佛祖歷代通載 12.25

12.25

沙門威秀等謹錄佛經。沙門不合跪拜父母。有損無益。其文如左。梵網如前。順正理云。國君不求比丘禮拜。略曰。玄教東漸六百餘載。上代皇王無不依經敬仰也。僧威秀等言。竊聞。真俗異區。桑門割有生之戀。幽顯殊服。田衣無拜首之容。理同越情道仍舛物。伏惟陛下匡振遠猷提獎幽概。既已崇之於國。亦以行之於家。足使捨俗無習俗之儀出家絕居家之敬。護法斯在提福莫先。自然教有可甄人知自勉。不勝誠懇之至。謹奉表以聞。于時上表者眾不煩具錄。備如弘明集○至五月十五日。大集文武百僚於中臺。將議其事。京邑沙門道宣等三百餘人競陳狀啟。紛諍不定。有司各以表聞。一右司成令狐德業等五百三十九人表請不合拜。一右兼司平太常閻立本等三百五十四人表請合拜。帝覽已下詔。朕商確群議沈研幽賾。然箕頴之風高尚其事。遐想前代固亦有之。今於君處勿須致拜。其父母所慈育彌深。祗伏斯曠更將安設。自今已後即宜跪拜。主者施行。又至六月八日。京邑老人程士顒等上表。略曰。且高尚之風人王猶有抗禮。豈惟臣下。及受跪拜之儀。俯仰撫循無由啟處。意願國無兩敬。大開方外之迹。僧奉內教便得立身行道。不任私懷之至。謹奉表以聞。拜俗之條從茲泯定矣。

"The śramaṇa Weixiu and others respectfully excerpt Buddhist scriptures [showing that] it is inappropriate for śramaṇas to kneel and bow to parents, which brings harm without benefit. The texts are as follows: The Fanwang jing is as cited above. The Abhidharmanyāyānusāra states: 'The ruler of a state does not require bhikṣus to bow.' In brief: 'The mysterious teaching has flowed eastward for more than six hundred years, and the emperors and kings of past generations have all followed the scriptures in revering it.' The monk Weixiu and others say: 'We have heard that the ultimate and the mundane occupy different realms; the śramaṇa severs the attachments of mortal existence. The hidden and the manifest wear different garb; the field-robe does not bear the appearance of bowing the head. In principle, it transcends worldly sentiments, and in the Way, it diverges from mundane things. We humbly reflect that Your Majesty promotes far-reaching plans and fosters profound ideals. Having already revered it in the state, you should also implement it in the household, fully enabling those who abandon the world to have no worldly rituals, and those who leave the household to sever the reverences of domestic life. Protecting the Dharma resides in this; in advancing blessings, nothing takes precedence. Naturally, the teaching will have that which is esteemed, and people will know to encourage themselves. Unable to endure our supreme sincerity, we respectfully present this memorial for your consideration.' At that time, those who submitted memorials were numerous and need not be recorded in full; they are completely set down in the Hongming ji. On the fifteenth day of the fifth month, the civil and military officials gathered in great numbers at the Department of State Affairs to deliberate on this matter. Over three hundred śramaṇas from the capital, including Daoxuan, vied to present memorials and petitions, and the dispute remained unsettled. The responsible officials each reported via memorials: The Right Assistant Director Linghu Deye and 539 others memorialized that they should not bow. The Concurrent Right Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices Yan Liben and 354 others memorialized that they should bow. Having reviewed these, the Emperor issued an edict: 'We have weighed the collective deliberations and deeply investigated the profound mysteries. Indeed, the lofty spirit of Jishan and the Ying River honored detachment in their deeds; dreaming of past generations, such certainly existed. Now, toward the sovereign, there is no need to pay homage. Yet regarding parents, whose loving nurture is ever profound, if reverent submission is abandoned, where will such respect be placed? From this day forward, it is fitting that they kneel and bow. Let the responsible officials implement this.' Furthermore, on the eighth day of the sixth month, the elders of the capital Cheng Shiyong and others submitted a memorial, stating in brief: 'Moreover, in the lofty spirit of detachment, even human kings engaged as equals in courtesy, how much more so should ministers and subjects! When receiving the rites of kneeling and prostration, in bowing and comforting, there would be no ease of conduct. Our wish is that the state have no dual forms of reverence, and broadly open the path of those beyond the world. If monks uphold the inner teaching, they will be able to establish themselves and practice the Way. Unable to bear our heartfelt longing, we respectfully present this memorial for your hearing.' From this point, the regulations on bowing to the laity were completely settled and abolished.