佛祖統紀 45.20

45.20

慶歷元年。三藏法師惟淨言。西土進經新舊萬軸。鴻臚之設有費廩祿（鴻臚卿主四方賓客。後世兼領西域梵僧）欲乞停罷譯經。上曰。三聖舊模焉敢即廢。且琛貢之藉非鴻臚則不可識。未幾中丞孔輔道上疏。請罷譯經。上出淨疏示之。諭以先朝盛典不可輒廢（湘山野錄）○范仲淹宣撫河東。寓宿保德傳舍獲故經一卷。名十六羅漢因果識見頌。藏經所未錄也。仲淹遂為之序云。此頌文一尊者七首。皆悟本成佛之言也。余讀之。一頌一悟。方知塵世有無邊聖法。大藏有遺落真文。因以傳江陵。沙門慧哲。俾行於世（家集）○諫議大夫歐陽修慕韓愈斥佛老。著本論三篇。其略曰。佛法為中國患千餘歲。世之卓然不惑而有力者。莫不欲去之。已去矣而復大集。遂至於無可柰何。云云。堯舜三代之際。王政修明。禮義之教充於天下。於此之世雖有佛無由而入。及三代衰王政缺禮義廢。後二百餘年而佛至乎中國。由是言之佛所以為吾患者。乘其缺廢之時而來。此其受患之本也。云云。禮義者勝佛之本也。蒐狩昏姻喪祭鄉射之禮。凡教民之具無不備。則佛無由而入（歐陽氏以禮義為本。求勝於佛。故曰本論）又曰。今佛之法可謂姦邪。又曰。千年佛老賊中國（並見六一居士集）○二年。初東掖山本如法師結百僧修法華長懺一年。是年七月。駙馬都尉李遵勗以聞於朝。賜號神照紫方袍。嘗於山西南見一虎臥。以杖擊之曰。非汝住處也。虎俛首而去。後於虎臥處結屋為菴。以是年歸閒此中。慕廬山之風。與郇公章得象諸賢結白蓮社。六七年間寖成巨剎。主上素聞道風。因賜白蓮之額。三年六月久旱。詔迎相國寺佛牙入內殿躬禱。須臾雨大注。乃作金殿四門以象天宮。用以奉藏。復製發願文以見歸敬○宰相章得象兼譯經潤文使。

In the first year of Qingli [1041], the Tripiṭaka Master Weijing said: "The scriptures brought from the Western Regions, both old and new, number ten thousand scrolls. Maintaining the Court of State Ceremonial incurs the expenditure of grain allowances (the Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial was in charge of guests from the four quarters; in later generations, he also took charge of Indian monks from the Western Regions). I request to cease and abolish the translation of scriptures." The Emperor said: "How could I dare immediately abandon the ancient models of the three sages? Furthermore, were it not for the Court of State Ceremonial, the records of precious tributes could not be recognized." Shortly thereafter, Palace Censor Kong Fudao presented a memorial, requesting that translation of scriptures be discontinued. The Emperor produced Weijing's memorial and showed it to him, admonishing him that the grand rites of previous reigns must not be abolished at will (from Xiangshan yelu). ○ Fan Zhongyan, while pacifying Hedong, lodged at the courier station of Baode, where he obtained an old scripture in one fascicle entitled Eulogies on the Karmic Causes, Fruits, and Conscious Views of the Sixteen Arhats, which was not recorded in the Tripitaka canon. Zhongyan thereupon wrote a preface for it, stating: "These eulogistic verses comprise seven stanzas per venerable one; all are words on awakening to the origin and attaining Buddhahood. When I read them, with each stanza came an awakening; only then did I know that within this mundane world there exists the boundless sacred Dharma, and that the Great Canon contains true texts that had been left out." Thereupon he transmitted it to the Śramaṇa Huizhe of Jiangling so that he could circulate it in the world (from his Family Collection). ○ Policy Remonstrator Ouyang Xiu, admiring Han Yu's denunciation of Buddhism and Daoism, composed three essays on the "Original Discourse." Their summary stated: "The Buddhist teaching has been a scourge to the Central Realm for over a thousand years. Among the eminent, unconfused, and powerful men of each generation, none has failed to desire its removal. Yet once removed, it convenes again in great numbers, ultimately reaching a point where nothing can be done about it," and so forth. "During the times of Yao, Shun, and the Three Dynasties, the royal governance was enlightened and clear, and teachings of propriety and righteousness filled the world. In such an age, even if there were a Buddha, he would have had no way to enter. But when the Three Dynasties declined, royal governance suffered defects, and propriety and righteousness fell into disuse, more than two hundred years later the Buddha arrived in the Central Realm. Speaking from this, the reason the Buddha became our scourge is that he took advantage of that time of deficiency and neglect to come; this is the root cause of our suffering this scourge," and so forth. "Propriety and righteousness are the root of triumphing over Buddhism. If the rites of seasonal hunts, marriages, funerals, sacrifices, and local archery—all the implements for instructing the people—are completely provided, then Buddhism will have no way to enter." (Master Ouyang took propriety and righteousness as the root in seeking to triumph over Buddhism; hence it was called the "Original Discourse.") It also stated: "The teaching of Buddhism today may be called treacherous and evil." It also stated: "For a thousand years, Buddhism and Daoism have plundered the Central Realm" (all seen in the Collection of Retired Scholar Liuyi). ○ In the second year [1042], earlier, Dharma Master Benru of Mount Dongye gathered a hundred monks to cultivate the Lotus Long Repentance for one year. In the seventh month of this year, Commandant-Consort Li Zunxu reported it to the imperial court. He was granted the title Shenzhao and a purple square robe. He had once seen a tiger lying down in the southwest of the mountain; striking it with his staff, he said: "This is not your dwelling place." The tiger bowed its head and left. Later, he built a hut as a hermitage at the place where the tiger had lain. In this year, he retired in leisure here. Admiring the style of Mount Lu, he formed a White Lotus Society with Duke of Xun Zhang Dexiang and other worthy men. In six or seven years, it gradually became a grand monastery. The Emperor, having long heard of his spiritual demeanor, thereupon bestowed the plaque 'Bailian' (White Lotus). In the sixth month of the third year [1043], after a prolonged drought, an edict ordered the reception of the Buddha's tooth from Xiangguo Monastery into the inner palace, where the Emperor personally prayed. In an instant, heavy rain poured down. Thereupon, a golden hall with four gates was made to resemble a heavenly palace in order to enshrine and store it. He further composed an aspiration text to show his refuge and veneration. ○ Prime Minister Zhang Dexiang was concurrently appointed Translation and Text-Polishing Commissioner.