集古今佛道論衡 3.23

3.23

In the fourteenth year of Zhenguan, there was previously Qin Shiying, a Yellow Turban [Daoist] of the Xihua Abbey, who ingratiated himself by means of occult arts and displayed his abilities to the Crown Prince. Having long harboured jealousy toward the Buddhist lineage, he secretly submitted the treatise composed by Falin, stating: “This *Bian zheng [lun]* only seeks to slander the imperial lineage, a crime of deceiving the sovereign.” When Taizong heard of it, he immediately issued an imperial edict to weed out monks and nuns, and to investigate any reduction of ages on registrations. He dispatched the Attendant Censor Wei Cong and General Yu Boyi, together with officials from the ministries, departments, prefectures, and counties, to the Court of State Ceremonial each day to inspect their conditions; and that any assembly of monks found should act in accordance with the bequeathed teachings. He also ordered that Falin be pursued and summoned to be interrogated according to the law. Falin gripped his wrists in resolute passion; before the summons could even reach him, he went directly to the public court, holding life light, and answered without fear for his life, whereupon they bound him in chains. [The emperor] issued an imperial edict interrogating him: “In the ancestral covenant of the Zhou, those of different surnames were ranked behind; honouring ancestors and esteeming kin truly originates in ancient times. Why do you pursue their faults, wavering indecisively, citing a wide array of superficial words, and fully setting forth disrespectful analogies, clawing at and ruining my ancestors and slandering my forebears? Such coercing of the ruler is an unpardonable crime!” Falin answered: “King Wen was a great sage, and the Duke of Zhou was a great worthy. In tracing back the distant and carefully attending to the funeral rites of parents, even August Heaven could not requite them; the utmost filial piety and fraternal love communicate with the luminous spirits. Though the ancestral Zhou existed, in principle they did not vie for precedence. Why? August Heaven has no partiality; in the end it only supports virtue. The ancients sided with principle, not with kin; they did not start before themselves, nor end behind themselves. Though kin, if they had crimes, they were surely punished; though distant, if they had merit, they were surely rewarded. When reward and punishment conform to principle, all under Heaven is peaceful and harmonious. Laozi practiced instruction in the ancestral Dao and the teachings of virtue, extending them to the common people, forgiving others, and being modest and brilliant; his benevolent wind served as a model for the four seas. He also said: ‘My master's name is Buddha; a Buddha is one who awakens all people. He was the ancient sovereign of Dry India, who ascended westwards and passed away.’ When investigating Laozi's teaching, its beginning and end can be traced. In the *Sutra of Daily Transmission* he instructed his disciples, saying: ‘My master entered well into nirvāṇa, continuously and perpetually enduring. I now depart.’ Nowadays, what Liu and Li describe slanders and destroys the master of Laozi, yet the world cannot recognize it. This is why I composed this *Bian zheng lun* in eight fascicles, summarily responding to the Daoists in over sixty items, all citing historical records and earlier sayings; it was truly not to slander or ruin the state and the imperial family.” He then set forth over twenty items in succession, fully reporting them in a memorial. An imperial edict said: “The *Bian zheng lun* you composed states in the chapter ‘Reciprocal Retribution for Faith and Slander’ that if one is mindful of Guanyin, when approaching the blade one will not be harmed. We shall pardon you for seven days and command you to recite it, to test whether you can be unharmed when the execution date arrives.” Externally entangled in fetters and internally pressed by the date of execution, with ice and coals clashing in his bosom, Falin only prayed for a manifest response. Just as the deadline expired, his mind and spirit suddenly became bold and resolute, surging across his breast; he completely lost all fear of death and stood awaiting the summoned cross-examination. Moments later the imperial edict arrived, saying: “Today the period of pardon has expired, and the execution is to be carried out immediately. What were you mindful of? Was the mindfulness efficacious or not?” Falin replied: “Ever since the turmoil of the late Sui, the four seas boiled over; the plague of corvée spread widely, and shields and spears rose in competition. Armies were mobilized to attack one another, each presuming upon their military might; ministers were flattering and the ruler was dissolute, failing to practice upright government, obstructing the royal roads and stubbornly clinging to single corners. Ever since the August Sovereign conducted punitive expeditions to console the people, he has continuously purified the seas and lands. This is truly the power of Guanyin, all aided by the merit of Mahāsthāmaprāpta. Your virtue is continuous and balanced, your Dao equals that of the supreme sages; you rescue from untimely death at the imperial court and pardon excessive punishments in the capital markets. For the past seven days, I, Falin, have not been mindful of Guanyin; I have only been mindful of Your Majesty.” Furthermore, an imperial edict instructed Wei Cong, the Vice Director of the Palace Bureau of Censors, to ask Falin: “An edict ordered you to be mindful of Guanyin. For what reason were you not mindful of him, but said instead that you were only mindful of His Majesty?” Falin answered: “I humbly understand that Guanyin's sacred insight manifests in forms within the six paths of existence; above in heaven and below on earth, he serves as a teacher and model to all. Now, the Tang dynasty magnificently houses the four seas, the nine barbarian tribes render their duties, and within the eight regions punishments are clear and just. The ruler is sage and the ministers are worthy; there is no wrongful excess. Now Your Majesty nurtures ordinary beings as your children; according to the sutras, this is precisely Guanyin. Since your numinous mirror tallies with his, I was therefore only mindful of Your Majesty. Moreover, the *Bian zheng lun* written by me, Falin, tallies with the records and histories; if there is even one discrepancy, I submit to the axe. If Your Majesty accords with loyalty and righteousness, Falin will not lose a single hair; if Your Majesty metes out excessive punishment to the innocent, Falin will suffer the pain of lying dead.” When this was memorialized, they ultimately did not impose punishment. An imperial edict was issued banishing him to a Buddhist monastery in the region of Yizhou. At that time, both above and below in the court, all knew that Qin Shiying had fabricated the agitation. The Censor Wei Cong, having investigated that Qin Shiying disguised deceit and hypocritically deceived ordinary folk, submitted an impeachment memorial: “I have observed that when the Great Dao flourished, the traces of empty quietude were elucidated; when the profound wind was broadcast, the teaching of non-action truly prospered. Never was there one whose person wore the yellow crown while his intentions were identical with ordinary laymen. The Daoist Qin Ying has studied medical formulas somewhat and is slightly versed in incantations; relatives entrusted their lives to him, and the emaciated and sick committed their bodies to his care. Yet he committed adultery with their wives, acting worse than birds and beasts; his sentiments violate the orthodox teaching, and his mind resembles wolves and jackals. Giving rein to his grasping and competitive heart, he indulged in heterodox and defiled deeds; at home he conceals a wife and children, and at his gate are concubines and young boys. Riding fat horses and wearing light furs, he traverses the thoroughfares; raising his eyebrows and shaking his sleeves, he has no fear of the penal codes. His strong covetousness is not yet forgotten, and he fears the bird-netting arrow. If this root is not destroyed, the utmost teaching will decline. I request that severe penal statutes be applied to punish his licentiousness and extravagance.” An imperial edict ordered him to be summoned to the Court of Judicial Review; in the end, he was executed for his madness and recklessness. Both public and private knew of his villainy and wickedness, marveling only that he died so late. One may indeed say: ‘He would ruin another's son’—this was manifested right here.”