English Original
"This is bizarre," Yin Anyan asked his family. "Who on earth killed my donkey?"
"What?"
"Somebody killed my donkey and left the skin in the yard." They went out to look. "Looks like somebody ate the meat and left the hide." They were all quite angry. It had been a fine donkey.
A year or two later, a stranger accosted Yin on the street. "Your time is up. The soul-catchers will collect you tomorrow." Then the person vanished into thin air.
Yin was covered in goosebumps. He went straight to Cumen Temple, where he knew some monks, and sat in the chapel. He stayed there all night, kowtowing, chanting the name of Buddha Amitabha, and reciting sutras.
The next morning, he saw a dozen demons armed with spears, halberds, and swords coming for him. They stood outside the temple and roared, "Get out here now!" Yin ignored them and kept reciting his sutra.
"I told you we should have taken him yesterday," one demon said. "Now he's in there reciting a sutra, and there's nothing we can do." Yin's hair stood on end. He buried his face in the sutra. The demons huddled together, then left to collect other souls, leaving one sentry at the door to catch Yin if he stepped out.
Soon, the sentry spoke. "Look, why not come peacefully? It's easier for everyone. We have nothing against you personally. We're just doing our job. The donkey you murdered has filed a complaint, so we must take you in. Sorry, but that's the way it is."
"Ask my family!" Yin pleaded. "I didn't kill that donkey! Someone else did and left the skin in my yard. I'm innocent!"
"Tell it to the judge."
"Let's do this," Yin suggested. "I'll recite sutras and hold ceremonies for my donkey's soul, but I can't do that if I'm dead, can I? Could you ask the donkey if that's acceptable?"
"Alright, I'll see what I can do," the demon replied. "If the donkey doesn't agree, we'll be back tomorrow with a warrant. Hiding here won't help you then. If we don't come tomorrow, it means we have a deal." The demon vanished in a puff of smoke.
The next day, Yin was on pins and needles, but the demons never appeared. He recited sutras for the donkey's soul and performed ceremonies to release it from suffering.
More importantly, Yin learned a vital lesson: all living creatures cherish their lives. From that day on, he and his entire family never ate meat again.
中文翻译
"这太奇怪了，" 尹安岩问他的家人，"究竟是谁杀了我的驴？"
"什么？"
"有人杀了我的驴，把皮留在了院子里。" 他们出去查看。"看来是有人吃了肉，留下了皮。" 他们都非常生气。那是一头很好的驴。
一两年后，一个陌生人在街上拦住尹安岩说："你的时辰到了。勾魂使者明天会来带你走。" 说完，那人便消失得无影无踪。
尹安岩起了一身鸡皮疙瘩。他径直前往他认识一些僧侣的存门寺，坐在小教堂里。他在那里待了一整夜，磕头、念诵阿弥陀佛的名号、诵读佛经。
第二天早上，他看到十几个手持长矛、戟和剑的恶魔来抓他。他们站在寺庙外吼道："快出来！" 尹安岩没有理会，继续念经。
"我告诉过你我们昨天就该抓他，" 一个恶魔说。"现在他在里面念经，我们无能为力了。" 尹安岩听得毛骨悚然。他把脸埋进经书里。恶魔们聚在一起商量了一下，然后离开去勾其他魂魄，只留一个哨兵在门口，以防尹安岩出来。
不久，那个哨兵开口了："听着，何不乖乖跟我们走？这样对大家都好。我们个人对你没有意见，只是执行公务。问题是你杀的那头驴把你告了，所以我们得带你回去。抱歉，但规矩就是这样。"
"你可以问我的家人！" 尹安岩辩解道，"我根本没杀那头驴！是别人杀的，把皮扔在了我院子里。我是无辜的！"
"去跟判官说吧。"
"这样吧，" 尹安岩提议，"我愿意为我的驴念经超度，举行法事。但我要是死了就做不了这些了，对吧？你能不能去问问那头驴，这样行不行？"
"好吧，我去试试，" 恶魔回答。"如果那头驴不同意，我们明天会带着拘票再来。到时候你躲在这里也没用。如果我们明天没来，就表示成交了。" 说完，恶魔化作一阵青烟消失了。
第二天，尹安岩一整天都坐立不安，但恶魔们始终没有出现。他为死去的驴的灵魂念经，并举行法事以超度它脱离苦海。
更重要的是，尹安岩学到了重要的一课：所有生灵都珍爱自己的生命。从那以后，他和他的全家再也没有吃过一口肉。