集沙門不應拜俗等事 6

English (machine translation) 6

Language: English

6.1

Compiled by the Śramaṇa Shi Yancong of Hongfu Temple

6.2

Section 3: Deliberations on Bowing in the Sage Dynasty (Part 2)

6.3

Memorial:
One memorial by Śramaṇa Xuanfan of Puguang Temple examining the deliberation on bowing

6.4

Memorial to the Throne:
One memorial submitted by Minister of the Ministry of Rites (Taichang bo) Prince Wang Bo of Longxi and others of the Central Department holding their deliberation

6.5

Edict:
One edict of the Present Emperor halting the bowing of śramaṇas to the ruler

Petitions:
One petition submitted by Cheng Shiyong and other elders of the capital requesting that sons and daughters who have entered renunciation should not bow to parents
One petition submitted by Feng Shende of the Eastern Department requesting that monks and nuns should not bow to parents according to past precedent (together with a submission on the precedence of Buddhism and Daoism)

6.7

Letter:
One letter submitted again by the monk Daoxuan and others of Ximing Temple to Lady Yang, Duchess of Rong, requesting a discussion that it is improper to bow to parents

6.8

Petitions:
One petition submitted by the monk Weixiu and others of Da Zhuangyan Temple requesting that, according to the inner teaching, they should not bow to parents
One petition submitted by the translation monk Jingmai and others of Yuhuagong Temple on the harm of monks and nuns bowing to parents
One petition submitted by the monk Chongba of Chanju Temple in Xiangzhou requesting that parents of monks and nuns, like the Sovereign above, should not receive the bows of sons and daughters who have renounced household life

6.9

One memorial by Śramaṇa Xuanfan of Puguang Temple examining the deliberation on bowing

