佛祖歷代通載 15.36

15.36

帝大怒。持以示宰相。將抵以死。裴度崔群曰。愈言訐啎。罪之誠宜。然非內懷至忠。安能及此。願少寬假以來諫諍。帝曰。愈言我奉佛太過。猶可容。至謂東漢奉佛已後。天子咸夭促。言何乖剌耶。愈人臣。狂忘敢爾。於是戚里諸王舊臣。皆為愈哀請。遂貶潮州刺史。

The Emperor was furious. Holding it up, he showed it to the chief ministers, intending to punish him with death. Pei Du and Cui Qun said, 'Yu's words are abrasive and contrary; it is truly right to punish him. Yet, were he not harboring utmost loyalty within, how could he have gone this far? We hope you will show a little leniency so as to invite remonstrance.' The Emperor said, 'Yu said that I serve the Buddha excessively; that could still be tolerated. But to say that since the Eastern Han served the Buddha, the Sons of Heaven have all been short-lived—how perverse are his words! Yu is a subject; how dares he be so mad and reckless?' Thereupon the imperial in-laws, princes, and veteran ministers all pleaded on Yu's behalf, and he was consequently demoted to become Prefect of Chaozhou.