集古今佛道論衡 3

English (machine translation) 3

Language: English

3.1

[Compiled by] the Buddhist Śramaṇa of Ximing Temple of the Great Tang

1. Emperor Gaozu of the Great Tang Inquires of the Monks Concerning the Benefits of Their Bodily Appearance and Attire.
2. Gaozu Visits the National Academy, Assembles the Three Teachings, and Inquires into the Claim That the Dao is the Master of the Buddha.
3. The Daoist Priest Li Zhongqing Composes a Treatise Slandering the Buddha, and Master Lin Rebuts It.
4. Taizong Decrees That the Dao Precedes the Buddha, and the Monks and Others Submit Admonitions.
5. The Crown Prince Assembles Scholars of the Three Teachings to Debate in Detail.
6. Secretariat Drafter Xin Composes the Treatise on Equalizing Things, and Masters Jing and Lin Rebut and Explain It.
7. Taizong Inquires of Master Lin Concerning the Alternate Retributions of Faith and Slander in the Treatise on Discriminating the Orthodox.
8. Taizong Visits Hongfu Temple, Personally Composes a Vow Text, and Accounts for the Precedence of Buddhism and Daoism.
9. Taizong Decrees That the Daoist Scripture of the Three Sovereigns Is Inadequate for Instruction and Orders It Burned and Removed.
10. Taizong Decrees Master Xuanzang to Translate Daoist Scriptures into Sanskrit and Debates with the Daoists.

3.3

1. Emperor Gaozu of the Great Tang Inquires into What Benefits the Monks' Bodily Appearance and Attire Possess, and Master Lin Respectfully Responds

3.4

When the August Tang initiated its destiny, all teachings flourished alongside one another; yet regarding the Buddha-Dharma, faith and reverence were especially deep. [The emperor] gave up his old residence in the capital to establish Xingsheng Temple, and elsewhere temples such as Huichang, Shengye, Cibei, Zhengguo, and Jixian were constructed in succession. As for Daoist abbeys, they were no different from secular dwellings. In the fourth year of Wude, there was the Grand Astrologer Fu Yi. Formerly a Yellow Turban, he deeply resented the monastic robes. Seeing the state paying special respect [to Buddhism], his heart became all the more grieved. He then submitted eleven articles on abolishing the Buddha-Dharma, stating: 'The Buddhist scriptures are false and absurd, their words bewitching and their matters obscure. They harm the state and ruin families, and have never been heard to benefit the world. I request that the barbarian Buddha's perverse teaching be sent back to Tianzhu, and that all śramaṇas be dismissed back to their native places; then the family and state will prosper and become great, and the teachings of Li [Laozi] and Kong [Confucius] will be practiced.'

