[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [佛祖統紀](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035) › 42.116 # 佛祖統紀 42.116 佛祖統紀 42.116 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [42.116](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.42.116) 二年四月。詔曰。釋氏真宗助世為善。將隆教法須辨否臧。自今不許私度僧尼。及親無侍養者不許出家。無勅寺舍並須停廢○九月以久不鑄錢。勅令除縣官法物軍器寺觀鐘磬鈸鐸之類。聽留外自餘民間銅器佛像。五十日內悉令輸官給其直。過期不輸五斤以上。其罪死。上謂侍臣曰。卿輩勿以毀佛為疑。夫佛以善道化人。苟至於善斯奉佛矣。彼銅像豈謂佛耶。且吾聞。佛志在利人。雖頭目猶舍以布施。若朕身可以濟民。亦非所惜也○是歲廢寺三千三百三十六所。以所毀像鑄周通錢○帝既并省寺院。勅男年十五已上。誦經百紙或讀五百紙。女年十三已上。誦經七十紙。或讀三百紙。陳狀出家。本郡考試以聞。詞部給牒方得剃度（此文見舊史。歐陽新史。並刪去弗存）。 > In the fourth month of the second year, an edict proclaimed: "The true lineage of the Śākya clan aids the world in doing good. When about to make the teachings flourish, one must distinguish the good from the bad. From this time forward, private ordination of monks and nuns is forbidden, and those without parents to care for are not permitted to leave household life. Monasteries and abbeys without imperial patent must all be discontinued and dismantled." ○ In the ninth month, because coins had long not been minted, an imperial decree ordered that, except for official ritual implements, military weaponry, and the bells, chiming stones, cymbals, and clappers of Buddhist and Taoist monasteries that were permitted to be retained, all other bronze vessels and Buddha statues among the common people had to be handed over to the authorities within fifty days, with reimbursement of their value. Those who exceeded the time limit without surrendering five catties or more would be punished with death. The Emperor addressed his attendants: "Do not be perplexed by the destruction of the Buddhas. The Buddha transforms people by the way of goodness; if one attains goodness, this indeed is serving the Buddha. How could those bronze statues be called the Buddha? Moreover, I have heard that the Buddha's intent is to benefit people; he would even give away his head and eyes in charity. If my own body could succour the people, I would not begrudge it either." ○ In this year, 3,336 monasteries were dismantled, and the destroyed statues were used to mint the "Zhou Tong" coins. ○ After the Emperor amalgamated the monasteries, he decreed that males aged fifteen and older who recited one hundred sheets of scripture or read five hundred sheets, and females aged thirteen and older who recited seventy sheets of scripture or read three hundred sheets, could petition to leave household life. Their home commandery would test them and report to the throne, and only upon the Bureau of Sacrifices issuing an ordination certificate could they tonsure their heads. (This text appears in the Old History, but Ouyang's New History deleted it altogether). > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 42.115](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.42.115) - [Next: 42.117](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.42.117) - [Up: 42](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.42) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035~en-mt.42.116) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.42.116](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.42.116) · Pramāṇa