廣弘明集 16.34

16.34

In this province, monasteries and caityas stand in rows on their foundations. Although many decorations are provided and offerings are lavishly prepared, when one observes their external appearance, they are invariably luxurious and extravagant, yet in the realm of mind there is truly something not yet broadened. Why is this? In casting gold, carving jade, incising lacquer, and painting tiles, one's purpose is to reverently transmit the responsive body and direct one's thoughts from afar to the miraculous awakening, yearning for the first dawn at the Kundika Dragon and pursuing the lingering longing for the Crane Forest. Therefore, 'Sacrifice to the spirits as if they were present.' When the way of revering the spirits is carried to the utmost, then the further we are from the Sage, the deeper the principle of cherishing the Sage must be. The various monasteries of this land merely display images temporarily on the day of his responsive birth; from then on, they lock them away in boxes and hampers. They even take the leaf garments from their bodies, and straightaway remove the flames from their crowns. Sometimes ten Honoured Ones and five Sages dwell together in a single cupboard; sometimes Great Beings and Tathāgatas are hidden together in one chest. Truly it may be said that their minds are contrary to their deeds, their outward appearance is right but their feeling is wrong; prideful thoughts abound, while the mind of vigor is slight. In ancient times, the red casket within the stupa merely transmitted relics; the white parasol at the Elephant Head did not signify the whole body. Now, pursuing the past through painted portraits can still cause officials and commoners to know reverence; casting statues in gold will ultimately make the King of Yue cherish memories. By analogy, the Longquan sword can still leap from its scabbard; likened to tigers and wild oxen, they are still spoken of as escaping their cage. How much more so for the Greatest and Perfectly Compassionate, the Unsurpassed Mass of Goodness! Hearing his name dispels affliction; seeing his form leads one onto the Path. How could one treat this carved incense with neglect, or stow this wooden image away, concealing the jade ūrṇā and sealing up the golden palms? This is neither like Rājagṛha, where he entered the Four Deva Realms for a long time, nor like the Jetavana, where he closed the door for three months. The jeweled hall is visited in vain, the jade stairs are open to emptiness; the dense curtains are not opened, yet this is not Dong Zhongshu's crooked scholarship; the red walls are kept shut, seeming like Shaobing avoiding his enemy. Moreover, the vast halls have clouds hanging over them, and the lofty eaves rise like perching birds. If they are placed upon jade thrones and adorned with golden ornaments, no dust or haze will surely obscure the wheel-like countenance, nor speckle the moon-like face. Dense lapis lazuli windows will naturally keep gentle breezes from entering; fine dragon-whisker screens will suffice to keep flying swallows from passing through. In addition, the principle of reverent respect will surely be exalted, and the mind of bowing to the feet will be even deeper. Let an instruction be issued immediately, making this an everlasting model to follow.