Original Text
Master Ding of Zhucheng County was the grandson of Master Ding Yehe. This young scholar of renown fell gravely ill and died, but after a night he revived, saying, "I have attained enlightenment." At that time, there was a monk skilled in expounding the profound principles of Buddhism, so they sent for him and had him explain the Shurangama Sutra at Ding's bedside. Ding refuted each section he heard, declaring it incorrect, and added, "If my illness can be cured, what difficulty is there in discussing the sutras? Only a certain scholar can heal me; please humbly invite him." This scholar, a native of the county, was proficient in medicine but did not practice publicly; after several invitations, he came, prescribed a remedy, and Ding recovered. When the scholar returned home, a woman entered from outside and said, "I am a maidservant from the household of Minister Dong. The Purple Flower Monk and I have a long-standing grudge, and now I have taken my revenge. Why have you revived him? If you treat him again, you will also meet with calamity." With these words, she vanished. Frightened, the scholar ceased treating Ding. Ding's illness relapsed, and he repeatedly sent for the scholar, who then told him the truth. Ding sighed and said, "The sin was incurred in a former life, and death is fated." Soon after, he died. Later, inquiries were made among many, and it was indeed confirmed that there had once been a Purple Flower Monk, a venerable monk, whom the wife of Minister Dong of Qingzhou had invited to her home for support; no one knew how the enmity between him and the maidservant had arisen.
Commentary
Medicine can only cure the ailments of this present life, not the sins of past incarnations; that is to say, the power of medical treatment is limited before the decree of fate. This sounds like a physician's excuse. Yet since "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio" speaks of karmic retribution, it naturally applies this principle consistently to all aspects of life, and thus the present incarnation of the Purple Flower Monk, Ding Sheng of Zhucheng, could only abandon treatment and await death. However, the tale also contains some puzzling elements, as Dan Minglun remarked: "Since the Purple Flower Monk was a venerable monk, how could he have incurred enmity with a serving maid of an official's household? And why did the retribution only come to be exacted in this present life?"