集古今佛道論衡 3.5

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,