佛祖統紀 45.20

45.20

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.