[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) › 44.55 # 佛祖統紀 44.55 佛祖統紀 44.55 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [44.55](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.44.55) 述曰。世書謂之預讖（驗也）佛典謂之預記。謂能先事以告也在佛則言。聲聞作佛。國劫名號（見法華經）凡夫禍福。休咎在俗前如圖書蓍龜星占夢象。皆所以告先事也。桓譚非讖。非不知讖也。特恐光武當中興多故之日一切以讖決之而於人事有不能盡。故不如不言讖之為愈也。然則聖人之興未甞無讖。上世帝王之讖誠多矣。固不俟於枚數。近古如唐大宗鴻池瑞石預記之祥。肅宗上天賜寶鎮國之瑞。皆載之唐史。驗于後時無爽也。惟我太宗之朝兩獲瑞石。則有二十一帝之文。　真宗時翊聖臨降。則有國祚過於有唐之言。　聖祖天書則有七百九九之讖。得非先事以告乎。人不知學而欲謂讖為非者誠未可也。佛聖人先事以告。固非世俗所能知。至於蓍龜星夢之兆與夫經史聖賢之能先知者可不言乎。倘蓍龜星夢之兆。經史聖賢之言。既有可信。而於佛聖人之先記反不欲信乎。然則我　朝石記天書。當時非無其實。特儒人不信讖記。競指為非。而好事者得以和之也。借使石文可偽。則誌公親降禁中。大宗遣使致謝。謂之不實可乎。借使天書可疑。則　吳會中興得數延永。謂之不實可乎。易曰。神以知來。此仲尼言讖之大旨也。可不信乎哉。 > The author remarks: Secular books call them prognostications (verifications); Buddhist scriptures call them advance prophecies, meaning being able to announce events prior to their occurrence. In Buddhism, this refers to śrāvakas becoming Buddhas, their lands, kalpas, and names (as seen in the Lotus Sūtra), as well as the fortunes, misfortunes, auspiciousness, and calamity of ordinary beings. In secular realms of old, things like the diagrams and writings, yarrow and turtle shells, astrological prognostications, and dream omens were all means to announce matters in advance. Huan Tan rejected prophecies, not because he did not know about prophecies, but simply out of fear that when Guangwu was facing the many troubles of the dynastic revival, he would decide everything by prophecy and fail to do justice to human affairs; hence he thought it was better not to speak of prophecies. Yet when sages rise, there has never been a lack of prophecies. The prophecies of the emperors and kings of high antiquity were truly numerous and need not be enumerated. In recent antiquity, such as the auspicious omen of the Hongchi stone's advance prophecy under Taizong of Tang, and the auspicious sign of the treasure bestowed by Heaven above to protect the state under Suzong, are all recorded in the Tang histories and verified in later times without error. Only in the reign of our Taizong were auspicious stones obtained twice, bearing the text of 'twenty-one emperors'; in the time of Zhenzong, Yisheng descended, uttering the words that the dynasty's span would surpass that of the Tang; and the Heavenly Book of the Sacred Ancestor contained the prophecy of 'seven hundred and ninety-nine'. Are these not announcements prior to the event? For people who lack learning to want to call prophecies erroneous is truly unacceptable. That the Buddhas and sages announce things prior to the event is indeed beyond the knowledge of the secular world. But as for the omens of yarrow, turtles, stars, and dreams, and the ability of sages and worthies of the classics and histories to foresee events—can one fail to speak of them? If the omens of yarrow, turtles, stars, and dreams, and the words of the sages and worthies of the classics and histories are credible, would one conversely refuse to believe the advance prophecies of the Buddhas and sages? Thus the stone records and heavenly books of our dynasty were not without reality at that time; it is merely that Confucian scholars do not believe in prophetic records, competing to label them erroneous, and meddlesome people chimed in with them. Even if the text on the stone could be forged, Master Zhi personally descended into the forbidden palace, and Taizong dispatched an envoy to express gratitude; can one say this was unreal? Even if the heavenly book might be doubted, the dynastic revival at Wuhui has obtained a prolonged span; can one say this was unreal? The Book of Changes says: 'Through the divine, they know what is to come.' This is the great purport of Confucius speaking of prophecy. How could one not believe it? > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 44.54](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.44.54) - [Next: 44.56](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.44.56) - [Up: 44](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.44) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035~en-mt.44.55) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.44.55](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.44.55) · Pramāṇa