廣弘明集 20
English (machine translation) 20
- Language
- English
20.1
Compiled by the Śramaṇa Shi Daoxuan of Ximing Temple of the Great Tang
20.2
Section 4: Meaning of the Dharma, Part 3
20.3
Eulogy on the Great Dharma, Presented [to the Emperor] (with memorial and reply), by Crown Prince Gang of the Liang
Eulogy on the Crown Prince's Lecture at the Xuanpu, Presented [to the Crown Prince] (with memorial and reply), by King of Jin'an Gang of the Liang
Preface to the Commentary on the Nirvāṇa-sūtra, by Emperor Wu of the Liang
Preface to the Connected Jades of Dharma Jewels, by King of Xiangdong Yi of the Liang
Preface to the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra, by Emperor Jianwen of the Liang
Preface to the Forest of Epigraphs and Inscriptions of the Inner Canon, by Emperor Yuan of the Liang
Prefaces to the Collection of Sublime Records of the Dhyāna Forest (two pieces), composed by Imperial Order by the Tang Śramaṇa Xuanze
Preface to the Pearl Forest of the Dharma Garden, composed by Siyuan Dafu Li Yan
20.4
Memorial Presenting the Eulogy on the Great Dharma
20.5
Crown Prince Gang
20.6
Your subject Gang states: Your subject has heard that when the ultimate principle flourishes, virtuous sounds are proclaimed; when successful achievements culminate, songs of praise arise. In the case of Xi Si, Kao Fu, the Shenque, or the Jiashu, the events merely prospered within the terrestrial realm, and the blessings illuminated only a single thing; yet people danced with hands and feet, bequeathing models for the future. How much more so when the Way transcends the hundred negations and its significance surpasses the Three Dynasties—how could one set aside the brush, conceal words, and not produce chants and songs? I prostrate myself before Your Majesty: above and below heaven, the principle of wondrous awakening is uniquely perfect; throughout the three thousand great thousands [of worlds], unconditioned compassion is universally bestowed. The boat of wisdom faces no obstruction; the power of the Dharma is boundless. In person, You have bent Your supreme majesty to descend and proclaim the ultimate principle. The moisture of the rain is impartial; the fields of the mind receive nourishment. Thus, those who were drowned together in the nine realms all recognize the shore of return; the myriad states, sharing the same dream, awake at once in a single day. This is a supreme event for the Buddha-Dharma and an ultimate glory for the state. Examining high antiquity, there has never been such magnificence. Compositions of refined odes and eulogies must not be lacking. Respectfully, I present one Eulogy on the Great Dharma. [Compared to] Cao Pi's rhapsody following the military expedition, or Liu Tan's conversations accompanying his lord on excursions, it has no parallel, and inwardly I am filled with both awe and shame. Unable to contain my sincere joy, I respectfully dispatch the Imperial Order Attendant Zhong Chaobao to present the memorial and offer the eulogy for Your inspection. Your subject Gang states the above.
20.7
The Emperor sends greetings to the Crown Prince: Having examined the memorial and seen the Eulogy on the Great Dharma you composed, both its style and meaning are exquisite; upon reading it, I am delighted.
20.8
Eulogy on the Great Dharma (with preface)
20.9
Presented by your subject, Crown Prince Gang
20.10
The Emperor, not relinquishing his original vow through the quiescent Dharma-body, by spiritual potency manifested himself and responded by descending to this land. With a dragon visage and sun horn, profound eyes with double pupils, an astral balance displaying connected pearls, and heavenly patterns forming a jade dipper. From the time he accepted the woodland domain and laid the foundation, the virtue of Heaven and Earth had already been displayed; when enfeoffed at Tang and initiating his traces, the illumination of the sun and moon was made luminous beforehand. The ordering of the hundred offices equalled that of Shun; the channeling of the nine rivers matched that of Yu. Still he carried forth the posture of serving the Yin, and for a while yielded to the principle of remaining in the fields. From the time the five Pleiades flew at dawn announcing the auspicious omen of red inscriptions, and it rained for seven days receiving the tally of verdant hue, the sacred vessels found their true home and the dynastic fortunes gathered here. Jiao Gate grew weary of the virtue-abandoning ruler; upon the Wei Waters were deployed the ranks with white banners. Thereafter, receiving the gracious mandate of August Heaven, he met with the joyous acclaim of the four seas. How could he have needed to sacrifice to Chiyou at the courtyard of Pei, or rely on river ice for hegemonic kingship? At that time, the lush canopy lost its order and the azure heavens erred in degree; he thereupon selected the five-coloured stones to mend them. The earth's axis tilted and accumulated ice cracked; he thereupon regulated the nine marshes to correct them. The lunar hare was doubled and the solar crow had three feet; he thereupon settled the royal enterprise to brighten them. When the Sheti star strayed from its direction and the first month lost its calendar, he thereupon established the Pure Terrace to discern them. He sustained crowns and caps where they had fallen; he rejoined girdle jades where they had been broken. Since leaning on the jade armrest and grasping the heavenly mirror, treading the astronomical sphere with hands folded in reverent composure, dwelling in the cliff galleries in profound silence, it has now been thirty-two years. Thus heaven's virtue is unified above, and earth's number is doubled below. He restored brightness to the constellations Shen and Chen, leaving the sun and moon unswerving. The two luminaries were like joined jade discs; the five essences were like strung pearls. Sacrificing to ancestors and offering to Heaven, worshipping at the sacred mound and paying rites to the marsh, he reverently conducted the five sacrifices, his merit reaching all hundreds of spirits. Rivers and peaks presented omens; wind and mist displayed blessings. Blue clouds matched the pitch-pipes; yellow vapor issued from the wings. Hearing the majestic phoenix of Mount Yu, he fashioned the chaste bamboo of the Great Xia. The yang pitch-pipe harmonized with spring; the yin bell resonated with the pitch. The examinations of the Shanglin Park were not remiss; the divinations of the ministerial mansion were free from error. Playing the Six Excellences at Ruoshui, stretching the Xianchi tune at Lake Dongting, holding the pheasant feathers he moved the music that harmonizes with heaven; erecting the magnificent