廣弘明集 25.77

25.77

In the third year of the Daye era of Emperor Yang of the Sui dynasty, a newly issued set of statutes, ordinances, and models stipulated: 'Whenever monks, Daoist priests, and the like present petitions, they must first pay homage before presenting their reasoning.' Although there was this ordinance, the monks completely refrained from carrying it out. At that time, the śramaṇa Shi Yancong could not bear this matter, and thereupon authored the Treatise on the Field of Merit to resist it, with the intention of admonishing tactfully, such that 'he who speaks incurs no blame, and he who hears may take warning.' Later, when the Emperor granted audiences to monks, none paid homage. In the fifth year of Daye, when the Emperor arrived at the southern suburbs of the Western Capital and grandly displayed his ceremonial accoutrements, the two traditions had an audience, and the monks, as before, did not bow. An edict was issued: 'The statutory order has long been implemented; why do the monks not pay homage?' At that time, Dharma Master Mingshan replied: 'Your Majesty promotes and protects the Triratna and should accord with the Buddha's words. The scriptures do not allow bowing to secular folk; therefore we dare not violate the teachings.' The edict further asked: 'If you do not bow in reverence, why did you pay homage during the time of Emperor Wu of the Song?' He replied: 'Emperor Wu of Song was a tyrannical ruler with a biased administration; failure to pay homage was met with execution. Your Majesty is different from this, so there is no need to make us prostrate.' The edict commanded: 'Just bow!' The monks stood motionless like mountains. Thus commanded to bow several times, a monk said: 'If Your Majesty definitely insists that the monks bow, we should take off our Dharma robes and wear secular clothes; it will not be too late to bow then.' The Emperor calmly let the matter drop without further action. The next day, he held a great vegetarian feast and religious sacrifice, without mentioning the incident at all. Later he told the ministers: 'I had thought there was no one of caliber among the monks; yesterday in the southern suburbs, among those who answered, there were indeed men of caliber!' Thenceforth to the very end, there was never any bowing. As for the yellow-turbaned men and women [Daoists], when they first heard the order to bow, they gathered together as the followers of Li and bowed repeatedly without stopping; the Emperor did not even deign to inquire about them.