集沙門不應拜俗等事 4

English (machine translation) 4

Language: English

4.1

Compiled by the śramaṇa Shi Yancong of Hongfu Temple

4.2

Section Two: Deliberations of the Sage Court on Not Bowing (Part Two)

Deliberations:
Memorial of deliberation by Gao Yaoshang, Junior Director of the Palace Domestic Service and Military Commandant, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Wang Quan, Attendant of the Palace Attendant Directorate, Erudite Hu Xuanliang, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Liu Qingdao, Assistant of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Registrar Hao Chujie, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Wang Qianshi, Assistant of the Court of Judicial Review, Zhang Daoxun, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Liang Xiaoren, Chief of the Court of Agricultural Affairs, Zhao Xingben, Director of the Granary Bureau, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Wei Siqi, Chief of the Court of the Outer Treasury, Registrar Jia Ju, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Liu Shenli, Senior Director of the Directorate for Construction, Supervisor Shangguan Tujue, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Linghu Defen, Chancellor of the Directorate of Education, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Fan Yijun, Acting Xuan-ye Professor of the Directorate of Education, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Zhang Yanshi, General-in-Chief of the Left Militant Guard, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Cui Xiuye, Chief Administrator of the Right Militant Guard, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Wang Xuance, Chief Administrator of the Left Valiant Guard, Xiao Guan, Cavalry Officer, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Xu Qing, Chief Administrator of the Right Martial Guard and Duke of Xiaochang County, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Li Hui, General of the Right Awe-Inspiring Guard, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Du Junchuo, General-in-Chief of the Left Military Guard and Duke of Huaining County, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Quan Shancai, General of the Left Chin-wu Guard, Supreme Pillar of State, and Founding Count, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Xin Hongliang, General of the Right Imperial Attendant Guard, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Xie Shou, Clerk of the Right Spring Secretariat, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Wang Sitai, Grandee of the Court of the Imperial Stud, Assistant Niu Xuanzhang, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Yuan Chengxin, Magistrate of Wannian County, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Wang Fangze, Assistant Magistrate of Chang'an County, Cui Daomo, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Huangfu Gongyi, Chief Administrator of the Prince of Pei's Princely Establishment, Scholar Chen Zhide, and others, one piece
Memorial of deliberation by Yuan Zhixin, Chief Administrator of the Prince of Zhou's Princely Establishment, Adjutant Yuan Sijing, and others, one piece

4.4

Memorial of deliberation by Gao Yaoshang, Junior Director of the Palace Domestic Service, and others, one piece:

4.5

The Dharma is fundamentally tranquil and void, not existing in words and speech; the supreme Way is indistinct and silent, therefore it has no sound or doctrine. In the realm of the trichiliocosm, small wisdom cannot fathom its source; within the elusive and indistinct, great worthies cannot exhaust its principle. However, the two lineages of Śākya and Laozi possessed the stature of great sages; their light of wisdom transcends the dust, rising high above the material realm. They shorten the brushing of the rock by the three robes and condense the dipping of the four seas on a tip of hair. They speak of the principle of extinction and preach the doctrine of existence and non-existence. Their gates open up expedient means to expound the twelve links of dependent origination; their guidance takes many paths, narrating the vast discourses of the five thousand [words]. If one reverently conforms, one roams freely in the six perfections; if one neglects and becomes lax, one drifts endlessly in the ocean of suffering. Therefore, shaving off beard and hair, they become śramaṇas; removing plain garments, they fasten black robes. They hope to ascend to the other shore and depart from this ford of attachment. Fathers and mothers honor their demeanor; kings and marquises respect their precepts. Here, the path of ruler and parent is sundered, and they abandon the mundane and transcend the dust. They are not constrained by the three hundred rites; they have no longing for the rank of the five ranks of nobility. They should not be pressed with these vulgar instructions or exhorted with worldly manners, bowing their heads in private courtyards and prostrating in public halls. We request that the ancient customs be followed, which to our humble minds is appropriate. Respectfully submitted.

4.6

Memorial of deliberation by Wang Quan, Attendant of the Palace Attendant Directorate, Erudite Hu Xuanliang, and others, one piece:

4.7

We have observed that when the transformation was unfolded on Vulture Peak, oars were moved through the dark ford; when instructions were handed down from the azure heavens, words were raised directing toward the true realm. Their virtue encompasses the four heavens, their teachings stand unique beyond worldly constraints; their significance is equal to a single finger, and the respect they receive differs from common norms. Therefore, in offering homage at the Grove of Sāla Trees, the supreme principle and ordinary sentiments are distinct traditions; when bending the body by the riverbank, the mysterious achievement and immediate worldly affairs have already diverged. From this one knows that black robes and yellow caps are not ornaments for the imperial palace; meditation forests and cavern residences are not the glory of ministers and sons. As for their deep merit and benefit, their Way is fully equipped to magnify guidance: setting forth the purport of the three vehicles, their principle reaches the utmost of the four modes of birth; demonstrating the text of the five thousand words, their words encompass the ten thousand phenomena. Wielding the sword of wisdom, they sever defilements; abandoning desire, they practice non-action. The living and the deceased look up to them as boats and rafts; moving and growing things rely on them for nourishment. Nature and characteristics cannot be fully probed by intellectual examination; the indistinct and silent cannot be exhausted by delving into mysteries. What is more, turning the wheel of the Dharma to assist the imperial achievements, their merit saves through dusty kalpas; floating the true pneumas to lay the foundation of the sagely Way, their Way surpasses the primordial chaos. Vast and great, they truly cannot be named! Now it is desired to equate them with the Teaching of Names and have them conform to worldly etiquette; once the imperial words have been issued, who would not say it is proper? Yet we fear that the lofty custom would thereby be lost forever, and the profound and marvelous principle would wander away and forget to return. We humbly consider that Your Majesty's love and respect excel a hundred kings, and Your virtuous teaching spreads throughout the four seas; concentrating Your spirit to embody all things, Your mind is set on magnifying the Way. Why must You restrict these two gates and conflate the paths of the ultimate and the mundane? Why limit these two teachings and throw into disorder their paths of silence and speech? Since their vinaya and precepts are already different from ordinary rules, how could kneeling and prostrating be shared with common etiquette? For ancestral practices, we request to follow the constant regulations. Respectfully submitted.

