廣弘明集 2.18

2.18

興安元年高宗踐極。下詔曰。夫為帝王者。必祇奉明靈顯彰仁道。其能惠著生民濟益群品者。雖在往古猶序其風烈。是以春秋嘉崇明之禮。祭典載功施之族。況釋教如來功濟大千惠流塵境。尋生死者歎其達觀。覽文義者貴其妙門。助王政之禁律。益仁智之善性。排撥群邪。開演正覺。故前代已來莫不崇尚。亦我國家常所尊事也。世祖太武皇帝。開廣邊荒德澤遐被。沙門道士善行純誠。如惠始之倫無遠不至。風義相感往往如林。夫山海之深怪物多有。姦婬之儔得容假託。諸寺之中致有兇黨。是以先朝因其瑕釁戮其有罪。有司失旨一切禁斷。景穆皇帝每為慨然。值軍國多事。未遑修復。朕承鴻緒君臨萬邦。思述先志以隆斯道。今制諸州城郡縣。於眾居之所。各聽建佛圖一區。任其財用不制會限。其有好樂道法欲為沙門。不問長幼。出於良家性行素篤。鄉里所明者聽出家。率大州五十。小州三十人。足以化惡就善播揚道教也。於即天下承風朝不及夕往時所毀圖寺。並還修復。佛像經論皆得顯出。于時罽賓王種沙門師賢者。東遊涼城。又遊京下。值罷佛法。權假醫術而守道不改。於修復日即為沙門。同輩五人。帝親為下髮。賢為僧統。云云。

In the first year of Xing'an, Gaozong ascended the throne. He issued an edict saying: 'Those who act as emperors and kings must revere the luminous spirits and make manifest the way of benevolence. As for those who could bestow benefits upon the living people and succor all kinds of beings, even if in antiquity, their heroic deeds are still recorded in order. Thus the *Spring and Autumn Annals* praises the rites of honoring the luminous, and the sacrificial canons record the clans who bestowed achievements. How much more so for the Tathāgata of the Śākya teachings, whose merits aid the trichiliocosm and whose grace flows to the defiled world! Those who examine life and death praise his penetrating insight; those who peruse the literary doctrines value his wondrous gate. It aids the prohibitive laws of royal governance, augments the good nature of benevolence and wisdom, expels all heresies, and expounds true enlightenment. Therefore, from former dynasties onward, none did not revere it, and it is likewise what Our state has constantly honored and served. Shizu, the Emperor Taiwu, expanded the distant wilderness and his virtuous grace reached far and wide. Śramaṇas and Daoist masters of pure sincerity in good conduct, such as the cohort of Huishi, reached everywhere no matter how distant; moved by their righteous spirit, they were often as numerous as a forest. Now, the depths of mountains and seas harbor many monstrous things; the cohorts of the treacherous and debauched are able to find shelter under false pretenses. Among the various temples, vicious factions came to exist. Consequently, the previous court, because of these flaws and offenses, punished the guilty. However, the authorities misunderstood the intent and banned everything across the board. Emperor Jingmu frequently sighed with regret over this. Yet, facing many affairs of the military and the state, he had no leisure to restore it. Having inherited the great lineage and reigning over the myriad states, We contemplate carrying out the intentions of Our predecessors to promote this Way. Now We decree that in every administrative center of the commanderies and counties of the various provinces, at places where the multitudes dwell, permission is granted to construct one Buddhist stūpa in each place, allowing them to use their own financial resources without setting limits or restrictions. As for those who love the Dharma of the Way and wish to become śramaṇas, regardless of age, provided they come from a good family, are of consistently sincere nature and conduct, and are known to their local community, they are permitted to leave household life: fifty persons for large provinces and thirty for small provinces. This will suffice to transform evil toward good and broadcast the teachings of the Way.' Thereupon, the whole world followed this trend, morning not waiting for evening; the stūpas and temples destroyed in former times were all restored, and Buddhist statues, sūtras, and treatises were all brought out into the open. At that time, a śramaṇa of the royal lineage of Kaśmīra named Shixian traveled east to the city of Liang, and then to the capital. Encountering the abolition of the Buddha-Dharma, he temporarily made use of medical arts while maintaining the Way without change. On the day of the restoration, he immediately became a śramaṇa along with five peers. The Emperor personally shaved his hair, and Xian was appointed Controller of the Clergy, and so forth.