佛祖統紀 54.41

54.41

Emperor Huizong of the Song decreed that in the Buddhist Water-and-Land ritual enclosure, seats for the Three Purities and others should not be set up, and the Celestial Emperor should not be placed on the same level as ghosts and spirits. Dharma Master Dao said: "The misfortune of the destruction of Buddhism portends from this." In the first year of the Xuanhe era, following the counsel of the Daoist Lin Lingsu, an edict ordered that the Buddha's garments be changed to those of a Celestial Worthy, and that monks and nuns wear kerchiefs and caps, hold tablets, and be called "Men of Virtue" (Deshi). Eminent monks such as Ri Huayan and others did not obey the edict; Sheng Zhang, Prefect of Kaifeng, arrested seven men and beat them to death with staves. Dharma Master Yongdao of the Left Street submitted a memorial to admonish the throne, but the Emperor was enraged and exiled him to Daozhou. The censorate officials reported that Lingsu had recklessly proposed moving the capital and abolishing Buddhism; the Emperor awoke to this and exiled him, and he died in Wenzhou. In the second year, an edict ordered the full restoration of monks and nuns. In the twelfth year of the Shaoxing era of Emperor Gaozong, Zhan Shuyi submitted a memorial begging to halt the sale of ordination certificates. In the fifteenth year, an imperial decree ordered monks and Daoists to pay the exemption tax (miandingqian); Vice Minister Wu Bingxin requested the sale of ordination certificates and was impeached and dismissed. Chan Master Daochang of Lingyin petitioned to issue ordination certificates without receiving a response. Vice Minister Wu Zicai petitioned to issue ordination certificates and was dismissed to return to his village. In the twentieth year, the government carried out a massive collection of bronze vessels among the populace and Buddha statues, bells, and chimes from Buddhist and Daoist temples, ordering them to be registered, and levying a tax of twenty cash per catty.