4.8

Memorial of deliberation by Liu Qingdao, Assistant of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Registrar Hao Chujie, and others, one piece:

4.9

Now, filial support is that by which one serves parents; hair and skin are the beginning of establishing filial piety. Reverence and loyalty are that by which one serves superiors; kneeling and prostrating express the demeanor of respectful homage. This indeed reaches up to fathom celestial constancy and looks down to exhaust human propriety. As for the extinction of thusness, words and deeds are both exhausted; mysterious, subtle, indistinct, and silent, it is dark and difficult to fathom. Your Majesty magnifies the correct Way and opens the marvelous gate; raising those followers of the Dharma, You receive this hidden protection. However, their teachings are not the governance of the mundane realm; their appearance is the demeanor of transcending worldly bounds. Their robes differ from national garments, and their bodies lack head ornaments; how could they join the official class in bowing down, or mingle with those wearing hairpins and fillets in long kneeling? In our humble view, inheriting the Dharma and honoring the worthy allows them not to compromise their principles at court; modifying their form and cutting themselves off allows them to have no humbling etiquette at home. Furthermore, by being like the sort of Chao Fu and Xu You, they add to the flourishing of Yao and Shun. As for the charge of entrustment, following precedent is best. Having received the clear decree, we dare to submit a candid deliberation. Respectfully submitted.

4.10

Memorial of deliberation by Wang Qianshi, Assistant of the Court of Judicial Review, Zhang Daoxun, Rectifier of Justice, and others, one piece

4.11

We humbly reflect: The bond between ruler and minister is momentous, and the principle of loyalty and filial piety is fundamentally exalted; the love between father and son is deep, and the feeling of affection and reverence is pressing. Abiding by the principles of daily conduct, we are indebted to the great grace that gave us life and upbringing. How could one who receives their protection forget their virtue? How could one who partakes of their benevolence neglect the rites due to them? These truly represent the exalted teachings of the 'three relations to be served' and a uniform standard handed down; the principle accords with the divine mind and the righteousness matches the sagely decree. However, the laws within the realm differ in institution from those of Laozi and Śākya, and the paths beyond the realm travel a different track from those of Yao and Confucius. Fish-traps and rabbit-snares cannot illustrate them; nature and characteristics are both obliterated. They are not restricted by the small or the great; Heaven and Earth are unified as one. They do not regard serving parents with a cheerful countenance as filial piety, nor do they see leaving parents behind as a matter of doubt. The spiritual path endures long and has never ceased here. Investigating its essential tenets, it also assists in transformation. Therefore, extraordinary attire brings no blemish to the constant norms, and shaving the form does not harm the moral teachings. They transcend far beyond the dust, distinctly remaining guests unhampered by restraint. Empty and unfailing, towering, perfect and still. Although cause and effect are difficult to fathom, and the ultimate truth is dark and deep, seeming both to exist and not exist, things have been maintained in this manner from of old. In the past, Śramaṇa Huiyuan composed his treatise, and Yu Bing of the Jin dynasty ceased his discourse. Rather than being neglectful, it is better to exalt reverence for them. Now, if we revere their Way but dismantle their law, seek their blessings but bend their bodies, this would cause those shaking the tin staff to mimic the appearance of bearing swords and pendants, and those holding the censer to adopt the propriety of hairpin-caps and tablets. The black-robed and the white-robed would stand in the same rank; reverence and relaxation would be carried out together. If so, the kāṣāya would be ashamed before the majesty of the garuḍa, and the alms bowl would be embarrassed before the art of charming dragons. For such a teaching, how could it be put into practice? We, Zhang Daoxun and the others, undeservedly occupy the ranks of the base gatherers of fuel; our words are not worthy of selection. We merely express our foolish opinions, deeply prostrated in trepidation. Respectfully deliberated.

4.12

One deliberation statement by Liang Xiaoren, Minister of the Court of Agriculture, and others:

4.13

The flourishing of the Buddhist Way has a long history. Since the white light shone in the east and the purple vapor drifted to the west, none have failed to follow those five thousand words and revere these two teachings. Non-action and quiescence together plant superior causes. The monks, nuns, Daoist priests, and Daoist priestesses hasten to uphold the scriptures and instructions. As teachings, their aid and benefit are truly great. Reviewing previous generations, there were choices made to adopt or reject; that they uniformly complied with not bowing is indeed worthy of consideration. As for the Way being the ancestral source from which the imperial foundation arose, its dignity and urgency differ from ordinary human relations. How could one alter the practice to make a separate rite, bending down to follow common custom? Following tradition and not bowing is deemed reasonable and appropriate. Respectfully deliberated.