3.5

Emperor Gaozu tolerated his minor quibbling, and the court ministers allowed him free speech. [The emperor] then issued an edict questioning the monks, saying: 'Renouncing the hair and beard given by parents, and casting off the insignia and garments of ruler and minister—in what category of affairs does the benefit lie? Beyond what sentiments does the advantage exist? Between harm and benefit, which of the two is appropriate? Please provide an apt response.' There was a śramaṇa of Jifa Temple, Shi Falin of Xiangyang. Indignant at Fu's words, he had been listening closely for an opportunity, and hearing of this inquiry, he immediately submitted a reply, saying: 'Falin has heard that the ultimate Dao transcends speech; how could the nine schools of philosophy debate it? The dharmakāya is formless; it is not what the Ten Wings can elucidate. It is only because the four bad destinies are vast and beings drift into the ocean of desire, while the trailokya squirm and teeter on the verge of plunging into the mountain of perverse views. The children are deluded and burn themselves; ordinary mortals drown and cannot get out. For their sake the Great Sage arose in the world, and the Utmost Benevolence descended His spirit. Thereupon He opened the gate of liberation and revealed the path of peace and stability. Thereupon royal lineages of Tianzhu severed attachment and affection to leave household life, and the nobility of the Eastern Xia grew weary of glory to enter the Way. They vowed to transcend the two kinds of birth and death, and set their minds on seeking the single, wondrous nirvāṇa; promoting goodness to repay the four debts of gratitude, and establishing virtue to aid the three realms of existence. This is their benefit! Disfiguring the body to accomplish their resolve, they therefore abandon hair, beard, and handsome looks; altering secular ways to accord with their Way, they therefore cast aside the splendid garments of ruler and minister. Although in outward form they lack attendance upon their parents, inwardly they cherish filial piety; though in protocol they deviate from serving the sovereign, their hearts preserve gratitude. Their grace covers both foes and kin to bring about great compliance; their blessings moisten both the unseen and manifest—how could they be bound by minor infractions? As for people of superior wisdom, because they rely on the Buddha's words, it is a benefit; as for ordinary folk of inferior sort, because they fall short of the holy teaching, it is a harm. Punishing evil, the delinquent will renew themselves; promoting good, men of understanding will be transformed. This is its broad outline.' But after Fu's memorial was submitted, the authorities did not carry it out. Fu Yi then made numerous copies of his memorial and openly distributed them near and far. In the alleys and neighborhoods of the capital, everyone repeated the mockery of the 'bald fellows'; at tables of heated debate, they clamored the slogans of the 'barbarian ghosts.' The sun of the Buddha was eclipsed and lost its brilliance; the majesty of the sangha was obstructed and powerless. At that time, many discerning people among both the clergy and laity took up the brush to compose essays; each analyzed Buddhist principles and laid out what was perverse and correct in detail. Falin reviewed the many compositions, which mostly cited scriptures and doctrines. Falin therefore said to the assembly: 'These citations are precisely what Fu seeks to abolish; how can one quote what is being abolished to prove and establish [the teaching]? Though called "crushing heresy," in the end it will be crushed by heresy.' Falin's mind accorded with the profound mystery; he was uniquely awakened after a thousand years. His capacity and caliber were heaven-bestowed, possessing broad comprehension and innate knowledge. Seeing the lack of skill in the authors and trusting that adopting expedient means had a firm basis, he composed the *Poxie lun* (Treatise on Crushing Heresy). Its text said: 'Zhuang Zhou said: "Within the six directions, the Sage acknowledges but does not discuss; beyond the six directions, the Sage reserves judgment and does not discuss." Laozi said: "Within the realm there are four greats, and the Dao dwells as one." Examining the various books recorded in the *Yiwenzhi* of the *Former Han*, numbering thirteen thousand two hundred and sixty-nine fascicles, none did not find their efficacy in immediate benefits and their intent in reverently serving ruler and father; none fully unfolded the distant path, but merely stopped at transforming customs and altering ways. Consequently, the karmic cause and effect across the three periods of time remained obscure as dusk though the morning had come; the five vehicles of karmic retribution remained uncomprehended through the ages. These are merely the terrestrial world within the six directions, the mundane schemes of the Three Powers. How could they avoid the vast four floods becoming the waves of affliction, and the tumult of the six destinies paving the road of worldly toil? If we trace the true mark, it is profoundly dark, surpassing the Dao of essential Daos; the dharmakāya is serene and tranquil, transcending mystery of mysteries. Therefore, He manifested birth in the realm of endurance and was born as a sage in the royal palace; He displayed a golden-hued body and emitted the mark of the jade urnā. When walking, golden lotuses held His feet; when sitting, a jeweled throne bore His body. When going forth, the Lord of Heaven led before Him; when entering, the King of Brahmā followed behind Him. Śrāvakas and bodhisattvas stood solemnly as in a court ritual; the eight classes of beings and myriad gods densely shielded and guarded Him. When expounding nirvāṇa, the earth displayed six kinds of shaking; when preaching prajñā, heaven rained four kinds of flowers. Adorned with a hundred merits, He was like the full moon overlooking the dark sea; illuminated by a thousand rays of light, He was like a gathering of suns shining on the jeweled mountain. With a single lion's roar, the outer paths had their spear points crushed; with the temporary beating of the Dharma drum, the heavenly Māras bowed their heads. Therefore, the Buddha is called the King of the Dharma. How could He contend for equality of virtue with Li Er of the declining Zhou, or be casually classed together with Kong Qiu of a degenerate age? That is not something that should be spoken!' The text ran to more than twenty sheets of paper. From the time Falin's treatise appeared, it surpassed all other writings. Families kept a copy, reciting it from heart and mouth; it was the essence of all philosophies, the mirror of historical texts. Its glorious reputation thereupon seethed and surged, and through it the benighted populace was awakened. Falin indeed had great merit! Because Falin's treatise was newly issued and his aim was high achievement, knowing that transforming subordinates from above is like the bending of grass before the wind and thus easy, he presented it to the Heir Apparent, the imperial princes, as well as the dukes, ministers, marquises, and earls; its literary logic was widely disseminated, and all officials praised its erudite mastery. Because of this, Fu's memorial was subsequently shelved. Allowing the Buddhist tradition to be reopened once again was also Falin's merit. Yu Shinan, the Shuzi of the Eastern Palace, examined the submitted treatise and wrote a preface for it; the weight of his high praise further added to its longstanding esteem. Falin's surname was Chen, a descendant of Taiqiu of Yingchuan; his distant ancestors moved to Xiangyang, so he became a man of that county. He left household life at an early age and dwelt at Yuquan Temple on Mount Qingxi in Jingzhou. He was widely versed in both inner and outer learning, and was recognized for his literary talent. In the first year of Daye, he entered the passes to observe and listen. Because Zhang Ge, who carried on the lineage of the Lao sect in Huaili, spoke words that were mostly absurd and fallacious, obstructing the pure style [of Daoism] with intolerable falsehood, Falin personally engaged in observing and inspecting them. History says: 'Laozi went west to the drifting sands.' Zhuangzi says: 'Laozi died in Huaili.' The two accounts are entangled, name and reality contradicting each other. Therefore, going west to the end of the sandy frontier, the traces of the Li family were cut off; while arriving at Huai City in the central region, there was the evidence of an ancient tomb. Inquiring among the elders, none knew the origin. Furthermore, the Daoist center of Louguan was the residence of Yin Xi; he invited Laozi to pass through it, but it was not the dwelling where [Laozi] served as the Archivist under the Pillar. Nowadays, Yin Changle to the west of the abbey is the prominent figure in the village, being a descendant of Magistrate Yin; he serves the Buddha and does not serve the Dao. I went and asked him, and he declared: 'My ancestor knotted grass to make a tower and looked out from above; therefore it was called Louguan (Tower Abbey). Originally it was not the residence of Lord Lao. The temple currently in the eastern abbey is the ancestral shrine of our forefather Yin. From antiquity to the present, sons and grandsons have carried on the line; they did not go to the drifting sands, and their ancestral tablets are right here.' It was merely because they met with a lenient government that did not investigate and punish, allowing those Yellow Turbans to revere [Laozi] highly; between Yin and Li there came to be tallies and diagrams, and talismans and jiao offerings grew increasingly abundant generation after generation—how could this be the great purport of the Daodejing? None failed to enrich their living and seek profit, rather than making Laozi their true ancestor. Falin lamented their falsities and errors, and was about to thoroughly investigate the root and source. If he did not live together and dwell with them for a long time, there would be no way to achieve it. To investigate their secrets, he put on a cap and wore coarse robes, following them to their quiet lodges to expound the Daodejing for them and broadly explain Zhuangzi and the Yellow Emperor's texts. In the past, in the Jing-Chu region, he had already tempered his learning; the meanings of the profound and subtle were gathered in his breast. In Qinchuan, Daoist learning was as rare as a unicorn's horn; the rest of them merely had the bare outlines of chapters and sentences. Consequently, the registers of the Nine Immortals and Nine Bureaus, the rituals of the Three Primes and Three Caverns, the secrets of the Yellow Court and Yellow Book, the arts of astronomy and the celestial handle, circulating breath, refining corpses, flying cinnabar, and grain-fluid—there were none he could not explain like pointing to his own palm, copying and providing them without omission. Thereupon, in grand assemblies at their lodges, linking arms as companions, the hidden cases were all opened and unusual formulas completely uttered. Having fulfilled his original expectation, Falin applied his full strength to search and seek. He then saw that the teacher of the ancient sovereign Lord Lao was from Qianzhu (Tianzhu); the monastic rank of Buddhist monks was high and prominent, upheld by Daoist priests. Texts revering the Buddha were as abundant as clouds, and disciplinary rules honoring the Dharma congregated like mists. He excerpted and summarized all of them to prepare for unforeseen needs. Later he retraced his steps, returning to his former disciples and carrying on his tasks as usual. And then,

