法苑珠林 79.40

79.40

In the eleventh year of the Kaihuang reign era of the Sui, Assistant Magistrate Zhao Wenchang of the Palace Administration Court suddenly dropped dead. For several days, only the area over his heart remained warm, so his family did not dare place him in a coffin. Later, he was able to speak, and when his relatives questioned him in amazement, Wenchang recounted: 'After I died, someone led me to King Yama's place. The king said to me, "In your whole life, what meritorious karmic deeds have you performed?" I replied, "My family was poor and had no possessions to manage merit with; I only single-mindedly recited and upheld the Diamond Prajñā." Hearing these words, the king joined his palms, lowered his knees, and praised me, saying, "Excellent, excellent! That you could uphold Prajñā is of exceedingly great merit, inconceivable." The king told his officer, "Verify carefully and do not allow the wrong person to be brought." Within a short time, the envoy verified that a mistake had been made, and reported to the king, "This man was indeed brought by mistake. According to his ledger, he should live for more than twenty years longer." Hearing this, the king said to the envoy, "Lead Wenchang to the scriptural depository, take a copy of the Diamond Prajñā Sūtra, and bring it here." Receiving the order, the envoy led Wenchang five li to the west, arriving at the depository. I saw several tens of rooms, exceedingly magnificent and ornate, fully packed with scriptural scrolls inside. Their golden rollers and jewelled wrappers were exquisitely adorned. Seeing them, Wenchang felt his wholesome thoughts awaken all the more; with single-minded devotion, he joined his palms, closed his eyes, and at random drew out a scroll that felt similar in size to the one he used to recite. Wenchang was anxious and frightened, fearing it might not be the Prajñā, and asked the envoy to exchange it. The envoy refused. Then he looked at the title, which read: "First and Foremost Among Merits". Wenchang opened and inspected it, and it was indeed the Diamond Prajñā. Wenchang was delighted and brought it to the king. [The king] ordered one person to hold the scroll to the west and ordered Wenchang to stand to the east facing the scroll, directing Wenchang to recite the scripture while an envoy checked and verified it. Not a single word was missed, and he was completely fluent throughout. Thereupon the king released Wenchang to return home, but bound him with an instruction: "Diligently uphold this scripture and do not neglect or forget it!" He ordered someone to lead Wenchang out through the south gate. Just as they were reaching the gate, he saw Emperor Wu of the Zhou in a room east of the gate, wearing a triple iron collar and chains around his neck. He immediately called to Wenchang, saying, "You are a man of my former realm. You have come here for a brief time, and I must speak with you." Hearing himself called, Wenchang ran to Emperor Wu and bowed to him. The emperor asked, "Do you recognise me?" Wenchang replied, "I formerly served in Your Majesty's imperial guard, so I respectfully recognise Your Majesty." Emperor Wu said, "Since you are my former minister, now that you are returning home, describe all my sins in detail to Emperor Wen of the Sui on my behalf. All other matters are about to be settled; only the sin of abolishing the Buddhadharma is so heavy that it cannot yet be resolved. At that time, following the instructions of Wei Yuansong, I abolished the Buddhadharma. Recently, [King Yama] has pursued Yuansong several times without capturing him, and for this reason the matter remains unsettled." Wenchang asked, "Where has Yuansong gone that the king cannot capture him?" Emperor Wu replied, "At that time I did not understand Yuansong's intention and mistakenly abolished the Buddhadharma. Yuansong is a person beyond the three realms (tridhātu), not someone King Yama can govern and control; therefore they cannot capture him. Tell the Sui emperor to bestow on me a few things to cultivate merits on my behalf, hoping that the support of merit will allow me to escape hell." Entrusted with this, Wenchang took his leave. In a short while, outside the south gate, he saw an enormous pit of excrement in which there was a man, with only a patch of hair protruding. Wenchang asked the guide, "Who is this?" The guide answered, "This is General Bai Qi of Qin, who buried the soldiers of Zhao alive. He is temporarily detained here, and his retribution is not yet over." The guide brought Wenchang home, and he revived. After three days, his ailment gradually healed. Wenchang reported this entire matter to Emperor Wen in a memorial. Emperor Wen issued an edict throughout the realm that each person should donate one coin to turn the Diamond Prajñā Sūtra for Emperor Wu of the Zhou, and observe a fast for three days. He further ordered this incident to be recorded in the Sui history.'