6.10

The śramaṇa Xuanfan ventures to submit this memorial to the royal princes, dukes, marquises, earls, and all officials of the Department of State Affairs (Zhongtai). Although I, Fan, am not ranked among those included in the deliberation, I have nevertheless heard of these matters. In antiquity, the venerable Master of Mount Lu encountered the vicissitudes of the times and thereupon composed the five essays of the Discourse on Śramaṇas Not Paying Homage to Kings. Its principles and reasoning are profound and subtle, and its questions and answers are abstruse and marvelous; yet because one seeks to clarify them succinctly, they are difficult to comprehend at first reading. I now briefly recount the records of the inner and outer scriptures to demonstrate and prove the principle of not paying homage, and reverently submit this memorial, requesting that the discussion requiring them to bow be quelled.
Now, though Heaven is supremely profound, it must manifest the brilliance of the sun and moon; though Earth is supremely tranquil, it must firmly maintain the transforming power of mountains and rivers. Though the sagely ruler communicates with unseen forces and operates in secret, he also must employ the worthy and talented to assist and govern the common people as his children. When the sovereign employs his ministers with ritual propriety, the ministers must serve the sovereign with loyalty. If one does not remonstrate at court before matters take shape, one fears that the critical moment will arise from oneself.
Now, the Buddha's teaching lies beyond the worldly realm: it surpasses the dignity of the four great elements, transcends the boundaries of the universe, goes beyond the duties owed to the three [father, teacher, and sovereign], proclaims compassion without conditions, and spreads a transformation that works without words. Its unseen merits operate in secret; thus it is said that one is bathed and gradually permeated by it. It is only people of middling capacity who regard it as useless, truly failing to realize what it lets go.
Therefore, the late emperor's Preface to the Sagely Teaching states: 'The subtleties of yin and yang are difficult to exhaust because they are formless. Does not the Buddhist Way hold emptiness in esteem, ride upon the unseen, master tranquility, broadly deliver the myriad beings, and govern the ten directions?' Now that the sun of wisdom has hidden its radiance and the semblance teaching operates unseen, who else but the monks can uphold the Dharma with harmony and reverence? Thus the Buddha told the Bodhisattva *Faith-Mark* (Xinxiang): 'I say that the Three Jewels are solely one single body, having no separate characteristics.' The transmission and preservation of this semblance Dharma must rest upon this.
If King Aśoka bowed to a novice monk and instructed his heterodox ministers by trading various heads, was this not an admirable embodiment of the Way? Now, to wish monks and nuns to bend their bodies in worldly ceremonial and toil at bowing and making deep bows is to cause the Buddha to bow to humans, rather than having humans pay homage to the Dharma. This is like turning the ceremonial cap and shoes upside down upon head and feet; indeed, it is an extreme reversal and confusion!
Moreover, the king has three classes of persons who are permanently treated as not being subjects, five who are temporarily not treated as subjects, four who are not called by their personal names, and one who does not act as a subject. The Classic of Documents says: 'When the guest of Yu was in his place, Shun did not treat Zhu as a subject.' The Classic of Poetry says: 'There is a guest, there is a guest; his horses also are white.' Since these were heirs to the two preceding royal dynasties, even emperors did not treat them as subjects. How much less should monks, who are the descendants of the Great Sage, pay homage to the ruler of men? Why should the guest protocol of the state lose its proper decorum by inappropriately applying the reverence shown by Never-Disparaging to the fourfold assembly to the single person of a ruler? This was because that bodhisattva-monk had eliminated the concept of self and other; how much less should it apply today when the stations of noble and base are distinct and entirely non-comparable?
Furthermore, citing Vimalakīrti to require bowing, and quoting 'knowing the Dharma' to summon respect: in antiquity, when teaching novices within the ten-foot room, medicine was prescribed without examining the capacity, thereby forgetting this inner meaning midway and adhering to the incomplete teaching (ardhākṣara). Once they rested peacefully in correct mindfulness, brought forth their past lives, and manifested awakening, they returned to their original minds and revered the complete teaching (pūrṇākṣara). Thereupon, with signless bowing of the head and thoughtless touching of the feet, they confounded the black and white robes for a time and obliterated nature and characteristics for myriad kalpas. These were the expedient, sincere actions of great beings (mahāsattvas); they cannot be universally standardized for those of lesser capacities. Therefore, the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'I spoke such a verse for bodhisattvas.' Now, as śrāvakas uphold the utmost of precept-seniority and strictly maintain solemn deportment, this is not out of arrogance or defiance toward sovereign and parents; rather, it is truly out of a desire to exalt the state and benefit ministers and subjects.
Furthermore, the Abhidharmakośanyāyānusāra Śāstra says: 'The hosts of devas and spirits dare not hope for or seek the bows of those who observe the five precepts, just as the ruler of a state does not seek the bows of bhikṣus, for fear of diminishing their merit and lifespan.' Now, to wish to impose the teachings of the Duke of Zhou and Confucius upon them and suppress them with secular rituals—I privately consider that benevolent men should not adopt this.
Moreover, the lineages of monks and nuns are not of barbarian clans, and their natures are clear of the Rong and Man tribes. Born in the Central Plains, they are models for the four barbarian tribes; having received the tonsure, they carry on the Three Jewels. According to their teaching, bowing to sovereign and parents brings harm; practicing their Dharma to assist family and state brings benefit. One fears that if the holy words are concealed, disaster will strike those who transgress them. The Dharmagupta Vinaya states that it causes people to revere the elderly and that one should not bow to white-robed laymen, precisely because they are not tethered to titles and stipends and are distinguished from the secular net by their canonical instructions.
The Royal Regulations state: 'If there are those who do not act harmoniously in the ancestral temple, they are demoted in rank; if there are spiritual beings of the mountains and rivers who are not sacrificed to, their lands are stripped.' How much more so when monks and nuns seek reverence from ghosts and spirits, yet reverse their rites toward parents! If the correct teaching is allowed to drown in such defilement and vulgarity, I fear that the bright spirits will not bring peace and prosperity, good fortune and celebration will not flow and moisten the land, calamities will frequently arise, and disasters will constantly occur. Sentient beings would abandon the transformative influence that establishes customs, and aristocratic youths would lack instruction to enlighten their ignorance. The ministers and subjects of the entire land would bend before the wind, unable to renew themselves through teachers and precepts, and there would be nothing to assist the state in moral transformation. The Brahmājāla Sūtra clearly states that one should not bow to sovereign, parents, ghosts, or spirits.
