佛祖統紀 47.41

47.41

In the third year, in the second month: The imperial carriage visited Upper Tianzhu to pay homage to the Great Being. He asked the abbot, Ruone: 'Before the Great Being, is it appropriate to bow or not?' The Master said: 'If you do not bow, each claims superiority; if you bow, you show mutual respect.' The Emperor joyfully bowed. He also asked about the meaning of cultivating the Golden Light Repentance on New Year's Day. The Master said: 'The Buddha preached the path of the Golden Light Samādhi to Brahmā, Śakra, and the Four Heavenly Kings, entrusting them to protect the country and protect the people. In later generations, the ancestral masters established it as a repentance ritual, practicing this method on New Year's Day to pray for blessings for the state; this is a ritual of an era of flourishing peace.' The Emperor was pleased, conferred the title of Monastic Scribe of the Right Street, and further bestowed money. In the former residence of Dharma Master Daoyi, he built the Sixteen Contemplations Hall, commanding Hanlin Academician Lou Yue to compose an inscription. In the third month, an edict ordered the construction of an Inner Contemplation Hall in the palace, following the exact system of Upper Tianzhu. Japan sent an envoy to deliver a letter to the prefectural office of Siming asking about the general meaning of the Buddhist Dharma, requesting that famous monks be gathered to open the letter and read it before the envoy. The prefect assembled them, but the monks all shrank back and dared not respond. The karmadāna of Qixin came forward joyfully, saying: 'The writings of Japan share the same characters as the Central Kingdom; why should there be doubt?' He immediately bowed to the prefect, tore open the seal, and read it rapidly, pinching the paper with his fingernails in seven places. When he finished reading, he said to the envoy: 'Although Japan wishes to study literature, there are not a few errors,' and explained them one by one. The envoy withdrew in shame and fear. The prefect leaped with great joy and said: 'A true karmadāna of the world!'