集沙門不應拜俗等事 2.35

2.35

釋彥悰曰。孝武傳云。帝即位二三年間。方逞其欲。拒諫足以敗德。令天下失望。有世祖才明而少以禮度自肅若思。武皇之節儉追太祖之寬恕。則漢之文景曾何足云。從大明六年至景明元年。凡四載令拜國主而僧竟不行。豈非理勃天常固使綸言徒設耶。

Shi Yancong states: The 'Biographies of Emperor Xiaowu' records: 'During the two or three years after the Emperor ascended the throne, he gave free rein to his desires; he rejected admonitions enough to ruin his virtue, causing the realm to lose hope. He possessed the talent and intelligence of Shizu (Emperor Wen), but lacked the thoughtful discipline to restrain himself with ritual standards. If he had possessed the frugality of Emperor Wu and pursued the clemency of Taizu, then how would Emperors Wen and Jing of the Han even be worth mentioning?' From the sixth year of Daming to the first year of Jingming, for a total of four years, he ordered [monks] to bow to the ruler of the state, yet the saṃgha ultimately never practiced it. Is it not because defying heavenly norms naturally rendered the imperial decrees completely futile?