廣弘明集 12.29

12.29

論言。尋奕所引。自後漢光武已前。無佛法則祚久長年。子必嗣父臣不篡君。從漢明已後。為有佛法子弗嗣父臣多篡君。驗奕此言知其庸闇。雖引圖史弗究始終。緬尋上代已來為帝王者。或一身而絕。或累世而亡。如帝少昊。治政繁雜九黎作亂。其嗣不肖一世即亡。帝摯亦無正嗣。治不滿朞一身而滅。自後唐堯虞舜子皆不肖一身絕滅。夏桀殷紂。並皆暴虐為臣所誅。其間或為臣而篡君。如羿之與寒浞。或為弟而奪兄。如仲壬之與雍己。至乎周世子朝之逐敬王。子廢父也。暨乎秦室趙高之殺二世。臣弑君也。至前漢呂后亂朝王莾篡政。此豈有佛法使之然也。若言自漢明已後迄乎蕭齊。皆為崇佛法虐政祚短。至於宇文既破滅佛法。應善政祚長。而奕盡蕭齊則論。至宇文不說。非但誑惑民庶。亦乃欺罔聖明。以此而論。事合繩劾。但宇文篡魏而立虐政無道。君臣猜貳兄弟相誅。陵蔑聖賢毀破佛法。治唯五主二十四年。推此一條。帝王無佛法則虐政祚短。有佛法則善政祚長。近代同知寧不信也。但奕太史之官委任處重。須慎機密無得妄言。故古者聖人當言而懼。發言而憂。而奕不慮禍福專事妖邪。或置後引初。或隱首露尾。藏護道法謗毀佛僧。唯事偏辭竟無正語。聖朝明鑒。寧不察哉。如概愚見。帝王欲得祚久年長者。必須興隆佛法樹善修功。慈育群氓勝殘去殺。明死生之分。守止足之心。納忠諫之言。遠佞諂之說。如此則三十之期自遠。七百之祚脩長。故淮南子曰。天下有貴而非位勢。有壽而非千歲。適情知足則貴矣。明死生之分則壽矣。

The treatise says: Examining what Fu Yi cited, from before Emperor Guangwu of the Later Han, when there was no Buddha-dharma, dynasties lasted long and years were plentiful, sons always succeeded fathers, and ministers did not usurp sovereigns; whereas from Emperor Ming of the Han onward, because there was the Buddha-dharma, sons did not succeed fathers, and ministers often usurped sovereigns. Examining these words of Fu Yi, one knows his mediocrity and darkness. Although he cites charts and histories, he does not investigate them from beginning to end. Looking back at those who were emperors and kings since ancient times, some ended in a single generation, while others perished after several reigns. For instance, Emperor Shaohao: his governance was cluttered and chaotic, and the Jiuli rebelled; his heir was unworthy, and his line perished in a single generation. Emperor Zhi likewise had no legitimate successor; his reign did not last a full year, and he perished in his own person. Thereafter, the sons of Tang Yao and Yu Shun were both unworthy, and their lines were extinguished in a single generation. Xia Jie and Yin Zhou were both tyrannical and cruel, and were slain by their ministers. In between, there were ministers who usurped sovereigns, such as Yi and Han Zhuo; or younger brothers who snatched from elder brothers, such as Zhong Ren and Yong Ji. Coming to the Zhou dynasty, Prince Chao banished King Jing, which was a son deposing his father; coming to the Qin house, Zhao Gao murdered the Second Emperor, which was a minister assassinating his sovereign. Coming to the Former Han, Empress Lü threw the court into disorder, and Wang Mang usurped the government. Did the Buddha-dharma cause these things? If he says that from Emperor Ming of the Han down to Xiao Qi, all had tyrannical governance and short-lived dynasties because of venerating the Buddha-dharma, then when the Yuwen family destroyed the Buddha-dharma, they ought to have had good governance and a long dynasty. Yet Fu Yi ended his discussion at Xiao Qi, and said nothing when it came to the Yuwen family. This not only deceives the common people, but also cheats the Sage Sovereign. Speaking on this basis, this matter warrants legal prosecution! The Yuwen family usurped the Wei and established tyrannical, unprincipled rule; sovereign and minister were mutually suspicious, and brothers slaughtered one another. They insulted sages and worthies, and destroyed the Buddha-dharma. Their rule lasted for only five sovereigns and twenty-four years. Deducing from this single case: when rulers have no Buddha-dharma, their governance is tyrannical and their dynasty short; when they have the Buddha-dharma, their governance is good and their dynasty long. This is known to all in recent times; how could one not believe it? Fu Yi occupies the office of Grand Astrologer, a trusted and weighty post; he must be prudent with secrets and not speak falsely. Thus ancient sages were fearful when they had to speak, and anxious when uttering words. Yet Fu Yi does not consider calamity or fortune, but devotes himself exclusively to demonic heterodoxy. He either sets aside the later and cites the earlier, or conceals the head and exposes the tail, shielding Daoist methods while slandering and vilifying Buddhist monks. He engages solely in biased words and never utters a correct phrase. How could the bright mirror of the sage court fail to perceive this? In my, Gai's, humble view: if rulers desire to attain long dynasties and lasting years, they must promote the Buddha-dharma, establish goodness, and cultivate merit; tenderly nurture the multitude of commoners, overcome brutality, and eliminate killing; understand the distinction between life and death, maintain a mind of knowing when to stop and being content, accept words of loyal remonstrance, and distance themselves from flattering and fawning talk. Doing so, then the period of thirty reigns will naturally extend far, and the fortune of seven hundred years will be long-lasting. Hence the Huainanzi states: 'In the world there is nobility that is not rank or power; there is longevity that is not a thousand years. Suiting one's nature and knowing contentment is nobility; understanding the distinction between life and death is longevity.'