The people of Runp-zhou of Jiangsu, were mostly fishermen who earned their living by catching fish, frogs and spiral shells. They enjoyed killing and if they were to give birth to a daughter, they would leave her out in the wild to die or drown her. Everyday, they would gather spiral shells and catch frogs and toads. The elders would then teach the children how to use a knife to cut up the frogs. They had developed the bad habit of killing and felt that it was great to know how to kill.
In the village, there was an old lady named Kong-po who always abstained from killing. Although she was already seventy years old, she still earned her living by weaving cloth. She would use her money to liberate lives. Besides that, she also advised others to liberate lives. On meeting people, she would always encourage them, "Sweeping spiral shells into the river and saving ants are ways to accumulate hidden virtues. Do not say that any goodness is too small to perform. A person must always be kind and compassionate and show concern towards all living beings. Look at the villagers here, they take lives every day. Oh dear! I don't know what kind of retribution they will face in the future."
On the morning of the ninth day of the ninth month, in the year of Yi-mao, Qian-long, the embankment of the river in Run-zhou collapsed and the river water flooded the village. The whole area of Run-zhou was submerged by flood water and many houses were swept away. Numerous people died in this disaster. A few nights before the disaster, some fishermen saw an officer in black attire bringing up a black record book from the river. The fishermen asked him the reason and he answered, "This is the retribution for taking lives. You must all quickly stop killing and practise liberation." After saying that he threw the book into the river and disappeared.
In the afternoon of the day before the disaster, Kong-Po brought her youngest grandson to make obeisance to the Buddha at a monastery up a hill. They stayed in a nunnery on the hill and so they were safe from the disaster. Because Kong-Po was humane and kind she and her family were especially blessed by the spirits.
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