3.6

when the August Tang dynasty first arose, Astrologer Fu submitted his memorial, while Li Zhongqing and Liu Jinxi attacked and criticized the Buddha and the sangha, composing treatises based on what they saw and heard, with their proclamations aimed at demoting and expelling [the Buddhists]. Falin thereupon relied on these [materials] to resist them, citing Daoist sources that revere our Buddhist vehicle, [showing that] Liu and Li defied their masters, betrayed their teachings, and made reckless fabrications that deceived both mortals and sages. And,

3.7

when Emperor Taizong reviewed the treatises, he tested him with the punishment of empirical proof. Falin responded with correct principles, speaking to the utmost, and the Sovereign asked no further questions. He was transferred to a Buddhist temple in Yizhou. When he reached Bailao Pass, he died of illness at the age of sixty-nine. In total, the treatises he authored were compiled into more than thirty fascicles. Because in the intersecting debates between Buddhism and Daoism his particular aim was broad propagation, he firmly ensured that the literary evidence was remarkably clear and comprehensive from beginning to end, so that later worthies who quoted them did not need to search elsewhere. He was indeed an enlightened being who protected the Dharma in the degenerate age! At the time, his contemporaries slighted each other, but after his death they lamented his loss. The rest of minor trivialities are not worth discussing. His repeated face-to-face debates will be expanded below; here we merely describe his character and background.

3.8

2. Emperor Gaozu Visits the National Academy, Assembles the Three Teachings, and Questions the Monks on Dao Being the Buddha's Teacher

3.9

In the eighth year of Wude, the year being xieqia (yiyou), the imperial carriage visited the National Academy, where the rites of the sacrifice to Confucius were laid out. In the hall three seats were arranged to set forth the three lineages. At that time, Dharma Master Huicheng of Shengguang Temple, who had been treasured by Emperor Yang of the Sui, was deeply revered by both clergy and laity and unanimously nominated to act as the head of the assembly. At that time, talents and scholars from the five capitals, men versed in the three teachings, along with the honorable chancellors, ministers, and heads of ministries, were all gathered. The Son of Heaven issued an edict saying: 'The teachings of Laozi and Confucius are the primordial foundation of this land; the Buddhist teaching arose later and should be honored with the protocol of a guest. Now Laozi may go first, Confucius next, and the Buddhist lineage last.' At that time, they looked at one another and none dared to respond or oppose. Although Huicheng ascended the seat, his mind was uneasy. Taizong, who was then the Prince of Qin, attended the assembly in person; looking straight at Huicheng, his gaze never turned away. He repeatedly sent palace envoys saying: 'Worry about nothing. Master, just broadly expound the Buddhist lineage and first proclaim the Emperor's virtue.' Since he was to present his discourse at the very end, which would surpass and penetrate all previous expositions, [Huicheng] then addressed the assembly, saying: 'Above heaven and below earth, the most noble is man; honor and rank in karmic retribution must take the Buddha as their master. Now as we are about to set forth the great purport, the ritual protocol must be fully observed. All should join their palms and kneel devoutly to manifest the basis of master and disciple.' As soon as his voice ceased,

3.10

the Imperial Heir and those below him, down to the myriad officials, all left their seats and knelt on both knees, waiting to listen to his lucid eloquence. Huicheng first proclaimed the Emperor's virtue, saying:

3.11

'Your Majesty is towering and majestic, a king among all sages, like the moon among the stars.'—His words were numerous and are not recorded here.—Next he expounded the Buddhist lineage. Afterward, with two difficult questions, he cross-examined both teachings simultaneously. First he questioned the Daoists, saying: 'Gentlemen, you have expounded the Daoist lineage as exalted above the cosmos, and just now you explained the *Daodejing*, saying that the upper fascicle clarifies the Dao while the lower fascicle clarifies the De. We do not know: is there anything greater than this Dao, or is there nothing greater than the Dao?'

