佛祖歷代通載 16.37

16.37

論曰。舊史武宗紀。著除罷釋氏始末甚詳。當時黃冠乘寵傾害吾教。然亦大臣李德裕輔成其事也。新史曰。武宗毅然除去浮屠之法甚銳。而躬受道家法籙。服藥以求長年。以此知其非明智之不惑者。特好惡不同耳。噫嘻。武宗非明智不惑。豈特於釋老好惡不同哉。其偏信李德裕專權用事。朋黨相傾。雖僅有伐叛之勞。未見成功而朝野積怨已甚。使更久權。則與李林甫又何異乎○（古曰。上流之罪天執其罰。下民之罪天似其罰。異矣哉。報應傳曰。正月十五日有人夜行至穆宗陵下。忽聞人語。謂是盜焉。遂泊衰叢之內。俄而空有朱衣。執版宣曰。[塚-豖+(一/豖)]尉何在。有二吏出應曰。在矣。朱衣曰。錄海西居使者至也未。吏曰。計程十八日方至。朱衣曰。何稽。吏曰。李炎坐毀聖教減算一紀。當與海西君同錄其魂而至矣。時有賈客自東來。俱尋不見。是年武宗果卒。併錄之）。

Commentary: The annals of Wuzong in the Old History record the beginning and end of the abolition of Buddhism in great detail. At that time, the yellow caps (Daoists) took advantage of imperial favor to subvert and harm our teaching, yet it was also the Chief Minister Li Deyu who assisted in bringing about this matter. The New History states: “Wuzong was exceedingly sharp and resolute in eliminating the Buddhist teachings, yet personally received Daoist registers and ingested drugs to seek longevity; from this one knows he was not a truly wise and undeluded man, but merely had different likes and dislikes.” Alas! Wuzong was not truly wise and undeluded—was it only in his likes and dislikes regarding Buddhism and Daoism? He placed biased trust in Li Deyu, who monopolized power and ran affairs, forming factions to bring down rivals. Although he had a slight achievement in subduing rebels, before any lasting success was seen, accumulated resentment in court and countryside was already extreme. Had he wielded power for longer, how would he have differed from Li Linfu? (An ancient saying states: “For the crimes of those of high status, Heaven carries out their punishment; for the crimes of the common people, Heaven resembles their punishment.” How extraordinary! The Baoying zhuan states: “On the fifteenth day of the first month, a person traveled by night to the foot of Muzong’s tomb. Suddenly hearing human voices and suspecting they were bandits, he stopped inside the withered thickets. Presently, there appeared in the sky a red-robed figure holding a tablet, who proclaimed: ‘Where is the tomb commandant?’ Two clerks came forward and answered: ‘We are here.’ The red-robed figure asked: ‘Has the emissary recording the Lord of Haixi arrived yet?’ The clerks answered: ‘Calculating the journey, he will arrive only on the eighteenth day.’ The red-robed figure asked: ‘Why the delay?’ The clerks said: ‘Li Yan, because he destroyed the holy teaching, had his lifespan reduced by twelve years; his soul is to be recorded and brought together with that of the Lord of Haixi.’ At that time, there were merchants coming from the east, but they could find neither of them. In that year Wuzong indeed died, so this is recorded alongside.”)