The Monk of Changqing

　　There was once an old monk in Changqing. His virtue was lofty and pure. Even past eighty, he was still hale and strong. One day, he stumbled and fell, unable to rise. The other monks rushed to save him, but he had already passed into nirvana.

　　The monk himself did not know he was dead. His soul drifted away and traveled to the Henan region. In Henan there lived the son of a late official, a young gentleman. He was out hunting hares with a dozen riders and a falcon on his wrist. His horse bolted, threw him off, and he fell to his death. Just at that moment, the monk's soul happened along. It merged with the gentleman's body in a flash, and the body slowly came back to life. The servants crowded around to ask what had happened. The gentleman opened his eyes and said, "How did I get here?"

　　They helped him home. The moment he stepped through the gate, women with powdered faces and painted eyebrows gathered around him, fussing and asking after him. He was horrified. "I am a monk!" he cried. "What am I doing here?" The family thought he was raving and tried to reason with him. The monk offered no explanation. He simply closed his eyes and said no more. When they served him coarse grain, he ate. When they offered wine or meat, he refused. At night he slept alone, rejecting the company of his wives and concubines.

　　A few days later, he suddenly felt like taking a short walk. Everyone was pleased. Once he was outside and had settled a little, servants began streaming in with ledgers of money and grain, peppering him with questions about accounts. The gentleman pleaded illness and exhaustion and refused to deal with any of it. He only asked, "Do you know Changqing County in Shandong?"

　　"Yes," they answered.

　　"I am bored and restless. I want to go there to see the sights. Prepare my travel things at once."

　　The family protested that he had just recovered and shouldn't travel so far. He paid them no mind. The next day he set out.

　　When he reached Changqing, the scenery was just as it had always been. He did not need to ask the way; he went straight to the temple. Several of the old monk's disciples saw a noble visitor arriving and knelt to welcome him respectfully. He asked, "Where has the old monk gone?"

　　"Our master passed away some time ago," they replied.

　　He asked to be shown the grave. They led him to a lonely, three‑foot mound, the wild grass still sparse upon it. The disciples had no idea what this visitor meant. After a while, he ordered his horse brought and prepared to return. Before leaving, he instructed them, "Your master was a monk who kept the precepts well. The writings he left behind—you must guard them faithfully. Do not let them be damaged." The disciples all said yes, and he left.

　　Back in Henan, he sat like dead ashes, still as a wooden statue, taking no part in household affairs.

　　After a few months, he slipped out of the house on his own and went straight back to the old temple. He said to the disciples, "I am your master." They thought he was lying and exchanged glances, smiling. So he told them the story of how his soul had returned to life and described everything he had done in his former life. It all matched. Only then did they believe him. They let him stay in his old sleeping place and served him as before.

　　After that, the gentleman's family sent carriages and horses many times, begging him to return. He paid them no attention at all. More than a year later, his wife sent a trusted servant with many gifts. He refused all the gold and silk, accepting only one cloth robe. When friends of the gentleman came to that region, they would visit him in respect. They found him quiet and sincere, only about thirty years old, yet he would often speak of things that had happened eighty years before.

　　The Historian of the Strange comments:

　　When a man dies, his soul scatters. That this monk's soul could drift a thousand miles without losing itself—that shows how steadfast his nature was. What I find remarkable about this monk is not that he came back to life, but that he entered the land of luxury and beauty and still turned his back on the world to flee. For most people, the moment their eyes catch a glimpse of such splendor, their hearts are seduced by perfumes and finery. They would long for it even if it cost them their lives—much less a monk!



中文如下：

　　长清僧

　　原文和翻译 对比

　　【原文】

　　长清僧某，道行高洁。年八十馀犹健。一日，颠仆不起，寺僧奔救，已圆寂矣。僧不自知死，魂飘去，至河南界。河南有故绅子，率十馀骑，按鹰猎兔。马逸，堕毙。魂适相值，翕然而合，遂渐苏。厮仆还问之。张目曰：“胡至此！”众扶归。入门，则粉白黛绿者，纷集顾问。大骇曰：“我僧也，胡至此！”家人以为妄，共提耳悟之。僧亦不自申解，但闭目不复有言。饷以脱粟则食，酒肉则拒。夜独宿，不受妻妾奉。

　　数日后，忽思少步。众皆喜。既出，少定，即有诸仆纷来，钱簿谷籍，杂请会计。公子托以病倦，悉卸绝之，惟问：“山东长清县，知之否？”共答：“知之。”曰：“我郁无聊赖，欲往游瞩，宜即治任。”众谓新瘳未应远涉，不听。翼日遂发。抵长清，视风物如昨。无烦问途，竟至兰若。弟子数人见贵客至，伏谒甚恭。乃问：“老僧焉往？”答云：“吾师曩已物化。”问墓所，群导以往，则三尺孤坟，荒草犹未合也。众僧不知何意。既而戒马欲归，嘱曰：“汝师戒行之僧，所遗手泽，宜恪守，勿俾损坏。”众唯唯。乃行。既归，灰心木坐，了不勾当家务。

