破邪論 1.32

1.32

The Book of Wu states: In the fourth year of the Chiwu era of the Lord of Wu, Sun Quan, a xinyou year, there was the śramaṇa Kang Senghui, who was the eldest son of the grand chancellor of the kingdom of Kangju. When he first arrived in the territory of Wu, he set up a thatched hut, installed an image, and practiced the path. When the people of Wu first saw him, they regarded him as bizarre and uncanny. The relevant officials reported the matter to the throne. The Lord of Wu asked, "What divine verification does the Buddha possess?" Senghui replied, "The Buddha withdrew his spiritual traces more than a thousand years ago. The śarīra he left behind manifest in response without fixed bounds." The Lord of Wu said, "If you obtain a śarīra, I will erect a stupa for you." After thrice seven days, a śarīra was finally obtained; five-colored light shone to the heavens. Striking it only made it harder; burning it could not set it aflame. Radiant light came forth from the fire, turning into a great lotus flower that illuminated the palace halls. The Lord of Wu marveled in admiration, and his faithful resolve arose. Thereupon he constructed the Jianchu Monastery and ordained people into renunciation. The Lord of Wu asked Kan Ze, Prefect of the Masters of Writing and Marquis of Duxiang, "How many years have passed since the time of Emperor Ming of the Han?" Kan Ze replied, "From the tenth year of the Yongping era until the present fourth year of the Chiwu era, it is a total of one hundred and seventy-five years." The Lord of Wu said, "Since the Buddhist teachings entered the Han so long ago, why did they only now begin to reach Jiangdong?" Kan Ze replied, "In the fourteenth year of the Yongping era, when the Daoists of the Five Sacred Peaks contested powers with Mātaṅga, the Daoists were inferior. The Daoists of the Southern Sacred Peak, Chu Shanxin, Fei Shucai, and others, died of self-reproach right in the assembly. Their disciples returned to bury them at the Southern Sacred Peak; none took part in renunciation, and there was no one to disseminate [the teachings]. Later, the Han government declined, and military strife never ceased. Only after the passage of many years until now have they been able to flourish and circulate." The Lord of Wu also said, "Can Kong Qiu and Laozi be compared with the Buddha or not?" Kan Ze replied, "Your servant observes that Kong Qiu of Lu had extraordinary talents and preeminent brilliance, with sagely virtue standing above the crowd. The world titles him the Uncrowned King. He fashioned the classics, instructed and encouraged the Zhou path, and taught posterity. The ethos of the master Ru has nourished past and present. There were also recluses such as Xu Chengzi, Yuan Yangzi, Zhuangzi, and Laozi, among the writings of the hundred schools of masters. They all cultivated themselves in self-amusement, roaming freely in mountains and valleys, giving free rein to their lofty ambitions. Their study ended in plain detachment, their deeds running contrary to the decorum of human relations and the junior-senior order, nor was it the style to bring peace to the world and govern the people. Coming to Emperor Jing of the Han, considering that the principles and substance of Huang[di] and Laozi were especially profound, he changed their works from 'masters' to 'scriptures' and first established Daoist learning, ordering the court and the countryside to chant and recite them. If one places the two schools of Kong and Lao far alongside the Buddhist Dharma, far apart they are indeed! Why is this so? When Kong and Lao established teachings, they took Heaven as their model and established uses, not daring to contravene Heaven. When the Buddhas established teachings, Heaven took the Dharma as its model and practiced it, not daring to contravene the Buddha. Stated in this way, it is truly clear that they are beyond comparison." The Lord of Wu was greatly delighted and appointed Ze as Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince.