國清百錄 4.40

4.40

貧道少懷靜志願屏囂塵，微悟苦空得從閑曠。是以去西陝之舊里，將領門徒遊憩天台十有二載。但此山溪接江源連亘海際，漁捕滬業交橫塞水，殺戮既多煮炙無算，夭傷物命有足悲者。亦是公私去來頻遭沒溺，以此死亡不可稱數。貧道不惟虛薄，願言拯濟。仍率勵山僧貨衣資什物，就土民孔玄達等買茲滬業，永作放生之池，變此魚梁翻成法流之水。故臨海內史計尚兒敬法心重，仍請講說《金光明經》。至〈流水品〉，檀越羊公賀等聞斯妙句，咸捨滬業凡五十五所，遂使水陸沾濡、人蟲荷澤。蓋聞雨華滿室，答長者之恩；明珠照夜，報隋侯之德。斯固植妙行於前修，播芳風於末代，福不唐捐善無虛失，仍以此事表白前陳。勅云：此江若無烏賊珍味，宜依所請永為福池。國子祭酒徐孝克，宿植德本才地兼美，聞斯積善請樹高碑，冀此洪基與嶽同固，願茲勝業將日月俱全。昔陳氏江東地不過數千里，猶若此慕善忘懷。仰惟皇帝陛下，秉金輪而御八表，握寶鏡以臨四民，風雨順時馬牛內向。信以道高堯舜、德邁軒羲，加復躬行十善，等赤子於群分；自運四弘，總下生而普濟。且不麑不卵著自外書，救蟻救魚聞之內典，豈有富天下而悋惜一江源，恩洽宇內而獨隔數百里？改蓮華之池，興燒煮之業，使軍民恣其傷殺、水族嬰其酸楚，身首分離、骨肉糜潰。以貧道意度皇帝之心，豈其然乎！豈其然乎！但晉王殿下道貫今古，允文允武，二南未足比其功；多材多藝，兩獻無以齊其德。茂績振於山西、英聲馳於江左，管淮海之地、化吳會之民，不以貧道不肖，曲垂禮接躬膺世範，謬荷人師具述事源，爰降符命在所恭承，莫敢違越。假令別有嚴使，的奉勅符毀所樹之碑、復民滬業者，貧道即振錫披衣擔簦躡履，遠遊京輦詣闕上書，殞首碎身以全物命。況今上旨，總使江南收捕海族，而江溪山水不出海魚，披省符文事不相涉，特由在斯，苟欲是非，毀壞放生興殘害業，當今太平之世路不拾遺，若恣軍民收羅採捕，則是奪人現財公行劫盜。若以至尊欲令軍民豐沃不許放生者，昔貧道西遊，路經岳州刺史王宣武，仍結香火稟受大乘。而彼地民不事農桑，專行殺捕之業。學士曇揵請講，遂即停留，一州五縣咸捨其業，凡一千餘所。以事表臺，降勅開許。自是岳州頻降祥瑞，使君宣武旌賞倍常。至尊神智高明，有感皆應，豈容為軍民口味奪人善業，縣尉此啟恐成僻見。且江溪狹小，不及岳州一基之地，又止有雜魚本無海族。至尊以晉王殿下有文武奇才，故遍加委任江南諸州，事無大小皆由決判。今若不得注言、王教不聽者，則是是非由於縣裁斷，不關晉王。如此之言，豈可聞於王耳。且大王親有符旨，開許放生，何容在所私行壅遏。貧道辭還幽谷，有二因緣：一為大王功德治葺舊寺；二為案行江溪修營福會，共諸檀越遠建菩提，爰被存亡莊嚴永願，一人有慶保盤石之基，使十千之魚恣相忘之樂。貧道至止已久，頻荷優任供給資須人功影響，每思往彼未展來遊，逖聽所聞頗傳惠化，境有三異之德、民謠五袴之歌，餐味高風誠深隨喜。但君臨稍畢旋返非賒，唯希善始令終以全嘉譽，攀轅臥轍無愧昔賢。貧道反覆九思、徘徊三省，北方人士壽長有福，豈非慈心少害感此妙齡；東海民庶多夭殤，漁獵所以短命貧窶，乃是世間現見，可為鑒誡者也。今若斷三歸之命、養五陰之身，斯則廢淨土之華業，起無邊之重過。事既反常，恐非養生之術。餘州鎮防不邊江海，既處高原採捕無地，未聞亡身他境、帶病還鄉。豈復必須水族以資身命，直令採捕尚乃非宜，況有毀他放生以給軍士。明府在鎮清嚴遠近稱歎，一錢不納，一犢方留，噲參養鵠卒獲寶珠，孔愉放龜終佩金印。檀越若不逆晉王符旨、不乖貧道之言，則是再灑法流奉宣帝道，有德必酬無善不報，玉珮雕弓不求自至，金印紫綬應念便來。今遣弟子普明，齎舊事往簡，但明府總此邦之務、執一鎮之兵機，有教必行如風靡草，願以貧道此書，宣示百姓、訓誨軍民。使遵九言之教無為始禍，改十惡之心永符元吉。事爭信人口具，不復委陳。沙門智顗白。

From my youth, this poor monk cherished an aspiration for quietude and wished to withdraw from the clamour and dust; having gained a slight awakening to suffering and emptiness, I was able to follow leisure and spaciousness. Therefore, leaving my old homeland west of Shaan, I led my disciples to wander and rest on Tiantai for twelve years. But the mountain streams here join the sources of the rivers and stretch to the edge of the sea; fishing weirs cross and obstruct the waters, the killings are vast and the boilings and roastings beyond count, so that the injury and destruction of living creatures are truly lamentable. Moreover, public and private travellers frequently suffer drowning, and those who die of this cannot be numbered. This poor monk, heedless of his own unworthiness, wished to deliver and rescue them. Thereupon, I exhorted the mountain monks to sell their robes, requisites, and miscellaneous goods to purchase these weir properties from the local inhabitants, Kong Xuanda and others, making them into permanent life-release ponds and turning these fish traps into the waters of the Dharma's flow. Ji Shang'er, the former governor of Linhai, revered the Dharma with great gravity and invited me to expound the Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra. When we came to the 'Jalavāhana Chapter,' patrons such as Lord Yang He heard these wondrous verses and all renounced their fishing weirs, fifty-five places in total, so that water and land alike were moistened, and humans and insects alike received grace. Indeed, I have heard that rain of flowers filled the room to repay the elder's kindness, and a bright pearl illuminated the night to reward the virtue of the Marquis of Sui. These [acts] truly planted wondrous practices among earlier cultivators and spread fragrant ways to later generations; their blessings were not in vain, and their goodness was not lost for nothing. I thereupon memorialized the former Chen dynasty about this matter. The imperial decree stated: 'If this river has no cuttlefish or delicacies, it should be made a permanent pond of blessings in accordance with what was requested.' Xu Xiaoke, Chancellor of the National University, who has long planted roots of virtue and possesses both talent and status, heard of these accumulated good deeds and requested that a tall stele be erected, hoping that this grand foundation would be as solid as the peaks, and praying that this superior enterprise would remain whole alongside the sun and moon. Formerly, the Chen clan in Jiangdong possessed no more than several thousand li of land, yet they still admired good and forgot self-interest like this. Looking up, I contemplate His Imperial Majesty, who turns the golden wheel to govern the eight