辯正論 3.20

3.20

陳高宗孝宣皇帝執玉版而導中麾。乘金輪而指上國。地居旦奭任總機衡。歲有豐年。民惟大蓄。域中無事。天下咸康。於揚州禁中里造太皇寺。然以慎終追遠情切。章陵為始興昭烈王孝太妃。於太皇寺造七級木浮圖。金盤將曜靈比色。珠輪與合璧爭暉。又以漢光禪位。代邸承家。式樹福田造崇皇寺。太建二年重為始興昭烈王孝太妃。爰逮蒼生。奉建靈剎高一十五丈。下安佛爪。長二寸。濶一寸。飾瑩珍龕藏諸寶篋。或光飛五色焰起一尋。神變不窮。覩者改旦。造金銅像等二萬軀。修理故像一百三十萬軀。寫一切經十二藏。修補故寺五十所。度僧尼萬人。

Emperor Xiaoxuan, Gaozong of Chen held the jade tablet to lead the central banners, and mounted the golden wheel to point toward the supreme realm. Occupying the position of the Duke of Zhou and the Duke of Shao, he managed the pivotal affairs of state. The years yielded abundant harvests, and the people had great stores; there was no trouble within the realm, and all under Heaven was peaceful. In the Jinzhong ward of Yangzhou, he built Taihuang Monastery. However, out of a deeply dutiful devotion to honor his ancestors, he felt profound yearning for Zhangling; thus, on behalf of the Filial Grand Dowager Concubine of King Zhaolie of Shixing, he built a seven-tiered wooden pagoda at Taihuang Monastery. Its golden wheels vied with the sun in brilliance, and its pearl discs competed with the conjoined bi jades in splendor. Furthermore, since Emperor Guang of Han abdicated the throne and the branch house inherited the family line, he established a field of merit and built Chonghuang Monastery. In the second year of Taijian [570 CE], once more on behalf of the Filial Grand Dowager Concubine of King Zhaolie of Shixing, reaching down to the common folk, he reverently erected a spiritual pagoda fifteen zhang in height. Beneath it, he enshrined a nail relic of the Buddha, two inches long and one inch wide, polished and lustrous in a precious niche and hidden away in jewel caskets. At times it emitted five-colored light and flames rising one fathom; its divine transformations were inexhaustible, and beholders were transformed anew. He made 20,000 gold and bronze statues, restored 1,300,000 old statues, copied twelve sets of the complete Buddhist canon, repaired fifty old monasteries, and ordained 10,000 monks and nuns.