bells he proclaimed the tunes that transform customs. The Office of Music possessed a harmonious order; the director of music produced dignified rhythms. When the Classic of Poetry and Classic of History were arrayed, the turquoise and pale blue wrappers were all complete. The rush-wheeled carriage received Fu Sheng’s recitation; the tadpole script was presented from the mansion of Lu. Steaming chestnuts and preparing the bamboo slats, jade tablets and stone records piled high in the imperial libraries, their brilliance outshining the Qilin Hall. Establishing ministerial seats and bestowing ranks, the laws flowed like rivers and rested on peaks. Appointing offices and establishing departments, cloud omens and fire signs were mapped. High mountains were tranquil, red robes wound gently; their colors were as lovely as pheasant plumage, their patterns as beautiful as woven birds. The remonstrance drum hung high, and unpolished words were not discarded; the lung stone communicated grievances, and censuring words were inscribed on bridge boards. Grasses named for pointing out flattery removed fawning courtiers from the court; beasts named for butting guilt banished treacherous schemers. Therefore dragons soared and phoenixes gathered; the Yellow River became clear and the seas calm. The dew fell like maltose, and the springs welled up like sweet wine. Cinnamon firewood needed no axe, yet the cinnabar caldrons cooked spontaneously; the jade wells required no pulling, yet the silver pitchers were filled. The river’s gleam was like a carriage canopy; trees grew into the shapes of carriages. Sweet vapors shone on all sides, radiant with the five colors. Wondrous deities stood tall and auspicious omens spread far and wide. With golden scales and iron visages, they paid tribute of blue stone arrowheads; crossing oceans and climbing mountains, envoys offered white jade rings. Those who crown the sun and crown the dipper all came to court; from Great Peace to Great Darkness, none did not submit. Ministers like Fang Shu and Shao Hu, generals answering the war drums and responding to the beat, grasped the secret strategies of dragon and tiger, holding the extraordinary plans of red and black. Receiving the sacrificial meat in the ancestral temple, they demonstrated majesty beneath the frontier passes. Exiting the Jade Gate, they pointed straight ahead; crossing Jincheng, they reported plans. They swept away the remaining demons among the heterogeneous tribes, and rescued the scorched and wretched of the Central Plains. Facing north toward the earth's veins and heading west to the heavenly channel, the Kunyi ceased their harassment, and the Susha submitted of themselves. Capturing the deer of the Quanrong, they hung the drums of Mixu; in Gao Street were captives bound with cords, and at Lake Ruoshui chieftains were seen surrendering. The four quarters were free from dust; the six directions were united as one. The imperial virtue is lofty! The winds of Great Peace permeate everything, leaving nothing outside. Within, the Son of Heaven harbors the supreme wisdom of the unborn; without, he responds to the vast traces of the Qian hexagram. Wishing to transform the provisional teachings to reveal the true path, to dispel expedient expositions and guide those lost in the conjured city, he straightened his screens in the imperial residence, sighed and said: 'Now, dreaming distantly of Huaxu, resting peacefully on Mount Gushi, donning robes in the fasting hall at Xuanhu, longing for the supreme governance of Fenyang, lightly regarding the nine cauldrons like lifting one's skirts, and viewing the ten-thousand-chariot empire like casting off worn shoes—these merely demonstrate the essential path of supreme impartiality, but do not attain transcendence of the world. As for concealing gold and jade in streams and cliffs, casting zithers into the great ravine, humbling one's person with meager food, living in thatched halls with earthen steps, without skill applied to red carriages and without ornament on deerskin robes—these merely show frugality to beings, yet do not ascend to transcendence of the world. Untying nets to release birds, digging wells to bury exposed bones, giving rise to the benevolence of weeping for the guilty, practicing the compassion of fanning the sunstruck, feeling that one's concern for those pushed into ditches is never enough, and remembering in sleepless nights those fallen into moats—these merely show humaneness to beings, yet do not ascend to transcendence of the world. The Purple Palace, the Azure Mound, Mount Ting, and the Zhang River; honoring the Daoist texts of the River Master, taking pleasure in Qibo’s verses; erecting the altar to the Great One at Ganquan, establishing the township of Fenghao at Mount Song; carving the oath of Xianmen at Mount Jieshi, and singing the song of Jiaomen at Buqi—these merely serve the love of longevity, matters concerning only oneself. If one evaluates them rigorously, they fall far short of being vast. Although one may attain the dhyāna of Longzong, one ultimately falls into the difficulty of mere longevity; in vain does one mount the joys of the Three Purities, never dispelling the sphere of the eight inversions. How could this compare to igniting the torch of wisdom to illuminate the darkness of birth and death, transcending the skandha-aggregates, boarding the vessel of the six pāramitās, floating upon the ocean of manifold virtues, and treading the shore of non-arising?' Thereupon he adorned the state, established the place of practice, widely performed beneficial acts, and opened and propagated Buddhist matters. He steered those sentient beings to ascend together to humaneness and longevity; he led these fettered ones to enter together into the Mahāyāna. The nine realms of existence turned their hearts, and the ten directions bent like grass. As though relying on a ferry, all depended on this refuge. Radiant as the morning sun opening manifold flowers, bountiful as a farmer meeting enriching rain. The wings of merit were already complete, and the gates of wisdom were fully provided. He considered that the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra is the great Dharma of the Vaipulya: loftiest without boundary, deep without bottom. It encompasses all good deeds in signlessness, and兆prefigures the nine domains without border. It is like the branching streams flowing apart, yet possessing the same single flavor upon entering the great sea; like the manifold fragrances and diverse colors that become of a single hue upon reaching Mount Sumeru. Emptiness and emptiness do not cling; suchness and suchness meet together. Neither uniting nor