　　居数月，出门自遁，直抵旧寺。谓弟子：“我即汝师。”众疑其谬，相视而笑。乃述返魂之由，又言生平所为，悉符。众乃信，居以故榻，事之如平日。后公子家屡以舆马来，哀请之，略不顾瞻。又年馀，夫人遣纪纲至，多所馈遗。金帛皆却之，惟受布袍一袭而已。友人或至其乡，敬造之。见其人默然诚笃，年仅而立，而辄道其八十馀年事。

　　异史氏曰：人死则魂散，其千里而不散者，性定故耳。予于僧，不异之乎其再生，而异之乎其入纷华靡丽之乡，而能绝人以逃世也。若眼睛一闪，而兰麝薰心，有求死不得者矣，况僧乎哉！

　　【翻译】

　　长清有个老和尚，道行高洁，八十多岁了身体还很强健。一天，他忽然摔倒起不来，等到寺院里的和尚们跑来救护时，已经圆寂了。老和尚并不知道自己已经死去，魂魄飘飘忽忽地离开身体，到了河南境内。河南有个旧官绅的公子，正率领十馀人骑马架鹰猎取野兔。突然马受惊狂奔起来，公子从马上摔下去摔死了。老和尚的魂魄恰好飘游到了这里，便猛然与尸体合在一起，于是渐渐苏醒了过来。仆人们一齐围上前来询问，他睁眼却说：“我怎么到了这里！”众人扶着他回了家。一进门，许多涂脂抹粉的艳妆女子纷纷前来探看问候。他大吃一惊说：“我是个和尚呀，怎么到了这里！”家人以为他在说胡话，都来恳切地开导他让他醒悟。他也不再为自己作解释了，只是闭着眼一言不发。家里人端上饭来，粗米饭他才吃，酒和肉都不沾染。晚上一个人独睡，也不让妻妾们来侍奉。

　　几天后，他忽然想出去走走。大家都很高兴。出门后，刚稍微安静了一会儿，就有许多管家仆人纷纷走上前来，向他请示钱银收发、账目出纳等各种事宜。他借口病久劳累，推卸不管。只问：“山东的长清县，你们知道吗？”众人一齐回答说：“知道。”他说：“我心里郁闷无聊，想去那里游览，赶快整理行装吧。”众人劝说他病才刚刚好，不宜出门远行，但他不听。第二天他们就出发了。到了长清县，他看到那里的风光景物还和往昔一样，也没用打听路途，直接走到了那座寺院。寺中原先他的几个弟子看见贵客临门，都毕恭毕敬地前来迎接。他问：“那个老和尚到哪里去了？”众和尚回答说：“我们的师父先时已经圆寂了。”他又问起老和尚坟墓所在的地方，众人就领着他去了那里，只见三尺高的一座孤坟，坟上的野草还没有长满。和尚们都不知道他这是什么意思。看罢坟墓，他准备马匹要回去了，临走嘱咐说：“你们的师父是个严守佛家戒律的僧人，他留下的手稿遗物，你们要恭谨保存，不要损坏了。”和尚们都点头答应。于是他就走了。等回到家中，他槁木死灰一般，整日枯坐，一点儿也不料理家务。

　　又住了几个月，他偷偷出门溜走，直接来到了旧日的寺院。对弟子说：“我就是你们的师父。”大家怀疑他在说胡话，都相视而笑。于是他讲述了灵魂返回的缘由，又说起老和尚生前的所作所为，都一一与事实相符。大家这才相信，请他住在原先的卧室里，像从前一样地侍奉他。后来，公子家多次派车马前来，哀求他回去，他丝毫不予理睬。又过了一年多，公子的妻子派了干练的仆人前来，送了很多东西。他拒绝接受金银绸缎，只收下一件布袍。公子的朋友有时到了他所在的乡里，恭敬地来拜访他。只见他沉默寡言，朴实诚恳，年纪只有三十岁，却常常说起他八十多年来的事情。

　　异史氏说：人死了灵魂就会散去，这个和尚的灵魂飘行千里而不散失，是他心性能够保持的缘故。对于这个和尚，我不惊奇他的死而复生，而是惊奇他来到富贵华丽的地方，仍然能够拒绝他人，躲开世俗。像这样在眨眼之间，就能够得到华丽生活的种种享受，对于一般人来说，肯定是死也甘心、求之不得的好事情，又何况是清苦的和尚呢！