破邪論 2.15

2.15

[Fu] Yi said: "I request that the barbarian Buddha's heterodox teachings be returned to the Western Regions, and that all monks and nuns be made to return to lay life." / In response it is said: Zhuang Zhou stated: "Within the six directions, the sage discourses without debating; beyond the six directions, the sage retains without discoursing." Laozi said: "Within the realm there are four great things, and the Way is one of them." Examining the purports of the *Odes*, *Documents*, *Rites*, and *Music*, they sought only to orderly arrange the constant relations and clarify that loyalty, heroism, filial piety, and parental love come first; their intent lay in reverently serving rulers and fathers. Even if praised as supreme virtue, it is merely pacifying superiors and governing the people. Even if granted as the essential way, it does not surpass transforming customs and changing habits. Confucius's return to Lu from Wei: how could it express the words of liberation? The six treasuries and the nine divisions: they did not proclaim the ultimate principle. As for talks on nourishing life and aiding creatures, or accounts of the dragon charts and phoenix records, one may indeed cherish benevolence and hold fast to trust, following the aims of Lixiang, or edit the classics and elucidate the hexagram images, setting forth the writings of Queli. Next are the nine schools, and finally the seven summaries. According to the numerous books recorded in the bibliographic treatise of the *Former Han*, numbering thirteen thousand two hundred and sixty-nine fascicles, none fails to be efficacious in near benefits, but they have not unfolded the distant path. All are self-confined within a single lifetime, not towering far beyond the three times. Consequently, they cause the principle of present and future cause and effect to remain dark even though morning approaches, and the meaning of karmic retributions of good and ill fortune to remain unenlightened despite crossing Mount Qiu. Hence we know that the single chapter "Free and Easy Wandering" is still confused about the sentiment of having existence; the two chapters of the *Daodejing* have not entered the realm of absolute emptiness. These are merely the terrestrial sphere within the six directions, the mundane plans of the five constants. How could they avoid the vast expanse of the four currents, which serves as an arena of afflictions, or the clamour of the six destinies, creating karma of worldly dust and toil? / In inquiring into the ultimate: the true nature of phenomena is deep and obscure, surpassing the way of the essential way; the dharmakāya is serene and transcendent, going beyond the mystery of mysteries. Only our Great Master realized this wondrous awakening: the two extremes were suddenly discarded, and the myriad virtues entirely harmonized. Neither clamorous nor quiescent, how could it be sought through object and consciousness? Neither distinct nor obscure, how could it be grasped by form and name? As small, it is so small as to have no interior; dwelling in the great, it is so great as to have no boundary. Therefore, he was able to measure the realm of reality and arouse compassion, to fathom empty space and establish his vows. Thus he manifested birth in an impure land and was born holy into a royal palace, displaying a golden body and emitting the mark of the jade urnā-hair. Spreading the cloud of compassion over Vulture Peak, the blazes of the burning house were quenched; fanning the wind of wisdom upon Kukkuṭapāda Mountain, the mists of the dark paths were rolled back. When he walked, golden lotuses supported his feet; when he sat, jewelled canopies received his body. When he went forth, Śakra was in front; when he entered, the Brahmā King followed behind. On the left, Guhyapada assisted, taking the eradication of evil as his merit; on the right, the Vajra-wielder aided, making the growth of goodness his task. Śrāvakas and bodhisattvas were solemn as attending ministers; the eight classes and myriad spirits stood densely as flanking guards. When he expounded nirvāṇa, the earth manifested six movements; when he spoke prajñā, the heavens rained four kinds of flowers. Adorned with a hundred merits, he was like the full moon overlooking the dark sea; illuminated by a thousand lights, he was like clustered suns illuminating a jewelled mountain. With a single lion's roar, the heterodox had their spearheads shattered; when the Dharma drum briefly sounded, the heavenly māras prostrated. Therefore, the Buddha is styled the Dharma King. How could he be compared in virtue and balanced in weight against the fading Zhou's [Laozi, named] Kāśyapa? How could a scholar-youth of the degenerate age dare to link them together? / Hence, above heaven and below heaven, he alone is praised as the Honoured One, the Tamer; the three thousand great thousands all look up to the moisture of his compassion. Yet the purport of the principle is profound and far-reaching, requiring traps and snares before awakening; the gates of teaching are skillful, relying on masters and friends before opening through. Summing up his teachings: the eighty-four thousand treasuries. Investigating his way: the foundation of the two truths and the ten stages. The talks in the Jeta Grove and the Deer Park; the purports of the ocean halls and dragon palaces; the characters of jade tablets and golden writings; the words of the seven locations and eight assemblies—none failed to transmit the supreme way to a hundred kings and fan the profound wind across myriad kalpas. Such-speaking, truth-speaking, inconceivable! Close