釋氏稽古略 2.292

2.292

The Sui Emperor invited Dharma Master Jing to administer the bodhisattva precepts to him. The edict stated: "Having early on received manifold blessings, We respectfully succeed to the precious mandate. Intending to take refuge in the Correct Enlightenment and revere the holy fruit, We now invite Dharma Master Jing to administer the bodhisattva precepts in the Daxingshan Hall. Now, the teachings of the bodhisattva take liberation as foremost, and the foundation of observing precepts takes compassion as primary. The dark imprisonment of the gaols presently moves Our heart; all prisoners sentenced to exile and below may be pardoned and released." He also decreed: "The Buddha entrusted the True Dharma to kings. We, as the exalted of humankind, have received the Buddha's entrustment. From this time forward until the end of Our life, every month fourteen monks shall regularly be invited to turn the scriptures in shifts. Four scriptural chanters and three bhadantas shall read all the scriptural texts in the Daxingshan Hall" (Bianzheng lu).