廣弘明集 11.59

11.59

對曰。書云。舜禹之有天下。巍巍乎其有成功。煥乎其有文章。大禹謨云。禹能卑宮菲食。皂帳綈衣而盡力於溝洫。為民治水。於民有功。若皇天輔德。何為天祚不永。治止九年。勘年紀云。夏后相及少康之世。其臣有窮羿寒浞及風夷淮夷黃夷斟尋等國。並相次作亂。凡二十六年篡夏自立。當時無佛。篡逆由誰。

We reply: The Shujing says: "How majestic was the manner in which Shun and Yu possessed all under heaven! How glorious was their cultural accomplishment!" The "Counsels of Great Yu" says that Yu was able to live in a humble palace, eat simple food, use black curtains and coarse cloth, and expend his strength on ditches and watercourses. He controlled the floodwaters for the people and performed meritorious service for them. If august Heaven aids the virtuous, why was his heavenly mandate not long-lasting and his reign limited to nine years? Examining the Nianji, during the reigns of the Xia sovereigns Xiang and Shaokang, their ministers Yi of Youqiong and Han Zhuo, as well as the states of Fengyi, Huaiyi, Huangyi, Zhenxun, and others, rose in rebellion in succession; for a total of twenty-six years they usurped the Xia and set themselves up. At that time there was no Buddha: from whom did the usurpation and rebellion arise?