Furthermore, one who is wet with rain does not bow down, as it is a loss of decorum; how much more so with shaved heads and cut garments, which are not the attire of girdles and sashes, and tonsured hair, which lacks the ornament of hairpins for bowing! In the standards of schools, this would be regarded as an abnormality at court. The Buddha's teaching is the transformation of distant lands and different customs; it does not share the climate of the central harmony and compliant movement. Its survival or demise truly rests upon human agency. The Great Commentary says: 'Where the calendar does not reach, the gentleman does not treat as a subject.' It is better to bring good fortune through what they teach, benefit through what they receive, employ them through their labor, and serve them by availing of their peace and profit. Thus, winning the joyful hearts of the common people means that the One Man has cause for celebration.
Furthermore, those clad in armor do not bow down, lest it break their martial dignity; an emperor does not treat his teacher as a subject, lest it diminish his Way. How much more so for those who wear the armor of forbearance and don the woven mail, who subdue dragons by frightening them with their kāṣāya, and terrify the might of Māra with dhūta practices! When an escaped slave renounced worldly life, the king in person descended to pay him homage; when Upāli entered the Way, his royal father offered bows. Thus we know that wherever the Way resides, it is noble, and it does not derive its weight from the person. Hence it is true that the Way greatly magnifies humanity, and humanity can magnify the Way.
Now, the reason the bequeathed Dharma was entrusted to kings was to rely on them for protection and depend on them for its circulation. Because the fourfold assembly is weak, and out of fear that the Three Jewels might fall into ruin, they rely on the king's majestic power to subdue opposition and make use of the king's authority to ward off pressure. If they are now made to gather their robes, bend their knees, clasp their hands, and knock their foreheads on the ground, then the transformation of the River [Gaṅgā] will be broken from here on. The Classic of Poetry says: 'The king rose in his fury, and marshaled his forces.' The monks are trembling with fear and apprehension, terrified of compromising the original intent of the bequeathed teaching and humiliating the Dharma robes of shared merit. The toil of a single bow will not necessarily add to the loss of the saṃgha, and the respect of a single bow will not necessarily enhance the majesty of the Ruler of Ten Thousand Chariots. The reason the monks have recently been anxious and unsettled in their vocations is not merely for the sake of their ordinary physical bodies, but out of deep concern for the flourishing transformation.
One fears that the radiant beauty of the Dharma will not grace this prosperous era, and how could inquiries from foreign lands be heard in our present day? If one definitely considers the scriptures and images to be weeds and rubbish unworthy of veneration, and monks and nuns to be rot and decay unworthy of being fields of merit—so that those who look at religious texts scorch their eyes, those who practice bows become stooped and crippled, those who put on dark robes suffer cramps, and those who discuss canonical rites get tooth decay—and thereupon disdains and discards them, alters the customs of Tianzhu, expands the rituals of China, starts afresh with all things, and spurs the three great ones to self-renewal: then the foundation for adopting goodness will merely be established in vain! It would be far better to keep the net of teaching outside worldly bounds and release their decorum beyond mundane things, while treating them as ministers and sons would suffice to fulfill the virtue of loyalty and filial piety.
Thus, historical records need not be an endless night, and the classics and masters are not necessarily the sun. Though the Minister of Education learns without weariness, there will still be omissions in the Great Instruction; how much worse would it be if the beauty that aids the state were lost in disorder? Securing peace without multiplying prohibitions, and achieving one's aim without altering human feelings—even King Wen, a supreme sage, still studied under Guo Shu; Confucius, most enlightened, still took Tanzi as his teacher. The king is supremely exalted, yet he treats the Sanlao as a father and the Wugeng as an elder brother; when it comes to the Shakuden ceremony, he personally holds the wine goblet, kneels down, and acts with solemnity and circumspection. Even in the utmost of filial service, nothing could exceed what is shown to a strict father. For this reason, the Gu hexagram of the Great Changes teaches not serving kings and princes, and the 'Conduct of the Scholar' in the Great Rites speaks of not treating [the scholar] as a subject of the Son of Heaven. Therefore we know that the Way is noble because it is held to be noble, and is not degraded merely because someone belittles it.
I humbly imagine that when court officials mock the correct scholars, regarding them as destructive pests about to spawn caterpillars and locusts, and debate requiring them to bow, this is no grand strategy for the imperial court.
Now, since the True Dharma laid its foundation in the west down to this day, more than a millennium and a half has already passed. Since the Great Teaching flowed east, it has been barely seven hundred years. Although dynasties and markets have undergone transitions, its flourishing has never been interrupted. Among them, sagely rulers and worthy ministers were more than could be counted, yet they never restrained or restricted it, much less degraded monks and nuns. Truly we know that such broad-minded generosity has lasted for a long time. In recent times, there were minor rulers who seized power, and petty sovereigns who plotted usurpation, flattering themselves to curdle favor and causing their families and states to collapse; there were also one or two small barbarian states where rulers struggled against one another, and though they briefly eradicated [the Dharma], their earlier errors were soon corrected. Toward such as these, one might well roll up one's sleeves, pump one's elbows, glare with furious eyes, gnash one's teeth, stare wide, and shout in condemnation—would that not be a magnificent sight of loyalty and valor?
Now our Great Tang has answered the destiny of the 'Nine and Five' and succeeded to the station of the Three Sovereigns. The eight extremities share the same track, and the four seas have a common script. The hundred officials uphold the laws in their departments, and the Three Jewels expound subtle words to guide and save. Thus both the religious and secular build merit, and family and state extend their blessings; is this not magnificent? Is this not magnificent?
The imperial decree noted that the Song dynasty briefly changed this custom, but after a short while returned to the old practice; this was truly because it violated their constant sentiments. The current deliberation lies in not losing the constant principle. We hope you will reflect on this with solemnity, and broadly protect it. If the governance of the family and state flourishes, the sincerity of loyalty and filial piety will surely be manifest; unseen merits will quietly moisten the land, roots and branches will grow luxuriant, fine offices will naturally be bestowed, emoluments and honors will be abundantly granted, blossoms and calyxes will succeed in lineage, and orchids and chrysanthemums will transmit their fragrance. Moved by the inner support of blessings and good fortune, and mindful of outer protection for broad benefit, how could one fail to preserve this supreme era forever without decline during one's lifetime?
I now respectfully list the inner and outer canonical rites, and request that you look into and examine them. The śramaṇa Shi Xuanfan respectfully speaks.

