廣弘明集 24
English (machine translation) 24
- Language
- English
24.1
Compiled by the Śramaṇa Shi Daoxuan of Ximing Temple in the Great Tang
24.2
Chapter 5: Conduct of the Saṃgha, Part 2
24.3
Edict on Purging the Clergy (Emperor Wu of Song) / Edicts in Praise of Monastic Virtue (Seven Pieces) (Emperor Xiaowen of Yuan Wei) / Discourse in Explanation of the Monastic Midday Meal (Shen Xiuwen of Southern Qi) / Discourse in Explanation of Hosting Monastic Assemblies (Shen Xiuwen) / Edict on Deliberating the Purge of Monks (with Replies; Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi) / Letter of Condolence on the Passing of Dharma Master Daocheng (Emperor Jianwen of Liang) / Letter to Dharma Master Sheng of Dongyang (Wang Jun of Liang) / Letter to Zhou Yong of Runan (Shi Zhilin of Liang) / Letter to Dharma Master Ju (Liu Jun, also named Xiaobiao, of Liang) / Letter to Dharma Master Jiao (with Reply; Wang Manying of Liang) / Letter of Condolence on the Passing of Dharma Master Zhen (Liu Zhilin of Liang) / Letter to Zhen's Elder Brother Li Jingwei (by the same author) / Letter of Condolence on the Passing of Rectifier of the Saṃgha Dharma Master Jing (by the same author) / Record of Dwelling on Mount Jinhua in Dongyang (Liu Xiaobiao of Liang) / Letter to Vice Director of the Right Xu on Monastic Corvée (Shi Zhenguan of Chen) / Letter Admonishing Dharma Master Shen of Renshan Against Leaving the Monastic Order (Xu Ling of Chen) / Memorial Admonishing Ancestor Zhou Against Purging the Monks (Shi Tanji of Zhou) / Letter Sent by Dai Kui (to Dhyāna Master Ming of Xiancheng) / Letter in Reply from the Śramaṇa Huiming of the Secluded Forest (to Master Dai of Northern Qi) / Letter of Condolence on the Passing of Dharma Master Yan (Xue Daoheng of Sui)
24.4
Edict on Purging the Clergy
24.5
Emperor Wu of Song
24.6
From the Chancellery: The Buddha's teaching has fallen into degeneration, and the śramaṇas have become corrupt and mixed. Not only are they inadequate to succour and aid the grand teaching, but they have exclusively turned into havens for outlaws. Moreover, wicked intentions have recently flared up repeatedly, and heinous conduct has been reported again and again. Ruining the Way and throwing secular customs into disorder, both humans and spirits share resentment against them. Let instructions be sent down to the local authorities, so that in conjunction with the monastic elders of the temples they carry out a thorough purge. If there are violations hereafter, make their penal sentences severe. Let the officials in charge draft detailed regulations and implement them swiftly.
24.7
Edicts in Praise of Monastic Virtue (Seven Pieces)
24.8
Emperor Xiaowen of Yuan Wei
24.9
The Emperor's Edict Appointing Sengxian as Controller-General of Śramaṇas
24.10
From the Chancellery: We have recently received the memorial of the Grand Master of Works and others, learning of their wish to decide swiftly on the Controller-General of Śramaṇas. Day and night We have conscientiously examined virtue and selected the worthy, yet to whom the duty of continuing the Buddha's mission may be entrusted was unknown. There were some whose virtue was high and years revered, for whom it was unreasonable to embroil them [in administrative affairs]; or some whose talent was profound and understanding aloof, holding themselves high above mundane duties. Now, the Abbot of Siyuan Temple, Dharma Master Sengxian, is benevolent, elegant, admirable, and serene, his clear demeanor a cleansing mirror; deeply astute and quietly bright, his resolve for the Way is pure and radiant. He is indeed capable of this charge, a model to bring harmony to the wondrous assembly. An oral assent was recently given; let an edict order him to serve as Controller-General of Śramaṇas. Furthermore, as an assistant in managing affairs, one is needed who is shared by both the monastic and lay communities. Lately, because Controller Yao handled it alone, this post was abandoned. Now, seeking to support virtue and assist the good, We certainly require the right person. Dharma Master Sengyi of Huangjiu Temple is reverent in conduct and expansive in spirit, warm, intelligent, prudent, and upright; his practice is flourishing and his mastery of the Way superior, making him fit to serve as deputy and wing. He may be made Central Karmadāna (Duweina) to shed luster on the worthy assembly.
24.11
The Emperor's Edict on Establishing Regulations for Monks and Nuns
24.12
From the Chancellery: Congealed enlightenment is pure and calm, its matters transcending the mundane world; its profound model is loftily abstruse, its principle resting in the forgetting of words. Yet without words, how could the teaching be explained? Without the secular, how could the truth be manifested? Therefore, for the wind of the Tripiṭaka to spread, it must rely on disciplinary standards; for the transformation of the six perfections to unfold, it truly depends on temporal measures. Since the teaching of images flowed east, a millennium is half gone; the customs of the Qin and Han were elaborate, and their prohibitions ever more dense. Thus eminent men of former generations established rules in accordance with what was fitting, adjusting between leniency and severity according to the times to assist the profound mystery. In the previous reign, prohibitions for the saṃgha were once formulated, but there were minor points not yet fully clarified, which ought to be revised and established. Recently We saw the report of Controller of Śramaṇas Sengxian and others, stating that they wished to edit and settle them once again. With Our shallow understanding, We have briefly examined the ultimate canonical texts alongside them. The undertaking arose in haste and has not been thoroughly investigated. For the time being, provisional measures may be enacted to broadly remedy the times; once finalized in the palace, they shall be reported so that the matter may be revised and brought to a sound conclusion.
24.13
The Emperor's Edict Permitting Various Dharma Masters to Enter the Palace Three Times a Month
24.14
From the Chancellery: In venerating causes and aiding karmic deeds, nothing surpasses honoring the profound; in assisting the spirit and imbuing the mind, who takes precedence over the eminent and wise? Therefore, the Duke of Zhou made his announcement on companions, and Śākyamuni proclaimed the teaching of good spiritual friends (kalyāṇamitra). Thus, those of exalted position value taking in the worthy, and those of superior virtue prize closeness to the benevolent. Although We are of meager understanding, how could We not aspire to this? In the previous reign, while pacifying the realm, there was no leisure for inner cultivation; consequently, the imperial court lacked the demeanor of lofty detachment, and the palace gates excluded the deportment that transcends the secular. In terms of the principle of admiring virtue and the requisites for the field of merit, this was truly inadequate. We intend to have Dharma Masters of admirable virtue come to meet with Us at times; forward, We may partake of the flavor of the Way, and backward, they may illuminate and adorn the court. Let the Palace Service be ordered to permit them to enter three times a month. The number of persons and their Dharma names will be sent under separate dispatch.
