湯公名聘，辛丑進士。抱病彌留。忽覺下部熱氣，漸升而上：至股，則足死；至腹，則股又死；至心，心之死最難。凡自童稚以及瑣屑久忘之事，都隨心血來，一一潮過。如一善，則心中清淨寧貼；一惡，則懊憹煩燥，似油沸鼎中，其難堪之狀，口不能肖似之。猶憶七八歲時，曾探雀雛而斃之，只此一事，心頭熱血潮涌，食頃方過。直待平生所為，一一潮盡，乃覺熱氣縷縷然，穿喉入腦，自頂顛出，騰上如炊，逾數十刻期，魂乃離竅，忘軀殼矣。
湯公名聘，是辛丑年的進士。他病重，到了彌留之際。忽然覺得身體下部有一股熱氣，漸漸往上升。升到大腿，雙腳便失去了知覺；升到腹部，大腿也失去了知覺；升到心口，心的死亡最為艱難。從幼年起，直到那些瑣碎而早已忘記的事情，全隨著心頭的血湧了回來，一件一件像潮水般經過。每想起一件善事，心裡就清明安寧；每想起一件惡事，就懊悔煩躁，像油在鍋裡沸騰，那種難以忍受的痛苦，言語根本無法形容。他仍記得，七八歲時曾從鳥巢裡掏出小麻雀，弄死了它們。僅僅這一件事，就使心頭熱血翻湧，足足過了一頓飯的工夫才平息。直到一生所做的事情一一湧過，才覺得熱氣一縷縷穿過喉嚨，進入腦中，從頭頂冒出，像炊煙一樣上升。過了幾十刻的工夫，魂魄才離開身體，完全忘了自己的軀殼。
汤公名聘，辛丑进士。抱病弥留。忽觉下部热气，渐升而上：至股，则足死；至腹，则股又死；至心，心之死最难。凡自童稚以及琐屑久忘之事，都随心血来，一一潮过。如一善，则心中清净宁贴；一恶，则懊憹烦燥，似油沸鼎中，其难堪之状，口不能肖似之。犹忆七八岁时，曾探雀雏而毙之，只此一事，心头热血潮涌，食顷方过。直待平生所为，一一潮尽，乃觉热气缕缕然，穿喉入脑，自顶颠出，腾上如炊，逾数十刻期，魂乃离窍，忘躯壳矣。
汤公名聘，是辛丑年的进士。他病重，到了弥留之际。忽然觉得身体下部有一股热气，渐渐往上升。升到大腿，双脚便失去了知觉；升到腹部，大腿也失去了知觉；升到心口，心的死亡最为艰难。从幼年起，直到那些琐碎而早已忘记的事情，全随着心头的血涌了回来，一件一件像潮水般经过。每想起一件善事，心里就清明安宁；每想起一件恶事，就懊悔烦躁，像油在锅里沸腾，那种难以忍受的痛苦，言语根本无法形容。他仍记得，七八岁时曾从鸟巢里掏出小麻雀，弄死了它们。仅仅这一件事，就使心头热血翻涌，足足过了一顿饭的工夫才平息。直到一生所做的事情一一涌过，才觉得热气一缕缕穿过喉咙，进入脑中，从头顶冒出，像炊烟一样上升。过了几十刻的工夫，魂魄才离开身体，完全忘了自己的躯壳。
Lord Tang, whose name was Pin, passed the jinshi examination in a xinchou year. He fell ill and lay at the point of death. Suddenly he felt a heat in the lower part of his body, rising little by little. When it reached his thighs, his feet died; when it reached his belly, his thighs died in turn; when it reached his heart — the heart is the hardest of all to die. Everything from his earliest childhood, down to trifles long forgotten, came back with the heart’s blood, surging past one by one like a tide. At each good deed his heart was clear and calm and at peace; at each bad one he was tormented and fretful, as if oil were boiling in a cauldron, a misery no words could describe. He still remembered that at seven or eight he had taken some young sparrows from a nest and killed them: for that one thing alone the hot blood surged through his heart for as long as it takes to eat a meal before it passed. Only when everything he had done in his life had surged past and ebbed away did he feel the heat, thread by thread, pass through his throat into his brain and out at the crown of his head, rising like steam from a cooking pot. After more than several dozen quarter-hours his soul at last left its lodging, and he forgot his body altogether.