dispersing, neither departing nor coming. The wisdom of all types of knowledge can be born from it—truly, it is the mother of Buddhas! The manifold scriptures cannot equal it; it is called the King of Sūtras. He then wished to utter the single sound, rain down the Dharma rain, display the five eyes, and guide through the dense darkness. In the year of Zhaoyang, when the star resided in Xuanxiao, the Jiazhong pitch-pipe corresponded to mid-spring, and Jia-shen fell on an auspicious day. He was about to visit Tongtai Temple to turn the great wheel of the Dharma. This monastery was founded by our Emperor: transforming the Bureau of the Grand Justice into a place of the saṅghārāma. He changed the iron cords into golden ponds, transformed the iron nets into an aromatic city, shone spiritual radiance upon the burning sand, and gave rise to refreshing coolness amid blazing fire. Thousands of corbels stood tall, and hundreds of brackets arched high. Crimson walls and dark beams, ornate rafters and jade stairs. The three tiers of steps stood in equal array, and the four sloping roofs flowed around. Ascending on jade eaves to touch the sky, flying silver pillars blocked the sun. A rainbow curved down to hold the ridge-pole and encircle the pillars; lotuses grew inverted in caissons, their carved characters facing the windows. The crimson jeweled pagoda equalled the seat of the Lotus Sūtra; the towering high spire matched the land of Joyful Intention. Below was dug a moat of white silver; along the sides shone bricks of gold leaf. The high gates stood wide open, requiring no decoration of copper horses; the jeweled halls opened like rosy clouds, needing no auspicious omen of phoenixes. Golden wheels illuminated the sun, surpassing the subterranean vaults of Linzi; tiered terraces and stacked balustrades exceeded the airborne flights of Wanwei. The summer halls condensed frost; the warm chambers harbored heat. Within the carved towers, the movement of an inchworm produced an echo; inside the cavernous portals, the return of a wren stirred a breeze. The banners were named maṇi; the pendants were strung with gold thread. The disc-wheels were ten fathoms in diameter; the bells measured four hu in circumference. They unfolded the intertwined branches of the seven treasures, and poured forth the pure waters of the eight virtues. Earthly fungi awaited the moon; heavenly flowers flew against the wind. The Dharma drum sounded at night, with the Dharma heard within its tone; the jade branches moved at dawn, forming music among the leaves. It was more wondrous than the palace of Deyang, more magnificent than the threshold of Weiyang. Hence the copper balustrades of thirty feet laughed at the well-sweep terraces of old, and the twelve jade towers shamed the dwellings of the immortals from afar. It may be compared to the Cool Terrace, matching the Temple of the Orchid Terrace; to the east of the Garden of Illumination in Trāyastriṃśa, and to the north of the heavenly city of Śakra. Thus, in the cycle of the heavenly stems, it was dense, obscure, dark, and gloomy—ah, it defies description! Clanging and brilliant, wondrous and variegated—so distant it cannot be named. Thereupon, the disc-like sun shed radiance, and auspicious clouds bore fine colors. A warm breeze blew gently, and deep dew hung lightly. The rearguard massed its might, and the vanguard called out to clear the road. Armed warriors lined like stars, and the great bells sounded forth. Setting in motion the Dharma carriage of the Heavenly Palace, he revealed the majestic spirits of the Heavenly Road. A hundred spirits supported him, and a thousand chariots thundered. Six dragons pulled the axletrees together, and the Seven Stars of the Dipper cast down brilliance. Cloud banners rose into the sky, and the Gouchun constellation flanked the carriage. Outstripping light and treading on shadows, the sun enveloped heaven as it wheeled around. Golden canopies and jade carriages, leopard skins and alligator drums; horses glossy and fat, heavenly steeds magnificent and tall. Green bows and yellow crossbows, elephant-decorated and fish-patterned. The flying imperial guards kept the rhythm, with no need for swords that sever dragons; the tiger-brave guards bore feather banners, requiring no shots that bring down cawing crows. Vast and splendid, rumbling and glorious, they exited the Gate of Great Penetration. The Son of Heaven descended from the honor of his carved carriage, performed the rite of touching the feet, bowed his crown to the Golden Mountain, and took refuge in the Moon-faced One. It was as though the shouts of 'ten thousand years' were heard, and as though the movements of the six transformations were witnessed. Thereupon, donning the Tathāgata’s robe and ascending the lion seat, he harmonized the entanglement of a hundred thoughts, and took pity on the earnestness of the three requests. He revealed the profound principle of true wisdom, and illumined the vast teaching of crossing to the other shore. The two truths revealed the ferry of emptiness and existence; the two knowledges embraced the depths of provisional and real. The Mahāyāna opened wide without obstruction; the mind of the Way plumbed its ultimate shore. Cause and effect were ungraspable, yet functioned without movement; the ultimate and conventional could not be sought, yet were reached without stirring. Not taking the two dharmas, they converged in the Middle Way, exhausting the deep ocean of the Buddha and entering the Buddha’s Dharma treasury. He reached the pinnacle of the wondrous sūtras of the sūtras, and investigated the secret Dharma of the dragon palace. He proclaimed the profound principles of the Sahā world, and expounded the subtle words of all the sages. Once the water of the correct teaching had moistened, heterodox difficulties naturally ceased; as the sun of wisdom shone universally, poisonous frost entirely melted away. He eliminated darkness from the four forms of birth, and dispelled ignorance in the three realms. Lofty and imposing as Mount Meru in the great ocean! Solemn and dignified, like the host of stars surrounding the full moon! At that time, the eight classes of gods and dragons packed the air; robes were heaped into seats, and scattered flowers reached to the knees. The three thousand worlds transformed their defiled nature; those in the burning house looked to a time of parting from suffering. The evil realms received rest; the Avīci hells were all quelled. Crowds of scholars and multitudes of renowned monks all possessed eloquence like Sarasvatī and wisdom like Śāriputra, surpassing those of green eyes and black teeth, towering over those of broad knees and red beards. All