續集古今佛道論衡 1.28

1.28

帝曰。卿無自辱焉。朕恐卿等螢火之光明。濫同日月之顯。彈丸之土。竊價隋國之珠。實非其類。如欲相比卿既不相信。可此月十五日平旦總集白馬寺與卿比校。道士即得　勅許。歡忻而去。諸道士在京師聚眾。或在洛水上。履水而行水不能溺。或在園苑。積薪自燒火不能損。或在京師市巷作種種呪禁呼策鬼神。京師觀者咸言大聖。正月十一日　帝詣白馬寺。至佛殿前燒香行道禮拜訖。問二法師。啟首具說。諸山道士功能。欲來與師比校。弟子輒不自量。口以許之。剋此月十五日大集白馬寺。願師垂恩開示法藥。摩騰法師對曰。如來滅度一千餘年。正教東流法不虛設。道士欲來比校。今正是時。貧道雖處緇服戒行無取。今仰憑正法諸佛威力。得與開悟。

The Emperor said, 'Do not bring disgrace upon yourselves. I fear that your firefly's light falsely rivals the brilliance of the sun and moon, and a pellet of clay improperly prices itself against the pearl of the Marquis of Sui; they are truly not of the same kind. If you wish to compete, since you do not believe, you may assemble at the Baima Temple at dawn on the fifteenth day of this month to compare with them.' The Daoist masters, having received the imperial permission, left with joy. The Daoist masters gathered crowds in the capital: some walked on the waters of the Luo River without sinking; some piled firewood in gardens and burned themselves without suffering harm; some performed various incantations and summoned ghosts and spirits in the markets and lanes of the capital. The onlookers in the capital all called them great sages. On the eleventh day of the first month, the Emperor visited Baima Temple. Arriving before the Buddha Hall, he burned incense, circumambulated, and made prostrations. He then asked the two Dharma Masters, bowing his head and recounting in full the powers of the Daoist masters from the mountains: 'They wish to come and compete with you masters. Your disciple rashly, without measuring himself, gave verbal permission, fixing the fifteenth day of this month for a great assembly at Baima Temple. I pray the masters show grace and reveal the medicine of the Dharma.' Dharma Master [Kāśyapa] Mātaṅga replied, 'Over a thousand years have passed since the Tathāgata entered extinction. The True Teaching flows eastward, and the Dharma is not established in vain. The Daoists' wish to compete comes precisely at the right time. Although this poor monk wears the black robes, my precepts and conduct are of no merit; now, relying on the majestic power of the True Dharma and all the Buddhas, I shall bring them to awakening.'