3.12

[The Daoist] replied, "Above heaven and below heaven, only the Dao is ultimate and paramount; it is the greatest, and none is greater than the Dao."
[Huicheng] challenged him, saying, "If the Dao is ultimate and paramount, the greatest with none greater than the Dao, might one also say that the Dao is the ultimate principle, and no principle models itself on the Dao?"
[The Daoist] replied, "The Dao is the ultimate principle, and no principle models itself on the Dao."
[Huicheng] challenged him, saying, "The scripture of Lao[zi] itself states: 'Man models himself on Earth; Earth models itself on Heaven; Heaven models itself on the Dao; the Dao models itself on Naturalness.' For what reason do you contradict your own school, then asserting that no principle models itself on the Dao? If the Dao is the ultimate principle, yet there is further a principle upon which the Dao models itself, why then should the principle of the Dao be the greatest, and there can be none greater than the Dao?"
[The Daoist] replied, "The Dao is simply Naturalness, and Naturalness is precisely the Dao. Therefore there is no separate principle that can model itself on the Dao."
[Huicheng] challenged him, saying, "If 'the Dao models itself on Naturalness' and 'Naturalness is precisely the Dao,' then can Naturalness in turn model itself on the Dao, or not?"
[The Daoist] replied, "The Dao models itself on Naturalness, but Naturalness does not model itself on the Dao."
[Huicheng] challenged him, saying, "If the Dao models itself on Naturalness, but Naturalness does not model itself on the Dao, then it must also be that though the Dao models itself on Naturalness, Naturalness is not identical to the Dao."
[The Daoist] replied, "The Dao models itself on Naturalness, and Naturalness is precisely the Dao; thus they do not model themselves on one another."
[Huicheng] challenged him, saying, "If 'the Dao models itself on Naturalness' and 'Naturalness is precisely the Dao,' then might Earth also model itself on Heaven, and Heaven be precisely Earth? Yet Earth models itself on Heaven, while Heaven is not Earth. Therefore one knows that though the Dao models itself on Naturalness, Naturalness is not identical to the Dao. If Naturalness were precisely the Dao, then Heaven ought to be precisely Earth!"

