佛祖統紀 47.30

47.30

In the twenty-seventh year, in the eighth month: Vice Minister of Rites He Yunzhong went up to the hall. The Emperor asked: 'How many monks and Daoists are there in the realm?' He answered: 'Two hundred thousand monks, and ten thousand Daoists.' The Emperor said: 'We see that among scholar-officials who venerate the Buddha, many beg for the release of ordination certificates. Now farmland is largely deserted, yet two hundred thousand people eat without plowing. If We grant more ordination certificates, this would be driving farmers to become monks. Since Han Mingdi, the Buddha's Dharma entered the Central Kingdom; its Way is vast and grand, and ultimately cannot be abolished. It is not that We intend to extinguish it; We only fear that if the monastic followers are numerous, those who do not plow will be many, so We merely temporarily suspend the ordination of monks.' (Record of Imperial Policies).