佛祖統紀 42.25

42.25

五年正月。趙歸真請與釋氏辨論。詔僧道會麟德殿。上手付老子。論治大國若烹小鮮義。知玄法師登論座。大陳帝王理道教化根本。辯說精壯道流不能屈。因為上言。神仙羽化山林匹夫獨善之事。非帝王所宜留神。帝色不平放還桑梓。帝作望仙臺於南郊。歸真乘寵排毀佛道。非中國所當奉。宜從除削。臣僚皆言。歸真姦邪不宜親信。歸真自以已涉物論。乃薦引羅浮鄧元超等。同力膠固謀毀佛法。四月詔檢校天下寺院僧尼數。五月勅兩都左右街。留寺四所僧各三十人。天下州郡各留一寺。上寺二十人。中寺十人。下寺五人。八月勅諸寺立期毀拆。括天下寺四千六百所蘭若四萬所。寺材以葺廨驛。金銀像以付度支。鐵像以鑄農器。銅像鐘磬以鑄錢。收良田數千萬頃奴婢十五萬人。僧尼歸俗者二十六萬五百人。穆護火祓並勒還俗凡二千餘人。宰相李德裕。率百官上表稱賀○五臺諸僧多亡奔。幽州李德裕謂進奏官曰。歸白本使毋聽遊僧入境。節度使張仲武奉其命。主客郎中韋博謂德裕曰。沙汰之法不宜太過。德裕怒出博武陵判官。

In the first month of the fifth year, Zhao Guizhen requested a debate with the Buddhists. An edict summoned monks and Daoists to assemble in the Linde Hall. The Emperor personally handed down the *Laozi* to debate the meaning of "governing a great state is like cooking small fish." Dharma Master Zhixuan mounted the debate seat, broadly setting forth the roots of an emperor's way of governance and moral edification; his eloquence was robust and rigorous, and the Daoists could not defeat him. He then said to the Emperor, "The ascension to immortality and transformation into feathered immortals are matters of commoners in mountain forests cultivating their personal virtue, not matters to which an emperor should apply his mind." The Emperor's countenance showed displeasure, and he banished him back to his native place. The Emperor built the Wangxian Terrace in the southern suburbs. Relying on his imperial favor, Guizhen disparaged and undermined the Buddha's path, claiming that it was not what China ought to revere and should be eradicated. The ministers all said that Guizhen was treacherous and perverse, and should not be trusted. Seeing that he had incurred public criticism, Guizhen then recommended Deng Yuanchao and others from Luofu, joining their forces to firmly plot the destruction of the Buddha Dharma. In the fourth month, an edict ordered an inspection and tally of the number of temples, monks, and nuns throughout the realm. In the fifth month, it was decreed that in the Left and Right Streets of the two capitals, four temples each were to be preserved, with thirty monks each. Throughout the circuits and commanderies of the realm, one temple each was to be preserved: upper temples with twenty people, middle temples with ten people, and lower temples with five people. In the eighth month, an edict set a deadline for the various temples to be demolished. Across the realm, 4,600 monasteries and 40,000 hermitages were seized. The building materials from the temples were used to repair official buildings and postal relay stations; gold and silver images were turned over to the Ministry of Revenue; iron images were cast into agricultural implements; and bronze images, bells, and sounding stones were cast into coins. Millions of qing of fertile land and 150,000 slaves were confiscated. Monks and nuns returned to secular life numbered 260,500. Over two thousand Zoroastrian and fire-worshiping priests were also forced to return to lay life. Prime Minister Li Deyu led the civil and military officials in submitting a memorial of congratulations. Many monks of Mount Wutai fled to Youzhou. Li Deyu said to the memorial envoy, "Return and report to your commissioner not to allow wandering monks to cross into the borders." Military Commissioner Zhang Zhongwu obeyed his order. Wei Bo, Director of the Bureau of Receptions, said to Deyu, "The method of the purge should not be excessive." Enraged, Deyu demoted Bo to Administrative Assistant of Wuling.