廣弘明集 2.16

2.16

At that time there was a śramaṇa named Xuan'gao, who was an outstanding talent of the gate of emptiness [Buddhism]. Comprehending the spiritual, he moved the multitudes. His Way reigned over Hexi, and when Liang was pacified, he returned eastward. Taiwu had faith in and esteemed him, making him the teacher of Crown Prince Huang. Huang’s filial piety and respect came from nature, and he venerated and looked up to the Buddha-Dharma. Cui and Kou enjoyed the Emperor's favor, and fearing that if Huang assumed the regency they might face peril and banishment, they secretly slandered him to the Emperor, claiming that he harbored rebellious designs and asking whether they should not be provided against in advance. The Emperor believed them, and thereupon imprisoned the Crown Prince in the inner palace. The Emperor dreamt of his grandfather holding a sword and angrily saying: 'The Crown Prince’s benevolence, filial piety, loyalty, and sincerity are thoroughly evident. Why do you believe slanders?' When the Emperor woke, he assembled his court ministers to relate this to them. The various grandees said: 'The Crown Prince was without fault, yet was wrongly disgraced by imprisonment.' The Emperor again believed them. In the first month of the fifth year of Zhenjun, he issued an edict stating: 'We have succeeded to the brilliant lineage of Our ancestors, contemplating the propagation of the vast enterprise to glorify it for myriad generations. Although martial accomplishments are illustrious, civil teachings have not yet spread, which is not the means to exalt the governance of great peace. Now the realm is at ease and the common people are prosperous and abundant; it is fitting to establish regulations to serve as a model for myriad generations. Indeed, the yin and yang alternate, and the four seasons succeed each other in sequence. Entrusting [governance] to one's son and delegating the worthy to mutually ensure safety is the way to rest the fatigued and solidify the long-lasting. This is an immutable and excellent canon of ancient and modern times. Let the Imperial Crown Prince succeed to managing the myriad affairs and overseer of all administrative departments; let further worthy and good men be recommended to fill the array of offices, selecting individuals to grant appointments, demoting and promoting them. Let the court officials and the common people all address themselves as subjects to the Crown Prince,' and so forth. Cui Hao again slandered, saying: 'Regarding the Crown Prince’s previous affair, he truly had intentions to plot treason, but he only allied with Master Gao's esoteric arts, which was what caused the late Emperor to descend in a dream. With such public discourse and evidence difficult to clarify, if he is not eliminated early, it will certainly cause great harm.' The Emperor again accepted his words, immediately imprisoning the Crown Prince until his death. He also arrested Gao and strangled him south of Pingcheng; this was in the twenty-first year of the Yuanjia reign of Song. That night, none of the disciples knew of his death, when suddenly a bright light encircled the stūpa and entered the room. A voice said: 'I have already departed.' The disciples rushed to where the corpse lay and pleaded for his final parting instructions. Gao suddenly sat up and said: 'The accommodation of the Great Dharma flourishes and declines in accordance with conditions. Flourishing and declining pertain to traces; the Principle remains constantly serene. I only reflect that you all, before long, will also be like me. After you die, the Dharma shall rise again. Good practitioners, cultivate your minds and do not give cause for regret.' Having finished speaking, he lay down and passed away. Cui Hao's slanderous words were so deep that they could cause a father to suspect his son even unto death by imprisonment—how much more so for a śramaṇa!