3.13

Thereupon, [Li] Zhongqing was flustered on his seat, finding no ground to extricate his mind, ashamed and unable to answer. The nobles and dignitaries present cried out, "The Daoist has met an insurmountable challenge!" Thereupon the profound ladder was widely unfolded, and the net of principles was cast high. It may truly be described as treading on echoes and soaring like the wind, cascading like a torrent according to the occasion. At that time, the Son of Heaven turned his gaze, marveling at his eloquence, his face relaxing into a smile. The Crown Prince, the imperial kinsmen, and the senior ministers on the left and right all admired and esteemed him together. The faction of the Yellow Turbans held their tongues without reply. Erudite and Libationer Master Zhang stared in shock, cowering at the轅 gate. The Sun of Wisdom shone all the brighter, and the Cloud of the Dharma spread once again.
Soon, from the midst of the assembly, an imperial decree was issued questioning Huicheng: "The Daoist Pan Dan has memorialized, stating: 'Prince Siddhārtha was unable to attain Buddhahood; only after seeking the Dao for six years was he able to become a Buddha. Thus the Dao can give birth to the Buddha, and the Buddha is accomplished through the Dao. The Dao is the teacher and father of the Buddha, and the Buddha is the disciple of the Dao. Therefore, Buddhist sūtras state: "Seeking the unsurpassed, truly authentic Dao," and also: "Understanding the Great Dao, generate the unsurpassed aspiration." In foreign speech it is called anuttara-bodhi, and translated into the phonology of Jin as the "unsurpassed Great Dao." If tested by this, the Dao is great and the Buddha is small—this can be known from the matter.'"
Huicheng answered in brief: "Cīnasthāna compared to Tianzhu is like the encircling seas compared to the continent of the Qilin. [Lao] Dan was born only at the end of the Zhou, whereas the Buddha appeared prior to the beginning of the Zhou. Calculating the interval between them, it spans some twenty-odd kings; reckoning the years, it exceeds more than three hundred. How could the Buddha of King Zhao's reign have retroactively sought the Dao of King Jing's reign? By investigating the false and verifying the real, this is amply clear. What Zhongqing previously recounted about the Dao was that the Supreme Great Dao was born before Heaven and Earth, surging within the cave of emptiness and blazing above Jade Purity, and that it is the teacher of the Buddha—he did not speak of Lao Dan of the Zhou period! Moreover, prior to the Five Thearchs, one has not heard of the Dao; only in the decline of the Three Kings did Dan's name first appear; and only since Emperor Jing of the Han did Daoist learning flourish. Exhaustively reckoning past and present, who is this 'Dao'? According to the seven canonical classes and the nine schools of thought, the scriptures that govern the realm, taking the Zhouyi as ancestor and master, the Five Phases generate one another. Once the Two Modes were opened, Yin and Yang were differentiated. Therefore it is said: 'One Yin and one Yang is called the Dao; that which is unfathomable in Yin and Yang is called the spirit.' Heaven and Earth are clear in affairs; Yin and Yang are verified in life. This is the natural order of principle. It does not say that there is a Dao born prior to Heaven and Earth. Since the Dao has nowhere from which it comes, how could it give birth to the Buddha? Thus Che Yin said: 'In oneself it is virtue; extending to things it is the Dao.' Wang Chong and Yin Zhongwen said: 'Virtue (de) means acquisition (de); Dao means that by which one proceeds (you).' This means that acquiring filial piety in one's heart, one is accomplished by proceeding from it. Wang Chong's Lunheng states: 'To establish oneself is called virtue; to achieve a name is called the Dao.' 'Dao' and 'virtue' are simply like this! Could what you speak of as the Dao be any different from this? If it differs from this, it is not worth wasting words upon. How could there be one wearing a golden crown on his head, draped in yellow coarse garments on his body, with white hair falling over his temples and holding a jade scepter in his hand, separately styled Heavenly Worthy and dwelling above Daluo, singularly named the Great Dao and ruling within the Jade Capital? It is not detailed in the Shanhai jing, nor recorded in the Classics and histories. Daluo is akin to the fable of 'Non-existence' (Wuyou); the Jade Capital is fundamentally the talk of 'Nowhere' (Wangshi)."
Having finished speaking, he stepped down from his seat. At that time, Huicheng alone commanded the forefront of debate, the focus of the entire court, causing the heterodox school to withdraw into nothingness. It may well be said that unfolding his fan at this single session was sufficient to serve as a raft for myriad generations; he is worthy of esteem and emulation, establishing merit and deeds. Thus one knows that in the near term he relied on the power of royal favor, and from afar he was protected by the grace of mindful guardianship. The Dao relies on man to be broadened, and Huicheng alone achieved it.
Huicheng was surnamed Liu, a native of Pengcheng. During the Chen dynasty, he early received instruction from masters, listening to the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra and the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra. The beauty of his reputation and doctrines shone brightly south of the Yangzi. When the Sui subdued the state of Chen, his high renown was celebrated in the court. When Emperor Yang was formerly Prince of Jin, garrisoning the south at the Huai and the sea, he established four religious arenas and summoned eminent figures from the four directions. Renowned Buddhist and Daoist masters mostly came to the prince's mansion to receive offerings. Because of his superior learning, Huicheng was recommended and summoned into the prince's courtyard. His discourse and replies possessed extraordinary elegance. Moreover, his bearing was imposing and stately, his brow and eyes bright and lofty; his physical presence and timeliness required no deliberation. His deployment of words and unfolding of literary craft were preeminent throughout history. From the recommendations across the realm, the foremost in vocal eloquence did not surpass the Southern Dynasties. Truly, as the literary elegance of Wu and Chu and the Lisao displayed their finest flowers, and the Jin dynasty held sway in the south with talent and learning surging like billows, he was able to roam in discourse along profound paths and be praised by all under heaven. Huicheng's reputation and prestige were especially eminent among their ranks. Therefore, as a Dharma general at the gate of doctrine in the Huidi Arena, he gazed forth boldly to face the governors of Luoyang, his lightning tongue sweeping aside the gathering of heroes. Huicheng stood conspicuously high within the monastic order.
When Emperor Yang was first in the Eastern Palace as Crown Prince, Huicheng followed him to the capital to lecture and discuss. Companions mutually revealed their heroism, and the brilliance of their debates was universally acknowledged by both religious and lay. When Luoyang was completed, he was summoned to the Eastern Capital; generous provisions and heavy gifts succeeded one another from month to month. When [the Emperor] went west to Pingdan, Mo, and the Liao Sea to Xiangping, there was none where he did not accompany the military retinue, conversing and matching aims. In the southwest of the capital, two meditation monasteries were built; internally, relics were obtained with the intention of enshrining them in the monastery pagodas. Constantly anxious over this important matter, a special decree ordered this journey. From the Eastern Capital west to the capital city, the solemnity and auspicious omens were renowned beyond the suburbs. When the Emperor went to Jiangdu, he left Huicheng in Luoyang; his regular duties and constant undertakings did not impede his austere manner. In the first year of Huangtai, he was revered even more deeply; an arena was established within the palace, with morning and evening audiences. From the beginning of Kaiming, solemn courtesies continued in succession; vegetarian feasts and lectures followed one after another, and the wheel of the Dharma never ceased.
In the fourth year of Wude, when the Eastern Xia was pacified, of the various illegitimate prefectures, one monastery was routinely retained as a rule. In the old capital of Luoyang, the monastic community was extremely numerous. Celebrated and superior monks were selected and assigned to dwell in Tongzhou and Huazhou. From these two prefectures, five superior and accomplished persons were further recommended for special provisions by the Tiance Mansion. Because of his high virtue and the hope of the multitude, Huicheng was also among their number. In the capital, he resided at Shengguang Temple. The abbot of Shengguang Temple, Dharma Master Sengzhen, was a disciple of Chan Master Zhiyi, the State Preceptor of Sui Emperor Yang. Having a reputation for practice and understanding, he had previously been invited to reside at Huidi. Formerly dwelling in the same monastery, they sought each other out as kindred spirits. Zhen also had a longstanding acquaintance with Emperor Wen, receiving uniquely elevated customary treatment; therefore, the merit-offerings of the Prince of Qin all went to Shengguang.
When Huicheng arrived in the imperial city, he promoted the Dao tirelessly; the two adornments of merit and wisdom accumulated with time. In the northern courtyard of Shengguang, the precious pagoda was lofty and magnificent, the halls and buildings ornately decorated, and the statues solemnly adorned; even the paintings were rare and extraordinary, surpassing all within the region. All were measured by Huicheng's eyes and calculated by his mind, with an ingenuity akin to divine work, beyond conception. Whenever there was a grand assembly, he was invariably the vanguard. His surging eloquence was like an overflowing river, his famous presence like unfurled brocade. He could cause the wise to incline their hearts and purify their ears, listening intently to his extraordinary eloquence, unconscious of the passage of the sun's shadow or physical fatigue. As for the dim and obscure, they only heard the light and swift flow of his delivery, without understanding its guiding thread. Yet as a person he was compassionate and nurturing, taking deliverance as his mind. Wherever his words and inquiries flowed, he sought only to praise and gladden, never touching upon faults. He was indeed an eloquent champion of the latter age! Approaching eighty years of age, he passed away at Shengguang. The Emperor deeply mourned his loss and bestowed funeral gifts with eminent honor.

