大唐內典錄 10.67

10.67

Li Siyi of Zhaojun, [an official] of the Grand Ancestral Shrine, lost his speech on the eighth day of the first month in the twentieth year of Zhenguan. On the thirteenth day he died, but after a day he revived. He himself recounted that he had seen the underworld officials in full detail. They said that when he was nineteen years old, he had taken a life. Siyi realized this and said, 'At the time of that killing, I was in Huangzhou listening to Master Min lecture on the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra]. How could I have committed a murder there?' The officials summoned Master Min. Someone replied, 'Master Min has been born in the realm of Jin Su (Gold-Grain) and cannot be summoned.' So they provisionally released him to return home. His home was near Qingshan Si. The temple monk Xuantong had long associated with him. His family asked Tong to chant sūtras to transfer merit for him. Presently they saw him revive, and he also spoke of the underworld matters. Thereupon he repented, received the precepts, and was advised to chant the Diamond Prajñā five thousand times. Toward evening he died again, and the next day he revived once more. He himself recounted: 'I saw the grand official from afar, who was overjoyed and said, "Returning home, you have created great merit and virtue!" I then saw two monks who testified, saying, "Master Min sent us." When the official saw them, he was alarmed and fearful, and welcomed them. The monks said, "Formerly, Siyi listened to the lectures and did not kill. On what grounds was he wrongfully recorded?" The underworld official said, "He shall be released at once." The monks escorted me home and said, "With a pure mind cultivate good causes." Thereupon I revived,' and so forth.