廣弘明集 25.6

25.6

In the third year of the Daye reign era of Emperor Yang of the Sui, a newly issued statutory decree and formula stated: 'All monks, Daoist priests, and the like who present requests must first pay homage before laying out their case.' Although this edict was issued, the monks ultimately did not comply with it. At that time, Śramaṇa Shi Yancong could not bear this matter, and thus composed the *Treatise on the Field of Merit* to oppose it. The intention was to offer subtle admonition—he who speaks it incurs no blame, while he who hears it may take warning. Later, when the Emperor held court audiences, none of the śramaṇas paid homage. In the fifth year of Daye, the Emperor arrived south of the suburbs of the Western Capital, displaying great pomp and regalia. When the two teachings were granted an audience, the monks did not bow, as was their custom. An edict was issued saying: 'The statute has long been in effect; why do the monks not pay homage?' At that time, Dharma Master Mingshan replied: 'Your Majesty propagates and protects the triratna and should accord with the Buddha's words. In the scriptures it is not permitted to bow to the mundane; therefore we dare not disobey the teaching.' The Emperor again issued an edict saying: 'If you do not bow to the mundane, why did they pay homage in the time of Emperor Wu of the Song?' The Master replied: 'Emperor Wu of the Song was a tyrannical ruler with a partial administration; for lack of homage, executions were inflicted. Your Majesty is different from this, so there is no reason for us to bow down.' The edict commanded: 'Just bow!' The monks stood towering like mountains. When he ordered them to bow several times like this, a monk said: 'If Your Majesty insists that the monks bow, we should take off our Dharma robes and put on mundane clothes; then this bow will not be too late.' The Emperor became calm and unruffled, and in a short while let the matter drop. The next day, he established a great vegetarian feast and religious offering, and did not mention the issue at all. Later he said to the assembled lords: 'I thought there were no men among the monks, but yesterday in the southern suburbs, there was indeed a man in the reply!' Thenceforth to the end of his reign, none [of the monks] ever bowed. As for the yellow-turbaned men and women [the Daoists], when they first heard the order to bow, united under the one [surname] Li, the assembly bowed continuously without stopping; the Emperor did not even deign to inquire of them.