NO. 4 RELIGION IN SZECHUAN PROVINCE — GRAHAM 21 



limbs ? " The Universally Honored One replied, " First two hands appear like 

 spring and summer. Later two feet appear like autumn and winter, and finally 

 you call them four limbs. When the child has been in the mother's womb for 

 five months, it develops the five lumps." Ho Lan asked Buddha, " Why do you 

 call them five lumps?" The Universally Honored One replied, "First, the 

 skull develops, then the fanbones develop, then the two kneecaps, so they are 

 called five lumps. When the child has been in the mother's womb for six months, 

 it develops the six senses." Ho Lan asked Buddha, " Why do you say the six 

 senses? " The Universally Honored One replied, " Eyes can see color, ears can 

 hear sound, the nose can smell all fragrances, the tongue can taste flavors, the 

 body feels fineness and smoothness, and the mind can understand all things, so 

 they are called the six senses, and are also called the six thieves. When the 

 child has been in the womb of the mother seven months, it develops the seven 

 kinds of bones." Ho Lan asked Buddha, " Why do you call them the seven kinds 

 of bones ? " The Universally Honored One replied, " My mother bore me having 

 bones of diamond that would not decay. Kuanyin P'usah was born having red 

 lotus bones. Shen Uen Lohan when born had bones that are sacred relics. Wan 

 Shen Di Wang was born having bones like the womb of a dragon and the body 

 of a phoenix. The imperial officers and the prime minister are born with kco 

 lien shiao (meaning not clear) bones, and the generals of war are born with 

 bones of tigers and wolves. We, whether we are men or women, are born with 

 three hundred and sixty joints. The bones of men and women are dififerent. 

 Bones of men develop from the head down. Bones of women develop from the 

 soles of the feet upward. The large intestines are twelve feet long, just as a 

 year has twelve months. The small intestines are twenty-four feet long, as 

 the year has twenty-four semi-lunar periods. When the child has been in the 

 womb of the mother eight months, it daily suffers eight kinds of hellish torments." 

 Ho Lan asked Buddha, " Why do you call them eight kinds of hellish torments? " 

 The Universally Honored One replied, " When the mother eats hot food, it is 

 called the hellish torments of (boiling) kettle soup. When the mother eats cold 

 food, it is called the hell of cold ice, When the mother is full (that is, when 

 her stomach is full), it is called the hell of crushing stone. When the mother 

 is hungry, it is called the hell of hungry demons. When the mother eats hard 

 things, it is called the hell of the sword mountain. When the mother travels or 

 is weary of labor, it the called the hell of pounding and beating (with pestles, 

 mallets, etc.). W'hen the mother is sitting down, it is called the hell of the 

 iron bed. When the mother nods her head, it is called the hell of hanging upside 

 down (the idea is that the nodding of the head causes the child to be turned 

 upside down). When the child has been in the womb of the mother for nine 

 months, it will daily turn over three times, and with both hands take hold of its 

 mother's heart and liver, and twice (daily) turn its body and tread on the mother's 

 backbone and thighs so that it tires her four limbs painfully, and all her joints 

 are tightly stiffened. When the child has been in the mother's womb for ten 

 jnonths, you can see that it is about to be born. Daily it comes and congeals 

 the mother's abdomen, and nightly it comes and congeals the mother's womb. 

 When the time of birth arrives, then you should fear four kinds of evil birth. 

 The first to fear is the grasp-dry-wood birth, the second to fear is the birth of 

 stepping on the lotus flower (feet appearing first), the third dreadful birth is 

 being born crosswise, and the fourth to dread is that of begging salt (probably 

 with the hands appearing first). The middle fingers of filial children are hot 