4.14

One deliberation statement by Wei Siqi, Minister of the Court of External Revenue, Jia Ju, Registrar, and others:

4.15

We humbly consider: That ministers and sons kneel and prostrate is indeed the constant regulation; yet in the Ritual Classics there are also provisional accommodations: a mother bows to her son in order to treat him as an adult by ritual, and a ruler does not treat his minister as a subject in order to honor his virtue and the Way. How much more so for the teachings beyond the realm, whose practice of goodness is different: Daoism has the ascending into the void, while Buddhism has no arising and ceasing. Cultivating the mind and training conduct, they rely upon cause and effect. It is named 'renunciation,' clearly surpassing the worldly sphere, and all call it an exceptional enterprise. Successive dynasties have all revered it and extensively established bodhimaṇḍas. All seek eternal bliss, dedicating vast merit to the ruler and parents, and rescuing conscious beings from the dark paths. In terms of enduring greatness, they are higher than worldly teachings. If they were assimilated to the Confucian model and returned to the worldly flow, not exalting disciples, there would be no means to manifest the Way. Relying on devotion and protection, the Way attains permanent preservation. The rite of not bowing is used to manifest profound protection. The foundation of revering the Way takes bringing benefit as its principal concern. Now, according to the sūtra texts, it says that bowing does not benefit the people or profit the state; this is indeed what ought to be said. If a text does not offer benefit, how could we dare present it? Following the law and adhering to the old brings no defect to the constant statutes. To realize the subtle and plumb the profound is beyond the reach of those below. Having the fortune to offer our humble suggestions, we dare exhaust our foolish sincerity. Fearing it may be inappropriate, we are deeply seized by anxiety and trembling. Respectfully deliberated.

4.16

One deliberation statement by Liu Shenli, Director of the Directorate of Construction, Shangguan Tujue, Supervisor of Construction, and others:

4.17

Monks and Nuns:

4.18

First: We humbly observe that kings revere and respect the gods and spirits, and the kinds of gods and spirits revere the disciples of the Buddha. Therefore, making clear their distant reverence, they revere what is revered; if they were coerced to follow the bowing ritual, we foolishly deem it inadmissible.

4.19

Second: Recently we see that officials who receive imperial edicts do not bow to the Royal Preceptor; this is not because the preceptor looks down on others, but because they revere the royal instructions. The renunciant saṃgha dye their robes and shave their hair, displaying a form different from worldly folk. They uphold the Buddha's decree and accumulate blessings for the state. If ruler and father pay homage, they do not bow to their physical bodies; the monks, for the sake of the Dharma robe, do not bow to the ruler and father.

4.20

Third: We humbly observe that the images of gods are established through people making their forms; once the forms are made, people turn back and pay respect to them. Could it be that because they were established through people, one does not pay reverence? If one does not pay reverence, what is the use of establishing them? The Buddha entrusted his bequeathed teachings to the kings of states; what the king has established, the king turns back and reveres. If the king does not revere them, what is the benefit of establishing them?

4.21

Daoist Priests and Daoist Priestesses:

4.22

We humbly observe that those who succeed the lineage of earlier dynasties stand above all kings. The Daoist priests and others wear the Dharma robes of Lord Lao on their bodies and transmit the Dharma words of Lord Lao from their mouths. If they perform bows in common with the worldly, we fear it would run contrary to propriety. Respectfully deliberated.

4.23

One deliberation statement by Linghu Defen, Libationer of the Directorate of Education, and others:

4.24

We humbly consider: The two teachings of Śākya and Lao possess vast and profound compassion and reverence. Rulers of states have followed them through the ages and opened the way for honoring them. Since their methods have long endured, one must comply with their Way. We privately deem that making them bow and prostrate would, in principle, not be acceptable. Why so? Shaving the hair differs from the attire of caps and sashes; holding the bowl is hardly the etiquette of wine-goblets and sacrificial stands. When expressing gratitude, they pray for meditation and wisdom without need of toil; by bowing and kneeling to stern parents, they hope to repay their virtue. Why must tathatā bend its waist to a benevolent empress? Having departed for the mountains and forests, they are no longer guests of the palace halls; the court and the wilderness are strictly distinct, and in principle it is fitting for them to hold their pursuit aloft. Now, to hold them accountable to the Teaching of Names would compromise their purpose. We, your ministers, in our foolishness and ignorance, request that following the practice of not bowing be deemed proper. Respectfully deliberated.