corresponded to the mind pouring from vase to vase; all were soaked in the dyeing of the cloth. Like gold refined anew, like jade carved again, they heard what they had never heard and attained what they had never attained. Deeply moved, their expressions stirred, they asked for instruction without wearying. The hundred officials were fully arrayed, caps and shoes hastening together; luxuriant sables shone brilliantly, and ornate sashes fluttered gently. One would say that the assembly at Śrāvastī and the preaching in the Great Forest could not surpass this! He would cause each and every Buddha-nature, upon meeting the revealing cause, to emerge together; and each and every Buddha-land to discard the two and eliminate the three. In comparison to singing the South Wind, esteeming the Huang-Lao, attending the Biyong Academy, or lecturing on the texts of Confucius’s mansion—how could such petty things even be mentioned? Coming to the Jia-chen day of the third month, the Dharma assembly was complete. The Tathāgata emitted a great light, manifesting rare phenomena. Blazing, it radiated color, incomparable even to the pearl-fire; glowing, it shone upward, vermilion and purple competing to burst forth. The Winged River would be shamed by its auspicious moisture; Fenyin would appear base before its radiant shadow. It eclipsed the purple clouds entering the palace, and surpassed the wondrous vapor of Hongmen. Formerly, when the Lotus Sūtra was first proclaimed, the ray from between the brows illuminated all; when the Prajñā was first expounded, the entire body smiled. The auspicious omens of the Royal City were met again after a thousand years! Was this not because the Sage Lord, sharing the same body as all Buddhas, manifested these wondrous signs, matching all the powers of the Buddhas as if by tally? Yet he still maintained the modesty of profound silence, magnifying the supreme caution of trepidation. Acting without claiming mastery, yielding without dwelling upon it, taking the heart of the common people as his heart, it concerned not himself; shouldering burdens without wearying, he gathered in the four forms of birth. The Crown Prince, your subject Gang, serving meals in the eastern chamber and personally receiving the great Dharma, considers that when kings journeyed west or hunted east, praises and odes were raised; and when they performed the burnt offering on mountains gazing in sacrifice, songs and chants were composed. How much more so when the crown of the head is opened to receive the nectar, and bowing low one hears the Way! I venture to describe the appearance of his magnificent virtue, and make this hymn:
20.11
Jade records stretch into antiquity; blue chronicles endure far and long. The Tao adapts to the five triumphs; imperial customs differ among a hundred kings. At Shangqiu, ear-plugs were mandated; along the Ji River, the royal line began. The Yellow River clarifies in anticipation of the sage; the sea grows tranquil awaiting the sovereign. Equal to Heaven and matched with Earth, the merit redounds to the Liang dynasty. Hanging down robes and facing south, curbing oneself in the palace halls; initiating doctrinal teachings, establishing robes and garments. The Ninefold Shao transformed the sounds; the Sixfold Music altered its pitch. The phoenix arrived in gentle grace; the stones were struck with resonant clatter. Broadly refurbishing the Pi-yong waters, widely opening colleges and schools. Light carriages were sent to recruit the worthy; banners and silks sought out the eminent. The Orchid Terrace is well-stocked; the Great Archives preserve the lore. Fragrant rue perfumes the bamboo slips; green characters unfurl luminous chapters. As civil achievements have spread, martial deeds are likewise manifest. Engraved bellies and carved bodies, purple tongues and yellow branches: the Southern Market seeks the hostage-tribes, and to the Northern Gates they come to pay court. Flying pennants gather their fine feathers; inscribed deeds are recorded on wolf skins. Silver chariots draw foreign dependencies; black tallies summon the outlying wastes. Texts are uniform to the far shores of the sea; transformation extends across dragon realms. Westward surpassing the Moon Grotto; eastward moistening the Fusang tree. Humble palaces resemble those of Yu; opening the nets matches Tang's compassion. The Crossroads Chamber welcomes the extraordinary; the Bright Terrace draws in the virtuous. The banners of goodness are never furled; the remonstrance drums sound their deep roll. Ten thousand omens assemble auspiciousness; a hundred spirits reveal good portents. Black cinnabar exudes moisture; red vermilion grass unfolds fragrance. Pearls hold mirrored reflections; stars contain joyous light. White cranes descend upon the pond; tall wutong trees gather female phoenixes. Red bears are tamed in the morning; white pheasants soar at dawn. One visits Bo You in search of jade, and seeks the Tao from the Queen Mother of the West; travels past the Jianmu tree, and inspects the thriving Tang. Yet these are not what transcends cosmic cycles—how could they be bridges across samsāra? We have the unhindered path, leading together toward the perfect eternity. Jade chariot-bells slowly move; the golden wheel adorns the dawn. Purple dragons flank the carriage; green steeds gallop forward. Tiger-striped retinue halts in formation; dragon-harnessed teams set forth. Latticed jade horses outshine the Heavenly Wolf; dark banners mirror the sun, kingfisher phoenixes bask in the solar warmth. Ahead flies the radiant comet; behind march the towering guards. Moving like wind and sweeping like thunder, dazzling in tiered magnificence. Lofty is the jeweled throne; rich is the renowned incense. Dharma followers and fellow students form a wall dense as dust and sand. The cloud of compassion pours out moisture; the Dharma rain bestows cooling shade. The three mysteries are limitless; the fourfold eloquence is beyond measure. Just as these oceanic jewels, and like that mountain king! The current of wisdom covers all; medicinal trees put forth their blossoms. The Buddha-sun appears in the world, dispelling the frost of delusion together. Śakra sings hymns of praise; the subterranean spirits laud and extol. Sky-flowers vie in falling down; celestial lutes play of themselves. Mountains hold shadows and hues; the earth is bathed in glorious light. Rare mists surround the atmosphere; terrestrial lotuses open their pods. Grace covers the three realms; kindness is bestowed equally across the eight directions. Majestic and imposing, acting as boat and raft! This subject bows his head: May Your Majesty live ten thousand years without bound!
