Seonnyul Comes Back to Life善律還生
1His Life Was Spent, but His Vow Remained
善律還生望徳寺僧善律施錢欲成六百般若,功未周忽被隂府所追至䆩.司問曰,“汝在人間作何業.”律曰,“貧道暮年欲成大品經㓛未就而来.”司曰,“汝之夀籙雖盡,勝願未冝復人間畢成寳典”,乃放還.
Seonnyul comes back to life.
Seonnyul (善律), a monk of Mangdeoksa, gave money to complete the six hundred fascicles of the Prajna Sutra, but before the work was finished he was suddenly summoned by the underworld and brought before the court of the dead.
The official asked, "What deeds did you do in the world of men?"
Seonnyul said, "In my old age this poor monk tried to complete the Great Prajna Sutra, but I came before the work was done."
The official said, "Though the register of your life is spent, your excellent vow is not yet fulfilled. You should go back to the world of men and finish the precious scripture."
So he released him and sent him back.
2The Sesame Oil under the Bed and the Cloth in the Bedding
途中有一女子哭涖拜前曰,“我亦南閻州新羅人,㘴父母隂取金剛寺水田一畒,被䆩府追檢乆受重苦.今師若還古里,告我父母速還厥田.妾之在世胡麻油埋於床下并藏緻宻布於寢褥間,願師取吾油點佛燈,貨其布爲經幅,則黄泉亦恩庶㡬脫我苦惱矣.”律曰“汝家何在”曰“沙梁部乆逺寺西南里也.”律聞之方行乃蘇,時律死已十日葬于南山東麓.在塜中呼三日,牧裡聞之來告於本寺.寺僧歸發塚出之具說前事.又訪女家,女死隔十五年油布宛然.律依其諭作䆩福.女來魂報云,“頼師之恩妾已離苦得脫矣.”時人聞之莫不驚感,助成寳典.其経秩今在東都僧司藏中,每年春秋披轉禳災焉.讃曰.堪羨吾師伩勝縁,魂逰却返奮林泉.爺孃若問児安否,爲我催還一畒田.
On the way back a woman came before him weeping, bowed, and said:
"I too am a person of Silla in Jambudvipa. My parents secretly took a furrow of paddy field belonging to Geumgangsa, and for that I was seized by the court of the dead, examined, and have long suffered heavy pain.
Now when you return to your home, master, tell my parents to return that field quickly.
When I was in the world I buried sesame oil under my bed, and also hid finely woven cloth between the quilts of my bedding.
I beg you, master, take my oil and light it in the Buddha's lamp, and sell the cloth to make sheets for the scripture. Then even in the Yellow Springs I will receive the kindness, and I hope to escape my torment."
Seonnyul said, "Where is your house?" She said, "In the village southwest of Guwonsa in Saryangbu."
Seonnyul heard this and was just setting out when he came to.
By then Seonnyul had been dead ten days and had already been buried on the eastern slope of Namsan.
He called out from inside the grave for three days, and a herd boy heard him and came to tell his temple.
The monks of the temple went and dug open the grave and brought him out, and he told all that had happened.
They also looked for the woman's house. The woman had been dead fifteen years, yet the oil and the cloth were there just as she had said.
Seonnyul performed the rites for her in the world beyond as she had asked.
The woman's spirit came and told him, "By your kindness, master, I have already left my torment and been set free."
When the people of that time heard of it, there was none who was not startled and moved, and they helped to complete the precious scripture.
Those scripture cases are now in the storehouse of the monks' office in the Eastern Capital, and every spring and autumn they are opened and turned to ward off disaster.
In praise it is said:
Enviable, that this master trusted his excellent bond; his spirit wandered, then came back and rose again among the woods and springs. Father and mother, if you ask whether your daughter is well, hurry for my sake and give back that one furrow of field.