24.15
The Emperor's Edict Ordering the Saṃgha in the Various Commanderies to Enter the Rains Retreat and Expound the Teachings
24.16
From the Chancellery: Relying on the profound and returning to the wondrous truly requires the authentic teaching; tasting wisdom and practicing benevolence are genuinely centered on fruitional wisdom. Thus, restraint during the three summer months is an enduring rule of the Way; instruction during the nine periods of summer is an excellent model of the Dharma. Let orders be sent to all provinces that for the pure assemblies in this summer retreat, large provinces shall have three hundred persons, medium provinces two hundred, and small provinces one hundred. Allow them to lecture and expound in several places, all supplied with Saṃgha Grain. If the grain is scarce and the disciples few so that this number cannot be met, let the Office of Rectifying the Profound (Zhaoxuan) reduce the quota accordingly and report back. Let each province respect and honor the worthy masters and truly recommend those of sagacious virtue, so as not to admit the impure and encourage indolence among these juniors.
24.17
Edict Posthumously Honoring the Controller of Śramaṇas of Xuzhou and Hosting a Vegetarian Feast
24.18
From the Chancellery: The Controller of Śramaṇas of Xuzhou, Sengcheng, had a style and intellect both profound and comprehensive, and his character and conduct were peerlessly elegant. His karmic practice in the Way was bright and extensive, and his appreciation of principle deep and pure. His pure renown and flourishing reputation were renowned early on in Xu and Pei; his heroic spirit and profound insight spread their influence through Qiao and Song. Recently he preached the Dharma in the northern capital, his virtue perfuming monastics and laity alike; responding to offerings at the imperial feast, he spread goodness through the palace halls. He was a talent of benevolence and wisdom whom We deeply praised and esteemed. His karmic conditions having reached their end, he has passed into another world. When We suddenly received this news recently, sorrow and grief filled Our heart. Now, as Our journey halts by Yan and Pu, Qing and Si are not far; grieving as We recall his virtue, Our sorrow is all the greater. Let an order be sent down to Xuzhou to donate three hundred bolts of silk to provide for his posthumous merit, and also to host a vegetarian feast for five thousand people.
24.19
Edict Granting an Annual Gift of Silk to Controller of Śramaṇas Ying
24.20
From the Chancellery: Controller Ying looks up to and continues the former sages, following in the footsteps of the gate of the Way. Embracing the profound model, the aloof doctrine is entrusted to him. Since he has already relinquished secular fame, it is reasonable that he be given special offerings. Drawing on the meaning of the eight liberations (vimokṣa), let him be granted an annual gift of eight hundred bolts of silk. Modeled on the four classes of disciples, let it be distributed according to the four seasons. Furthermore, the basis of cultivating goodness truly depends on physical vitality; the cause of offering food is praised in the inner scriptures. Let it be granted monthly according to the upper rank of court officials. The reason for drawing such an analogy to the deep principle is not only to develop and venerate the secular mind, but also to encourage and stimulate the resolve for the Way.
24.21
The Emperor's Edict on Donating Silk and Hosting a Vegetarian Feast on the Death of Dharma Master Huiji
24.22
From the Chancellery: Dharma Master Huiji of Xuzhou was of resolute and far-reaching capacity, his understanding of the Way pure and vacant. His eminent and unadorned conduct transcended the secular world, and his accomplishments in broad learning were rarely matched here. He brought luster to the Dharma in the Peng region, his renown flourishing among Chinese and foreigners alike. Investigating and debating in the territory of Song, his venerable virtue spread near and far. In former days, he expounded the truths at the Deer Park, acting as an instructor to the clergy of the capital and welcoming the admiration of the assembly of the worthy. Suddenly the Māra of Death has extinguished this fine vessel. Hearing of it, We choke with grief and Our heart is torn with anguish. Let an order be sent to Xuzhou to donate three hundred bolts of silk and to host a vegetarian feast for five hundred people, so as to magnify his posthumous benefit.
24.23
Discourse in Explanation of the Monastic Midday Meal
24.24
Shen Xiuwen of Southern Qi
24.25
The reason why people fail to attain the Way is that their mind-spirit is dark and deluded. The reason why the mind-spirit is dark and deluded is that external things disturb it. The greatest disturbances are threefold: the first is power, profit, and honor; the second is alluring and sensual beauty; the third is sweet, delicious, rich, and heavy food. Although honor is daily applied to the mind, it essentially brings no constant hindrance from moment to moment. Sensual beauty is already deeper by comparison, yet rich and heavy food constitutes the most acute hindrance. The myriad clamorous matters are merely the branches and leaves of these three. The sages knew that without severing these three things, seeking the Way would be entirely unattainable, so they could not but establish rules for them that were simple and easy to follow. If they had simply declared that the three things are the roots of delusion and all should be strictly prohibited, yet these three things are what human passions are most deeply deluded by, and what thoughts find hardest to banish—then even though there were instructions prohibiting them, matters would be difficult to comply with straight away. For example, in crossing a river on a raft, who would not wish to go directly to the other shore? But since the river's current is swift, there is simply no way to cross straight over; one cannot but follow the current and steer diagonally, taking time to arrive. It is not that one does not wish for speed, but that circumstances make it difficult. Prohibiting these three things must have its starting point. Why is this? As for eating, it cannot be ceased all at once for human beings, yet among the three hindrances to emotional nature none is worse. Therefore, this evening meal was deferred and merged into before noon. From midday onward, one is pure, empty, and free of affairs. Because of this freedom from affairs, thoughts can be simplified. In the beginning, one is not yet concentrated; with time, it becomes habitual. Thereupon, binding them with the eight precepts and encircling them with the prohibitive rules, sensual desires have no avenue to advance, and the manifold burdens of honor and profit are gradually banished in accordance with circumstances. Therefore it is said that all Buddhas of the past did not eat past noon. This is merely a fish trap and hare snare for banishing burdens, a shortcut to reaching the Way. Yet some consider it to consist merely in not eating; this is to be confused about the direction, not knowing the road itself.
