佛祖統紀 44.48

44.48

The author remarks: When the Zhou divined its fortune, it obtained thirty generations and seven hundred years (subsequently it was transmitted for thirty-seven generations and eight hundred years; hence it is said that the Zhou exceeded its allotted span). In the Han era, events were known through prophecies; hence the Chifu talisman says: 'At the juncture of four and seven, Fire becomes king' (from Han Gaozu to the first year of Guangwu's rising was two hundred and twenty-eight years, hence it says 'four and seven'; the Han reigned by the element Fire, hence it says 'becomes lord'). When Emperor Yuan of Jin crossed the Yangtze, he divined by yarrow stalks and obtained one hundred and two (Emperor Yuan ordered Guo Pu to divine it, who said: 'You shall enjoy two hundred years.' One hundred and two years later, the Song replaced the Jin; only then was it realized that because the term of one hundred and two was short, Guo had used veiled language to invert it). In the time of Taizong of Tang, Yuanzhou presented an auspicious stone, upon which the naturally formed text had a record of seven Buddhas and eight bodhisattvas (the stone's text said: 'Emperor of Great Peace Li Shimin, Crown Prince Li Zhi; seven Buddhas and eight bodhisattvas.' Subsequently down to twenty-one generations, such as Wuzong's suppression of the Dharma and Gaozu's meager faith, the various rulers of the final years ought not to be counted among the Buddhas and bodhisattvas). Moreover, Wanhui spoke of Xuanzong as an 'Emperor of Great Peace for fifty years,' and Yixing recorded that 'the state's altars shall end in Ji' (Xuanzong asked Chan Master Yixing about the dynasty's span; he replied: 'The state's altars will end in Ji.' Later it fell under Emperor Zhaozong, simply because he had once been enfeoffed as Prince of Ji). In the Northern Dynasties, Layman Lu said of Wenxuan of Qi: 'An emperor of ten years is still tolerable; an emperor of a hundred days is urgent as fire' (the layman Lu Fahe wrote on a wall: 'An emperor of ten years is still tolerable; an emperor of a hundred days is urgent as fire; an emperor of one full year sits in succession.' 'Ten years' referred to Wenxuan; 'a hundred days' to the Deposed Emperor; 'one full year' to Xiaozhao. Later all were verified). These were all instances where the heavenly mandate and human affairs converged with one another, silently determined in advance and beyond dispute. Our dynasty has vastly responded to an auspicious destiny. At the beginning of Taizong's accession, he moved the True Lord Yisheng to descend, who said that the dynasty's span would surpass that of the Tang. Moreover, the stone text of Jiazhou and the stone record of Master Zhi contain the phrase 'twenty-one emperors with the surname Zhao' (in the fourth year of Taizong, Jiazhou presented a stone with cinnabar text that read: 'Zhao: twenty-one emperors.' In the seventh year, Shuzhou presented a stone with Master Zhi's record that read: 'Zhao is styled twenty-one emperors.' Soon after, Master Zhi personally descended into the forbidden palace, and the Emperor personally heard his admonitory words). At the beginning of Zhenzong's Xiangfu era, the descent of the heavenly book stated: 'Zhao received the mandate; the generations are seven hundred and ninety-nine.' Now examining this: Yisheng said the dynasty's span would surpass the Tang, and Master Zhi spoke of twenty-one emperors; these two meanings can indeed be explained. Only the 'seven hundred and ninety-nine' of the heavenly book cannot yet be comprehended. If it truly reaches this number, it must not be limited to twenty-one emperors. One hardly realizes that the preceding fourteen reigns have already lasted three hundred years; if from the present Emperor onward there are seven transmissions, each reigning for seventy years, then it could reach the number of five hundred. Reverently we contemplate that our successive sage rulers have inherited one another, their virtue extending to the four seas; they view the myriad regions as one and value the people as paramount; they elevate the three teachings equally and know that the Buddha is supreme. There must certainly be sages and worthies protecting the realm to prolong the dynasty's fortune, so that the verification of 'Zhou exceeding its allotted span' will be seen once again in our Pure Dynasty; then it must truly reach the years of seven hundred and ninety-nine, thereby reverently matching the words of Heaven on high, rendering them credible. The Buddhas, devas, and sages foresee the future with the wisdom of recollecting past lives; though it be hundreds of millions of kalpas, there is nothing they do not know beforehand. How much more so with recent affairs of a mere thousand or hundred years—that they are able to foretell them in advance is by no means bizarre or absurd!