而渺渺無歸，漂泊郊路間。一巨人來，高幾盈尋，掇拾之，納諸袖中。入袖，則疊肩壓股，其人甚伙，薅惱悶氣，殆不可過。公頓思惟佛能解厄，因宣佛號，才三四聲，飄墮袖外。巨人復納之。三納三墮，巨人乃去之。公獨立彷徨，未知何往之善。憶佛在西土，乃遂西。無何，見路側一僧趺坐，趨拜問途。僧曰：「凡士子生死錄，文昌及孔聖司之，必兩處銷名，乃可他適。」公問其居，僧示以途，奔赴。
他的魂魄茫茫然無處可去，漂泊在郊外的道路間。一個巨人走來，身高將近八尺，把他拾起來，裝進袖子裡。進去之後，裡面肩膀擠著肩膀，大腿壓著大腿，人非常多，擠得他煩亂憋悶，幾乎無法忍受。湯公忽然想到，只有佛能解除厄難，便念起佛號。才唸了三四聲，就飄落到袖子外面。巨人又把他裝進去，接連裝了三次，他都掉了出來，巨人便丟下他走了。湯公獨自站著，彷徨無措，不知道往哪裡去才好。想起佛在西方，便向西走。不久，看見路邊有個和尚盤腿坐著，他趕緊上前拜見問路。和尚說：「凡是讀書人的生死簿，都由文昌和孔聖掌管，必須在兩處都登出姓名，才可以去別的地方。」湯公問他們住在哪裡，和尚指明道路，他便急忙趕去。
而渺渺无归，漂泊郊路间。一巨人来，高几盈寻，掇拾之，纳诸袖中。入袖，则叠肩压股，其人甚伙，薅恼闷气，殆不可过。公顿思惟佛能解厄，因宣佛号，才三四声，飘堕袖外。巨人复纳之。三纳三堕，巨人乃去之。公独立彷徨，未知何往之善。忆佛在西土，乃遂西。无何，见路侧一僧趺坐，趋拜问途。僧曰：「凡士子生死录，文昌及孔圣司之，必两处销名，乃可他适。」公问其居，僧示以途，奔赴。
他的魂魄茫茫然无处可去，漂泊在郊外的道路间。一个巨人走来，身高将近八尺，把他拾起来，装进袖子里。进去之后，里面肩膀挤着肩膀，大腿压着大腿，人非常多，挤得他烦乱憋闷，几乎无法忍受。汤公忽然想到，只有佛能解除厄难，便念起佛号。才念了三四声，就飘落到袖子外面。巨人又把他装进去，接连装了三次，他都掉了出来，巨人便丢下他走了。汤公独自站着，彷徨无措，不知道往哪里去才好。想起佛在西方，便向西走。不久，看见路边有个和尚盘腿坐着，他赶紧上前拜见问路。和尚说：“凡是读书人的生死簿，都由文昌和孔圣掌管，必须在两处都注销姓名，才可以去别的地方。”汤公问他们住在哪里，和尚指明道路，他便急忙赶去。
But his soul drifted, far and vague, with nowhere to go, and wandered among the roads beyond the town. A giant came by, nearly eight feet tall, picked him up and tucked him into a sleeve. Inside the sleeve, shoulders were piled on shoulders and thighs pressed on thighs; there were a great many people in there, and it was so stifling and wretched that it could hardly be borne. Lord Tang suddenly thought that only the Buddha could deliver him from trouble, so he called on the Buddha’s name. He had called only three or four times when he floated down out of the sleeve. The giant put him back in. Three times he was put in and three times he fell out, and then the giant left him. Lord Tang stood alone, at a loss, not knowing which way it would be best to go. Remembering that the Buddha dwells in the Western Land, he went west. Before long he saw a monk sitting cross-legged by the roadside, hurried over, bowed and asked the way. “The registers of life and death for all scholars,” said the monk, “are kept by Wenchang and by the Sage Confucius. Your name must be struck off in both places before you can go anywhere else.” Lord Tang asked where they lived. The monk showed him the road, and he hurried off.