3.14

3. The Daoist Li Zhongqing and Others Compose Treatises Slandering the Buddha, and Dharma Master Falin Writes the Bianzheng lun to Refute Them

3.15

In the ninth year of Wude, the Daoists Li Zhongqing and Liu Jinxi of the Qingxu Belvederes harbored jealousy toward the Buddhadharma and constantly heaped slander upon it. Acting in concert with Fu Yi like lips and teeth, they plotted to eradicate the Buddhist tradition. Zhongqing wrote the Shiyi jiumi lun (Treatise on the Ten Aberrations and Nine Delusions), and Jinxi wrote the Xianzheng lun (Treatise Revealing the Correct). Entrusting them to Fu Yi, they presented them to the imperial hearing. In the first month of spring, an edict was issued: three temples were to be established in the capital, with the monks limited to one thousand; the rest were all dismissed back to their native places. Those with talent and utility were to be assigned to the eighth rank. The strict edict was executed, and none dared voice opposition. The five assemblies wailed in grief, and the four classes of laity were struck with shock and lamentation.
Not long after, from the eastern quarter the Emperor emerged, and the ominous vapors were cleared away. Taizong, having long heard and lightly probed the essential principles [of the Dharma], immediately declared a great amnesty, and all were set at peace. The monks returned to their original monasteries, and the Buddha-sun shone bright again. Śramaṇa Falin had previously composed the Poxie lun (Treatise on Destroying the Heterodox), which both religious and lay looked up to; but the new treatises of the Daoists had not yet been refuted by his brush. Thereupon, relying on the two treatises of Liu and Li, he composed the Bianzheng lun (Treatise on Discerning the Correct) to counter them. In one case of eight fascicles, it synthesized the past and established faith in the present, surpassing the past and illuminating the future, widely disseminated far and wide. Chen Ziliang of Yingchuan, whose talents and arts were vast and whose fame shook the realm, wrote a commentary for it together with a preface on its origins. The text is voluminous and is not recorded here.

