佛祖歷代通載 11.26

11.26

（十三　丁酉）　帝幸洛京下詔曰。老君垂範義在清虛。釋迦貽則理存因果。求其教也。汲引之迹殊途。論其宗也。弘益之風各致。然大道之興肇于遂古。源出無名之始。事高有形之外。況是國家先宗。宜居釋氏之右。自今已後齋供行位至於稱謂。道士女冠可在僧尼之前。庶敦返本之俗。暢於九有。貽於萬葉。京邑沙門各陳極諫。有司不納。時有沙門智實者。洛下賢僧也。丰度雋頴內外兼明。携諸宿德隨駕表奏於關口。其略曰。僧某等言。年迫桑榆。始逢太平之世。貌同蒲柳。方值聖明之君。竊聞父有諍子。君有諍臣實等雖在出家。仍在臣子之列有犯無隱。敢不陳之。伏見詔書。國家本繫出自柱下。宗祖之風形於前典。頒告天下無德而稱。今道士在僧尼之上。奉以周旋。豈敢拒詔。尋其老君垂範治國治家。所佩服章初無改易。不立觀宇不領門人。處柱下以全真。隱龍德而養性。今道士等不遵其法。所著冠服並是黃巾之徒。實非老子之裔。行三張之鬼術。棄五千之玄言。反同張陵。謾行章醮。從漢以來常以鬼道化於浮俗。妄托老君之後。即是左道之苗。若在僧尼之上。誠恐國家同流有損國化。遂以道經及漢魏諸史佛先道後之事。具陳如左。帝壯其志於教。遣宰相岑文本諭旨遣之。實固執不奉詔。帝震怒。杖實于朝堂。民其服流之嶺表。而卒。年三十有八。初實得罪。有譏其不量進退者。實曰。吾固知已行之詔不可易。所以爭者。欲後世知大唐有僧耳。聞者莫不歎惜。

([Year] 13, dingyou [637 CE]) The Emperor visited the eastern capital of Luoyang and issued an edict stating: "Laojun bequeathed a model whose principle lies in purity and emptiness. Śākya transmitted guidelines whose logic rests on cause and effect. Examining their teachings, their paths of guiding and leading are different; discussing their doctrines, their styles of broad benefit each attain [their ends]. However, the rise of the Great Dao began in high antiquity, its source emerging at the origin of the nameless, its operations lofty beyond what has form. Moreover, as it is the ancestral house of our dynasty, it should take precedence to the right of the Śākyan clan. From this time forward, in vegetarian feasts and offerings, ranks of conduct, and down to titles and designations, Daoist priests and Daoist priestesses may precede Buddhist monks and nuns, so that the custom of returning to the origin may be promoted, spread throughout the nine regions, and bequeathed to myriad generations." The śramaṇas of the capital each submitted extreme remonstrances, but the authorities would not accept them. At that time, there was a śramaṇa named Zhishi, a worthy monk of Luoyang. Refined and outstanding in bearing, and brilliant in both internal and external learning, he led several senior monks of venerable virtue, followed the imperial entourage, and submitted a memorial at the border pass. It read in outline: "Monk So-and-so and the others say: As our years draw near to the mulberry and elm of life's dusk, we have just met an era of supreme peace; with appearances fragile as rushes and willows, we have just encountered a sagely and luminous sovereign. We have humbly heard that a father may have an admonishing son, and a sovereign may have an admonishing minister. Although we, Zhishi and the others, have entered the pravrajyā, we still remain among the ranks of subjects and sons; if there is an infraction, we dare not conceal it, so how could we dare not set it forth? We respectfully observe the edict stating that the dynasty's roots trace back to the Master Beneath the Pillar, and that the lineage of the founding ancestor is made manifest in former records, proclaimed to the empire as having virtues beyond praise. Now Daoist priests are placed above monks and nuns; receiving this to carry it out, how would we dare resist the edict? Yet examining Laojun's bequeathed model for governing the state and governing the family, the robes and caps he wore underwent no change from the beginning. He did not establish abbeys or halls, nor did he lead disciples. Abiding beneath the pillar, he preserved the genuine; concealing dragon-like virtue, he cultivated his nature. Today's Daoist priests do not follow his rules; the caps and robes they wear are all those of the Yellow Turban followers, and in truth are not descendants of Laozi. They practice the ghostly arts of the Three Zhangs, and cast aside the five thousand profound words; instead, resembling Zhang Ling, they shamelessly perform petitions and jiao-offerings. Ever since the Han dynasty, they have constantly used the way of ghosts to transform superficial folk customs; falsely claiming to be the posterity of Laojun, they are in truth the sprouts of heterodox paths. If they are placed above monks and nuns, we truly fear the dynasty will be grouped with them, to the detriment of state transformation." Thereupon, using Daoist scriptures as well as various histories of the Han and Wei regarding matters where Buddhism preceded Daoism, he laid it all out in detail as follows. The Emperor deemed his devotion to the teaching robust and sent Chancellor Cen Wenben to convey the imperial decree and dismiss him. Zhishi remained obstinate and would not obey the edict. The Emperor flew into a rage, caned Zhishi in the imperial court, reduced him to the laity, and exiled him beyond the Lingnan ranges, where he died at the age of thirty-eight. When Zhishi was first condemned, some mocked him for not measuring when to advance or retreat. Zhishi said: "I already knew that an edict once enacted could not be altered. The reason I contended was only that I wanted future generations to know that the Great Tang had monks!" None who heard this failed to sigh in lamentation.