24.26
Discourse in Explanation of Hosting Monastic Assemblies
24.27
Shen Xiuwen
24.28
Arranging and managing Dharma services must have their proper rationale. Nowadays, when people invite the monastic assembly, they only host a single gathering; this is probably modeled on how, when the Buddha was in the world, he frequently received invitations from others. Yet when the Buddha was in the world in the past, the Buddha and the monastic assembly did not originally prepare their own food and utensils within the saṅghārāma. When the time came, they held their bowls and went forth to bring merit to sentient beings. Among the monks of today, not only are there few who maintain the midday meal, but there are even those who indulge lavishly in rich delicacies, their kitchen provisions abundant and grand. Nowadays, when invitations are extended, they only come reluctantly. With mouths accustomed to rich flavors, facing vegetables and coarse fare, with craned necks and furrowed brows they certainly cannot find it palatable. Since it is not joyfully received, it allows no merit to be established. It is not as in the past, when they could not manage food for themselves, nor is it that they depend on the four classes of disciples with nowhere else to rely for body and mouth. To seek merit in this way—is it not contrary [to the goal]? Examining it thoroughly, its meaning is not so. Why? Those who have renounced the household originally rely on begging for their sustenance; the precepts and vinaya are clear and bright, and do not permit establishing one's own kitchen quarters and keeping purifiers (kappiyakāra). Nowadays, since monks are fully supplied within the monasteries, the practice of begging has ceased; if someone holding a bowl arrives at the gate, they immediately call it a base and wretched deed for a śramaṇa. Since it is despised and shamed by the multitude, no one begs any longer. The careless juniors have few who seek the principle, and they immediately assume that the practice of begging for food can no longer be carried out. The Prince of Pure Food, with the noble status of a wheel-turning king, held his bowl and went begging to bring blessings to the donors; could he not match the ordinary, mediocre śramaṇas of a thousand years later, who personally command servants and slaves to provide for their own mouths and bellies? Today's inviting of monks for a gathering can indeed be conducted in emulation of this. Begging and receiving invitations are not two different things. If today people no longer beg, and furthermore no longer invite them, then the practice of begging will be abandoned forever. Once this practice is abandoned, the saṃgha will cease to be the Buddha's lineage; and once the Buddha's lineage is severed, the Three Jewels will fall to the ground. Those who hold assemblies today should reflect on the past: for forty-nine years the Buddha led the bhikṣus into cities to beg for food, their deportment and movements naturally responding to the mind. If one seeks the Way through this, where could the Way fail to reach? If one activates the mind in this manner, then holding an assembly is proper.
24.29
Edict and Petitions on Deliberating the Purge of Buddhists and Daoists
24.30
Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi
24.31
Inquiry: We have heard that by single-mindedly refining the nine liquors, the crane soars into the realm of Xuanzhou; by striving hard for six years, the burden is laid down at the ford of affliction. Some focus on arts of spirits and ghosts and expound the methods of corpse-deliverance; others explain the essentials of conditioned arising and reveal the way to nirvāṇa. Thus, the Grand One proclaimed teachings that culminate in light levitation, while the Tathāgata realized the principle that returns to tranquil extinction. From the time the Ancestral Dragon (First Emperor of Qin) concealed his traces and Liu Zhuang (Emperor Ming of Han) was moved by a dream, following these traditions they grew divergent and widespread. People have even abandoned kin, discarded burdens, left their state, and forgotten their families. Hostels fill the mountain wilds, and monasteries pervade the prefectures and commanderies. If gold could be transformed, the Prince of Huainan should not have been executed. If spiritual might is sovereign, how could Aṅgulimāla become a fish? If riding dragons is not real, why was there the yearning of grasping the whiskers at Mount Jing? If controlling elephants is empty, why did the Chan and Luo Rivers awaken to the marvel of the nocturnal light? Regarding the truth of these distinctions, We are genuinely perplexed. Now the crowd of black-robed [monks] equals half of the common populace, while the followers in yellow robes exceed the registered households. Therefore, state provisions are rendered insufficient because of this, and royal revenues are exhausted thereby. We wish to select the correct path and eliminate the heterodox arts: first, to enrich the state; second, to leave the populace free of confusion. Moreover, their accumulated rivalry has a long history and has been practiced for ages; to purge them abruptly midway is truly difficult. As for the ascendancy and decline of the two schools, and the lengths of their two paths, you may directly state their merits and flaws; do not waver in your speech.
