佛祖統紀 43.35

43.35

讚曰。漢高帝與韓彭取天下論功行。封王數十城。相繼反畔。卒取誅戮。光武封功臣鄧禹輩。大者不過數縣。以其易制故上下無異意。智矣哉。我太祖之善駕馭英雄也。俾石守信等義社十弟釋兵權於杯酒笑談之頃。享祿私第全其餘生。上不失國恩下不失臣節。過二漢君臣遠矣。至於深居禁中常誦佛典而欲使甲士知讀兵書。是又重威保國之仁術也。智矣哉。

The eulogy states: Emperor Gaozu of the Han took the world together with Han [Xin] and Peng [Yue]; when evaluating merits and distributing rewards, he enfeoffed them as kings of dozens of cities, yet they successively rebelled and were ultimately executed. Emperor Guangwu enfeoffed meritorious ministers such as Deng Yu and his peers, the largest of which did not exceed several counties; because they were easy to control, superiors and subordinates had no divergent aims. How wise! In how our Taizu skillfully handled heroes: he caused Shi Shouxin and the other ten brothers of the Righteous Association to relinquish their military authority amid wine cups and smiling conversation, enjoying stipends in their private residences and preserving the rest of their lives. Above, he did not fail imperial benevolence; below, they did not fail their duties as ministers—far surpassing the rulers and ministers of the two Han dynasties! As for living secluded deep within the palace, constantly reciting Buddhist scriptures yet wishing to let the armored troops know only that he read military treatises, this was yet another benevolent art of maintaining majesty and protecting the realm. How wise!