4.25

One deliberation statement by Fan Yijun, Acting Xuanli of the Directorate of Education, and others:

4.26

Your minister has heard: The ultimate Way is empty and profound; prajñā is dark and quiescent. In a person, that person is revered; in a place, that place is honored. Therefore, the Immortal Elder Heshang lowered the haughtiness of Emperor Wen of the Han, and the renowned monk of Cock's Foot Mountain bent the majesty of the cakravartin. From this, one knows that this wind has blown for a long time and been followed uniformly for a thousand years. Respectfully examining sūtras such as the Brahmājāla Sūtra, the rule for renunciants is not to pay homage and bow to kings or parents. As for those who transmit the Confucian vocation, they even treat the ruler as an equal in courtyard etiquette. A grandson serves as the corpse representative for his grandfather; when the legitimate heir is capped and mounts the throne, the parents still bow to their son, because he carries on the heavy ancestral line. The present sagely lord models himself upon the yielding of Yao and Shun, allows Chao and Xu not to serve as subjects, surpasses the broad benevolence of the Han emperors, and gives free rein to the Four Whiteheads beyond the realm. How much more so for those who receive the entrustment to broadly propagate and illuminate the mysterious teaching? Once renunciation is permitted, in principle they should be separated from the worldly. To suddenly order them to bow at court is truly a cause for astonishment and doubt. To discard the law because of individuals, I foolishly deem inadmissible. Furthermore, the Rites say: 'An armored person does not bow down,' because he would lose proper decorum. Those who leave the worldly wear the armor of forbearance on their bodies; now, to make them kneel like worldly folk would, on the contrary, demean the court's decorum. Unworthily serving in the highest academy and mistakenly placed among the hall of worthy scholars, having bathed deeply in imperial favor, I dare exhaust my meager learning. Respectfully deliberated.

4.27

One deliberation statement by Zhang Yanshi, Senior General of the Left Guard, and others:

4.28

We humbly consider: The mysterious and profound teachings of Laozi illuminate the gateway of all subtleties; the teachings of Śākya, tranquil and still, represent the unworldly realm beyond the dust. Since the golden countenance crossed to the east and the true vapor journeyed to the west, people have imbibed the Way, admired their breeze, and filled the lands and regions. Our Sagely Dynasty has taken charge of the cosmic order, and this Way has become all the more exalted. Benevolent shrines and Dharma halls grandly fill the capital; jeweled banners and golden pillars colorfully illuminate the thoroughfares. All these reliances and devotions are hoped to provide aid and benefit while preserving their teachings. We privately deem this acceptable. Respectfully deliberated.

4.29

One deliberation statement by Cui Xiuye, Chief Clerk of the Right Guard, and others:

4.30

The two teachings of Li and Śākya have obscure and profound tenets; their principles transcend names and words, and their merits exceed expectations. The Dao takes purity and tranquility as primary; the Buddha takes the rescue of living beings as his doctrine. Thus, living beings take them as a bridge and raft, and those with form rely on them as the other shore. Therefore, Heshang bent the nobility of Emperor Wen, and Vulture Peak moved the reverence of the enlightened sovereign. From that time onward, their Way has grown ever broader. Just as with the subtle principles beneath the pillar and the spiritual traces of Kapilavastu: those who look up to their Way cannot comprehend its ultimate destination; those who draw from its waves do not know its beginning and end. Only then do we realize that riding cranes to roam the five ranges or multiplying forms throughout the three thousand worlds are merely the expedient conversions of transformation bodies adopting temporary forms. Those who rely on their transformation all hope for the merit of ascending lightly; those who depend on their deeds are also rescued across dust-eons. For this reason, once the yellow cap is changed and the black robe is newly put on, rulers do not humble them as subjects, and parents do not rear them as sons. This is honoring the Buddha and the Way, not a breach of etiquette and propriety. How could bowing and paying respect harm one's body? We only fear it would compromise the sagely teaching. If both form and spirit are dispatched, and both bowing and paying respect are forgotten, then being identical with natural reality, there is no need for bodily bending. Since they have not yet plumbed nature and characteristics, it is as though they exist and do not exist. In principle, one should bring this superior cause to fruition and allow them their high detachment. Moreover, now that the Sagely Sovereign, bright and filial, presides over the empire, especially revering the two teachings to assist the field of merit, Daoist priests and men of the Way are permitted not to bow. Furthermore, to order them to bow is very easy, while not bowing is very difficult. This suffices to ensure that the young boy of Xiangye is not alone in showing goodness to Emperor Xuan, and the old man of Heshang does not monopolize the admiration of the Han emperor. Through the one gain among a thousand considerations, not bowing is considered appropriate. Respectfully deliberated.

4.31

One deliberation statement by Wang Xuance, Chief Clerk of the Right Brave Guard, Xiao Guan, Officer of Cavalry, and others:

4.32

The rise of Buddhism began in Tianzhu. Your minister has been an envoy three times and has seen and heard a fair amount. Your minister has heard that King Śuddhodana was the Buddha's father and Mahāmāyā was the Buddha's mother. The monk Upāli was originally a slave of the royal household; the king and his kin bowed to all of them, showing reverence identical to that shown to the Buddha. Your minister also saw the rules of monks and nuns in that country: they do not bow to the shrines of gods and spirits, nor do they bow to rulers and parents. Kings and parents all pay homage to monks, nuns, and the various assemblies of the Way. Your minister once challenged those monks, saying: 'These slaves have only just shaved their hair and put on black robes, possessing no special understanding. Yet the ruler and father are made to pay reverence to them; this is deeply contrary to human sentiment.' The monk replied: 'Though they have only just shaved their heads, their form is already identical to the Buddha's, and they can moreover shake Māra's palace. Although they are said to lack knowledge, are they not like mud and wood? Once mud and wood are set up as the principal image, even if one is widely learned, noble, and eminent, can one fail to pay reverence?' That monks do not bow to laypeople is already clear.