20.12
Memorial of Praise on the Crown Prince's Lecture in the Xuanpu Garden
20.13
By Gang, Prince of Jin'an, General of the West Central Palace Guard
20.14
Gang respectfully submits: I have heard that when the Shao music of Shun was first sung, divine forms danced of their own accord; when the pitch-pipes of Chen brought the warm breeze, the hearts of plants vied in sprouting calyxes. Even light birds and short leaves recognize sounds and light; how then could one bathed in goodness and joyful at heart forget clapping and dancing? Prostrate, I reflect that Your Highness has a nature that rises high above worldly traces, cultivating the Way in the Spring Palace. You encompass the garden of letters and fish the river of profound meaning; your intention focuses on the Dragon Palace, and your heart scrutinizes the precious seal. Talents like Daosheng and Kumārajīva gather like clouds; peers of Ying Yang and Wang Can are summoned together. Exploring the subtle and analyzing principle, you are joyful and tireless; how could the beauty of vermilion blossoms or the bright moon ever distract you? Now it is the late autumn season, the first breath of early winter; frosted bamboos cast floating shade, and wutong trees shed their leaves in the wind. Your leisurely and elegant discussions truly accord with the divine heart. I, Gang, with my petty life, am most fortunate to encounter this glorious age; by the grace of blood ties I am favored to rank among the imperial clansmen. Yet like a fly trapped in glue I am not yet free, like an unbridled wild elephant I run uncontrolled; the jewel lies submerged within drunken robes, the pearl is buried in the forehead of the warrior. Having heard of such supreme excellence, how could I forget to sing praises? I respectfully present one poem of praise on the lecture in the Xuanpu Garden. Its style is ashamed of lacking brilliant flourishes, its thought falls short of intricate refinement. In vain do I cherish the impulse to dance in joy, yet in the end I feel embarrassed before the beauty of pure airs. Presumptuously I present it for your attention, followed by deep fluster and sweat. Respectfully submitted.
20.15
The Crown Prince's Rescript in Reply
20.16
I received your letter along with the composed poem of praise. From beginning to end it is admirable, truly forming an excellent work. The diction is elegant and the style splendid, both warm and refined; not only is it vibrant with intent, but it may be called remarkably outstanding. Reading it again and again, it is truly like recovering from an illness. As for the twin causes and eightfold eloquence, they capture the consummate spirit of the Dharma assembly all the more; the silver grass and golden clouds wonderfully capture the beauty of the scenery. My fraternal affection is exceedingly delighted. I look forward to seeing you in person to express everything, as these words cannot convey it all. A brief reply.
20.17
Poem of Praise on the Xuanpu Garden Lecture (with Preface)
20.18
Presented by the Prince of Jin'an, General of the West Central Palace Guard
20.19
I reflect that the jeweled mountain is exceedingly lofty, such that slow-footed steeds cannot catch sight of its peak; the waves of the ocean of wisdom are vast and distant, such that light skiffs cannot sail across. Thus, searching the sand confuses the subtle, just as rubbing a pestle misidentifies the form. For a hundred generations all remained in darkness; through a thousand years, who could initiate illumination?
20.20
Our Sovereign, entrusted with the mandate of the Golden Wheel, matches the jade mirror. Lowering his gaze in pity at suffering habits, he keeps lit the lamp of compassion. The śāla trees return to spring; the Dragon Spring dawns anew. Dark waters leap with auspiciousness; red hills pour out lightning. His merit conceals fire transformations; his intent encompasses the fame of clouds. The light of wisdom is like the morning sun shining forth; the power of patience is like the bright moon pearl. Heaven is fulfilled and earth is tranquil; the distant are reverent and the near are harmonious. Moisture leaks without bottom; transformation spreads without boundary. The Cang River reflects green clarity; the blue sea tempers the winds. Halting auspicious airs in the two luminaries; floating propitious mists across the five seasonal festivals. Scaled and feathered creatures are favored with the release from nets; the common folk are bathed in the compassion of benevolence and longevity. Thereupon the correct transformation subtly spreads, and the Dharma wheel constantly turns, like an empty realm transmitting voidness, like an overflowing river pouring out moisture. The Heir Apparent's virtue manifests marvelous forms; his constitution is sagacious as spring jade. In quiet mornings after attending to meals, he wanders his mind in the Dharma treasuries. Gripping the brush and unfurling prose, his works are charming and richly embroidered; in pure conversation and debate, they sparkle like jade reflections. Xia Qi would feel abashed at his virtue; the Zhou Hymns would be ashamed of their airs. Thereupon, in the Xuanpu Garden, he gathered the elite who have calmed their minds, and summoned talents like Chen Lin and Xu Gan, holding ultimate discussions all day long, expounding the Way through the entire morning. The guests and attendants made no sound; sweet fragrances stirred the air. The seven eloquence-streams poured forth like a cascade; the two causes unfolded together. Their sentiments roamed the other shore; their insights harmonized with the Jeta Grove. The spiritual stupa was about to emerge; celestial flowers fell in sudden flurries. At this time, it was the middle season of autumn, with beautiful light on a lovely morning; cool air entered the golden gates, and frost floated upon the jade pipes. This garden is secluded and deep, uniquely splendid among renowned landscapes: vermilion halls and jade stairs, green waters and silver sands. Birds flutter to exquisite sounds; trees flourish with wondrous leaves. Liquid streams meander through; the forms of Mount Penglai are mirrored. Breeze rises from the Moon Palace; the sun shines through the locust tree mists. I, Gang, unworthy of such special favor, have been permitted to accompany at the very tail of the dust; having entered the jeweled pavilion in advance, I stealthily glimpsed the marvelous slips. With the joy of wild ducks and the clapping of ripples, my mind alone was made luminous. I dare to compose this praise, saying:
20.21