3.16

4. Emperor Taizong Issues an Edict Placing Daoism before Buddhism, and the Monks and Others Submit Remonstrations

3.17

In the eleventh year of Zhenguan, the imperial carriage toured Luoyi. Yellow Turbans who had previously debated with monks reported the matter to the throne. Thereupon an imperial edict was issued, stating: "Laojun bequeathed models whose significance lies in purity and vacuity; Śākyamuni left instructions whose principle resides in causes and fruits. If one examines their teachings, the traces of their guidance take different paths; if one examines their aims, the influence of their vast benefits tends toward the same end. However, the rise of the Great Dao began in remote antiquity; its source issued forth from the beginning of the nameless, and its operations tower beyond physical form. It outstrips the Two Modes in its movement, and embraces the ten thousand things in its nurturing. Thus it can order the realm, achieve good government, and restore simplicity and purity. As for the rise of the Buddhist teaching, it was founded in the Western Regions; only down to the Later Han was it spread to the Central Plains. The principles of its divine transformations are manifold, and the conditions of its retributions are not single. Coming down to recent generations, veneration and faith have grown increasingly deep. People hope for blessings in their present years; households dread calamities in lives to come. For this reason, those mired in vulgarity laugh loudly on hearing the profound doctrine, while those fond of the extraordinary vie to take refuge on beholding the true reality. At first it surged like waves through neighborhoods and lanes; in the end it swept like the wind through the imperial court. It has brought it about that the scriptures of a foreign land have flourished to take precedence over the multitude of wonders, while the teachings of the Central Lands have, on the contrary, fallen behind the One Vehicle. Wandering adrift and forgetting to return, this has continued through successive dynasties. Now the imperial fortune is gloriously prosperous, relying on the blessings of superior virtue; the empire is greatly settled, depending also on the efficacy of non-action. It is fitting to readjust the strings and propagate this profound transformation. From this time forward, in vegetarian feasts and offerings, in walking and standing, and down to titles and appellations, Daoist priests and female Daoist priests may precede monks and nuns. May this reinforce the custom of returning to the origin, extend through the nine realms, and be bequeathed to myriad generations." At that time, the monastic assembly in the capital presented earnest remonstrances, but the authorities would not accept them. The śramaṇa Zhishi was an outstanding talent among the younger generation, lucid in both inner and outer learning. Leading various senior elders, he followed the imperial cortege to present a memorial, reaching as far as the pass. Their memorial said in brief: "The monk so-and-so and others state: In our declining years, approaching the mulberry and elm, we have only just encountered an era of peace; with appearances withering like willows, we have just met a sage and enlightened sovereign. We have heard that a father has sons who remonstrate, and a ruler has ministers who remonstrate. Although we are counted among the ordained, we still remain in the ranks of subjects and sons. When an offense occurs, nothing should be concealed; how could we dare not set it forth? We prostrately observe that the imperial edict states: 'The imperial house's lineage originates from the Master Beneath the Pillar; the tradition of honoring the ancestor is manifested in ancient canons; when proclaimed to all under heaven, there is no virtue adequate to praise it. It is ordered that Daoist priests and others shall be placed above monks.' Following this dutifully, how would we dare resist the edict? Yet we observe that Laojun bequeathed models for governing the state and governing the family, and the garments and caps he wore underwent no strange alterations. He established neither abodes nor temples, and led no disciples; residing beneath the pillar, he preserved the genuine; concealing dragon-like virtue, he nourished his nature. When the wise saw it, they called it wisdom; when the foolish saw it, they called it foolishness. None but the Minister of Crime of Lu could recognize him. Today's Daoist priests do not observe his law: the caps and garments they wear are merely remnants of the Yellow Turbans; they are originally not the scions of Laojun. Practicing the defiled arts of the Three Zhangs, they abandon the marvelous gateway of the Five Thousand Characters; turning like Zhang Yu, they recklessly interpret chapters and verses. From the Han and Wei down to the present, they have constantly used ghostcraft to convert the frivolous multitude; falsely claiming to be descendants of Laojun, they are in truth offshoots of heterodox paths. If their status is placed above monks and nuns, we truly fear that genuine and fake will flow together, impairing the governance of the state. If we do not memorialize this, how can we express the devotion of subjects and sons? We have respectfully compiled instances from Daoist scriptures and the various histories of the Han and Wei where Buddhism preceded Daoism, as set forth separately. We prostrately hope that Your Heavenly Compassion will deign to listen and peruse them." The Vice Director of the Secretariat, Cen Wenben, proclaimed an imperial edict saying: "Monks, this matter has already been enacted for a long time. Those who do not submit shall be beaten with rods." The various venerable elders were all advanced in years and exhausted by the road; swallowing their indignation, they turned back. Zhishi boldly stepped forward and said: "I do not submit to this principle. Beneath ten thousand blades, I willingly submit to punishment." Thereupon he was beaten with rods and sent back. Zhishi left the household when young and lived in Zongchi Temple in the capital. While a novice, he was exceptionally lofty and spirited; he was skilled in disputation, renowned far and wide, and well versed in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha and the Abhidharmakośa. From the time he received full ordination, he strictly spurred his body and mind; his robes and bowl accompanied him, and he always held a water bottle. He did not enter markets nor ride horses. Whenever there was a distinguished gathering, he never failed to debate and question, his resonant and high pitch accompanied by an unyielding spirit of integrity. At the beginning of the Wude era, when Xue Ju pressed eastward, a thousand vigorous monks were selected to enter the military encampment. The monk Faya personally took charge of recruitment; the capital was in turmoil, and the monastic assembly was at a loss. Zhishi wailed loudly among the assembly, saying: "Faya is a demonic marauder; seize and expel him!" When the matter reached Gaozu, he ordered [Zhishi] to return to lay life. Thereupon he traveled through lecture halls, unstained by worldly habits. In the first year of Zhenguan, Faya committed an offense; an edict was therefore issued ordering Zhishi to leave the household again and dwell in his original temple. When the Huang-Lao tradition was honored and ordered to take precedence over the monks, Zhishi, leading more than ten eminent elders of the capital, including Fachang, Huijing, and Falin, followed the encampment and presented a memorial, petitioning with their lives. It was not granted. Zhishi said: "I know well that the bright edict has already been issued and cannot be turned back. After ten thousand generations, let it be known that there were men among the monks." Later he fell ill, maintaining pure fasting as before. When someone urged him to take food outside the proper time, Zhishi said: "I have seen many die. When approaching their end, many violate the precepts. Is this not valuing the body while despising the noble [teachings]? How could one be called a disciple?" He then shut his mouth and did not eat. When someone asked about his post-mortem arrangements, he replied: "When a bent bow releases an arrow, can it choose the ground? Leave it to later judgment, with simplicity as the priority." Having spoken, he passed away in the temple, aged thirty-odd years.