frontiers, and holds the precious mirror to overlook the four classes of people, so that the wind and rain are timely and horses and oxen turn inward. Truly his Dao is higher than Yao and Shun, and his virtue surpasses Xuan and Xi; in addition, he personally practices the ten virtues, treating the flock of living beings equally like newborn infants; he personally exercises the four vast vows, universally delivering all born below. Moreover, not taking fawns and not taking eggs is recorded in outer texts; saving ants and saving fish is heard in inner scriptures. How could one who is rich with all under heaven begrudge a single river source, or one whose grace moistens the entire realm leave just a few hundred li excluded? To transform lotus ponds and revive the industry of boiling and burning, allowing soldiers and civilians to slaughter at will and subjecting aquatic creatures to bitter torment, their bodies and heads severed and their flesh and bones ground to pulp—inferring the Emperor's mind from my own, how could this be so! How could this be so! Furthermore, His Highness the Prince of Jin has a Dao that penetrates past and present, being both cultured and martial, such that the Two Nan poems cannot match his merit; he possesses many talents and arts, such that the Two Xian scholars cannot equal his virtue. His lush achievements resounded in Shanxi, and his valiant fame rushed through Jiangzuo; governing the land of the Huai and the sea, he transformed the people of Wu and Kuaiji. Not regarding this poor monk as unworthy, he graciously extended courteous treatment, personally taking up worldly models; and, as I undeservedly bore the role of human teacher, I recounted the origin of these matters in detail, whereupon he issued an administrative order that all places should respectfully uphold, and none dare violate. Even if another strict envoy were dispatched, expressly upholding an imperial edict to destroy the erected stele and restore the people's weir businesses, this poor monk would shake his staff, put on his robe, shoulder an umbrella, and tread in sandals, traveling far to the capital to approach the palace and present a memorial, perishing his head and shattering his body to preserve the lives of these creatures. How much more so given that the present imperial intent merely ordered Jiangnan as a whole to gather and catch sea creatures, whereas the river streams and mountain waters do not produce marine fish! Examining the text of the order, the matters do not concern one another; it is only because you are here that, arbitrarily wishing to stir up dispute, you destroy the life-release [ponds] and revive the business of injury and destruction. In the current era of supreme peace, things dropped on the road are not picked up; if you indulge soldiers and civilians in setting nets and catching [fish], it is nothing less than seizing people's existing wealth and openly committing robbery! If it is claimed that the Sovereign wishes soldiers and civilians to be well supplied and does not permit life-release, formerly when this poor monk traveled west, my path passed through Yuezhou, where Regional Inspector Wang Xuanwu formed an incense alliance and received the Mahāyāna from me. The local populace there did not engage in farming or sericulture, but practiced only the business of killing and catching. The scholar Tanqian invited me to lecture, so I remained there; throughout one prefecture and five counties, they all renounced their trades, totaling more than one thousand sites. We memorialized the court concerning the matter, and an imperial edict was issued granting permission. From then on, auspicious omens frequently descended upon Yuezhou, and Governor Xuanwu's commendations and rewards were doubled. The Sovereign's divine wisdom is high and luminous; wherever there is an appeal, he always responds. How could he possibly seize people's good deeds just for the palate of soldiers and civilians? The County Commandant's present petition is, I fear, a perverse view. Moreover, these rivers and streams are narrow and small, not even equal to the base of one site in Yuezhou; and they contain only common fish, with no marine species whatsoever. Because the Sovereign saw that His Highness the Prince of Jin possessed extraordinary civil and military talents, he