肇論疏 2.9

2.9

Part three praises the Qin king, Yao Xing. When Xing first succeeded his father, he improperly assumed the title of Emperor. Later, he relinquished the imperial title and referred to himself as the King of Qin, conferring elevated titles upon all his officials and changing the reign era to Hongshi. Here he is not called "Son of Heaven," but is instead called "Heavenly King."
From "His way accords with the foremost of the hundred kings" down [to "his virtue enriches the coming ages"]: His way stands preeminent among former kings, hence "the foremost of the hundred kings." His virtue moistens and enriches future generations, hence "a thousand years later."
"His blade moves freely through the myriad affairs": This refers to the blade of wisdom. The chapter "The Secret of Caring for Life" in the Inner Chapters of the *Zhuangzi* states: "Cook Ding was carving an ox for Lord Wenhui. At every touch of his hand, every lean of his shoulder, every tread of his foot, every drive of his knee, the flesh parted with a sound, and the knife slid through with a whisper, perfectly in rhythm—harmonizing with the 'Dance of the Mulberry Forest' and keeping time with the 'Jingshou' suite. Lord Wenhui said, 'Ah, how wonderful! Can skill indeed reach such heights?' Cook Ding laid down his knife and replied, 'What your servant loves is the Dao, which goes beyond mere skill. When I first began carving oxen, all I saw was the whole ox. After three years, I no longer saw a whole ox. And now, I encounter it with spirit rather than looking with my eyes. A good cook changes his knife once a year because he cuts; a common cook changes his knife once a month because he hacks. Now your servant's knife has been in use for nineteen years, having carved several thousand oxen, yet its blade is as keen as if fresh from the whetstone. The joints have spaces, and the edge of the blade has no thickness. Inserting that which has no thickness into that which has space—vast and spacious, there is surely more than enough room for the blade to move freely!'"
Regarding the "myriad affairs" (*wanji*): The "Counsel of Gao Yao" in the *Shangshu* states: "Be fearful and cautious; in one day, in two days, there are ten thousand occasions (*wanji*)." Kong's commentary says: "*Ji* means subtle; it means that one must be cautious and fearful regarding the subtleties of myriad matters." Here the character *ji* (機) is written, which is still the single character *ji*.
Saying this of the King of Qin means that outwardly he can wield the blade of wisdom to decide and resolve state affairs, while inwardly he can propagate the Buddha-Dao all day long.
From "Truly, he is what the common people of this degenerate age look up to as heaven": "Truly" means it is genuinely so. "Degenerate" (*ji*) refers to the order of birth or seasonal months (the first, second, and third months of a season, where *ji* is the last); *ji* means the end. It is true that the King of Qin is what the common people of this degenerate age look up to as heaven, and what Śākyamuni's bequeathed Dharma relies upon as a staff. It is also the staff of reliance; relying on him, the bequeathed Dharma flourishes. As for "common people" (*cangsheng*), *cang* is the color of the sky. The "Free and Easy Wandering" chapter of the *Zhuangzi* says: "Is azure (*cangcang*) the sky's true color?" Here it means "those born of heaven," hence "common people" (*cangsheng*), meaning all sentient beings.
From "Thereupon he assembled the śramaṇas versed in doctrine": At that time he gathered the monks. "Versed in doctrine" refers to those who study the teachings. During the Qin there was the Xiaoyao Garden, and within the garden was a belvedere, hence called the Xiaoyao Belvedere. Master Sengrui says: "The Western Bright Pavilion of the Xiaoyao Garden." A pavilion is also a belvedere. The Xiaoyao Garden was located north of the old city of the Western Capital, overlooking the Wei River.
Regarding "He personally held the Qin texts to collate and verify the vaipulya scriptures with Kumārajīva": Master Kumārajīva arrived in Chang'an on the twentieth day of the twelfth month of the third year of Hongshi; on the twenty-third day of the fourth month of the fifth year of Hongshi, he translated the *Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā* in the Xiaoyao Garden. The King of Qin personally examined the older translations to verify their strengths and weaknesses. This passage speaks of that event.
From "That which he opened and entrusted": This clarifies the scriptures that the King of Qin requested to be translated. "Opening and entrusting the Dharma gates" not only brought benefit at that time, but also served as a bridge and ford for future generations. "For successive kalpas" conveys the intention of bringing benefit into the distant future.