24.32
Your servant Fan Xiaoqian respectfully receives the imperial edict,
24.33
and responds: Your servant has heard that the Way of Heaven, human nature, and destiny are matters of which the sages did not speak, because their principle transcends pursuit and is difficult to designate. Boyang's discourse on the Dao and its Virtue, and Zhuang Zhou's purport of wandering at ease—one may still grasp the meaning through their surviving words. As for jade slips and golden writings, divine scriptures and secret records, the marvels of the three corpses and the ninefold transmutations, the wonders of crimson snow and mysterious frost, the Prince of Huainan attaining the Way with dogs barking in the clouds, or Wang Qiao attaining immortality with swords flying into heaven—these are all baseless fables and tall tales of dates from the sea. Seeking them is like tethering the wind; studying them is like chasing a shadow. Yet the lords of Yan and Qi, the First Emperor of Qin, and Emperor Wu of Han trusted those recipe-masters and hoped to meet their immortals. Xu Fu departed and never returned; Luan Da went forth and gained nothing. They still claimed that ascending to the clouds and casting inverted shadows could be attained in the clap of a hand, and that sacrificing to ghosts and praying to spirits might perhaps prevent death. Yet once the river jade was returned, [the Qin emperor] still entered the tomb at Mount Li; and although the dragon-steeds arrived, [the Han emperor] ultimately descended into the tumulus at Maoling. Thus we know that Liu Xiang's belief in the Hongbao texts left him with lingering blame after death, whereas Wang Chong's criticism of the Yellow Emperor was truly imperishable. Furthermore, since the later generations, the Buddhist teachings have been largely preserved: scriptures have been copied from the Western Regions, and images painted in the Southern Palace. The ink-colored earth of Lake Kunming was taken as ashes from the kalpa-conflagration; the bright night recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals was regarded as the day the divine spirit descended. The Dharma King is sovereign, with infinite transformations, placing worlds into a speck of dust, and containing Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed. Yet the principle is fundamentally empty and non-existent, manifesting various skillful means. However, deceitful and vain folk illicitly seek to leave the household. The Medicine King burned his body, and Sadāprarudita shed his blood; even if one cannot do so, one should still exercise self-restraint. How can they alter their forms and shave their appearances to differ from worldly folk, yet indulge their passions and let loose their desires, returning to the likeness of common things? If the residual discourses of the Dragon Palace and the ancient words of the Deer Park were to tolerate this, the wind of the Way would fall into ruin. Prostrate, I consider that Your Majesty has received the bright mandate of Heaven, humbling yourself to deliver the people. Mountain spirits manifest their efficacy, and sea deities perform their duties; the stone swallows in Xiang fly in flocks bathing in timely rains, and the bronze crow upon the terrace turns alone facing the gentle breeze. Yet the Zhou established its capital at Luoyi while governing from Haojing; the Han resided in Xianyang while its souls returned to Feng and Pei. In the lands of Fen and Jin, the royal traces have just begun. Already weary from royal tours and toiling in strategic governance, you still deign to turn your mind to the garden of letters and weigh the hundred schools, thinking of holding jade at the Jasper Lake, longing to seek pearls in the Red Water. I humbly consider that the Queen Mother presented jade rings because she was moved by Shun's virtue; High Heaven bestowed jade pendants truly to reward Yu's achievements. The two Ma recorded speeches, and the two Ban wrote of events, yet nowhere are words of the three times to be seen, nor was the purport of the One Vehicle ever heard. Since the music of emperors and the rituals of kings have also undergone modifications with time, why should there be any doubt about purging heterodox paths and strange commoners? Your servant so-and-so respectfully responds.
24.34
Letter of Condolence on the Passing of Dharma Master Daocheng
24.35
Emperor Jianwen of Liang
24.36
I have read your report. Learning that your venerable master entered nirvāṇa last night, I am filled with profound grief. The Dharma Master's aspirations and achievements were profound and luminous; his conduct in the Way was pure and plain. The jewel of his precepts was spotless and clean; his wings of merit were vast and complete. In addition, his understanding and insight had subtle penetration, and the discernment of his mind investigated things from afar: his prediction of rainfall never failed to come true, and his mention of the black ox was not erroneous. Those who revered him came from near and far; those who received his benefit included both monastics and laity. I said to myself that upon returning to the capital, I would renew our bond; how could I have expected that breath would not return, suddenly arriving at this? Yet his supreme karma was fundamentally profound, and his power of wisdom had long been sharp; his spirit must surely roam the jewel grounds, and his steps soar to the pure heavens. But when speaking of opening the casket at the milk pond and the fragrant coffin, entering his chamber without fully realizing emptiness, how could the heart not be grieved? However, following the trace of the Tathāgata's descent and birth, he entered nirvāṇa accordingly. It is precisely when arising, abiding, and perishing have no fixed characteristics: how could former sages and later worthies be merely like form and shadow? Examining conditioned arising, there has never been an exception. You venerable ones have all accumulated three years of receiving the Way from beginning to end; you should mutually urge each other on to broadly honor his former work, so that the bodhimanda is not interrupted and its benefits do not fall away. The funeral offerings sent herewith are presented as offerings in accordance with the Dharma. What sorrow, what sorrow!
24.37
Letter to Dharma Master Sheng of Dongyang
24.38
Wang Yun of Liang
24.39
Your disciple of the bodhisattva precepts, Wang Yun, Dharma name Huiju, bows his head in prostration and sends greetings to Dharma Master Sheng of Dongyang. Formerly, out of great good fortune, your disciple was blessed early on to meet and attend upon you. As months and years have flown by, more than thirty years have passed. My admiration for your demeanor and virtue fills my heart alone. Separated by mountains and rivers, I have had no means to pay reverence. When the Adjutant of the Commander conveyed your kind regards and your thoughtful inquiries from afar, I felt both gratitude for your remembrance of old times and deep appreciation for your earnest intentions; my joy and reverent acceptance are difficult to express in words. I have respectfully learned that you ride upon harmony and tread upon fortune, enjoying the age of ninety-four, mocking the Jiang man as not yet advanced in years and matching the longevity of the Yin sovereign. Moreover, your ears are so long they truly surpass your neck, and your firm teeth have never fallen out beforehand. Extending your splendor and retaining your vitality, you gladden your spirit and nourish your nature. If you had not planted good causes in past lives, how could you have obtained such supreme fruition? My sincerity in revering age and honoring seniority, my devotion in cherishing virtue and solidifying old ties, the depth of my yearning for your manner and longing for the Way, and the utmost degree of my delight and admiration—in activity and rest you are in my thoughts; waking and sleeping you remain in my heart. Held back by this worldly cage and constrained by these official ribbons, I have had no way to inquire about the Way, and reflecting on myself, I feel at a loss. I hope that our hearts' aspiration may subtly unite across the nearby rivers and mountains, that we may forget each other in the arts of the Way and cast aside physical forms. I only pray that you take reverent care to preserve this centenarian age; what value is there in Chisongzi's vermilion hair? Flying with your staff and elevating your body will truly happen in the morning or evening. Directly expressing my sincere feelings has not yet been fully accomplished; if you would deign to grant a single word, how could it not be my greatest fortune? Your disciple Yun bows his head in prostration.
