集沙門不應拜俗等事 3.36

3.36

On the fifteenth day of the fifth month, a grand assembly was convened of more than a thousand civil and military officials of the ninth rank and above, together with officials of the prefectures and counties, all seated in the Capital Hall of the Department of State Affairs (Zhongtai) to deliberate on this matter. At that time, Śramaṇa Daoxuan of Ximing Temple in the capital, Śramaṇa Weixiu of Dazhuangyan Temple, Śramaṇa Linghui of Dacien Temple, and Śramaṇa Huiyin of Hongfu Temple, amounting to more than three hundred men, brought canonical scriptures and their previous memorials, laying out the precedents to expound their principles. Then the Grand Master of Rites of the Bureau of Rites (Sili taichangbo), Bo, Prince of Longxi Commandery, addressed the śramaṇas, saying, "The edict commands the lay officials to deliberate in detail; the reverend masters may withdraw." At that time, the multitude's opinions were confused and divided, unable to reach uniformity. The Prince of Longxi said, "The transmission of the Buddha's Dharma through imperial reigns has long been established. An edict has now been handed down commanding bowing to ruler and parents, yet court deliberation has also been permitted. As the reasons advanced by the assembly cannot yet be universally accepted, the Bureau of Rites, being the office responsible, may formulate a proposal first. Those who agree may sign their names; those who disagree need not." Thereupon, Grandee Kong Zhiyue of the Bureau of Rites took up his brush and composed a memorial as follows, ordering a director to read it aloud. Thereupon, following their ranks, most of the officials signed their names. Left Attendant-in-Chief Cui Yuqing said, "The edict commanded each department to formulate its own memorial separately; one cannot arbitrarily follow the Bureau of Rites and ask to disperse. Each may submit its separate memorial to the Department." At that time, the submitted memorials varied widely, praising and criticizing, varied and discordant. Now, carefully classifying and distinguishing them according to the offices high and low, I first set forth the texts against bowing, next present the memorials for partial bowing, and finally recount the arguments for rendering full homage. Both the good and the bad are fully recorded, listed item by item as follows.