4.33

Second: Your minister also personally challenged those monks, saying: 'In the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, monks also bow at the feet of Vimalakīrti; in the Lotus Sūtra, a monk practices universal reverence. These two sūtra texts clearly show bowing to laypeople. On what basis may monks not bow to the venerable ones?' The monks said: 'The Vinaya scriptures instituted by the Buddha are the constant regulations for monks and nuns. As for the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, the monks, being indebted to the Dharma, temporarily performed an exceptional courtesy; in the Lotus Sūtra, the Great Being engaged in a unique practice for a time. How can temporary, exceptional practices throw these constant standards into confusion?' Your minister strongly agreed. Your minister has heard that when his wife died, Zhuangzi drummed on a tub and sang around the corpse; this too was an exceptional practice for a time. How could it be admitted into the system of mourning garments?

4.34

Third: While in Tianzhu, your minister once bowed to the image of a deity. The king of that country laughed and asked: 'You envoys are all upāsakas; why do you bow to a deity?' Your minister asked the reason. He replied: 'It is the rule of upāsakas not to bow to deities. Formerly, King Kaniṣka received the Buddha's five precepts and also bowed to the image of a deity, whereupon the images all fell to the ground. Later he arrived at the Sun Deity's shrine. The attendants of the deity, fearing that when the king came to bow the image would fall, secretly placed a Buddha image inside the top of the deity's head. The king bowed three times and it did not fall. The king, surprised, ordered an inspection, and inside the deity's crown found a Buddha image. The king was greatly rejoiced, praised the divine virtue of the Buddha, commended their wisdom, and rewarded them with a large fief, which still exists today.' He also said: 'There was a non-Buddhist who received the Buddha's five precepts, but only made offerings at the shrine of a deity without prostrating. The king reprimanded him for the crime of not bowing. He reported to the king: "How could this humble person dare decline to bow? I fear bowing will damage the deity." The king said: "The damage to the deity is none of your concern." When he bowed down, the image of the deity shattered.' Even an upāsaka of five precepts is not permitted to bow to deities; how much more so for fully ordained monks and nuns to be ordered to bow to laypeople?

4.35

Your servant [Wang] Xuance states: Your servant has heard that the hundreds of kings laid down their standards, yet their ritual regulations reached only within the realm; the Great Awakened One promulgated his teachings, and they serve as a ford and bridge beyond the borders. None did not rely on perfected persons to alter customs, or depend on eminent monks to transform folkways. Thus the waves of the four seas were calmed, and the dust and entanglements of the three realms were shed. Therefore the Han emperor did not bend [the Master] Heshang [Gong], and the cakravartin bowed everywhere to novice monks. This shows that the path of the Way and that of the mundane are different tracks; how could the inner and outer be placed on the same thread? The teachings permit those with yellow caps to roam along the One Way within the realm, and those in black robes to ride the five vehicles beyond worldly bounds. Having been followed for a long time, their aid to transformation has grown ever deeper; the grass bending as the wind blows has a long history indeed. Your servant has heard that the sage has no constant teacher, but takes whoever masters goodness as his teacher; the sage has no constant heart-mind, but takes the heart-mind of the common people as his heart-mind. In the past, the myriad commoners reverently had faith and took refuge; now it is deliberated to command [monastics] to bow to sovereign and father, which truly runs contrary to the mind of those who master goodness and of the common people. Furthermore, the kāṣāya differs from the attire of Chinese mundane customs, and shaving the hair is not the etiquette of wearing the Zhangfu cap. Honoring them gives rise to merit; debasing them accumulates offense. All know that bowing to the sovereign brings no benefit to the state, and bowing to the father brings no advantage to the parents. If your servant remained silent and did not speak, how could I be loyal and filial? Your servant hopes that we will follow the old regulations and requests that they not be altered, aligning with the precedent of Emperor Wen, Taizong, and maintaining as before that they do not bow. Respectfully submitted.

4.36

One deliberation memorial by Xu Qing, Duke of the Founding of Xiaochang District and Senior Clerk of the Right Militant Guard, and others:

4.37

We respectfully submit that the weight of the Three Bonds reaches its utmost righteousness in sovereign and father; what stands first among the hundred conducts truly relies on respect and love. Yet those in yellow caps and black robes equally share the grace of being nurtured and sustained; when having audience with the emperor or serving their parents, they suddenly fall short of the respect due from subjects and sons. Grounded in the doctrinal teachings, this rather disturbs the regular human relationships; loosening and revising this would, on the contrary, be thoroughly justifiable. However, the pivot of the Way is profound and abstruse, surpassing the bounds of names and words; the wheel of wisdom turns far and wide, transcending the manifestations of mental actions. Companions of walking meditation shelter at the White Horse [Temple] and dwell in dhyāna; those who cultivate their nature pause at the Green Ram [Shrine] to awaken their bond. Although their traces are bound by dependence, their beneficial traversing knows no shore. Truly one should value their Way and revere their teachings, honor their persons and distinguish their rites. Thus the perfected person Heshang personally caused the carriages of the Han monarch to detour; and Huiyuan of Mount Lu ultimately put an end to the deliberations of the Jin ministers. Moreover, worldly renunciation and political engagement have different aims; the manifest and the obscure pursue disparate paths. Feathered girdles and patched fields of robes are not attire for audience at court; crossing waters in a wooden bowl or carrying a chessboard—how could these be manners for attending on parents? The etiquette of offering homage has not yet achieved complete perfection. If it is held that although the Way is worthy of esteem, those who occupy it are not the right persons, then one ought to reinforce those dikes and barriers and scrutinize their vinaya conduct. One cannot bend the Way on account of the person; truly one can encourage the person through the Way. We humbly consider that the Royal House opened its auspicious fortune, originating from the virtue of "[Lord Lao] resembling a dragon"; the Imperial Abode embodies tranquility, always revering the wind of the Vulture Peak. Not altering previous standards will all the more glorify the principle of honoring the ancestors; if we chance to depart from the old regulations, we will neglect the etiquette of treating ministers as teachers. The heavenly benevolence has extended downward, condescending to command detailed deliberations; harboring our narrow views, we have presumed to offer unpolished words. As to whether they should be adopted or discarded, we dare not decide. Respectfully submitted.