24.40
Letter to Zhou Yong of Runan
24.41
Shi Zhilin of Liang
24.42
Recently I heard that you, the dānapati, have set forth a new understanding of the two truths and expounded the choices among the three traditions. Your voice differs from the common rule, and although it does not guide beings rapidly, the treatise has already been completed. Rejoicing in accordance with it fills my heart; beings hold it in extraordinary esteem. Furthermore, I learned that you fear establishing differences from the times and offending the community of scholars, so although the treatise is complete, you are determined not to circulate it. Hearing this, I was alarmed and could not help but be moved to sorrow. The purport of this doctrine does not seem to be heard for the first time: its subtle sound has been interrupted for sixty-seven years, and because its principle is higher than ordinary tunes, none have been able to transmit it. When this poor monk was twenty years of age, I participated in transmitting this doctrine; I always said that relying on this slight awakening one could attain the Way, and privately I always rejoiced. In my youth with no one to share it, I saw elders of Chang'an who mostly said that the eminent worthies of Guanzhong originally had this doctrine. When the regular assemblies for the Dharma flourished, there were originally not many who could deeply grasp this purport. Since it went against ordinary sentiments, later students who heard and received it became exceedingly few, and almost no one transmitted it. Since holding the fly-whisk, I have lectured east and west for more than forty years, mistakenly honored in my time. The lineage of other doctrines is widely seen in school records; only in this path has there been no one within a hundred leagues to attain it. Over the years, this poor monk even fell ill on account of it. Now, with my frail illness uncured, and having to return west day and night, I reflect that this Way will be cut off forever from now on. I never expected that your capacity would be stimulated without prior cause and uniquely originate beyond the world; unexpectedly, this sound has come to my ears. Both joyful and comforted, I truly have nothing with which to compare it. To establish and clarify this doctrine so that the lamp of the Dharma has its seed is truly the foremost merit of practicing the Way. Even if one were to give kingdoms, cities, wives, and children to the Buddha and the Saṅgha, the blessings would not surpass this. Since you have fortunately already compiled it, I think it should conveniently be widely proclaimed so that those who appreciate the tune may see it. In clarifying the principle of the Dharma through a treatise, when it comes to benevolence, one does not yield: how could you mind the hearts of the multitude and lose this extraordinary purport? If this treatise has been completed and then shelved midway, I fear that in the future, you may take this as an obstruction to the Dharma; regarding your past intentions, it is truly no idle chatter. I hope you will quickly copy a manuscript as a gift, which this poor monk may take back west to promote everywhere. Lately I have been slightly able to move about, so I entered the mountains to compose this statement, earnestly looking forward to your conferring it.
24.43
Letter to Dharma Master Ju
24.44
Liu Jun of Liang, also named Xiaobiao
24.45
I have heard from travelers of your lofty discourse and illustrious virtue; hearing your reputation from afar, my heart takes flight and my soul is stirred, no different from an immortal-seeker gazing at stone marrow, or the Taiyin realm longing for the dragon's torch. The Cang star shines in the autumn evening, and cool clouds usher in the fall; since your virtue in the Way triumphs, you are naturally plump and should surely nourish yourself. Your robes are made of rainbows, your curtains of high clouds and dew; you feed on the fallen petals of yellow chrysanthemums and drink the trickling streams of clear ravines. In the morning you watch the returning geese and dawn ducks; in the evening you listen to the solitary female and lonely crane, your spirit soaring free, like Xiao Shi riding the singing phoenix, or Liezi steering the long wind. Even if Jing Qing acted as though no one were around, and Xiaoran lay steadfast amid ice and snow, secluded and tranquil, how could they surpass you? As for galloping through the groves of classics and soaring in the gardens of books, you exhaust the wondrous scriptures of the Dragon Palace and deplete the grand records of the Stone Chambers. Daosheng bowed before your natural genius, and Dongfang Shuo yielded to your discernment of things. As for practicing this since childhood, setting your mind on carved-insect rhetoric, your ornate thoughts flow within and your brilliance shines without, luxuriant as autumn bamboo, radiant as spring pine. Songs of nobility cease their praise of luminous pearls, and Changmen Palace over-rewards with gold. How grand! How beautiful! How radiant its splendor! Formerly, traveling by the Zhe River, I once observed your embroidered compositions; before I knew it, paper was scorched and brushes were burned, my spirit utterly exhausted. From then on, I ceased valuing jade and bi-disks, my mind fondly lingering on your excellence, my intestines churning in ninefold bends. Now, the sun's chariot pauses its illumination without bypassing crevices; the Sea God's surges swell without being restricted by bays and corners. Throwing jade to hit magpies, may you share your remaining treasures; I hope to inspect your pure eminence to cure my dizzying illness. Yet the people of Yue are not those to whom caps are sold; how could the state of Qi be a place to perform the Shao music? I hope you will encourage my progress and not visit reproaches upon me.
24.46
Letter to Dharma Master Jiao, with Reply
24.47
Wang Manying of Liang
24.48
Your disciple, the orphan Manying, bows his head and makes prostration. The other day I was honored by your showing me the Biographies of Eminent Monks (Gaoseng zhuan) that you compiled, asking me to criticize and select from it. Applying all my efforts to examine it to the end, I saw only extraordinary talent. Though the paper became frayed and the ink faded, I could not lay it down until I was finished. Now, when the supreme Dharma spread and renowned virtues arose, nearly five hundred years have passed, through six dynasties. From the time Mātaṅga and Dharmaratna set their carriages in motion from the Western Regions, and the Marquis An [Shigao] and Lokakṣema bore their staves to the Eastern Capital, though their traces appeared and disappeared, and their practices were deep or shallow, they all served as boats and bridges, creating immense benefit. It was truly fitting that silk should transmit their beauty and writing tablets establish the phrasing, brightly displaying them to later generations and praising the past luminaries. Yet Dao'an and Kumārajīva only appeared intermittently in the records of Qin; Fotudeng and Daojin were recorded sporadically in the documents of Zhao. What was culled by the Jin histories is regrettably confined to that contemporary period, while what the Song records favored largely depended on chance circumstances. Moreover, [some] stood out as the accounts of Juntai, or were mixed into the tales of Yuanliang; responses and resonances might have been selectively gathered, and the hidden and manifest were not without outlines, yet displaying them broadly in marginal texts was insufficient to glorify and propagate them. While other biographies appeared intermittently, they lacked overall coherence: Jingxing merely collected mountain recluses; Sengbao only stitched together itinerant mendicants; Faji set forth solely instances of lofty reclusion; Fa'an designated merely the category of moral resolution; Kang Hong strictly chronicled Dan Kai; Wang Ji praised only the High Seat; Sengyu remarkably recorded [one person] alone; and Xuanzhang transcended [others] in an isolated account. Only the work by Shi Fajin and the writing of Wang Jin had the intention of comprehensive synthesis, capable of establishing an independent tradition. Yet Fajin's reputation was broad though his coverage was not comprehensive, and Wang Jin's framework was established but never brought to completion. Authors who emerged in the Liang dynasty also suffered from these defects: Sengyou's finished slips shared the fault of Faji, and Wang Ji's dipped brush incurred once more the critique made against Jingxing. As for the compilation of Master Chang, it came closest [to the ideal]. Seeking my humble assessment, the outline is clearly visible: your compilation, Dharma Master, is truly what may be called an indelible masterpiece! Spanning past and present, encompassing both inner and outer teachings, it arrays words and collates facts, neither overly ornate nor crude. If one calls it extensive, it is difficult to abridge; if one calls it concise, what could possibly be added? By using 'Eminent' in the title, it causes those who fall short to feel shame; by expanding categories to form a broad scope, it is sufficient to encourage the virtuous to aspire toward it. How could the previous writings of those two or three gentlemen be spoken of in the same breath, comparing length and breadth on the same day? Truly, the crowd of literati could not add a single word to it; the marketplace set out a thousand pieces of gold in vain. It is fit to be placed among the dragon-inscribed cases and ascend to the Unicorn Pavilion, to be drawn from and placed into the jasper satchels, and rolled and unrolled within jade baskets. Although your disciple is truly undiscerning, I loved learning in my youth. Lately, being frail and feeble, I find myself benighted at every turn. Yet obtaining the unfurling of your incoming volumes, truly 'culture resides here!' Lost in admiration, I had no leisure to debate it; what could I possibly criticize? Truly, it is not unlike Zitong feeling shame upon reading the treatises of Yuanze, or Chudao's admiration deepening when knowing the writings of Xiuyi; it is merely Xie An admiring the elegance of Zhu Kuang, or Yin Hao standing in awe of the talent of Zhi Dun. Having not seen you for ten days, my yearning heart has grown weary; mustering my strength I write this letter to express my thoughts to the utmost. Your disciple, the orphan Wang Manying, bows his head and makes prostration.