無幾，至聖廟，見宣聖南面坐。拜禱如前。宣聖言：「名籍之落，仍得帝君。」因指以路。公又趨之。見一殿閣，如王者居。俯身入，果有神人，如世所傳帝君像。伏祝之。帝君檢名曰：「汝心誠正，宜復有生理。但皮囊腐矣，非菩薩莫能為力。」因指示令急往。公從其教。俄見茂林修竹，殿宇華好。入，見螺髻莊嚴，金容滿月；瓶浸楊柳，翠碧垂煙。公肅然稽首，拜述帝君言。菩薩難之。公哀禱不已。旁有尊者白言：「菩薩施大法力，撮土可以為肉，折柳可以為骨。」菩薩即如所請，手斷柳枝，傾瓶中水，合淨土為泥，拍附公體。使童子攜送靈所，推而合之。棺中呻動，霍然病已。家人駭然集，扶而出之，計氣絕已斷七矣。
沒多久，他到了聖廟，看見宣聖面向南方坐著，便像先前一樣跪拜祈求。宣聖說：「要從名冊上除名，仍須去找帝君。」隨即給他指路。湯公又趕了過去，見到一座殿閣，像帝王的住處。他彎著身子進去，果然有位神人，與世間流傳的帝君畫像一樣。他伏地祈求。帝君查了姓名，說：「你的心誠實正直，應當還有復生的機會。但肉身已經腐爛，除了菩薩，誰也無能為力。」便指明方向，叫他趕緊前去。湯公照辦，不久看見茂密的樹林、修長的竹子，殿宇華麗美好。進去一看，菩薩頭梳螺髻，儀容莊嚴，金色面容圓如滿月。瓶裡浸著楊柳，青碧的枝葉垂下，如籠著煙霧。湯公恭恭敬敬地叩頭，稟告帝君的話。菩薩覺得為難，湯公不斷哀求。旁邊一位尊者說：「菩薩施展大法力，撮一點土就能變成肉，折一段柳枝就能變成骨。」菩薩便照他所請，親手摺下柳枝，倒出瓶中的水，與乾淨的土和成泥，拍敷到湯公身上。然後叫童子帶他回停靈的地方，推他與原來的身體合在一起。棺材裡傳出呻吟，有了動靜，湯公的病忽然全好了。家人驚駭地聚過來，扶他出來，算來他斷氣已經四十九天了。
无几，至圣庙，见宣圣南面坐。拜祷如前。宣圣言：「名籍之落，仍得帝君。」因指以路。公又趋之。见一殿阁，如王者居。俯身入，果有神人，如世所传帝君像。伏祝之。帝君检名曰：「汝心诚正，宜复有生理。但皮囊腐矣，非菩萨莫能为力。」因指示令急往。公从其教。俄见茂林修竹，殿宇华好。入，见螺髻庄严，金容满月；瓶浸杨柳，翠碧垂烟。公肃然稽首，拜述帝君言。菩萨难之。公哀祷不已。旁有尊者白言：「菩萨施大法力，撮土可以为肉，折柳可以为骨。」菩萨即如所请，手断柳枝，倾瓶中水，合净土为泥，拍附公体。使童子携送灵所，推而合之。棺中呻动，霍然病已。家人骇然集，扶而出之，计气绝已断七矣。
没多久，他到了圣庙，看见宣圣面向南方坐着，便像先前一样跪拜祈求。宣圣说：“要从名册上除名，仍须去找帝君。”随即给他指路。汤公又赶了过去，见到一座殿阁，像帝王的住处。他弯着身子进去，果然有位神人，与世间流传的帝君画像一样。他伏地祈求。帝君查了姓名，说：“你的心诚实正直，应当还有复生的机会。但肉身已经腐烂，除了菩萨，谁也无能为力。”便指明方向，叫他赶紧前去。汤公照办，不久看见茂密的树林、修长的竹子，殿宇华丽美好。进去一看，菩萨头梳螺髻，仪容庄严，金色面容圆如满月。瓶里浸着杨柳，青碧的枝叶垂下，如笼着烟雾。汤公恭恭敬敬地叩头，禀告帝君的话。菩萨觉得为难，汤公不断哀求。旁边一位尊者说：“菩萨施展大法力，撮一点土就能变成肉，折一段柳枝就能变成骨。”菩萨便照他所请，亲手折下柳枝，倒出瓶中的水，与干净的土和成泥，拍敷到汤公身上。然后叫童子带他回停灵的地方，推他与原来的身体合在一起。棺材里传出呻吟，有了动静，汤公的病忽然全好了。家人惊骇地聚过来，扶他出来，算来他断气已经四十九天了。
Before long he came to the temple of the Sage Proclaimer and saw him seated facing south. He bowed and prayed as before. “To have a name taken off the rolls,” said the Sage, “you must still go to the Divine Lord,” and pointed out the way. Lord Tang hurried on. He saw a hall with pavilions like a king’s dwelling. Bending low, he went in, and there indeed was a god, just like the images of the Divine Lord that people know. He prostrated himself and prayed. The Divine Lord looked up his name and said, “Your heart is sincere and upright; you ought to have a way back to life. But your skin bag has rotted, and no one but the Bodhisattva can help you.” He pointed out the way and told him to hurry. Lord Tang did as he was told. In a moment he saw a lush wood and tall bamboo, and halls of great beauty. He went in and saw a figure with hair coiled like snail shells, grave and majestic, with a golden face round as the full moon; willow sprigs stood steeping in a vase, their jade green hanging like mist. Lord Tang bowed his head to the ground in awe and told what the Divine Lord had said. The Bodhisattva was reluctant. Lord Tang went on pleading and praying. A venerable arhat at the side spoke up: “If the Bodhisattva uses great power, a pinch of earth can become flesh and a broken willow twig can become bone.” The Bodhisattva did as asked: broke off a willow branch by hand, poured out the water in the vase, mixed it with pure earth into mud, and patted it onto Lord Tang’s body. Then an acolyte was sent to carry him back to where his coffin lay and push him in to join his body. A groan came from the coffin, and something stirred; all at once his illness was gone. His household gathered in alarm and helped him out. By their reckoning, his breath had stopped a full seven sevens before.