The imperial demeanor approaches the sun; / the sovereign’s Way prospers like clouds. / Transformation flourishes in hanging robes; / virtue spreads vast fragrance. / His faculty rides the eight liberations; / his Way illumines the three ancient records. / Towering and expansive, / one sovereign for ten thousand generations! (I) // The double brightness illuminates the scene; / jade moisture unfolds radiance. / The seven purities mark excellence; / the three good virtues are proclaimed fine. / Descending this Dharma rain, / it everywhere moistens the sprouts of beings. / Rippling is the water of principle; / dazzling is the literary brilliance! (II) // The fragrant garden is enveloped in mist; / the celestial palace resembles jewels. / Analyzing doctrines, one merges with emptiness; / through subtle faculties, one enters the Way. / Dense chambers float with purity; / multi-storied pavilions adorn one another. / The sun shines on golden clouds; / the wind stirs the silver grass! (III) // Shoulders following and heels touching, / they grasp precious spiritual pearls. / All draw forth the fourfold illumination, / and together display it across the nine avenues. / Reflecting on my many deficiencies, / I merely offer ordinary stones alongside jade. / In the end it is like the pebbles of Yan, / and even more like the Qi reed-pipes! (IV)
20.22
Preface to the Commentary on the Nirvāṇa Sūtra Composed for Dharma Master Liang
20.23
By Emperor Wu of the Liang
20.24
It is said: Without words, there is no way to lodge meaning; yet words are themselves an entanglement of wordlessness. By entangling words, one may put an end to words; yet once words cease, various wrong views arise in competition. Therefore, the Tathāgata rode his original vow to take birth, manifesting the power of compassion to respond and transform. Free from letters, he established teachings; forgetting mental marks, he opened the Way. He wished to make jade and common stone differ in value, and the Jing and Wei rivers flow in separate courses; to subdue the six non-Buddhist teachers and rectify the four inversions; to overturn the eightfold wrongness and return to the single taste; to break the horns of worldly intellect, and stop the mouths of perverse men; to guide the mind that seeks the pearl, and open the eyes that observe the elephant; to rescue beings from being burned in the burning house, and save those drowning in the stormy sea. Thus, when the Dharma rain falls, parched seeds flourish again; when the wisdom sun rises, the long night receives the dawn. He prompted Kāśyapa's eager yearning, and spoke sincere words of truth. Although the two kinds of giving were presented equally at the beginning, and the five greats were expounded thereafter; though the thirty-four questions varied in their subtle points, he adapted his answers according to their dispositions. To summarize the sūtra, it does not depart from two paths: the Buddha-nature discloses the source of innate existence, while nirvāṇa clarifies the ultimate principle of return. It is neither cause nor fruit; it neither arises nor acts. Its principle surpasses ten thousand virtues; its state transcends a hundred negations. Emptiness itself cannot fathom its true limit; the most profound mystery cannot exhaust its marvelous gate. Were it not for virtue equal to impartiality and a mind attuned to non-arising, how could one easily enter these golden walls and jade chambers?
20.25
Preface to the Linked Gems of the Dharma Jewel by Emperor Jianwen of the Liang
20.26
By Yi, Prince of Xiangdong
20.27
I venture to consider: observing the celestial patterns, the sun and moon are that by which constancy and brilliance are revealed; observing the human patterns, decorative embroidery and blazing flame are that by which illumination and expression are displayed. How much more so when the jade ūrṇā shines radiantly, surpassing the realm of gods and humans, and the empty liberation of the golden tablets arises beyond literary compositions! Although objective sphere and wisdom are merged in obscurity, and verbal speech is cut off, when songs and praises are composed, one may speak of them in outline. Thus, the Book of Documents records the "Announcement of Tang," and the chapters set forth the "Dream of Yue." In antiquity, the royal domain lay in Bo; now, the imperial enterprise is solely centered in Yangzhou. His merit extends throughout the world, and our lineage originates from this. How could it merely compare with the origins in Yaoxu, Shiniu, Qiaocheng, or Wenxian, or the Master of Dragons dwelling in Xia, or the Tang and Du entering Zhou? The Emperor hangs his robes and leans on the screen, distinguishing the quarters and righting the positions. Where carts and writings converge, in the south it reaches Jiaozhi; where the wind and clouds shower down blessings, in the west it gradually imbues the flowing sands. In military matters, he truly puts an end to weapons, wielding the sword that ensures life; in music, he manifests settled order, reducing the strings of Baoxi's zither. His ministers combine the sixteen virtuous ones, knowing the subtle and the manifest; his generals rival the twenty-eight heroes, like bears and tigers. Would he ever need the excursion to Rongcheng's Jade Chamber or the assembly in Guangcheng's Stone Room? Therefore, those who take it to heart forget outward forms; those who take refuge in it enjoy constant bliss. In the past, when the Wheel-Turning King protected the Dharma, the Southern Palace had the auspicious sign of a golden dragon; when Brahmā requested the Way, the Eastern Court heard of the auspicious omen of the jeweled canopy. Perfectly good and perfectly beautiful, he singularly towers over imperial reigns. In ancient times, the reason princes had instructors when going forth and guardians when entering, and were taught with winter feathers and autumn flutes, was truly because in the Zhou hymns the young and tender needed to rely on upright men, and in the Han dynasty superficial scholars relied on authoritative discourses. The Grand Tutor discussed the Lord of Meng, and the Younger Dai spoke of the Erudite of Ceremonies. The rare treasures of mountains and rivers can be known only by waiting for the suburban welcoming; the words spoken from within the tent require the reclamation of fields to be verified. Comparing the present with the past, the matter is quite otherwise. Our Crown Prince's achievements surpass Xuan-ni (Confucius); his Dao is superior to the work of the divination of Qi. His fame transcends Ji Fa (King Wu); why would he rely on the encomium of Bian Lan? He may be compared to the towering peaks