6.11

On the fifth day of the fifth month in the second year of Longshuo [662 CE], a memorial presenting the deliberations held by Wang Bo, Grand Minister of Sacrificial Worship and Taichang of the Department of State Affairs, of Longxi, and others.

6.12

Deliberation by the Bureau of Sacrificial Rites (Sixin) on matters including monks, nuns, Daoist priests, and Daoist priestesses bowing to sovereign and parents.

6.13

1. Five hundred and thirty-nine people deliberated and requested not bowing.

6.14

The Grand Preceptor Linghu Defen and others submitted their deliberation, stating: We humbly consider that all who hold official rank exalt the principle of serving superiors. When one acts as a teacher, there is still the principle of declining vassalage. How much more so when the Buddha's bequeathed teachings surpass ordinary conventions! Shaving the hair is akin to self-mutilation; shaking the monk's staff is distinct from wearing official cap and cords. Renunciation is not a domain for bodily filial sustenance; leaving the world behind is no place for registering one's name in official service. Its merit runs deep in salvation and delivery, and its Way is supremely exalted. Why must one breach that dark gate and drag them into this Confucian track, donning the robes of Śākya yet performing lay bows, treading the portal of Confucius yet practicing Śākya's rites, preserving their teaching yet destroying their Way, and seeking their blessings yet bending their bodies? If one closely examines the essentials of reason, we fear this would be inappropriate. Furthermore, although the rules of Daoism preserve the hair and skin intact, its renunciation and transcendence of the mundane converge with Buddhism in a single principle. Moreover, reaching back, it established the celestial design and grandly inaugurated the Imperial foundation. In principle, it relies on solemnity and reverence; in model, it tallies with holding one's pursuit aloft. These two teachings have been handed down side by side for long; arriving down to our Tang dynasty, their fine breezes have been fanned all the more. Although the far-reaching expansion of royal governance truly relies on the deeds of Heaven, the constant turning of the sacred wheel serves to provide unseen assistance. Now, if the former ways were changed in a single morning, it would offer no benefit to the future. Over kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, it would engender the burden of fine dust. Then, if throughout the entire empire one were to pulverize one's body and powder one's bones, how could one discharge the duty of concealed devotion or wipe away the offense of disloyalty? Rather than erring by new alterations, it would be better to err on the side of observing the texts. Confucius said: 'Benefit them through what benefits them.' Laozi said: 'The sage has no constant heart; he makes the people's heart his heart.' Great are the vast benefits brought by the two teachings; many are the people whose hearts take refuge and place faith in them. Reforming what brings them benefit is not the way of benefiting through what benefits them; going against their fundamental mind is not what is called having no constant mind. We request that precedent be followed and not bowing down be deemed proper. We humbly submit that Your Majesty's virtue surpasses the sovereigns of high antiquity and Your achievements illumine inquiries to inferiors. Regarding reverence toward ruler and parents, though inspired by Your divine mind, the Dharma of the Way is hard to diminish, and we still hope for Your sage reflection. Having received the imperial decree to consult humble folk, we dare to exhaust our sincerity, small as dust before a mountain. Fearing we have failed to strike the right balance, our trepidation grows ever deeper.

6.15

One deliberation: 354 persons deliberated and requested bowing down.

6.16

Concurrent Chief of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices Yan Liben and others submitted their deliberation, stating: We have heard that the unbending breaks while the yielding endures, which fans the subtle intent of the dark breeze; afflicting the body and sweetening humiliation raises the delicate words of Śākya's path. Therefore, they could open the source of excelling in humility and magnify the principle of Never-Disparaging. Thus Śrāvakas yielded courtesy to householders, and the Archivist of the Pillar submitted his service to the King of Zhou. These serve as the patterns of the black robes and establish the mirror of the yellow caps. From this time downward, their cardinal track was lost; successive dynasties drowned their true principle, and customary practice clung to their stray path. When the One Man acts, all creatures behold it: binding together Heaven and Earth, steering emperors and kings, turning the golden wheel in superior realms, and erecting the Jade Capital in the dark sphere. Thus he has caused Daoist priests seeking the truth to pursue the distant breeze of the Keeper of Archives, and śramaṇas shaving their adornment to magnify the enduring canon of prostrating at the feet. How much more so when the sun sheds its rays in heaven, marking a brilliance without duplicate, and the Great Emperor proclaims his supremacy presiding over the universe, bringing to culmination the nobility of penetrating Heaven, Earth, and Man! Moreover, although the discipline and rules of the two teachings cut off worldly appearances, in serving the superior, renouncing the world still cannot flee the state. Alike endued with form in the realm of the Great Yu and alike looking up to transformation in the breeze of Shun, how could they contend in courtesy with the Imperial Court and solely exalt their true track? Indeed, slighting the honored and disrespecting elders is an act of rebellion among men; being a subject to the ruler and revering one's father holds no fault against the Way. Having examined and evaluated the deliberation, kneeling and prostrating is deemed proper. Previously, on the sixteenth day of the fourth month, an imperial decree was received, wishing to have monks, nuns, Daoist priests, and Daoist priestesses offer homage to ruler and parents, but fearing it would run contrary to ordinary feelings, it was ordered to be referred to the relevant offices for thorough deliberation and presentation to the throne; the items are presented as above. Respectfully recorded and presented to the throne, humbly awaiting the imperial decree. Memorial of the fifth day of the sixth month of the second year of Longshuo.

6.17

One Imperial Edict of the Reigning Emperor Halting Śramaṇas from Bowing to the Ruler

6.18

From the Eastern Terrace: As for the sage rulers of the central and outer regions, their carriages were different yet they ran abreast; the conventions tailored within and without involved a hundred thoughts yet arrived at the same result. Since the light descended in the Zhou sky and the Han dream prolonged its radiance, the subtle transformation shifted westward and the flow of wisdom was poured out eastward. As for the profound meaning of the Mysterious Female and the rare voice of the Azure Heaven, they fully unfolded the foundation of the six compliances and together harmonized with the root of the five constants. Yet in the realm of love and reverence, they have forgotten the etiquette of kneeling and prostrating. This has been for a long time, and this defect has not been reformed. Taking Our seat upon the charts and ascending to governance, We revere the true and guide the secular, focusing Our mind upon the ferry of liberation, and steeping Our thoughts in the realm of the constant name. It is precisely because the way of honoring parents is the standard maxim of the ritual classics, and the duty of filial piety and fraternal respect is the clear model of the poets. How can one, on account of lofty rules that cut off dust, forget reverence for parents? How can one, through upright norms that extirpate burdens, neglect the order of warming and cooling? Previously We wished to have Daoist priests, Daoist priestesses, monks, nuns, and others offer homage, but fearing it would shock constant minds, We had it deliberated and decided. The relevant officials all cited canonical evidence and simultaneously set forth feelings and reasons; the two paths of continuity and change were equally divided in their discussions. We have weighed the various deliberations and deeply investigated the subtle mysteries. Indeed, the style of Mount Ji and the Ying River held its pursuit aloft, and in looking back to earlier ages, it was also present. Now, toward the ruler, they need not offer homage. As for their parents, their loving nurture is profoundly deep; neglecting this reverence and submission, where else could it be established? From this time forward, they should immediately kneel and prostrate. Let the responsible authorities carry this out.

