佛祖歷代通載 6.8

6.8

(2) Sun Hao of Wu first took the throne and changed the era name to the first year of Ganlu. He issued an order to demolish shrines throughout the realm, which extended to Buddhist temples. The court officials remonstrated, 'The late emperor was moved by an auspicious omen to establish this monastery; it must not be destroyed.' Thereupon he dispatched the official Zhang Yu to go and notify Kang Senghui. Hui refuted his words with reasoning and sharp debates emerging; Yu could not overcome him. Returning, he reported Hui's high talent. Hao summoned him and asked, 'The Buddha speaks of karmic retribution for good and evil; may I hear of this?' Hui said, 'When an enlightened ruler governs All-under-Heaven with filial piety and compassion, red crows soar and the Longevity Star appears; when he nurtures all things with humaneness and virtue, sweet springs become clear and auspicious grain sprouts. Since good has its response, evil is likewise. Therefore, if one commits evil in secret, ghosts have the means to execute him; if one commits evil in the open, men have the means to execute him. The Changes states that accumulating good leaves an excess of blessings; the Odes praises seeking blessings without deviance. Though these are standard maxims of the Confucian classics, they are indeed the clear instructions of the Buddhist teaching.' Hao said, 'If so, since the Duke of Zhou and Confucius have already made it clear, what use is the Buddhist teaching?' Hui said, 'The Duke of Zhou and Confucius did not wish to speak profoundly, and so briefly showed its traces; the Buddhist teaching does not stop at superficial words, and so fully shows its essentials. Both are for the sake of goodness. Sages only fear that good will not be plentiful; why should Your Majesty resent it?' Hao had nothing with which to respond, and so dismissed him. Another day, palace guards clearing a garden obtained a golden image. Hao had it placed in a latrine and covered in filth to make sport of it. Soon he contracted a swelling disease and groaned night and day. A diviner said, 'This is incurred by offending a spirit's shrine.' Supplications at various temples were ineffective. A palace woman who worshipped the Buddha said, 'Why not request blessings from the Buddha?' Hao looked up and said, 'Can a Buddha-spirit be as monstrous as this?' She said, 'The majestic spirit of the Buddha views worldly spirits as heaven does the abyss.' Hao then realized, saying, 'I brought this upon myself by disrespecting the image!' He hurriedly welcomed the image in a shrine and made offerings to it, furthermore inviting Hui to preach the Dharma and repent of his transgressions. Hui expounded the profound essentials for him and selected one hundred and twenty vows from the [Bodhisattva] Benye, divided into two hundred and fifty matters, having Hao increase virtuous intentions whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, and conferred the five precepts upon him. In a short while, his illness was cured. From this, he honoured Hui as his teacher and venerated and adorned monasteries and stūpas.