集古今佛道論衡 3.26

3.26

太穆皇后。哀淚橫流僧並垂泣。乃手製願文曰。皇帝菩薩戒弟子稽首和南十方諸佛菩薩聖僧天龍大眾。若夫至理凝寂道絕名言。大慈方便隨機攝誘。濟苦海以智舟。朗重昏以慧日。開曉度脫不可思議。弟子夙罹𮘧亹早嬰偏罰。追惟撫育之恩。每念　慈顏之遠。泣血崩心永無逮及。號天躄地何所厝身。歲月不居炎涼亟改。荼毒之痛在乎茲日。敬養已絕萬恨不追。冤酷之深百身何贖。惟以丹誠歸依　三寶。謹於弘福道場奉施齋供。并施淨財以充檀捨。用其功德奉為先靈。願心悟無生神　遷妙喜。策紺馬以入香城。躡金階而昇寶殿。遊玩法樂逍遙淨土。永蔭法雲常喰甘露。疾證菩提早登正覺。六道四生並同斯願　帝謂僧曰。比以老君是朕先宗。尊祖重親有生之本。故令在前。師等大應悢悢。寺主道懿奉對　陛下。尊重祖宗使天下成式。僧等荷國重恩安心行道　詔旨行下咸大歡喜。豈敢悢悢　帝曰。朕以先宗在前可即大於佛也。自有國已來。何處別造道觀。凡有功德並歸寺家。國內戰場之始。無不一心歸命於佛。今天下大定。戰場之地並置佛寺。乃至本宅先妣唯置佛寺。朕敬有處所以盡命歸依。師等宜悉朕懷。彼道士者止是師習先宗。故位在前。今李家據國李老在前。若釋家治化則釋門居上。可不平也。僧等起謝　帝曰坐。是弟子意耳。不述不知。天時大熱。房宇窄狹。若為居住今有施物可造後房。使僧等寬展行道。餘言多不載。事訖還宮。

Empress Taimu. Mournful tears flowed copiously, and the monks all wept. He then personally composed a vow text, saying: “The Emperor, a disciple of the bodhisattva precepts, bows his head in worship before the Buddhas of the ten directions, the bodhisattvas, the noble Saṅgha, and the assembly of heavenly dragons. The ultimate principle is coagulated and serene; the Dao transcends names and words. Great compassion and skillful means gather and guide in accord with capacities; rescuing from the ocean of suffering with the boat of wisdom, brightening the heavy darkness with the sun of discernment. Opening illumination and delivering across is inconceivable. I, your disciple, suffered misfortune early on and was prematurely struck by partial calamity. Looking back on the kindness of nurture, I always think of the distance of the compassionate countenance; weeping blood with a broken heart, I can never reach her. Wailing to heaven and stamping on the earth, where can I rest my body? The years and months do not stay; heat and cold swiftly change. The pain of bitter grief is present on this very day. Filial respect and care have already ceased; myriad regrets cannot be recalled. The depth of this unjust affliction—how could a hundred lives redeem it? Only with sincere devotion do I take refuge in the Triratna, reverently offering a vegetarian feast at Hongfu Bodhimaṇḍa, and bestowing pure wealth to serve as dāna offerings, using this merit on behalf of the departed spirit. May her mind awaken to the unproduced, and her spirit migrate to Abhirati; spurring a dark-blue steed to enter the city of incense, ascending golden steps to mount the jewel hall; disporting in Dharma joy and roaming freely in the pure land; perpetually sheltered by the Dharma cloud, constantly tasting sweet dew; quickly realizing bodhi and early ascending to right awakening. May all within the six paths and the four modes of birth share in this vow.” The emperor said to the monks: “Recently, because Lord Lao is my ancestral forebear, and honoring ancestors and esteeming kin is the foundation of living beings, I therefore placed him in front. You masters must surely feel deep regret.” Daoyi, the abbot of the temple, respectfully replied: “Your Majesty respects and honors your ancestors so that all under Heaven may make it a standard. We monks have received the heavy kindness of the state, and practice the Dao with peaceful minds. When the imperial decree was issued, all were greatly delighted; how could we dare feel regret?” The emperor said: “Just because my ancestral forebear is placed in front, could he truly be greater than the Buddha? Ever since the state was founded, where has a separate Daoist abbey ever been built? All meritorious deeds have been dedicated to Buddhist temples. At the beginning of the battles within the realm, there was none where I did not wholeheartedly take refuge in the Buddha. Now that the realm is greatly pacified, Buddhist temples have been established in all the places of battle; even at my original residence and for my deceased mother, only Buddhist temples have been erected. My reverence has its proper place, where I take refuge with all my life. You masters should understand my heart. Those Daoists merely study and follow my ancestral forebear, hence their position is placed in front. Now the Li family holds the realm, so Lao Li is in front; if the Buddhist family were to govern and transform, then the Buddhist tradition would occupy the superior rank. Is this not fair?” The monks arose and expressed their thanks. The emperor said: “Be seated. This is merely the thought of a disciple. If not recounted, it would not be known. The weather is very hot and the rooms are cramped; how can you dwell here? Now there are donated materials that can be used to construct back rooms, so that the monks may practice the Dao with spacious ease.” The remaining words are mostly not recorded. When the affair concluded, he returned to the palace.