4.38

One deliberation memorial by Li Hui, General of the Right Awe-Inspiring Guard, and others:

4.39

We consider that pointing to the tree brought forth an auspicious sign, awakening dragon-like virtue in the royal line; treading upon flowers displayed an auspicious omen, holding up the wheel-treasure before the Imperial Countenance. Establishing traces in Vaiśālī, it encompassed the purple universe and opened the cosmos; laying foundations in the grinding realm, it pierced the green sunlight and shed forth brilliance. Therefore it could regulate the myriad kinds and guide the host of spirits. Resting at ease on the ten stages, they hasten to the purple-blue halls seeking the fruit; the nine heavens are tranquil and remote, and wearing the dark pearl, they inquire after the ford. Thereby the beauty of the Imperial Governance has become renowned, and the fragrance of the sovereign's accomplishments has spread afar. Black robes stand side by side with the royal carriage; yellow caps follow in close succession across the Central Province. Sitting in quiet meditation and practicing walking meditation, their Way does not participate in the halls of court; climbing the altar and holding the tablets, their traces are not numbered among audiences at court. Now to seek to restrict them with the Confucian school and entangle them in the royal regulations, making their etiquette contrary to cap ribbons and caps, while making their rules conform to hairpins and court tablets, is to value their Way yet debase their persons, to extend their teachings yet bend their rites. Rituals become manifest through teachings; people are honored on account of the Way. Certainly one may dismiss the person for the sake of the Way; one should not impair the teachings for the sake of ritual. Truly we should consult past precedents and take the old regulations as our standard, so that the style of holding one's pursuit aloft shines brightly in the emblems of the Book of Changes, and the principle of adapting to the times accords well with the hearts of the common folk. Yet the flame of a torch or the flight of a firefly—how could it add radiance to the sun and moon? A gathering of dust or the falling of dew—how can it hope to augment the beauty of the mountains and rivers? Presuming to offer our rustic words, we lightly present the songs of the multitude. Our phrasing is crude and our reasoning clumsy; in cold sweat and alarm, our spirits tremble. Respectfully submitted.

4.40

One deliberation memorial by Du Junchuo, Duke of the Founding of Huaining District and Grand General of the Left Martial Guard, and others:

4.41

We respectfully submit that the Utmost Way is empty and tranquil, and the Buddhist teaching is serene and still. Serving as a ford and bridge for the myriad sorts, they guide all living beings, eradicating vulgar conduct before it sprouts and bringing forth compassionate hearts in those already awakened. However, while saving living beings by putting oneself behind them relies on names and words, encouraging goodness and chastising wrongdoing does not depend on rewards and punishments. Faith is indeed the skillful opening of expedients that secretly assists the governance of the state. We humbly reflect that His Majesty the Emperor matches heaven and earth in virtue and moistens flora and fauna with grace; all sentient beings endowed with breath bear the grace of his transforming fulfillment. Monks and nuns truly ought to kneel and bow. However, that they do not bow to sovereign and father is recorded in the scriptures. Your servants believe that if the Way can be preserved, its words cannot be abandoned. Furthermore, sovereign and father are supreme in honor, and their position is beyond all comparison; for subjects and sons, respect does not depend solely on bowing. Since the Way and the mundane are distinct, there is no suspicion of arrogance or vanity. In your servants' foolish view, it is fitting that they do not bow. Respectfully submitted.

4.42

One deliberation memorial by Quan Shancai, Upper Pillar of State, Founding Marquis, and General of the Left Guard of the Golden Macaw, and others:

4.43

We respectfully submit that the two gateways of Buddhism and Daoism have flowed from afar; seeking through the canonical records, venerating and honoring them has been extensive. As for that which the Imperial Lineage takes as its ancestor, it truly brings glory across ten thousand generations; and that which was initiated under the Han house has likewise flourished for a thousand years. Furthermore, sovereign and father are among the Three Objects of Reverence, yet Confucianism has the rite of not serving as a subject; the profound and the quiet dwell in the Two Teachings, yet the regulations have no etiquette of bowing with clasped hands and prostrating. If the principle does not model antiquity, we request that it follow the old ways. Respectfully submitted.

4.44

One deliberation memorial by Xin Hongliang, General of the Right Imperial Attendants, and others:

4.45

The two gateways of Śākya and Laozi encompass the four seas with their teachings. Their source and flow have been long; their vast benefit has grown profound. We dare to express our foolish view: to continue according to the old ways is appropriate. Respectfully submitted.

