法苑珠林 76.26

76.26

Yang Shicao was a native of Dongyang Village, Liquan County, Yongzhou during the Tang dynasty. In the early Zhenguan era, he served as supervisor of bamboo plantations (Sizhujian). Later, on official business, he was transferred to become the police lieutenant (xianwei) of Lantian County. In the twenty-first year of Zhenguan, on account of old age, he returned home to take up farming as his livelihood. However, by nature Shicao was venomous and wicked, with a violent mouth. Throughout his life, he took pleasure in seeing others' faults; whenever the villagers had an issue, he would record it and report it to the authorities. The county officials gave him consideration because Shicao had previously been in the court ranks. Yet Shicao fostered evil without repenting, frequently disturbing the official organs, ferreting out the villagers' missteps and faults, and constantly intimidating them regardless of whether the matters were major or minor. Within his own village association, he arbitrarily created interventions where there was no issue, recklessly engaging in disputes and criticizing everyone, young and old. Whenever cattle or sheep trampled crops, or men and women quarrelled, he would immediately drag them to the county office. The county magistrate, Pei Qutan, considered this troublesome and trivial; the first two or three times he dealt with it, but later, seeing that matters were too frequent, he would not attend to it. Shicao later went to the prefecture, or submitted memorials directly to the throne. His malicious intentions grew stronger by the day, and no one was pleased to see him. Shicao knew his own nature was bad, and he would also say to people: "My temperament is impatient and my mouth is violent. Since the Wude era, I have received the precepts four times, observed rituals and prostrations, daily recited sūtras and treatises, and converted people to do good. Yet if there is any slight encroachment upon me, I cannot endure it." Later, on the night of the seventh day of the fourth month in the first year of Yonghui, there suddenly was a man coming from the east, riding a white horse and wearing green clothing, who came straight to Shicao's gate. When Shicao saw him, they exchanged greetings. The man said: "The grand director of Dongyang has specially sent me to summon you. Because from birth until now, your venomous mind has been tightly bound and unable to endure or let go; whenever you meet people you speak of encouraging good, yet you yourself do not completely uphold the precepts; you are stingy and do not give, claiming: 'I have a good mind and make offerings to the Three Jewels,' yet you have never given even a shred of wealth; though your mouth speaks of shame, another scheme arises in your mind to bewilder ordinary folk—for this reason I summon you." In an instant, the visitor was gone. Shicao's body suddenly collapsed to the ground at the gate. His mouth could not speak, and only a little warmth remained over his heart. His family carried him into the house to lie down, and he did not revive overnight. Meanwhile, Shicao had already arrived at the chief record office of Dongyang. At that time, the governor's grand assembly had not yet dispersed. Shicao then privately walked through the offices: they all had tables, desks, couches, and mats, which were extremely grand and fine. There were also prisoners, some wearing cangues and fetters, bareheaded and with loosened belts, either sitting, standing, walking, or staying—such sinful persons were beyond count. Shicao walked eastward and arrived at a place where the entrance was extremely small; he only saw sparks flying out and foul smoke billowing, unfit for a person to stand. There were also two men holding iron clubs, repairing the entrance. Shicao then asked the men holding clubs: "What office is this?" They answered, saying: "This is the Hell of Raging Fire. It is intended for people who do not uphold the precepts completely, or people who abandon cultivating good halfway; they knowingly commit transgressions, and upon death enter this place. We hear that there is one Yang Shicao who throughout his life took pleasure in discussing people's faults, constantly reporting others' shortcomings to the officials, falsely expressing shame whenever meeting people, but who truly could not endure the slightest offense. Now we intend to send him into this place, which is why we are repairing it. Today is the eighth day of the fourth month; his family is making donations and vegetarian offerings on behalf of Shicao's death. The office is deliberating and intends to release him back, but has not yet received permission. I am waiting here for Shicao." Shicao thereupon kowtowed, bowed, thanked them, and said of himself: "I, your disciple, am Yang Shicao. I pray that you will provide an expedient means: how may I obtain release?" This person answered, saying: "You only need to bow to the Buddhas of the ten directions with all your heart, earnestly repent, and change your venomous heart; then you will follow [this] to be reborn and will not come to this place. Even though you harboured evil thoughts, if you can repent in a single instant, it is like the bodhisattva practice; not begrudging body or life, you may attain birth in the Pure Land." Having received these words, Shicao immediately made confession and earnestly repented according to the instructions. He was thereupon released back home, and after three days he revived. Having revived, Shicao recounted this matter in detail. Later, Shicao went to Chan Master Huijing to amend his errors and repent. He is alive today, aged seventy-five. He observes a permanent vegetarian diet of one meal a day and performs prostrations and repentance at the six periods of the day. Shicao's field bordered an official highway. As he walked to inspect the wheat, he saw three oxen violently eating the wheat seedlings. Shicao approached the oxen with a sense of remorse and did not drive them away. Later, upon returning home, he went out to the wheat, and it had not died; there were only the footprints of the oxen. On the western border of Jingyang, there was the Buddha hall of the Prince of Chen, where many people gathered. Shicao recounted the matter in full to the assembly. Monastics and laypeople were astonished and performed prostrations and repentance with even greater earnestness. That night, he had a dream in which he saw a person come and say to Shicao: "I am a messenger, and I came specifically to admonish you. Since you have stopped evil, you will not be summoned again. Only diligently and sincerely cultivate good; you need not worry about it." A monk saw Shicao and passed on the account to [Wang] Lin (the above one verification is from the Mingxiang ji).