24.49
Dharma Master Jiao's Reply
24.50
[Huijiao] bows and states: The other day I presented the Biographies of Eminent Monks that I compiled for your inspection, hoping for your medicinal needles and moxa. Yet your letter covered multiple sheets with continuous polishing and praise. Reflecting that the Way relies on humans to be propagated and truth is revealed through the teaching, and in propagating the Way and explaining the teaching none surpass eminent monks, therefore since its gradual influence, the bequeathed Dharma has been clearly illuminated, and extraordinary achievements and marvelous deeds have arisen across successive dynasties to urge and inspire later generations—in principle, they ought to be collated and stitched together. In my youth, I lacked the diligence to study with books and tallies under my arm, yet I long admired the beauty of brush and ink, writing on bamboo slips to propagate good. Thus, in the leisure moments between hearing lectures and reading, I set my mind to collecting biographies. Whenever I saw a single commendable act, I reflected on it repeatedly. However, examining the various records, their verbosity and brevity vary; some are arranged unevenly, while the deeds in others appear and vanish. I have already detailed this in the separate preface, and your letter also noted it fully. Thus, without taking measure of my humble brush, I rashly established ten categories, examining and clarifying the streams, briefly presenting my thoughts and words. But the path of my brush was vast and unguided, and my diction crude and unpolished; it was originally intended merely to guard against my own omissions, so how could it be worthy of rashly entering your lofty ears? You, Danapati, have mastered both Confucianism and Buddhism, and your comprehension penetrates the Mysterious and the Literati. Crafting literature and weaving adornments, you are steeped and eminent both internally and externally. In your leisure from reading, you might perhaps help examine it closely, so forgetting my own vulgarity, I submitted it to the Dragon Gate. Yet the matter is elevated while the wording is rustic; for a long time I have harbored much shame. Your letter's inflated praise only adds to my embarrassment. Now, I again present for your inspection the appraisals, treatises, and ten categories that I have composed. If there are errors, I beg you to make corrections. Shi [Hui]jiao bows and states.
24.51
Letter of Condolence on the Passing of Dharma Master Zhen
24.52
By Liu Zhilin of Liang
24.53
Your disciple Liu Zhilin bows his head and makes prostration. Foam and lightning pass in an instant; the three characteristics never cease. Suffering, emptiness, and non-self: how could the five aggregates endure? Our venerable master, the Sanghapradhāna, has cast off his lifespan in Jambudvīpa and transferred his spirit to the marvelous bliss. Although by mounting these past plantings of root he will surely ascend to a virtuous realm, human emotion fears transformation, bearing grief and broken by sorrow. Remembering the gravity of one's obligations to teacher, parents, and ruler, I pursue his memory with lamentation and grief; entangled in his eternal departure, the burden is more than my heart can bear. What can be done? What can be done? The Sanghapradhāna's grasp of subtle principles was singularly preeminent, and his knowledge of the scriptures and treatises was deeply thorough. Living on simple vegetables all his life, conditioned activities were almost exhausted for him. Emaciated in his prime, he served as a model for the two assemblies. How could he merely be the foremost leader of those who calm the mind? He was also a titan among human relations. Your disciple has enjoyed his friendship for several decades from youth to maturity, revering him throughout his life until now. As a good spiritual friend, he was someone upon whom I relied; yet now, ill and nearing my end, I was unable to be present to pour out my grief. The choking sorrow in my breast multiplies its anguish. Mustering my strength, I write this condolence, bewildered and distraught without proper order. Your disciple Liu Zhilin bows his head and makes prostration.
24.54
Letter to Dharma Master Zhen's Elder Brother, Li Jingxu
24.55
By the same author
24.56
Arising and cessation are impermanent. Your worthy younger brother, Dharma Master Zhen, suddenly resembled the wrestling hero whose consciousness departed to be reborn in the Path. With his eternal departure, his Dharma words are forever cut off; my grief and sorrow break my heart, and I cannot cease. His age was not yet advanced, and his virtuous karma was just spreading forth. When his illness had only just begun, we thought there would be no cause for grave worry, yet it came to his passing away, leaving both monastics and laity in shock and astonishment. Thinking of the closeness of fraternal affection, the supreme sorrow of brothers over his eternal departure is truly unbearable. What can be done? What can be done? The Dharma Master's taste for doctrine was comprehensive and harmonious; he was a leader among the black-robed sangha, his capacity for understanding gentle and harmonious, and his reputation illustrious in his time. Formerly in the capital, the Sagely Sovereign looked upon him with favor; since returning to his home province, successive administrations have treated him with reverence. Moreover, his explanations of the teachings brought benefits that were truly vast and manifold, and his founding of temples genuinely broadened karmic blessings. His mind was open and magnanimous, never conflicting with things; those with whom he associated were all the worthy of the age. Monastics and laypeople attributed goodness to him, and those near and far revered him. How could this merely be the withering and loss of one who calms the mind? It is truly also the loss of a treasure among human relations. Looking back with sorrowful grief, how could it ever subside? Furthermore, receiving his posthumous letter and bequeathed items only increases my weeping and choking. His Highness is personally composing an inscription for him, and has also instructed Recorder Bao to compose the preface for the tomb tablet. Fearing that Bao might not yet know everything thoroughly, I was able to explain to Bao in person his various deeds, practices, and glorious virtues, so I believe it will certainly be carved as an imperishable monument. Now, as I state this, the stone for the tomb tablet has been transported by deer-cart, and artisans have been summoned to fashion it; the carving should also be completed before long. Speaking of this increases my flowing tears; I drop my brush in grief and oppression. Liu Zhilin bows his head, bows his head.