4.46

One deliberation memorial by Xie Shou, Manager of the Right Spring Secretariat, and others:

4.47

First: The imperial edict states, 'The duty to sovereign and father carries the weight of the instruction regarding the Three Objects of Reverence; the way of love and respect stands first among all hundred conducts.' This is truly the essential Way of the former kings. We now request to elucidate its principle: Upon investigation, teachings are divided into outer teachings and inner teachings, and people are distinguished as householders and renunciants. Householders rely on the outer teachings; they wear the model attire of the former kings and comply with the model words of the former kings. Above, they observe the rites of respecting parents and serving the sovereign; below, they hold the attachments to wife, children, office, and glory. These are traces of deference and filial piety, and their principle accords with the Confucian ford. Renunciants rely on the inner teachings; they wear the Dharma robes of the Buddhas and practice the Dharma conduct of the Buddhas. Above, they abandon the weight of loving and respecting sovereign and father; below, they sever attachments to wife, children, office, and glory. Through the goodness of ritual recitation, they benefit their parents; with the merit of practicing the Way, they repay the kindness of the state. Since they are already permitted not to consider altering their forms and changing their clothes an offense, how could it be fitting to hold them accountable to the rites of respecting parents and serving the sovereign? Differing from the teachings of Confucius and Laozi, their principle transcends ordinary realms. Not enforcing their bowing causes no harm to the state.

4.48

Next: The imperial edict states, 'The Song dynasty temporarily reformed this practice, but shortly returned to the old custom.' Since the Buddhadharma flowed eastward for more than six hundred years, imperial dynasties have succeeded one another, approaching a hundred kings. None did not venerate and honor the Buddhadharma and plant merit in the monastic field. Therefore, dyeing their robes and shaving their hair, they match the demeanor of the Buddhas; severing ties with parents and relinquishing glory, they differ from the attachments of the multitude. Gods and dragons venerate them, calling them fields of merit. Therefore the Buddha said to Gautamī: 'Do not make offerings to me; you should make offerings to the Saṃgha.' These are the truthful words of the Great Sage, and in principle cannot be discarded. If the Buddha's words could be discarded, we request that [the Saṃgha] be entirely abolished. How could it be permissible to retain them to seek their merit, while humiliating them and demanding that they perform bowing rites? We humbly consider that Emperor Wen, Taizong, reached everywhere in holy wisdom, and subdued all through divine awe. At that time, was it not easy to order the monastic assembly to kneel and bow? It was because the Buddhadharma is worthy of veneration, fostering their capacity for goodness, and because he was ashamed of delighting in strangeness, which would leave traces of disturbing the regular norms, that he did not do so. We only wish that nearby we follow the way of holy transformation of the previous court, and from afar discard the frontier methods of the Jin and Song dynasties. Then ten thousand ages will find nothing strange, and both monastics and laity will be at peace in their minds.

4.49

Next: The imperial edict states, 'We receive the heavenly norm to promote filial piety; we rely on the earthly principle to propagate ritual.' Recently we see that throughout all under heaven, filial piety is practiced together: while parents live, people exert their hearts to serve them with pleasant demeanor; when parents pass away, they cherish their departed traces. All of this is received from Your Majesty's way of supreme filial piety. Now suddenly to alter and discard the proper and pure regulations of the previous court and admire from afar the aberrant and unusual customs of the Jin and Song—although the monks and others are benighted, we privately consider that Your Majesty should not adopt this. We humbly wish that you reflect on past traces and return to the laws of Zhenguan; then the way of supreme filial piety will operate of itself without being enforced through indoctrination.