3.18

5. The Crown Prince Assembles Scholars of the Three Teachings to Debate in Detail

3.19

In the twelfth year of Zhenguan, the Crown Prince assembled various officials and scholars of the three teachings in the Hongwen Hall to expound the Buddha's teachings. Dharma Master Huijing of Jiguo Temple participated in this auspicious gathering. An order was given summoning Jing to expound the Lotus Sūtra. Receiving the command, he mounted the seat, presenting the lineage of the preface as usual. The Daoist priest Cai Huang, who gave lectures on Daoist treatises and was fond of standing out as the foremost genius of his time, was commanded by decree to engage in debate with him. Huang immediately composed his expression and asked: "The sūtra says: 'Introductory Chapter, Number One.' I wonder how the 'introduction' and the 'number' are divided?" Jing said: "The Tathāgata entered samādhi, manifested omens, emitted light, displayed wonders, shook the earth, and rained down flowers; using the near to open up the distant, he established the grand foundation for destroying the two and created the gradual path for clarifying the one. Hence it is the 'introduction' (xu). 'Number' (di) means position. 'One' means the beginning. The preface occupies the very forefront; hence it is called 'number one' (diyī)." Huang said: "Di means 'younger brother' (di). Being a younger brother, one cannot be called 'first' (yī); if one speaks of 'first', one cannot speak of 'younger brother'. The two words contradict each other. How can they be harmonized?" Jing said: "Did I not just say? 'Di' means position; 'one' means the beginning. Since you, sir, did not grasp the previous premise and falsely posed a subsequent objection, this is objecting to yourself; how can it count as objecting to another?" Huang said: "If you say I did not grasp it, please explain it again." Jing addressed the assembly upon order, saying: "In ancient times there were two men: one named Snake Servant (Śuddhipanthaka), who said 'broom' and forgot 'sweep'; the other named Sāriputra, who understood a thousand things upon hearing one. Thus Snake Servant was unenlightened even after hearing twice, while Śāriputra grasped a thousand upon a single utterance. This was not because the transmission of the teaching was unclear, but merely because the receiver of the Dharma was not sharp." Huang said: "The Dharma Master's words did not leave his lips; how could they be grasped?" Jing said: "When a bodhisattva preaches the Dharma, his voice shakes the ten directions. The Daoist priest sits here as if confused and drunk; is it only his physical form that is deaf and blind? His intellect must also be so." Huang said: "When a jackal preaches the Dharma, how could it be heard?" Jing said: "The heavenly palace is strictly guarded; fundamentally there are no traces of beasts. The Daoist priest's soul is so bewildered that he takes a human to be a beast." The Chancellor of the National University, Kong Yingda, inwardly favoring the Daoist faction, covertly fanned these blemishes, saying: "I have heard that the Buddhist house knows no contention. Why does the Dharma Master fabricate such things?" Jing addressed the assembly upon order, saying: "During the Tathāgata's lifetime, such things already occurred. When the Buddha refuted non-Buddhists and they could not respond, they turned to the Buddha and said: 'You always say of yourself that you are impartial. Now that you refute me with objections, that is partial. How can you call it impartial?' The Buddha answered them, saying: 'By my partiality I refute your partiality. If you attain impartiality, that is my impartiality.' Today it is likewise: by my contention I refute his contention; if he attains non-contention, that is my non-contention." At that time, the Heir Apparent said to the Chancellor: "Since you pluck words to speak, you truly belong to the Daoist faction." Jing said: "I have always heard that a gentleman does not form factions. Who knew that the Chancellor also forms factions?" The Heir Apparent laughed heartily, and the whole assembly rejoiced; today was not merely the joy of Dharma reaching such a height. Jing frequently entered the palace halls and debated without rival; His Royal Highness looked upon his sharp spirit with admiration. Soon he issued an order, saying: "Dharma Master Huijing of Jiguo Temple has a lofty and far-reaching reputation, and his practice and conduct are renowned. In overseeing monasteries, he will surely bring vast benefits. We invite him to be the abbot of Puguang Temple, while still managing the affairs of the senior seat of his original temple." Furthermore, letters were sent to Puguang and to Jing's dwelling, elaborately describing how the monastery's governance and maintenance depended on entrusted personnel. Jing was originally from the Fang clan of Zhaojun, the nephew of the Sui dynasty Professor of the National University Fang Huiyuan. His family had been Confucian masters for generations, so the broad currents of scholarship were his standard practice. His spirit was pure and elevated, and he was an outstanding master of literature. His sharp disputations were lofty and unconstrained, gathering brilliance as opportunities arose. Leaving the household young, he studied in the Sanhe region, not confining himself to a single master's tradition. In both the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, he explored the profound and the hidden. In the final years of the Kaihuang era, he observed cultural transformation in the imperial capital; deeply versed in doctrinal teachings, his luminous reputation often shone forth. During the Daye era, his renown rose higher still; among the talented men of the time, none failed to visit him, either to resolve doubts or to present new writings, collating ancient and modern texts and evaluating Confucian and Mohist ideas. Because inquiries never ceased, he composed writings for them. Although fine odes by ancient poets were numerous, rarely did they surpass hundred and twenty. The gathered talents valued his wisdom and insight and deferred to his appraisals; they then urged him to compile the best of poetry, from Emperor Gao of Liang and Emperor Xuan of Northern Qi down to the imperial dynasty, compiling ten fascicles. Liu Xiaosun, Erudite of the Prince of Wu, wrote a preface for it. In addition, for the Abhidharmakośa, the Abhidharma, the Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra, and others, he wrote commentaries of thirty fascicles each. For the Lotus Sūtra and other essential texts in practical use, he also compiled commentaries and treatises so that they could be recited. In addition, there were annotations of sūtras and collections of treatises that cannot be detailed here. In the Zhenguan era, when the throne was inherited, ministers and leaders all admired him; Grand Preceptor Fang Xuanling especially respected him. Whenever there was a distinguished gathering, he would lead his subordinates to attend the Dharma banquet, which the capital regarded at that time as the pinnacle of glorious spectacles. However, capable functions are not single, and learning is rarely comprehensive; Jing's past traces can be described as galloping in both Daoist and Confucian realms. Thus his sparks easily caught fire, and his brilliance was entirely due to this. When his age exceeded the time of following his heart's desires, wind ailments struck together. Yet he still leaned on his armrest, chatting and writing, conversing with the worthy of the time. I once asked about his illness. He replied: "Once I was severely ill, with no recourse. Having heard that illness is caused by attachment, one surely ought to relinquish attachment. Thereupon I summoned the fivefold assembly and relinquished everything. At night I felt some relief; in the evening it recurred severely. As before, I relinquished everything, and when the illness abated, it was the same. Now I am over seventy; my life's affairs are at their end. How could I relinquish wealth for the sake of life? In thought after thought, I consider death, with no feelings for wealth or affairs. In ancient times, people reaching a hundred years of age still did not realize that life and impermanence are pure; now I have awakened to it. I merely leave it to the times." Yet in forgiving others and humbling his brilliance, receiving and guiding clergy and laity, his courtesies in welcoming and sending off never deviated from constant norms. When fellow practitioners reached an impasse in debate, he guided them through without holding past mistakes against them. In this world, what is seen and heard with one's own eyes is abundant, so I do not exhaustively detail it. His doctrinal mastery, religious conversions, and life history are fully presented in the Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks.

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集古今佛道論衡 — Classical Chinese