of Heng and Hua, or to the surging waves of the Bohai Sea. He manifests loyalty and establishes filial piety; he cultivates conduct and speaks of the Way. He gives broadly and esteems benevolence; he acts on the subtle and accomplishes affairs. In wisdom, he discerns the dancing cock; in divination, he distinguishes the swarming ants. When he first entered official service, his achievements were clearly tested. His virtue embraced the Three Adjunct areas, and his authority swept across the Nine Streams. Commanding the troops with tiger-like presence, bearing the halberd and crowned with cicada ornaments; as Ford Officer he rescued those who were sinking, and all things looked up to the grace of his impartial division. In the regions of Yi, Dai, Qiong, and Min, the people yearned for the governance of his coming. In Chen and Cang, he left behind the transformation of wearing furs inside out; in the Huai and sea regions, his renown for the black cap was exalted. His majesty gradually reached Huangzhi, and his transformative influence moved across Chigu. In the south, he opened access to Shun's jade; in the north, he pacified Yao's willows. Chaoxian navigated the seas to pay tribute, and Yelang knocked at the border gates. Thereafter, embodying the Way, the thunder struck, the rain fell, and the clouds drifted. The Han used wushen, and the Jin solely relied on gengwu; he adds brilliance to previous luminaries and uniquely commands prime virtue. His grace is like the spring breeze; his benevolence is like the winter sun. Walking the Dao, he makes it his carriage; spurring the worthy, they form his team of four. He turns his attention to the leather bindings and fixes his mind on the light-yellow scrolls. Xu Shang's arithmetic and Wang Wei's archery manuals, the southern turtle's diverse theories and the eastern scryer's miscellaneous rhapsodies, Ren Liang's game of go and Xianmen's divination methods, admonitions inscribed on zithers and swords, and inscriptions cast on basins and vessels—there is none he does not understand as clearly as pointing to his palm, or tracing the Jing to distinguish the Wei. Moreover, with the phoenix-like charm of winds taking flight and luan-bird patterns like soaring flames, his subtle thoughts enter the realm of the matchless, while his great ideas encompass the primordial qi. His rhymes harmonize with the pitch-pipes; his ornamentation stirs the primal hues of heaven and earth. How could he need to seek approval from Yanxian, or make inquiries of Zhigui? Coming to the profound meanings of Mṛgadāva and the arcane teachings of the Dragon Palace, he summoned scholars from afar and personally mounted the lecture seat. His expressions became the model laws, and his words formed the standard rules. In dialogues with Wang Can, his deeds surpassed those of the Wei heir apparent; in exchanges with Cai Mo, his virtue towered above the Jin dual luminaries. He was like a suspended bell answering the sound, or like a street vat waiting to be scooped. Those of hasty mind followed in his footsteps; those who heard from afar took in his prevailing wind. Thus the secret teachings of adamantine firmness and the jewels of Dharma became obscure in nocturnal dreams; the emperor of Wuhuai did not perish, and Huaxu was moved in the night. Were it not for building the bridge of insight, brandishing the sword of wisdom, perfuming with the incense of the precepts, and bathing in the waters of concentration, how could the minute accumulations of emptiness, having passed through the Wise Kalpa, finally manifest as tiny grains of millet, or how could turning and revolving the concealed repository of gems be transmitted today? Furthermore, the texts of Daqin do not conform to the eight script styles, and the seal characters of Kangju differ from the six lines of the hexagrams. The Two Vehicles were first opened, compared to the horse conveying the hare; the single body equally converges, discarding the rhinoceros and venerating the elephant. The nourishing leaves grow ever more plentiful, and views and thoughts accumulate evenly. The fundamentally existent is subtle and distant; comprehension and the true cause mutually condition one another. Although speaking of provisional continuity, it does not apprehend a single shadow; yet this subsequent mind retraces the steps of the initial flame. Both taking their stand on liberation from inverted views, the lotus flower rises out of the muddy mire; both converging in the aggregate treasury, the bright jewel shines for the poor woman. Nature and characteristics are always empty; prajñā knows no theory of five periods. Defilements do not arise; nirvāṇa is the ancestor of myriad virtues. There was none whose essence he did not draw, whose main points he did not gather. He gathered those tortoiseshell scales and plucked these kingfisher feathers; the moistening pearl followed the water, and the jade was struck from the Kun mountains. Whenever the magpie gates opened at dawn, the companions of the Four Whiteheads of Shang gathered in the morning; when the fish lamps shone radiantly in the evening, the followers of Chen and Wu served him late into the night. All looked up to receive the divine regulations and personally received the sagely intentions. Thereupon, he bestowed an auspicious name, calling it Linked Bi-Discs. 'Linked' refers to holding pearls and being comparable; the 'bi-disc' is like the sun rising anew. In this year, when the Jupiter indicator is in Sheti and the star is in Jiande, the hundred Dharmas and clear gates are all fully prepared here. A thousand pieces of gold cannot alter it; uniquely lofty is this scripture. Comprising two hundred and twenty fascicles in all, it is titled The Linked Bi-Discs of the Dharma-Treasure. Although Dong Zhongshu's Jade Cup and Luxuriant Dew seem like leaning against reeds, and the Golden Pot and carved pillars seem like swallowing Yunmeng marsh, I, Yi, have long stayed as an unharnessed horse in Xihe and assumed office in the southern lands. Ten times have the phoenix pitch-pipes turned, yet only once have I received the dragon's radiance. In wielding the brush I have not been diligent, vainly glorying in the preface of Bu Shang; in investigating the magnificent models of antiquity, in my writing I am ashamed before the compositions of Kong Anguo. Respectfully I have compiled the noble ranks and titles and set them out to the left as follows:
20.28
Holder of the Tally, General Who Pacifies the West, Regional Inspector of Jingzhou, King of Xiangdong, [Xiao] Yi, aged twenty-seven, courtesy name Shicheng.