4.50

Next: The imperial edict states, 'The transformation along the [Nairañjanā] River was entrusted to state rulers; the reason for making regulations surely reverts to this.' Upon investigating the intention of that entrustment, we fear it is not like this. Why so? The Buddha knew that in the final years of the Semblance Dharma, pure hearts would gradually thin, wrong views would increase, the true Dharma would decline, and the fourfold assembly would lack the strength to propagate it widely. Therefore he entrusted it to state rulers, ordering the kings to protect it. If kings do not protect it, the Dharma will naturally decline and destroy itself; why bother entrusting it to command the kings to destroy it? Although the monastic community is ordinary and vulgar, their demeanor resembles that of the Buddha; to make them kneel and bow is just like making the Buddha bow. Once it comes to this, retaining them brings no benefit. Moreover, discarding the love of oddity and complying with the great consensus is the Way of the gentleman. Thus the previous court stated: 'To follow human desires and disturb the Great Way is a disgrace to the gentleman.' This style is not far removed; we humbly wish that it be followed and practiced. Someone might ask: 'Since the scriptures state that newly trained monks bowed to the feet of Vimalakīrti, and the Bodhisattva Never-Disparaging also paid homage to the arrogant multitude—not to mention that the present Holy Sovereign manifests as a white-robed layman, his divine virtue is not inferior to Vimalakīrti, and his established practices are not the same as the arrogant multitude—now to make monks bow is precisely fitting. What further excuse could there be to dare not comply?' We answer: One cannot disturb the great teaching on account of an individual person's particular practice. If on the grounds of monks prostrating to a lay householder, one were to order the fivefold assembly to bow to sovereign and parents, [consider this:] some laypeople observe mourning for their mother without sorrow, yet could one cause all under heaven not to weep when mourning parents? Zhuang Zhou sang and made music facing his wife's corpse, knowing that life and death are like the four seasons; Mengsun was not grieved during mourning for his mother, realizing that life and death are of one continuum. These are all superior tracks of embodying the Way; why not command all under heaven to practice them together? If feelings that embody the Way cannot be applied to state laws, could those actions that realize the principle be applied to deliberating customs for the great transformation? Now those who deliberate intend to grasp the great principle to establish uniform laws. The laws of the Three Teachings are the laws of the state ruler; once these laws are established, they remain unchanged to the end of time. If they are not to be employed, they should be abolished; if they are to be employed, one must follow their doctrinal traces. In the past, we have heard of emperors bowing to the Buddha, but never seen the Buddha bowing to emperors. The reason emperors revere the Dharma robes is that former sagely state rulers received the Buddha's entrustment and successive generations complied with and upheld the Buddha's teachings. Parents revere their kāṣāya; they cannot bend the Buddha's robes and incur guilt upon parents. From antiquity, when emperors allowed people to renounce household life, they removed their hair and beard and gave them the Buddha's robes, freeing them from ordinary customs and having them act as guiding teachers, expounding the teachings of the Dharma and acting as fields of merit. If they are ordered to bow down, this debases their honored robes; where would the meaning of entrustment remain? Now to change this, we fear that those who are benighted concerning the principle will harbor doubt in their hearts, and thereby commit offenses. It is like venerating a clay niche or a wooden image because they depict the Buddha's countenance; if one did not view the forms and pay reverence, why would clay and wood be worthy of honor? Even clay and wood borrow the Buddha's demeanor; monks and nuns likewise depend on the Dharma robes. Without borrowing or dependence, who would bear the burden of transgressions? According to our foolish view, we hope and request that following the old ways and not bowing be settled as the norm. Respectfully submitted.

4.51

Memorial of deliberations by Grand Master Wang Sitai and Assistant Niu Xuanzhang of the Court of the Imperial Stud, one piece.

4.52

We venture to observe: Laixiang set forth models and was truly the ultimate man of the Eastern land; the Jeta Grove expounded the Dharma and was indeed the supreme sage of the Western regions. Both were able to sever affection, endure love, cut off dust, and leave the worldly. Propriety is the thinning of loyalty and good faith, whereas they soared upward surpassing the Dao and Virtue; form is empty of the true mark, and they left behind the physical body to probe the profound and obscure. Therefore earlier kings treated them as beyond the realm, and later emperors permitted them not to serve as subjects. Long-held custom has become ordinary practice, and its origins go far back. To alter and create anew all of a sudden would, we fear, conflict with what is seen and heard. Furthermore, the black-robed ones are not an assembly for making bows, and the yellow-capped ones are different from companions who turn and bend in ceremony. Even if men are not of quintessential inspiration and cannot emulate the profound style, yet when the root is established the Dao grows, and we may hope that they will gradually sustain the true teaching. If they drift and sink along with the common crowd, bowing and looking up in accordance with the times, we fear the legacy of Vulture Peak will be impaired and the style of Mount Ci will decline. To alter the Way to follow the Ruists—we do not see this as permissible. To follow past practice and make no change—we privately deem this to be fitting. Respectfully deliberated.

4.53

Memorial of deliberations by Magistrate Yuan Chengxin and others of Wannian County, one piece.

4.54

We venture to observe: Although the teachings of Laozi and the Śākya are called subtle and profound, the veneration of ruler and father ultimately relies on strict reverence. Moreover, the transformation they effect does not step outside the realm, and having duty belonging to the three [venerated ones], they must comply with the rites of Confucius. However, because their hair has fallen, they cannot add a cap; because of their Dharma robes, they cannot add a sash. Without cap and without sash, kneeling and prostrating violates proper form. According to our foolish view through a tube, it is appropriate to adhere to past precedent. Respectfully deliberated.

4.55

Memorial of deliberations by Defender Cui Daomo and others of Chang'an County, one piece.

4.56

We venture to consider: The rites concerning the three [venerated ones] are boundless toward ruler and parents; yet the gate of non-duality uniquely dispenses with serving them. Is this not because the true and the conventional are kept apart, and Confucius and the Śākya are divided? Faced with favor or disgrace, they are not startled; receiving hair and skin, they have already damaged them. The black cap and the black robe are different attire; shaking the ringed staff and chiming gold ornaments convey different meanings. These are sufficient to make those lost from youth know where to return, and those astray on the road recognize how to turn back. Now, if we lower their traces that dwell beyond the dust and entangle them in affairs within the world, the canon of the One Vehicle will be disrupted and the rules of the Three Refuges will be relaxed. To esteem their Dao while sullying their deportment, or to draw from their stream while muddying their source, is not an act grounded in antiquity, and Song cannot be cited as evidence. Seeking within our foolish hearts, there is that with which we are not content. Furthermore, the Way as Way is profound and more profound, that to which all marvels return, inspiring sage compositions. The undertaking of entering the pass can be great but cannot be small; the instructions given on the river can be revered but cannot be debased. When your imperial thoughts are deeply engaged and about to broaden adjustments, we venture to advance rustic words, bowing with increasing trepidation and sweat. Respectfully deliberated.

First 56 of 64 passages. Read on

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集沙門不應拜俗等事 — Classical Chinese