entrusted him across the board with the prefectures of Jiangnan, so that all matters, whether great or small, are determined by his judgment. If it is now said that no directive has been given or that the Prince's instructions are not to be heeded, it means right and wrong are judged solely by the county, with no regard for the Prince of Jin. How could such words be allowed to reach the Prince's ears? Moreover, the Great Prince personally issued a directive granting permission for life-release; how could local authorities arbitrarily obstruct it? When this poor monk took leave to return to the secluded valley, there were two causes: first, for the sake of the Great Prince's merit, to repair the old monastery; second, to inspect the rivers and streams and establish assemblies of blessings, together with all donors to establish Bodhi far and wide, extending to both the living and the dead to adorn my eternal vow, so that the One Man may enjoy auspiciousness and safeguard his rock-solid foundation, and that ten thousand fish may indulge in the joy of mutual forgetting. This poor monk has been here for a long time, repeatedly receiving your generous support, provisions, requisites, and labor, responding like shadow and echo. I have often thought of going there, but have not yet managed to make the journey. Listening from afar to what is reported, your benevolent transformation is widely praised; the region enjoys the virtue of the 'three wonders,' and the people sing the ballad of the 'five trousers.' Savoring your lofty manner, my rejoicing is truly deep. Yet your tenure in office will soon conclude, and your return is not far off; I only hope that, having begun well, you will end well to preserve your fine reputation, so that [the people] holding your carriage shaft and lying in the ruts will cause you no shame before the sages of old. Thinking it over nine times and wandering in threefold reflection, this poor monk notes that the gentlemen of the North enjoy long life and good fortune—is this not because their compassionate minds commit few killings, thereby evoking such wondrous age? The common people of the Eastern Sea mostly suffer premature death; their hunting and fishing are the reasons for their short life and poverty. This is plainly visible in the world and can serve as a mirror and warning. If you now cut off the life of the Three Refuges to nourish the body of the five aggregates, this would abolish the glorious deeds of the Pure Land and arouse boundless grave transgressions. As this goes against the norm, I fear it is no way to preserve life. The garrisons of other prefectures do not border the river or sea; being situated on high plateaus, there is nowhere to fish or hunt, yet I have never heard of men losing their lives in another land or returning to their hometowns burdened with illness. Why must one rely on aquatic creatures to sustain body and life? Even simply ordering them caught would be improper, how much more so destroying another's life-release to supply soldiers! While at your post, Magistrate, you have been pure and strict, praised far and wide: not accepting a single copper, leaving behind a single calf; Kuai Can cared for a swan and in the end obtained a precious pearl, Kong Yu released a turtle and ultimately wore a golden seal. If you, patron, do not oppose the directive of the Prince of Jin, nor contradict this poor monk's words, you will once again sprinkle the flow of the Dharma and proclaim the Emperor's Dao; virtue will surely be rewarded and goodness will not go unrequited—the jade pendant and carved bow will arrive unsought, and the golden seal and purple ribbon will come immediately upon thought. Now I send my disciple Puming carrying old documents to examine. Magistrate, you oversee the affairs of this region and hold the military authority of this garrison; your orders are executed like wind bending the grass. I pray that you will show this letter of mine to proclaim it to the people and instruct the soldiers and civilians, so that they may observe the teaching of the nine words and not initiate disaster, transforming their minds of the ten evils to forever accord with supreme auspiciousness. The matter is urgent; the messenger will relate the rest in detail, so I will not elaborate further. Śramaṇa Zhiyi writes.