20.29
Palace Attendant, Chancellor of the National University, of South Lanling, Xiao Zixian, aged forty-eight, courtesy name Jingchang.
20.30
Cavalier Regular Attendant, Palace Assistant Censor, of Pengcheng, Liu Gai, aged fifty-eight, courtesy name Maoguan.
20.31
Cavalier Regular Attendant, Colonel of Infantry, Attendant of the Eastern Palace, of South Langya, Wang Xun, aged forty-two, courtesy name Yanyuan.
20.32
Grand Administrator of Wujun, former Deputy Director of the Crown Prince's Secretariat, of South Langya, Wang Gui, aged forty-three, courtesy name Weiming.
20.33
Minister of the Ministry of Officials, concurrently General of the Right Army, of Pengcheng, Liu Ru, aged fifty, courtesy name Xiaozhi.
20.34
Chamberlain for the National Treasury, Colonel of Infantry, of Henan, Chu Qiu, aged sixty-three, courtesy name Zhongbao.
20.35
Chief Clerk of the Center Army, former Deputy Director of the Crown Prince's Secretariat, of Chen Commandery, Xie Qiao, aged forty-five, courtesy name Guomei.
20.36
Deputy Director of the Crown Prince's Secretariat, of Pengcheng, Liu Zun, aged forty-seven, courtesy name Xiaoling.
20.37
Deputy Director of the Crown Prince's Secretariat, of South Langya, Wang Zhi, aged forty-five, courtesy name Rutong.
20.38
Companion to the Prince of Xuancheng, former Attendant, of Donghai, Xu Jie, aged forty-two, courtesy name Yanyong.
20.39
Former Palace Assistant Censor, of Henan, Chu Yun, aged sixty, courtesy name Shiyang.
20.40
Chief Clerk of the Northern Household Palace, Grand Administrator of South Lanling, of Chen Commandery, Yuan Junzheng, aged forty-six, courtesy name Shizhong.
20.41
Grandee of the Household without Specific Duty, Housekeeper of the Jinhua Palace, of Wujun, Lu Xiang, aged fifty-four, courtesy name Shiqing.
20.42
Grandee of the Household without Specific Duty, of Langya, Wang Ji, aged fifty-five, courtesy name Wenhai.
20.43
Grand Administrator of Xin'an, former Housekeeper, of Donghai, Xu Chi, aged sixty-four, courtesy name Shigui.
20.44
Former Left Assistant Director of the Department of State Affairs, of Pei Principality, Liu Xian, aged fifty-three, courtesy name Sifang.
20.45
Attendant Gentleman of the Secretariat, of South Lanling, Xiao Ji, aged forty-four, courtesy name Dexuan.
20.46
Chief Clerk of the Cloud-Pennant General, Grand Administrator of Xunyang, former Attendant, of Jingzhao, Wei Leng, aged fifty-five, courtesy name Weizhi.
20.47
Former Erudite of the National University, of Fanyang, Zhang Wan, aged forty-three, courtesy name Xiaoqing.
20.48
Chief Clerk of the Light Chariots, of South Lanling, Xiao Zifan, aged forty-nine, courtesy name Jingze.
20.49
Secretariat Drafter for the Crown Prince, of Wujun, Lu Zhao, aged forty-eight, courtesy name Dongyuan.
20.50
Secretariat Drafter for the Crown Prince, of South Lanling, Xiao Tian, aged forty, courtesy name Wenrong.
20.51
Assistant in the Palace Library, former Retainer of the Crown Prince's Palace, of South Langya, Wang Xu, aged twenty-five, courtesy name Youren.
20.52
Scholar of the Prince of Xuancheng, of South Langya, Wang Xun, aged twenty-five, courtesy name Huaifan.
20.53
Equerry to the Crown Prince, provisionally concurrently Chamberlain of the Great Boats, of Pengcheng, Liu Xiaoyi, aged forty-nine, courtesy name Ziyi.
20.54
Equerry to the Crown Prince, of Chen Commandery, Xie Xi, aged twenty-six, courtesy name Xiudu.
20.55
Recorder of the Center Army, former Equerry to the Crown Prince, of Pengcheng, Liu Yun, aged thirty-two, courtesy name Huaifen.
20.56
Former Equerry to the Crown Prince, of Wujun, Zhang Xiaozong, aged forty-two, courtesy name Xiaozong.
20.57
Attendant Officer of South Xuzhou, of South Lanling, Xiao Zikai, aged forty-four, courtesy name Jingfa.
20.58
Central Adjutant for Records of the General Who Pacifies the West, Drafter in Charge of Books and General Affairs, of Nanjun, Yu Jianwu, aged forty-eight, courtesy name Zishen.
First 58 of 88 passages. Read on
Linked texts (1)
- 廣弘明集 — Classical Chinese