24.57
Letter of Condolence on the Passing of the Sanghapradhāna, Dharma Master Jing
24.58
By the same author
24.59
On the twentieth day of the eighth month, Zhilin makes prostration. The Dharma-realm is empty and hollow; the mountain timber has collapsed. The venerable master, the Great Rector, has transferred his spirit to the Pure Land. Bound by the shallow defilements of ordinary mortals, we are entangled in grief and joy. Receiving this tragic report, my inner organs are torn and wrenched; my lamentation is profoundly deep, and I cannot contain myself. Remembering and longing for his eternal departure, entangled and severed, my feelings are unbearable. What can be done? What can be done? The Great Rector's virtue surpassed his era, and his Way sheltered the fourfold assembly. Instructing and guiding students, he continued and magnified the Semblance Dharma. In age, he was at the head of the sangha; in practice, he was a teacher of humankind. Both public and private revered him; near and far looked up to him as their master. As for the propagation and explanation of the five periods and nine divisions of scriptures, matching him against predecessors and comparing him to the worthies of the past, even Kumārajīva, Sengzhao, Sengrong, Sengheng, Dao'an, Huiyuan, and Daosheng—how could they surpass him? Although sudden enlightenment originated with Master Daosheng, that its subtle words were proclaimed without end to later generations truly relied on our master! Furthermore, with loving speech he brought benefit, exhausting the grand purpose of the four means of embracing; with giving, patience, and wisdom, he fully manifested the comprehension of the six pāramitās. Monastics and laity took refuge in him; sentient beings knew his shelter. He was a ferry across foolish darkness, a pillar and beam for temples and pagodas. People used him daily without knowing it, as his supreme virtue operated covertly. Why is the Way so long-lasting yet life so short, his merit spread far yet his person deceased? Reflecting upon the great ocean, Sumeru has forever fallen; shining upon the lofty mountains, the bright sun has permanently withdrawn. He is gone! What can be done? What else can be done? You, Dharma Master, turned your face north to serve him since youth, taking his teaching to heart from childhood; down to your advanced years, you were always by his side. The threefold weight of veneration was cast away in a single day; how can you bear the extremity of your grief? For over fifty years your disciple has associated with him since the days of my youth; before receiving his profound regard, we pledged to be Dharma companions. When it comes to bodhi, I dare not give rise to neglect. The future is hard to know, while the present is eternally parted. Reflecting upon his life, he has forever become one with myriad antiquity; pondering this sorrow, I am doubly overwhelmed. Having no way to console you in person to express worldly grief, I respectfully write this letter and drop my brush, choked with sorrow and overwhelmed. Your disciple Liu Zhilin bows his head and makes prostration.
24.60
Record of Dwelling on Mount Jinhua in Dongyang
24.61
By Liu Xiaobiao
24.62
Now, birds dwell atop the mountains, tiering their nests at the tips of trees; fish submerge beneath the deeps, boring caves in mud and sand. How could they take pleasure in being eccentric? It is simply their nature to be so. Thus, some disdain white jade and delight in dangling the fishing line; others shoulder jade caldrons to seek ministerial office. Activity and retirement are tangled and manifold; emergence and obscurity are varied and uneven; they are no different from fire flaming, water flowing, the round moving, and the square coming to rest. Hence, whether courtly halls or rivers and seas, thatched doors or golden chambers, each is so by what makes it so, and is pleased by what pleases it. How could it be worth picking faults and pointing out flaws among them? I was born in the wild plains, quick to fear and hard to draw near to. My heart shrinks from cloud terraces and vermilion halls; my hopes are severed from high carriages and green ribbons of office. Furthermore, drenched by mists and dew, I desire leisure and solitude all the more. Constantly thinking of washing in clear rapids and resting on peppered hills, my waking and sleeping thoughts have long cherished this; it has been so for ages. An earthworm solely swallows dirt; what a person desires, Heaven accords. Thus, when grey hairs arrived, I was able to dwell in cliff caves. The place where I dwell is Mount Jinhua in Dongyang Commandery. Dongyang is in truth the western part of Kuaiji; here arrow bamboo grows, mountains and streams are elegant and fair, and marshlands are lush and verdant. When its peaks rise in ranks, they join the Milky Way and connect with rosy clouds; when tall forests spread abroad, they are verdant in spring and green in winter. Winding torrents flow deep and wide, ten fathoms clear to the bottom; clouds gathering in square inches invariably scatter rain across a thousand li. Truly it is eminent, bright, and dry—an arcane abode where spirits dwell. For this reason, Dihong roamed here to cast caldrons, and the Rain Master lodged here to ride the smoke. Hence the ravine was engraved with the name of Chisong, and the mountain was bequeathed the appellation of Jinyun. In recent times, Wang the summoned scholar, who held the post of Zhizhong of Jiang, shook himself free of the mire; standing tall above the wind and dust, like dragons coiling and phoenixes roosting, they all gathered in this place. Surely it is because green rapids and white stones can summon recluses! Mount Jinhua is the ancient Mount Ma'an; cherishing spiritual efficacy and concealing holy beings, its name is listed in the annals of immortals. Zuo Yuanfang praised this mountain, saying: 'It can avert the great flood and the five weapons; it can compound the divine elixir of nine transmutations.' At the crest of Jinhua there is Mount Ziyan (Purple Cliff); the mountain's hue is reddish-purple, and it took its name therefrom. Winding and sloping, it descends to meet deep shoals; towering and craggy, it reaches up to obscure the sun and moon. Ascending from the mountain foot, it grows ever higher and steeper; the path is remote, narrow, and perilous, climbed in single file like swimming fish. Beside the path is a sheer ravine, yawning and roaring wide open; looking down upon the treetops, the dangers of Jiaoyuan and Shiyi are not alone in hanging precariously. Reaching nearly halfway up the mountain, there are wide marshes and great rivers, with high shores and undulating ridges; the dwelling I thatched is situated