某道士，雲游日暮，投止野寺。見僧房扃閉，遂藉蒲團，趺坐廊下。夜既靜，聞啟闔聲，旋見一僧來，渾身血污，目中若不見道士，道士亦若不見之。僧直入殿，登佛座，抱佛頭而笑，久之乃去。及明，視室，門扃如故。怪之，入村道所見。眾如寺，發扃驗之，則僧殺死在地，室中席篋掀騰，知為盜劫。疑鬼笑有因；共驗佛首，見腦後有微痕，刓之，內藏三十餘金。遂用以葬之。
有個道士四處雲遊，天晚了，便到一座荒野中的寺院投宿。他見僧房的門鎖著，就拿蒲團墊在身下，在廊下盤腿打坐。夜深人靜時，他聽見開關門的聲音，接著看見一個僧人走來，渾身都是血汙，彷彿沒有看見道士，道士也裝作沒有看見他。僧人徑直走進大殿，登上佛座，抱著佛像的頭笑，過了很久才離去。天亮後，道士去看僧房，房門還和原來一樣鎖著。他覺得奇怪，便進村講了自己的所見。眾人來到寺院，打開鎖進去檢視，只見僧人被殺死在地上，屋裡的席子和箱子翻得亂七八糟，知道是強盜劫掠所致。他們猜想僧人的鬼魂發笑必有緣故，便一起檢查佛像的頭，發現後腦有一點細微的痕跡。削開那裡，裡面藏著三十多兩銀子。於是眾人用這筆錢安葬了僧人。
某道士，云游日暮，投止野寺。见僧房扃闭，遂藉蒲团，趺坐廊下。夜既静，闻启阖声，旋见一僧来，浑身血污，目中若不见道士，道士亦若不见之。僧直入殿，登佛座，抱佛头而笑，久之乃去。及明，视室，门扃如故。怪之，入村道所见。众如寺，发扃验之，则僧杀死在地，室中席箧掀腾，知为盗劫。疑鬼笑有因；共验佛首，见脑后有微痕，刓之，内藏三十余金。遂用以葬之。
有个道士四处云游，天晚了，便到一座荒野中的寺院投宿。他见僧房的门锁着，就拿蒲团垫在身下，在廊下盘腿打坐。夜深人静时，他听见开关门的声音，接着看见一个僧人走来，浑身都是血污，仿佛没有看见道士，道士也装作没有看见他。僧人径直走进大殿，登上佛座，抱着佛像的头笑，过了很久才离去。天亮后，道士去看僧房，房门还和原来一样锁着。他觉得奇怪，便进村讲了自己的所见。众人来到寺院，打开锁进去查看，只见僧人被杀死在地上，屋里的席子和箱子翻得乱七八糟，知道是强盗劫掠所致。他们猜想僧人的鬼魂发笑必有缘故，便一起检查佛像的头，发现后脑有一点细微的痕迹。削开那里，里面藏着三十多两银子。于是众人用这笔钱安葬了僧人。
A certain Daoist, wandering from place to place, sought lodging at dusk in a temple out in the wilds. Finding the monks’ quarters locked, he spread out a rush cushion and sat cross-legged in the gallery outside. When the night had grown still he heard a door open and shut, and soon a monk came along, covered from head to foot in blood. He seemed not to see the Daoist, and the Daoist acted as if he did not see him either. The monk went straight into the main hall, climbed up onto the Buddha’s pedestal, threw his arms around the Buddha’s head and laughed. After a long while he went away. When it was light the Daoist looked at the monk’s room: the door was locked just as before. Thinking this strange, he went into the village and told what he had seen. A crowd went to the temple, broke the lock and looked inside. The monk lay dead on the floor, murdered, and the mats and boxes in the room were all turned upside down: they knew robbers had done it. Suspecting the ghost had laughed for a reason, they examined the Buddha’s head together and found a faint seam at the back of it. They pried it open, and hidden inside were more than thirty taels of silver. They used it to bury him.