6.19

Proclaimed on the eighth day of the sixth month of the second year of Longshuo by Court Attendant of the Western Terrace, Scholar of the Hongwen Institute, and Chief Commandant of Light Chariots, Your Servant Shangguan Yi.

6.20

One Memorial Presented by Elder Cheng Shiyong and Others of the Capital Requesting That Renunciant Sons and Daughters Not Bow to Parents

6.21

Your servants say: Your servants have heard that that which the Buddha's transformation assists is noble among all beings, truly because it pulls those sunken in darkness out of the six realms and delivers ignorant consciousness onto the three vehicles. His virtue is immense and His merit is also great. Therefore the Buddha is the Lord of the Dharma, upon whom the unseen and manifest rely; the Dharma is the good medicine, through which afflictions and delusions are cleansed and swept away; the Saṃgha is the seed of the Buddha, whose propagation and expansion covers future ages. Thus have heroic rulers of successive dynasties respected the Way and its virtue and protected them; pure-minded, worthy and wise people have given ordination to their sons and daughters to continue the succession. Thus it came to pass that monks and nuns pervaded the whole realm, leaving the models of the Way for unending ages. We humbly submit that Your Majesty compassionately delivers the nine realms of existence and broadly clarifies the One Vehicle; the way of love and reverence is truly exalted, and the road of completing duties reaches ever further. Recently we received Your luminous edict ordering monks to kneel and prostrate before their parents; this exalts the beginning of filial piety and disseminates the model for the source of reverence. However, the Buddha has an established teaching that renunciants do not bow to their parents, wishing that the Way and the secular have distinct paths, so that refuge and precepts may be embraced. Renunciation and dwelling at home are twofold and different; the true and the secular thus become contrary. All of them in mind receive the Buddha's precepts and in body possess the Buddha's deportment. The net of the Dharma is completely distinct, and forms of reverence are entirely separated. Furthermore, regarding the style of holding oneself aloft, even the ruler of men still retains the courtesy of equals; how could subjects conversely receive the ritual of kneeling and prostrating? In looking up and looking down, in comforting and yielding, there would be no ground for peaceful repose. We wish that the state have no two ways of showing reverence, broadly opening the traces of that beyond the realm; that monks observe the inner teaching, so that they may establish themselves and practice the Way. Unable to bear our utmost personal concerns, we respectfully present this memorial to report, polluting

6.22

Your majestic presence. We bow with increasing trepidation and anxiety. Respectfully stated. Presented on the twenty-first day of the sixth month.

6.23

One Memorial Submitted by Deng Shende, Attendant in the Eastern Terrace, Requesting That Monks and Nuns Follow the Old Precedent and Not Bow to Parents (together with the matter of precedence between Buddhism and Daoism)

6.24

Requesting that Daoist priests and monks and nuns follow the old precedent with monks and nuns placed before (this item was in the eleventh year of Zhenguan, now submitted together on this occasion)

6.25

Monks and Nuns Requesting to Follow the Old Precedent of Not Bowing to Parents

6.26

Your servant has heard that the secret teaching flowed eastward, expanding its transformation through enlightened rulers; the dark breeze moved westward, establishing its school by relying on supreme wisdom. Therefore we know that the principle of broadly delivering through thousands of gateways is proclaimed along the refined Way; and the reason for leading and guiding the myriad kinds blocks the path of heterodoxy. One can only follow the sacred teaching in exalting or restraining; how could it be raised or lowered according to human affairs? The śramaṇa seeks the superior fruit of the future; the Daoist priest trusts in the naturalness of endowed life. The natural prizes grasping true nature and cutting off traces of recent falsity; the superior fruit aims to nip things in the bud and open from afar the mind directed toward the Way. Although the sources of guidance and salvation are not identical, in following goodness they ultimately converge in a single result. We humbly submit that Your Majesty the Emperor embraces the Origin and establishes the Ultimate, drives the singular vehicle and manifests uprightness, rides the Great Way to diffuse humility, and complies with non-action to descend and deliver. Aligning Your mind to accord with things, Your teaching is accomplished without severity. Now, however, the precedence between Daoism and Buddhism is decided, and the bowing and prostrating of śramaṇas is enforced. Bowing and prostrating is identical to common ritual and is not the cause for transcending the world. Precedence is the sentiment of self and other; how could it be called the subtlety of non-action? Your Majesty has propagated the breeze of the Way and presented the Buddhist teachings anew; on every day of the fast You order that blessings be prayed for. Praying for blessings relies entirely on scriptural teachings; why should these two be in contradiction? Your Majesty is the divine source of creation; parents are the affectionate appellation of human children. Your Majesty, with the supreme weight [of Your station], has still halted the ritual of bowing and reverence; since those who gave birth are said to be subjects of the ruler, how can they bend the rules to extend personal sentiment and courtesy, abandoning the honored to turn to affection, and discarding the weight [of office] to transgress the scriptures? Even following sentiment it still does not hold; relying on the teaching, how can it be implemented? Your Majesty unites Heaven and illuminates the Way, complying with things and manifesting form. If things of form are still not allowed to be transgressed, how should the pure teaching be altered? We hope Your Majesty will follow the will of heaven and humans, accord with the hearts of the myriad things, halt the new ritual of bowing and prostrating, and abide by the old convention of precedence. May the golden light shine in the east without being mixed with the sorrow of the secular; may the purple vapor illuminate the west without being startled by the nobility of self and other. Thus the Great Way will not be obscured and will receive assistance in an enlightened age; and the karmic deeds of merit will forever be upright, repeatedly shining in the sacred day. Respectfully stated. Presented on the tenth day of the seventh month.

