釋氏稽古略 2.304

2.304

In the first year of Renshou, a xinyou year, when the Emperor was still a hidden dragon, he encountered an Indian monk who presented him with a packet of Buddha relics. In the third month of this year, an edict ordered that relic stupas be built in thirty places, including Qi, Yong, Tai, Hua, Song, and Heng prefectures (Kaihuang lu). In the sixth month an edict stated: "Reverently We contemplate the Fully Enlightened One, whose great benevolence and great compassion rescue and protect living beings, bridging all kinds. We take refuge in the Three Jewels and re-establish the holy teaching, wishing to cultivate meritorious karma together with all within the four seas, perpetually creating wholesome causes and together attaining the wondrous fruit. Let thirty śramaṇas who understand Dharma characteristics and are qualified to instruct and guide be invited; let each take two attendants, one unassigned civil official, and one hundred and twenty catties of frankincense, traveling by separate routes to deliver the relics and erect stupas in thirty prefectures. In each prefecture, three hundred and sixty monks shall practice the Way for seven days on behalf of Us and the ministers and people inside and outside the court. At noon on the fifteenth day of the tenth month, let them simultaneously lower the stone caskets and read the confession text: 'The bodhisattva-precept disciple Emperor Jian respectfully addresses the Three Jewels: Jian relies on the power of the Three Jewels to be the ruler and father of the common people. Now We distribute the relics and erect stupas, wishing to repent heavy sins on behalf of all living beings.'" At noon on the fifteenth day of the tenth month, the Emperor sat in the Daxing Hall, standing facing west holding a jade tablet. He invited the Buddha image and three hundred and sixty śramaṇas with banners, canopies, and music, welcomed from Daxing Shan Monastery to the hall to burn incense and bow in worship, leading the civil and military officials in a vegetarian meal. When the relics had entered the stupa, the Emperor said: "The revival of the Buddha's Dharma will surely have an efficacious response." At that time, the envoys of the three states of Koguryŏ, Paekche, and Silla were about to return, and each requested relics to erect stupas and make offerings in their own countries; an edict granted this. On the second day of the twelfth month, an edict ordered thirty relic grains to be deposited, stored in gold cases placed within lapis lazuli bottles, and a stupa erected at Daxingshan Monastery in Chang'an. Millions of monastics and laity escorted them to the monastery, establishing a pañcavārṣika assembly and reverently offering repentance and worship (Kaihuang lu). In the first month of the second year, the Emperor again distributed relics to fifty-three prefectures including Qi, Shaan, Heng, and Hang, erecting stupas exactly according to the previous pattern, scheduled to simultaneously lower the stone caskets at noon on the eighth day of the fourth month. On the fifteenth day of the fifth month, the sky over Yongzhou rained gold dust and precious flowers. On the July 15th, Yanxing Monastery in Chang'an cast a sixteen-foot gilt-bronze Buddha statue, and the sky rained precious dust and silver flowers. In this year, the Western Indian Tripiṭaka Master Jñānagupta translated thirty-nine texts including the Scripture for Protecting the State, totaling one hundred and ninety-two fascicles. An edict invited the translation scholar śramaṇas of Xingshan Monastery to compile a catalogue of the scriptures in five fascicles, making five records in total, distinguishing categories according to kind (Shijiao lu). In the third year, because the Empress passed away, the Emperor established Zhanding Monastery southwest of the capital and built a seven-tiered stupa. An edict ordered the authorities to welcome Chan Master Tuqian to preside over it, and summoned one hundred and twenty celebrated Chan masters from throughout the realm to reside and practice the Way together (Shijiao lu).