佛祖統紀 47.61

47.61

十一年。上竺左街僧錄若訥劄子。洪惟聖朝遵用唐制立試經度僧之科。竊詳大宋高僧傳洪覺範僧寶傳所載。自建隆開國至於南渡。名德高行皆先策試法華。然後得度。以由此經是如來出世一化之妙唱。群生之宗趣。帙唯七卷繁簡適中。故學者誦習無過與不及之患。自唐至今五百年來。昭垂令典。雖下及萬世可舉而行唐世之式。遠矣。及我。

In the eleventh year, Ruone, the Central Buddhist Registrar of the Left Street of Shangzhu, submitted a memorial: 'Vast is our sage dynasty, which followed the Tang system in establishing the subject of scripture examinations for the ordination of monks. Reverently examining what is recorded in the Da Song gaoseng zhuan and Hong Juefan's Sengbao zhuan, from the founding of the state in the Jianlong era down to the crossing to the south, those of renowned virtue and lofty conduct were all first examined on the Lotus Sutra, and only then attained ordination. This is because this scripture is the marvelous melody of the Tathāgata's single era of conversion in the world, the overarching aim of all sentient beings. In size, it is only seven fascicles, fittingly balanced between brevity and detail; thus, when scholars chant and practice it, there is no pitfall of excess or deficiency. For five hundred years from the Tang to the present, this illustrious and enduring ordinance has shone forth. Even looking down to ten thousand generations, it can be upheld and practiced. The regulations of the Tang era are distant, but arriving at our...'