right here. The residence is surrounded on three sides by curving mountains, encircling it like outer city walls; before it, the flat wilderness stretches desolate, with views extending as far as the eye can see. To the east and west it is girded by two ravines, where springs cascade in all four seasons. Clear billows mist lightly, dripping with sound; white waves leap in foam, churning with noise. Water channels convey streams, intertwining like brocade; suspended torrents pour over eaves and ridgepoles, rushing currents swirl round the steps and pavements. Supplying the household requires no drawing-ropes; washing and rinsing need no pitchers or basins. Trees like maple, catalpa, chair-tree, and oak, timber like roxburgh, cypress, cassia, and camphor, divide into forms and differ in colors in thousands of kinds and myriads of sorts, bearing vermilion fruits and holding green melons, rooted on white stalks and shooting up purple stems. Tall and luxuriant, brushing the wind and sounding the pipes, their trailing branches shade the eaves and doors, their spreading leaves screen the chambers and windows. In the valleys and along the ravine banks, blossoms and stamens cluster together; when the green spring yields to summer, and duckweed sprouts as springs stir, there is Duliang herb holding fragrance, and Zhixiang wafting sweet odors, Changle braving the frost, and Yinan glistening with dew. Red lotus flowers illumine the water; pale leaves of Gaosu follow the wind. Leaning on the railing to gaze afar, one dispels sorrow and forgets disease. In the bends of the hills and curves of the mounds, medicinal plants form dense thickets: 'earth marrow' rears its stems, and 'mountain sinew' shoots out its nodes; 'gold salt' is more prized than plain jade, and 'five condiments' are treasured above bright pearls. With them one can nourish one's nature, dispel maladies, restore youth, and retain one's complexion, without relying on Cui Wen's yellow powder, nor needing to use the purple pills of the Burden-bearer. Fluttering birds fly in the wind, their chicks bred in the rains, with green wings, red feathers, plain plumage, and kingfisher crests; briskly beating their wings, they make harmonious, lovely sounds, taming themselves in garden ponds and foraging alongside chickens and ducks. Then, the day-announcing fowl watches the hours with sounds like bells and drums; the chirping cricket waits for dawn with notes resembling zithers and lutes. Black gibbons trill clearly in the light mist; flying squirrels chant long notes riding the vapor. Clamorous, crisp, and bright, pleasing the heart and delighting the ear, they truly surpass pipes and flutes and outshine reeds and mouth organs. East of the dwelling stands the Zhaoti Monastery; backing against the cliff and facing the gorge, its tiered verandas invite sunlight; its profound halls border the void, wide, spacious, peaceful, and vacant, receiving good fortune and giving rise to brightness. Looking left and gazing right, it is a dwelling for the humane and wise. Therefore, eminent and virtuous monks of renowned virtue shake their staffs and gather like clouds, taming their minds with the seven factors of awakening and reproving the five sense objects; the rich incense of the precepts is fragrant, and the water of samādhi provides a cleansing bath. When the incense burner is lit at night and the Dharma drum is heard at dawn, I slip on my sandals, gather my robe, and personally perform prostrations, inquiring after the Way from wise men and drinking the harmony of the ultimate teaching. Constantly hearing that this shore is full of turmoil and obstacles while that shore is eternally serene, I feel joyous as if ascending a spring terrace and transcending the cosmos. 'Only goodness brings joy'—how could this be an empty saying? Southeast of the monastery is a Daoist pavilion; perched beside a cliff, it looks down upon clouds and rain. Orchis chambers and thoroughwort pavilions lie half-hidden among groves and bamboos; soaring turrets and rows of balustrades glitter in the smoke and mist. Daily there dwell people who abstain from grain; yearly there lodge guests who pray for immortality, feeding on stellar marrow and drinking flowing rosy clouds, soon to put on cloudy clothes and rainbow skirts to ride dragons and steer cranes. Below the temple is a stone well, towering in the midst of the ravine; carved and chiselled, it looks much like human work. Leaping streams rush and pour, gushing, surging, sweeping, and choking, flashing like lightning and roaring like thunder, startling the eyes and alarming the soul. In front of both monastery and temple, slender bamboos are planted everywhere; dense and rustling, they blanket the knolls and line the mounds. Beyond the bamboos are fertile fields, their borders interconnected, nourished by rich fluids of mountain springs, moist and fertile, so that neither the Zheng and Bai canals nor the diverting of the Zhang could be compared to it. This causes red grain to overflow, and wild ducks and geese to be sated. In spring, turtles and fragrant green chickens are delicacies; in winter, mushrooms and frosted quail are treasures. Silken headscarves are obtained from the mountain hills; short coarse garments come from the middle garden. Bulrushes and reeds crowd the ponds and lakes; sedges and rush grasses pack the plains and lowlands. Materials for sustaining life and things used for daily existence are completely abundant along the fences and fill the cliffs and peaks to overflowing. When the year begins or ends, and farming is at leisure, when turbid brew is newly fermented and clear wine freshly matured, the old elders of peasant homes bring their jugs and arrive together. Spreading rushes beneath the forest, they set out vessels and arrange cups. As the wine warms and their ears grow hot, they dance repeatedly and make merry din, praising the fullness of granaries and loudly discussing the grain harvest, laughing aloud and chanting songs, raising cups to toast one another. Human life is just for joy; how could this happiness be blamed? As for weaving silk to be clothed and plowing to be fed, working when the sun rises and resting when the sun sets, treating late eating as meat and taking non-affair as precious, seeking nothing from the world and offending no creature, distinguishing neither honor nor disgrace, knowing neither blame nor praise, wandering vast and free between heaven and earth with no alarming fear in one's heart—how could this be compared in superiority and inferiority to Master Ji who faced the sword, or Master Yang who leaped from the pavilion?
First 62 of 81 passages. Read on
Linked texts (1)
- 廣弘明集 — Classical Chinese