集沙門不應拜俗等事 5.30

5.30

竊以。白馬東歸寺剎爰建。青牛西上觀座方興。莫不照燭昏迷導引騰化。然敬君之範簡略闕言。不拜之儀因循往有。非直情乖物義。抑亦理爽聖經（事如中臺司列議中彈）且法服制儀。表絕凡流之恒敬。蓮花寶座。豈說不拜於君親（彈曰。銅自石生。珠因水育取者方委傳者故迷。況佛教幽微理難窺涉。不知而作。其斯謂乎）君有天地之尊。敬君遠符經教。親著生育之惠。拜親遐會法源。撫事有益於經。捫理未虧於法。牽率愚管設敬為宜。謹議。

We reflect that when the white horse returned to the east, monasteries and saṅghārāmas were thereupon founded; when the green ox journeyed up to the west, abbeys and pedestals were first raised. None failed to illuminate the benighted and guide transformations forward. Yet the models for revering the sovereign are sparse and lacking in explicit words, whereas the custom of not bowing has been followed and inherited from the past. Not only does this violate human sentiments and propriety, it also contradicts the sacred scriptures. (The matter is as critiqued in the deliberation of the Department of Civil Service of the Central Ministry.) Furthermore, the ordained forms of Dharma robes demonstrate severance from the constant reverence of the ordinary stream; but how could the precious lotus pedestal teach not bowing to sovereign and parents? (Critique: Copper is born from stone, pearls are nurtured by water; only those who extract them understand them, whereas those who transmit rumors are bewildered. How much more so with the obscure and subtle Buddhist teachings, whose principles are difficult to fathom? To act without knowing—does it not mean precisely this?) The sovereign possesses the honor of Heaven and Earth; revering the sovereign distantly accords with scriptural teachings. Parents display the benevolence of birth and rearing; bowing to parents profoundly meets the source of the Dharma. Assessing affairs, it benefits the scriptures; exploring principles, it does not impair the Dharma. Marshalling our humble opinions, offering reverence is appropriate. We respectfully submit our deliberation.