大唐內典錄 10.66

10.66

右監門挍尉馮翊李山龍。以武德中暴亡心暖。七日乃蘇云。初去至官庭前。有囚數千枷鎖禁撿。見一大官坐廳高座問傍人。何官。彼曰。王也。因至階問。生平何福業。龍云。鄉人設會。恒施物同之。又曰。作何善業。龍曰。誦法華兩卷。王曰。大善。可升階就東北高座誦之。便舉聲曰。妙法蓮華經序品第一。王曰。請法師止。向法師誦經。非唯自利。乃令庭中諸囚皆以聞法丞免。諸囚寂亦不見。乃放還。備見他地獄五苦休息。亦由聞經故止。

Li Shanlong of Fengyi, Officer of the Right Gate Guard, died suddenly in the Wude era, though his heart remained warm; he revived only after seven days. He recounted: At first, when he went, he arrived before an official court where several thousand prisoners were shackled and under interrogation. He saw a great official sitting on a high seat in the hall, and asked a bystander, "What official is this?" The person said, "The King." When he reached the steps, [the King] asked, "What meritorious karma have you performed during your life?" Long said, "When villagers held gatherings, I constantly gave material offerings to join them." [The King] further asked, "What good karma have you done?" Long said, "I chanted two fascicles of the Lotus Sūtra." The King said, "Very good! You may ascend the steps to the northeast high seat and chant it." He then raised his voice and said, "Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, Chapter One: Introductory." The King said, "Please stop, Dharma Master. When the Dharma Master just chanted the sūtra, not only did it benefit yourself, but it also caused all the prisoners in the courtyard to instantly obtain release through hearing the Dharma." The prisoners were silent and also vanished, whereupon [the King] released him to return. He saw in detail the other hells with their five sufferings in recess, which also stopped because of hearing the sūtra.