佛祖統紀 44.6

44.6

In the fifth month of the fourth year, Faxian, Probationary Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, passed away; he was posthumously titled Dharma Master Xuanjue. An imperial decree ordered that his funeral be conducted according to the rites for Huibian. Zanning, Historiography Compiler and Monastic Scribe of the Left and Right Streets, passed away. Academician Wang Yucheng wrote a preface to his works, saying: "The Master was eighty-two years of age, yet his sight and hearing were not impaired. Having passed through fourteen imperial courts in the capital and four generations in Wuyue, he ultimately enjoyed the blessings of 'the five goods' embraced in the 'Great Plan' (Hongfan), occupying an eminence looked up to by all among the Buddhists. Is this not what is meant by 'one who surely attains long life and surely attains his high station'? The Master authored 150 fascicles of the Catalogue of Internal Scriptures and 49 fascicles of the Collection of External Studies. Examining his writings, one knows his Way. The Master once composed the General Treatise, in which he refuted Dong Zhongshu, censured Wang Chong, denounced Yan Shigu, authenticated Cai Yong, and criticized the Shitong. When Yucheng read it, he was greatly won over by his arguments and wrote a letter to the Master saying: 'This morning I borrowed your General Treatise and read it three times through in a day. It prevents the Way of the sages from suffering injury in Darkening of the Light, and saves the followers of the Confucian school from falling into confusion. Since the Zhou and Qin dynasties, writers have indeed been numerous. As for denouncing Yang Zhu and Mozi while honoring King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius, there have not been lacking such men. But one who has thus censured the various thinkers point by point to manifest grandly the Way of the sages—I have never seen such a one before. For what purpose has the Master come? Could it not be that Heaven has blessed the Uncrowned King and availed itself of my Master's hand? Otherwise, how could the world be completely devoid of men wearing the Zhangfu cap and wide sleeves? (In the Book of Rites, Confucius said: 'When I was young and lived in Lu, I wore garments with wide sleeves; when grown up and living in Song, I wore the Zhangfu cap.' Feng means wide; garments with wide sleeves and unlined robes. Zhangfu was the Yin cap; Song was the successor to the Yin, and Confucius's ancestors were from Song. Feng is pronounced as Song. Ye is pronounced yè. Mei is the fan-cut of mǐ and bì; it means sleeve. Chan is the same as dān.) Although I am unworthy, I too have engaged myself in this. I have always wished to sharpen the weapons of ink to chastise the hundred schools, taking them captive into the Confucian palace; and, seizing those among their petty ways that most disrupt constant norms, execute them and their clans, so that the Way transmitted and codified from our ancestors might rival Heaven in loftiness, and only then would men know the venerability of the Master. This humble ambition of mine has endured for many a day. Now, beholding the creation of the Master's General Treatise, it is as when timely rain descends, or when the sun and moon come forth—what need is there any longer to irrigate or burn a torch? (In Zhuangzi: 'When the sun and moon have come forth, yet torches are not extinguished.' Jue is pronounced jué; a torch. See Wang's Xiaoxu ji.)' The Master authored the Outline History of the Monks in three fascicles; matters of origin, cause, and reform throughout the Dharma gate were recorded without omission. Gentlemen of the pavilions and ministries who wish to master both internal and external precedents all consult it here."