Page:Gems of Chinese literature (1922).djvu/255

 and entering in, he stood in the presence of the Bôdhisatva, on whose head was the ushnisha, whose golden face was round like the full moon, and at whose side was a green willow-branch bending gracefully over the lip of a vase. Humbly Mr. T‘ang prostrated himself on the ground, and repeated what Wên Ch'ang had said to him; but the Bôdhisatva seemed to think it would be impossible to grant his request, until one of the Lohans who stood by cried out. “O Bôdhisatva, perform this miracle. Take earth and make his flesh; take a sprig of willow and make his bones.” Thereupon the Bôdhisatva broke off a piece from the willow-branch in the vase beside him; and pouring a little water on the ground, he made clay, and casting the whole over Mr. T‘ang's soul, he bade an attendant lead the body back to the place where his coffin was. At that instant Mr. T‘ang's family heard a groan come from withingwithin [sic] his coffin; and on rushing to it and helping out the lately deceased man, they found that he had quite recovered. He had then been dead seven days. 

A man named Sun Pi-chên was crossing the Yang-tze when a great thunder-squall broke upon the boat and caused her to toss about fearfully, to the great terror of all the passengers. Just then, an angel in golden armour appeared standing upon the clouds above them, holding in his hand a scroll inscribed with certain words, also written in gold, which the people on the boat easily made out to be three in number, namely Sun Pi-chên. So, turning at once to their fellow-traveller, they said to him, “You have evidently incurred the displeasure of God; get into a boat by yourself and do not involve us in your punishment.” And without giving him time to reply whether he would do so or not, they 30