6.27

One Petition Resubmitted by Monk Daoxuan and Others of Ximing Temple to Lady Yang, the Lady of Rongguo, Requesting Deliberation That It Is Improper to Bow to Parents

6.28

The monk Daoxuan and others petition: We have heard that carrying on the responsibility of the Dharma must certainly fall upon the wise and clear; exalting and protecting the true doctrine truly relies on esteemed expectations. We humbly reflect that Your Ladyship has long practiced perfume and cultivation, opening boundless blessings; early on You marked faith and wisdom, establishing imperishable causes. As for the majestic deportment of the Buddha's teaching and the canonical standards of the Dharma gate, we truly hope that You will specially confer gracious protection so that they do not decline. Since the imperial decree was received, the monastic assembly has been permitted exemption from bowing at court; this truly accords with the intention of the Buddha's entrustment, and we deeply bear feelings of gratitude. However, toward parents, they are still ordered to kneel and prostrate. Personal feelings may be vainly gratified, but it severely contradicts the Buddha's teaching. If this is not reported early on, we fear it will eventually become identical to lay law. The monks look up with eager longing yet dare not lay bare their thoughts; our feelings are distraught and troubled, so we venture to submit this appeal. We humbly beg for Your compassionate sheltering, specially to report this above. If imperial favor should be granted, our blessing and joy will be all the deeper. Unable to bear our utmost earnestness, we respectfully offer this petition to report. In deeply disturbing Your presence, we only know awe and trepidation. Respectfully petitioned. Presented on the thirteenth day of the eighth month.

6.29

One Memorial Presented by Monk Weixiu and Others of Da Zhuangyan Temple Requesting That Monks and Nuns Not Bow to Parents in Accordance with the Inner Teaching

6.30

Respectfully recorded: passages from Buddhist scriptures showing that for renunciant śramaṇas to kneel and prostrate before parents brings loss and no benefit, as follows to the left.

6.31

The Brahmājāla Sūtra states: 'Renunciants do not perform homage to kings or parents.'

6.32

The Abhidharmanyāyānusāra Sūtra states: 'Rulers of states and parents do not seek homage from bhikṣus.'

6.33

The mysterious teaching has flowed eastward for more than six hundred years; among the emperors and kings of past eras, there were none who did not revere it. Arriving at the present Sage Emperor, compliance with established teachings has grown all the more exalted. Thus monastery towers gaze upon one another and pure abodes stand side by side. People know to admire goodness, and households understand how to seek blessings. We monks are humbled to be among living beings; how could we forget loyalty and filial piety? When the luminous edict was promulgated, all within the empire complied. We only fear that the upright brushes of historians will record that it transgressed the Buddha's teaching, and after myriad generations, it will defile the imperial breeze.

6.34

The monk Weixiu and others say: We have heard that the true and the conventional belong to different realms; the śramaṇas sever attachment to sentient existence. The unseen and the manifest wear distinct vestments; the patchwork robe entails no posture of prostration. In principle, [the monastic state] naturally transcends mundane emotions; in the Way, it ever differs from worldly things. Furthermore, our forms are molded by the precepts and our thoughts are smelted in the crossing of liberation. Repaying kindness does not rely on bodily provisioning; one looks toward blessed goodness, yet proper decorum is not altered. If the Buddhist bow is necessarily made identical with that of the Confucians, for monks there is the fault of transgressing the precepts, and for parents there is the encumbrance of diminishing their merits. How could the considerations of subjects and sons dare not be fully stated? We humbly reflect that Your Majesty rectifies and stimulates far-reaching policies, uplifting and encouraging profound aspirations. Having already honored [the saṃgha] within the state, we also beg that it be rectified within the family, fully enabling those who leave the world to avoid worldly ceremonies and those who undertake renunciation to sever the homages of household members. Protecting the Dharma resides in this; planting blessings can have nothing preceding it. When naturally the teachings are distinguished, people will know to exert themselves. Unable to endure the utmost depth of our sincere devotion, we respectfully present this memorial for imperial hearing. Soiling and troubling the imperial screens, prostrate, we are increasingly overcome with trembling. Respectfully submitted.

6.35

Presented on the twenty-first day of the eighth month.

6.36

A memorial presented by the scripture-translating śramaṇa Jingmai and others of Yuhuagong Temple on how monks and nuns bowing to parents brings detriment.

