pierced their tongues, with blood flowing over their entire bodies. In another, their hair was disheveled and exposed, and being completely naked and barefoot, they walked pulling one another along, while someone wielding a great staff urged them on from behind; iron beds and bronze pillars were burned glowing hot, and these people were driven to embrace them and lie upon them; once they got up, they were charred and decayed, but soon returned to life. In another, flaming furnaces and gigantic cauldrons burned and boiled sinners, whose bodies and heads broke into pieces and fell down, tumbling along with the boiling broth; demons holding tridents stood at their side, and three or four hundred people stood on one side, awaiting their turn to enter the cauldrons, weeping and embracing each other in grief. In another, there were sword-trees so high and broad that they were boundless; roots, trunks, branches, and leaves were all made of swords. Crowds of people urged each other on, climbing and scaling them themselves as if vying eagerly, yet their bodies and heads were cut and sliced, severed inch by inch. Tai saw his grandparents and two younger brothers in this hell, and they wept upon seeing one another. Tai exited the gate of the hell and saw two men arrive carrying documents. They said to the prison officer: 'There are three people whose families have hung banners and burned incense in stupas and monasteries on their behalf to rescue them and remit their sins; they may leave for the Abode of Blessings.' Soon he saw three people emerge from the hell, already naturally clothed in intact garments on their bodies. Going south toward a gate called the Great Hall of Radiant Illumination, which had three tiers of gates shining with vermilion brilliance, he saw these three people enter into the hall. Tai also followed them in. Before them was a great palace, adorned all around with rare jewels, its fine radiance dazzling the eyes, with couches made of gold and jade. He saw a divine person whose countenance was magnificent, extraordinarily noble, and unusual, seated upon this throne. By his side stood very many śramaṇas attending him. When he saw the Prefect Lord arrive, the Prefect Lord respectfully paid homage. Tai asked, 'Who is this person whom the Prefect Lord pays homage to?' The clerk said, 'He is called