Strange but True

Avalokitesvara Once, Kuan Yin Bodhisattva transformed into a fishmonger. She was an exquisite woman who went about the village with her fish basket. No one in the village believed in the Buddha. But when the young men in the village caught sight of this maiden, they desired her. The village wasn't large, but there were at least a hundred young men there, and every one of them wanted to marry her. Kuan Yin with the fish basket said, "There are so many of you! I can't marry a hundred men, but I have thought of a method to choose a husband. I will marry whichever of the hundred of you is the first to be able to learn to recite by heart the 'Universal Door Chapter' of the Lotus Sutra. Go back home and I'll give you three days."

At the end of three days, there were forty or fifty who could recite it from memory. The woman with the fish basket said, "But there are still too many of you. Even though you have met the requirements, I can't have fifty husbands. This time go back and within five days memorise the Vajra Sutra. I'll marry whoever does that."

So the fifty who'd made it to the first level went back and began to practice the Vajra Sutra. At the end of the five days there were some twenty who could recite it by heart. The fishmonger said, "There are still too many of you. It's impossible for me to marry all of you. I have one more task. Anyone who can memorise the Lotus Sutra in seven days will be my husband. I believe whoever can do that will be worthy."

The twenty began to recite the Lotus Sutra, and at the end of seven days there was one man who could recite it from memory. He was named Ma, and came from a wealthy family. So there was a large wedding and everyone was invited. That evening, after the festivities, they retired, but who would have guessed that the bride would have a heart attack and die instantly? And the bridegroom had gone so much effort! He'd memorise the 'Universal Door Chapter', the Vajra Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, and still had no bride. Shortly thereafter, the funeral took place, and a monk in purple robes appeared in the scene. "What's going on?" he asked. "Our new daughter-in-law passed away suddenly, and we are burying her." "No," said the monk. "There's nothing in that coffin at all! Who are you mourning for? Open it and take a look." Indeed the coffin was empty. They were all amazed. "Where's she gone? After her! Bring her back!"

The monk told them, "That was Kuan Yin Boddhisattva. You people in this village didn't believe in Buddha, so he manifested the appearance of a beautiful woman in order to get you young men who are so fond of forms to study the Buddhadharma. Then she left." When the bridegroom, Ma, heard that, he renounced all worldly things and left home-life. After that, he was certified to the fruition of a sage. That really happened in China.

(Extracted from the Shurangama Sutra with Commentary)