6.37

The śramaṇa Jingmai says: In humble consideration, when the heir-apparent's lineage is announced to the ancestors, the venerable father bows his body before his son, for the statutes have undergone a change; an armored person does not bow down to ruler or kin. We humbly reflect that when monks raise their voices to perpetuate the Buddha's lineage, the principle of veneration is the same. Therefore love and respect condescend from on high, and [parents] humble their demeanour before that presence; their appearances and garments differ from the conventional, and the alteration of penal statutes is no different, causing the śramaṇa likewise not to bend before ruler or father. In examining inner and outer [matters] thoroughly, although we continue to adopt forms of altered rules, in our hearts we revere ruler and kin—how could we dare be negligent? As for subjects mourning a deceased lord, 'substituting days for months', in form they follow auspiciousness, yet in their hearts they mourn for three years. From this one knows that suppressing the eight tones for three years to cultivate heart-reverence has a long history. If we are made to turn back and bow to parents, then both religious and lay will violate the Buddha's precepts, sinking into the pit of injustice and transmigrating without end. Furthermore, as for that which moves heaven and earth and affects ghosts and spirits, how could it lie in kneeling and prostrating? Only, regarding the interests of the public court, if we know of them there is nothing we will not do; we fear that due to this innovative alteration, if there should be any single fault, we would turn our backs on the Sagely Emperor's vast kindness in granting us the practice of the Dharma, and even if our bodies were powdered to dust through endless kalpas, how could we atone for our culpability? We humbly reflect that Your Majesty widely opens the path for submitting writings and completely accepts the disputations of humble grass-gatherers' words. Lightly soiling the imperial gaze, prostrate, we are increasingly overcome with trembling sweat. Respectfully submitted. Presented on the twenty-fifth day of the eighth month.

6.38

A memorial presented by the monk Chongba of Chanju Temple in Xiangzhou requesting that parents of monks and nuns, like the Sovereign, not accept the homage offered by renounced sons and daughters.

6.39

The śramaṇa Chongba says: Chongba has heard that the constitutions of religious and lay differ in form and mind. In form, one does not bow to ruler or father, in order to display the etiquette of renunciation. In mind, one's reverence reaches the three greatnesses, so as to honour the gravity of sustenance. Recently we received

6.40

an imperial edict commanding that monks shall not bow to the sovereign ruler, but commanding them to bow to their parents. This elevates the etiquette of reverence and affection, yet it is deficient with regard to the teachings of the scriptures. While the jewel of the Saṃgha remains, it is despised; when the refuge and precepts are lost, they are perpetually obscured. How could the ruler open the path of high detached conduct without contradicting the Buddha's words, while the subjects adopt the etiquette of bowing down, directly going against the sagely will? It may be called releasing their children to seek their blessings, yet accepting their bows they still reap guilt; one transformation results in doubt, and two principles contradict each other. We humbly pray: we request to follow the etiquette of reverence shown to the ruler, so as to make consistent the propriety of the subjects below. Soiling and troubling the imperial screens, we are increasingly overcome with falling and stumbling. Respectfully submitted.

6.41

Presented on the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month.

6.42

The commentary states: The wording of the submissions by the Guard of Prestige and the Ministry of Appointments was fine indeed, but what could be done about the principle? Neither considered precedents, and they were blind to the Great Righteousness. Merely taking bending the knee as respect, they failed to realize the disaster of lips being lost. The inner scriptures state that when a śramaṇa bows to laypeople, it diminishes the merit and lifespan of the ruler and parents; yet forcing them to prostrate—why did they speak without understanding, recklessly setting the pivotal mechanisms in motion? Although each expressed their intention, why was the harm so excessive? Now the submission of the Guard of Prestige combined both accommodation and restriction, while the submission of the Ministry of Appointments adhered as rigidly as ice to a single path. If one inquires into the merits and demerits of the two arguments, I believe Chu was in error, and Qi was not right either. However, combining both is merely superficial, while ice-like obstinacy is deep in the core. Therefore the Guard of Prestige was placed in the second grade, and the Ministry of Appointments was relegated to the third rank. As for Lord Fan's inquiry and deliberation, its points were ample and its writing was brilliant; the Longxi memorial was concise in words and comprehensive in principle. Thereupon the populace became harmonious, and the tortoises and milfoil agreed. Thus the heavenly favor descended broadly, once again enhancing the detached beauty; and in the place of loving nurturing, the benevolence of bowing down was further promoted. At that time, renowned monks of the Dharma assembly, elders from both the capital and the countryside, all said: 'It satisfies personal intentions, but what of its violation of the teaching?' Thereupon they fully revealed the scriptural passages and widely presented memorials and petitions; day and night without interruption they pleaded before the palace gates. But the gates of Heaven were deep and distant, and there was no way for their requests to penetrate. Receiving an imperial edict that inquired after the fundamental principles, it was hard to know what to accept and what to reject. The *Book of Changes* says: 'A ram butts against a hedge and entangles its horns.' Comparing this to the companions of Śākya, is it not indeed so? The encomium states:

6.43

The like of the Guard of Prestige, / Though their argument encompassed accommodation and restriction, / Discarded the Way on account of persons; / Truly it cannot be considered right. / The memorial of the Ministry of Appointments and others / Suppressed the Buddhist and followed the Confucian; / The bowing harms

6.44

Ruler and father; / How can it be called loyal counsel? / The inquiring deliberation was vigorous and elegant, / Stating the arguments concisely and essentially. / Heaven and humankind consented; / Thereupon the imperial decree was handed down. / Reverently receiving the luminous command, / We clapped our hands and sang; / Yet looking back at the dark scriptures, / What could be done about the encumbrance? / Clergy and laity consulted one another, / All presenting petitions and memorials. / Laying bare our sincere hearts, / It had not yet curved the yellow path. / In advance and retreat there was only distress; / There was nowhere to turn. / Gazing up, we yearn for the Divine Yu / To dredge this stream of the Dharma.