at hand, it pacifies the state and benefits the people; far off, it transcends the mundane and realizes the sacred. Therefore, his form pervaded the six destinies and his teachings filled the ten directions; he is truly the field of merit for the world, the refuge of all living beings. At that time, companions of reverent faith were like the seven luminaries circling the Northern Star; disciples receiving transformation were like myriad rivers flowing into the great sea. Investigating his divine transformations and meritorious achievements in benefiting gods and humans, there is indeed no way to name them. Having fulfilled causes as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, he attained the fruition of permanent bliss. How excellent! It cannot be measured. / But because the worldly fortunes had not yet converged, the barbarians and Chinese had distinct responses. Therefore the western countries were the first to revere his voice and form, while the eastern realm temporarily received the benefit of hearing and seeing. When the cloud of compassion rolled back its moisture and the sun of wisdom withdrew its light, a golden man was dreamt of in the Yongping era, and a śarīra was beheld in the Chiwu era. Thereupon, during the governance of the Han, Wei, Qi, and Liang, the teaching of images vigorously arose; from the Yan, Qin, Jin, and Song onwards, famous monks appeared one after another. Some painted the full moon beside the Terrace of Clarity; some displayed the spire wheels outside the Yong Gate. By the time texts were translated north of the Yellow River and catalogues were compiled south of the Han River, the Way flourished in the Three Auxiliaries and faith reached throughout the Nine Provinces. Crossing east of the Yangtze it grew ever more fervent; passing through the rule of the metal element it became increasingly flourishing. The Wei River was provided with the garden of Xiao Yao; Mount Lu unified the terrace of prajñā. Deep texts and profound purports unfolded with auspicious decorum; eminent scholars and high monks arrived from afar in unbroken succession. / Reaching the age of Emperor Wu of the Liang, the three teachings moved abreast; at the beginning of Emperor Wen of the Sui, the three vehicles ran neck and neck. Although dwelling in the purple zenith, their hearts accorded with Fenyang. Dismissing the wine stewards and banishing the palace cooks, they were perfumed by the fragrance of the precepts and savoured the joy of the Dharma. Fearing the four currents were difficult to pull out from, they personally maintained the teachings through the sevenfold eloquence. Thus, they made light of robes of state to don dyed clothes, and abandoned carved carriages to lay out grass seats. At that time, they broadly founded the undertakings of terraces of beneficence and greatly opened the foundations of monument pagodas. (The *Record of the Liang* states: "The Eastern Terrace and Western Administration succeeded each other for over eighty years; there were more than seven hundred large monasteries in the capital cities, and the assemblies lecturing on monks and nuns consistently numbered ten thousand. Discussing the inner scriptures and jointly venerating the sacred undertaking, untiring without fatigue, each was weary of worldly glory.") Consequently, the prominent clans of the five capitals grew weary of caps and sashes to submit their sincere devotion, and the illustrious families of the four seas abandoned glory and splendour to enter the Way. From the lands where emperors and kings dwell to the regions reached by their sound and teaching, none did not prostrate, dedicate merit, and take refuge with the five parts of their bodies. Deeply benefiting beings, it has lasted for a long time. How could the transformations bestowed by Kong and Lao compete with it? / According to the records and biographies of the *Spring and Autumn of the Sixteen Kingdoms*, the *Spring and Autumn of the Thirty Kingdoms*, *Biographies of Eminent Monks*, *Biographies of Famous Monks*, and Mouzi, from the tenth year of the Yongping reign of Emperor Ming of the Later Han onward, the Buddha's Dharma flowed east; passing through ten dynasties, it has approached six hundred years. The eminent monks of great virtue who were respected by their age number two hundred and fifty-seven persons; those additionally or supplementary noted, including kings and dukes of Yan and Zhao, and ministers and ministers of Qi and Liang, number two hundred and fifty-one persons: a total of five hundred and eight persons. In setting forth their conduct and deeds, ten categories are broadly established: first, Translating Scriptures; second, Exegetical Understanding; third, Divine Anomalies; fourth, Practicing Meditation; fifth, Elucidating the Vinaya; sixth, Sacrificing the Body; seventh, Chanting Scriptures; eighth, Cultivating Merit; ninth, Cantors of Scripture; tenth, Promoters of Guidance. These eminent monks all had virtue rivaling the four refuges and merits complete in the three karmas; the transmission of the Dharma to Cīnasthāna has truly relied upon them. The wrong-viewed conceal this without discussing it, only speaking of the five or three who are wicked. Within the Snowy Mountains, there is inherently much amṛta, yet there are also poisonous grasses; within the great sea, there are abundant bright pearls, yet there are also many rākṣasas. This is like Mount Kunlun missing a single stone, or the Deng Forest suffering the loss of a single branch. How could it be considered strange so as to cause it to be abolished?