釋鑑稽古略續集 2.45

2.45

癸丑洪武六年。普給天下僧度牒。前代多計僧鬻牒。號免丁錢。詔蠲之。賜來朝守令官酒饌。復諭以勉修厥德。廣施惠政　金陵城完。上與劉基同閱視。上曰。城高若此。非人可踰。基曰。殊非燕能飛入耳　後燕王入金陵。遂符此讖　訪求賢才於天下曰。世有賢才國之寶也。古之聖君汲汲於求賢。蓋賢才不備不足以為治。鴻鵠之能遠舉者。為其有羽翼也。蛟龍之能騰躍者。以其有鱗鬣也。人君之能致治者。以其有賢人而為之輔也。今山林之士。豈無文藝德行之足稱。有司禮送至京。用之以圖至治　上諮治道於桂彥良對曰。道在正心。又曰。用德則逸。用法則勞。法以靖民則民勞而弗靖。德以靖民則民靖於德矣。上曰。卿帝者師也　詔以故元釋帝師喃迦巴藏卜。為熾盛佛寶國師。自是番僧。有封為灌頂國師。及贊善王．闡化王．正覺大乘法王．如來大寶法王者。俱賜印章誥命。領其各本國人民。間歲朝貢　五月祖訓錄成　上命禮官。參考歷代帝王有功生民者。立廟祀之　詔以恒言註釋經書。使人皆通聖賢旨意。註成以進。賜名群經類要。

In the guichou year, the sixth year of Hongwu [1373], ordination certificates were universally granted to monks throughout the realm. In previous dynasties, monks were mostly counted to sell ordination certificates, which was called 'head-tax exemption money'. An edict abolished this. Wine and food were bestowed upon prefects and county magistrates who came to audience, and they were further instructed to exert themselves in cultivating virtue and broadly dispensing benevolent governance. The walls of Jinling were completed. The Emperor inspected them together with Liu Ji. The Emperor said, 'The walls being as high as this, they are not something humans can leap over.' Liu Ji said, 'Indeed, none but a swallow (yan) could fly into it.' Later, when the Prince of Yan entered Jinling, it fulfilled this prophecy. Talented and worthy men were sought throughout the realm, [the Emperor] saying, 'That the world has worthy talents is a treasure of the state. The sage rulers of antiquity eagerly sought the worthy, for if worthy talents are not fully provided, it is insufficient to govern. That the great swan can soar afar is because it has wings; that the scaly dragon can leap and surge is because it has scales and mane; that a human ruler can achieve good governance is because he has worthy men to assist him. Among the gentlemen of the mountains and forests now, how could there be none whose literary arts and virtuous conduct are worthy of praise? Let the authorities escort them with ritual to the capital, that they may be employed to plan the utmost governance.' The Emperor inquired about the way of governance from Gui Yanliang, who replied, 'The Way lies in rectifying the mind.' He also said, 'Employing virtue brings ease; employing law brings toil. If one pacifies the people by law, the people will toil and not be pacified; if one pacifies the people by virtue, the people will be pacified in virtue.' The Emperor said, 'You, sir, are a teacher of emperors.' An edict appointed the late Imperial Preceptor of the Yuan, Namgyel Sangpo, to be National Preceptor of the Flourishing Buddha-Treasure. From then on, Tibetan monks were invested as Initiation National Preceptors, as well as King of Promoting Goodness, King of Propagating Transformation, Dharma King of the Great Vehicle of Perfect Awakening, and Great Precious Dharma King of the Tathāgata; all were bestowed with seals and patents of investiture to lead the people of their respective countries and to present tribute in alternate years. In the fifth month, the Zuxun lu (Record of Ancestral Instructions) was completed. The Emperor commanded the ritual officials to examine the emperors and kings of past dynasties who had merit toward the living populace, and to erect temples to sacrifice to them. An edict ordered that the scriptures and classics be annotated in everyday language so that everyone could understand the intentions of the sages and worthies. When the annotations were completed, they were presented, and [the Emperor] bestowed the title Qunjing leiyao (Categorized Essentials of the Classics).