佛祖統紀 46.39

46.39

In the seventh year: earlier, the Daoist Lin Lingsu of Yongjia, who practiced sorcery, traveled the Huai and Si river regions, begging for food at Buddhist monasteries. In this year he arrived in Chuzhou, where he engaged in a dispute and exchange of blows with the monk Huishi. When the dispute was brought before the authorities, the vice-prefect Shi Zhong, pleased with Lin's eloquence, released him and brought him to the capital. He visited Grand Preceptor Cai Jing, who regarded him as an extraordinary person and granted him an audience with the Emperor. Lin immediately spoke boastfully, saying, 'Your Majesty is the Emperor of Long Life of the Heavens, dwelling in the Jade Clarity Palace of the Divine Firmament. Your younger brother is the Emperor of Azure Radiance; both are sons of the Jade Emperor. Cai Jing is the Immortal Elder and Left Chancellor of Jade Clarity, while I, Lingsu, am the Immortal Clerk Chu Hui, who was demoted for minor offenses.' The Emperor was greatly delighted and bestowed upon him the title 'Feathered Guest of the Golden Gate', building the Tongzhen Palace for him to reside in. The Emperor then took for himself the title 'Master of the Teaching and Daoist Sovereign Emperor', built the Baolu Palace, and installed statues of the two Emperors of Long Life and Azure Radiance. An edict ordered that Tianning Temples throughout the empire be converted into Jade Clarity Palaces of the Divine Firmament. Once Lin Lingsu gained favor, remembering the humiliation he suffered in Chuzhou, he made it his daily and nightly business to destroy Buddhism, bringing in the fangshi Liu Dong to assist him; the Emperor became increasingly convinced by his discourse (and so forth). Previously, the Emperor had dreamed that he answered a summons from the Emperor of Azure Radiance to tour the Palace of the Divine Firmament. Waking and finding it extraordinary, he ordered the Director of Daoist Affairs Xu Zhichang to investigate the Divine Firmament. Someone reported, 'Daoist Lin at the Daoist Hall of Taiyi Palace has repeatedly spoken of the Divine Firmament and once composed a poem inscribed on the wall.' Zhichang reported this, and Lin was summoned to an audience. The Emperor asked, 'Formerly I saw the Emperor of Eastern Radiance and heard words about eliminating the demons with shaved heads. What does this mean?' Lin Lingsu then spoke unrestrainedly: 'Buddhism has harmed the Dao for a long time. Although it cannot now be extinguished, it ought to be reformed: let Buddhist monasteries become Daoist temples and abbeys; let Śākyamuni become Heavenly Worthy; let bodhisattvas become Great Beings; let Buddhist monks become Men of Virtue, all keeping their hair, wearing caps on their heads, and holding court tablets.' The edict approved this. (According to the *Biography of Lin Lingsu* written by Geng Yanxi.)