廣弘明集 16.66

16.66

Guangzhai Temple was the former residence of the Supreme Emperor, the old site of his temporary palace. It is located in a certain ward of a certain village in Moling County, Danyang Commandery, Yangzhou. Ever since he left these regions of Bin and Bo to grace the imperial capital, he expanded his estate in the eastern quarter and paced the city walls. The sagely mind kept an affection for leisurely simplicity, and he moved south of the outer wall, its significance matching the departure from Feng and its circumstance equaling the following from Hao. When he conquered and crossed the overflowing torrents to receive this precious destiny, he ordered the imperial gates to be widely opened, taking the Great Tenuity constellation as his residence. This not only matched Emperor Gao of the Han dynasty spreading his fortunes at Feng and Pei, but was also the same as Emperor Guangwu's nostalgic yearning for Nanyang. Thinking of ways to cause the sagely traces to flow forever and be handed down unfadingly: now, this affair is equal to Mount Sumeru, and its principle is endless as heaven and earth. Nothing could be better than gloriously erecting a precious stūpa to transmit it to posterity. Thus, in the sixth year of the Tianjian era of the Great Liang, the year being Xingji, the month matching the Huangzhong pitch-pipe, on the twenty-third day, Wuyin, of the leap tenth month, in the season of midwinter: thereupon, the pillar was planted in the dark earth, its towering height marking the azure clouds. Below, it penetrates the deep springs; above, it presses close to the Milky Way. It shall surely witness the grinding down of great stones in the Bhadrakalpa, and reach the utmost of the future in this Saha world. As for the radiance shone by vermilion light and the approach of rosy clouds, they are not only the favor of Heaven, but also due to the virtue of the Earth. The Emperor opened the Changhe Gate and built a bridge of boats along the Huai riverbanks. Meeting the divine breeze, the team of horses set off; crossing the floating bridge, they passed directly over. The glossy-ganoderma canopy drifted gracefully; the kingfisher streamers waved luxuriantly. Stepping down from the carriage and halting the retinue, he personally presented sincere reverence. Broadly gathering the fourfold assembly, they looked upon the sun and flowed forth together, propagating this vast cause to cover the boundless realms, following the same path to arrive together at the place of enlightenment. Thereupon he made an inscription, saying: