法苑珠林 79.36

79.36

Wang Huaizhi of the Song, whose style name was Yuanzeng, was a man of Langye. For generations his family was devoted to Confucianism and did not believe in the Buddha's Dharma, regularly claiming that body and spirit are both extinguished, and asking how there could be three lifetimes. During the Yuanjia reign period, he served as Magistrate of Danyang. In the tenth year, he fell ill and stopped breathing, but after a short time he temporarily revived. At that time, He Daoli, Magistrate of Jiankang, was visiting the sickbed and stepped down from the couch. It so happened that Huaizhi spoke to Daoli, saying, "Only now do I know that the teachings of the Śākya are not false. When a person dies, the spirit survives; truly there is evidence for it!" Daoli said, "In your lifetime, Sir, your discourses were not like this. What have you seen now that causes you to differ?" Huaizhi knitted his brows and replied, saying, "The spirit truly is not extinguished. One cannot but believe in the Buddha's teaching." Having finished speaking, he passed away. (The five evidential accounts above are taken from the *Mingxiang ji*.)