6.45

General Treatise on Why Śramaṇas Should Not Bow to Laypeople

6.46

Shi Yancong states: Why do śramaṇas not bow to laypeople? Renunciation and worldly life belong to different streams; inner and outer have distinct divisions. Abiding in the fundamental and embodying the ultimate, they quiet their thoughts and forget their bodies; they do not urgently seek life, nor do they anxiously conform to transformations. Their feelings transcend the universe; their traces lodge within the realm. This is why they stand as equals in ceremonial protocol before the imperial dwelling and turn their backs on the natural ties of heavenly kinship. The transformation of things cannot alter their transformation; the generation of life cannot encumber their lives. Making a deep bow with clasped hands before ruler and parents—this is the great purport. If one deduces it from human affairs and investigates it in ancient glosses, there are ten precedents for why they should not bow. As for gazing in rank at mountains and rivers and sacrificing to Heaven and Earth at the suburban altar, desiring to benefit beings, the ruler exhausts his sincerity. Now, the Three Jewels abide, and the refuges and precepts are widely beneficial; their assistance to transformation across the unseen and the manifest can be briefly stated. These belong to the category of spiritual deities. He who acts as the impersonator of sacrifice must harmonize with the temple lineage; slaughtering the sacrificial victim and presenting the cooked offerings, at that time he does not act as a subject. Now, the Three Jewels are of one essence; revering monks is like revering the Buddha, as fully set forth in the inner scriptures without needing verbose explanation. These belong to the category of the sacrifice master. The rulers of Qi and Song were the descendants of the two kings; valued by the sovereigns, they were revered as state guests. Now monks are the heirs of the Dharma King; the sovereign has received the Buddha's entrustment to encourage the fourfold assembly to advance in cultivating the three practices. These belong to the category of state guests. In valuing the Way and venerating the teacher, one does not act as a subject; even when summoning the Son of Heaven, one does not face north. Now śramaṇas transmit the Buddha's supreme teaching, guiding the ordinary and instructing beings; honoring the teacher and respecting learning—does it not reside in this? These belong to the category of Confucian conduct. The *Rites* say: 'An armored person does not bow down, because he would lose the decorum of manners'; hence Zhou Yafu made a deep bow with clasped hands to Emperor Wen of the Han. Now śramaṇas wear the armor of forbearance on their bodies to conquer and sever the army of desires, and hold the sword of wisdom in their hands with the intent to crush mental confusion. These belong to the category of the armored. When divining the heir and selecting the guests, one honors the forebear and crowns the heir at the eastern steps; mothers and elder brothers bow down, using ritual to establish him as an adult. Now śramaṇas take the Great Dharma as their personal responsibility, delivering the multitude of beings from mire and charcoal; reverently observing the bequeathed traces, they act as the direct heirs of the lineage ancestors. These belong to the category of transmitting the weight. Yao was described as modeling himself after Heaven, yet he did not bend the high integrity of Yingyang; Wu was completely beautiful, yet in the end he preserved the purity of Guzhu. Now śramaṇas hold their pursuits aloft and do not serve kings or lords; shedding the cicada shell amid noise and dust, they bring themselves beyond the worldly sphere. These belong to the category of recluses. Those who violate the five punishments, are secured in the three wooden instruments, are flogged, or are bound in iron are not reproached for failing to perform full etiquette. Now śramaṇas shave their hair, cut off offspring, alter their appearance, and change their clothes. These belong to the category of severe punishment. Furthermore, though imperial envoys be of low rank, receiving heavenly orders makes them noble; though śramaṇas were lowly, receiving the Buddha's command they should be revered. How much more so when their virtue moves the unseen and the manifest, their transformation moistens dragons and ghosts, quieting the waves of suffering in the realms of humans and gods, and purifying the scorching vapors of all beings! Their merit is already vast, their grace is also immense. How could we make this dust-transcending assembly bow down and encumber ruler and parents, reducing this free and unbound class to identity with the Teaching of Names alone? In my youth I was devoted to these matters; growing up, I searched extensively, gathering surviving exploits from green bamboo tablets and compiling former fragrances from sweat-treated canes. Moreover, moved by the setting light of the Buddha Sun, I exhausted my tiny torch of light to compose words, hoping to transmit them to posterity and curious scholars. Furthermore, the writings and treatises of past and present all speak of 'not revering' (bujing). Relying on this single character, I am privately puzzled. Why? Reverence reaches the heart; the *Summary of Rites* says 'there is nothing in which reverence is absent.' Bowing is merely bodily bending; the Zhou dynasty set forth the etiquette of nine bows. Moreover, before the majesty of ruler and father, reverence of heart must not be absent; but bodily bowing, exalted by the Dharma and the Vinaya, violates the general scriptures. Substituting 'bowing' (bai) for 'reverence' (jing) would be appropriate. Therefore, this work has 'not bowing' in its title. Master Huiyuan had a saying: 'How could the deep abyss await the morning dew?' This was merely expressing his own boundless devotion. The writing of this book is likewise just like that. Clear-sighted scholars and penetrating worthies will perhaps not criticize it.

First 46 of 48 passages. Read on

Linked texts (1)

集沙門不應拜俗等事 — Classical Chinese