辯正論 3.78

3.78

周高祖武皇帝（諱邕）膺期御辯。握鏡乘乾。登上格下之訓。天經地義之則。五緯殊方則御以天挈。四維失紐則援之地軸。移風易俗安上治民。道被震門。昭華陳賜舜之玉。功開伊闕。疎河降錫禹之珪。山瀆効靈。中外禔福。武成二年為文皇帝。造錦釋迦像。高一丈六尺。并菩薩聖僧。金剛師子周迴寶塔二百二十軀。莫不雲圖龍氣。俄成組織之工。水濯江波。非假操刀之製。照淨土於神光開化佛於圓影。仍於京下造寧國會昌永寧等三寺。飛閣跨中天之臺。重門承列仙之觀。雲甍藻梲繡柱文𣗽。夏戶秋窓。蓮池柰苑。處處精潔一一妍華。見者忘歸。覩之眩目。凡度僧尼一千八百人。所寫經論一千七百餘部。後遇張賓。始為不善。

Emperor Wu, Gaozu of Zhou (personal name Yong), received the mandate and governed with eloquence; grasping the mirror, he mounted Qian. He promulgated instructions that reached to heaven above and penetrated to earth below, standards matching the constant courses of heaven and the eternal righteousness of earth. When the five planets were out of course, he brought them into order with the heavenly guide; when the four cardinal ties came undone, he secured them with the terrestrial axle. He transformed customs and traditions, pacifying superiors and governing the people. His virtue covered the Eastern Quarter; radiant jade was presented like the jade bestowed upon Shun. His achievements opened the Yi Gorges; the waters were dredged and the tablet was bestowed upon him like that upon Yu. Mountains and rivers manifested their spiritual efficacy; inside and outside enjoyed auspicious blessings. In the second year of Wucheng, for Emperor Wen, he had a brocade image of Śākya made, sixteen feet in height, along with bodhisattvas, holy monks, vajradharas, and lions, encircling a jewelled stupa with two hundred and twenty images. In every case, cloud-designs and dragon-spirits suddenly formed the weaver’s masterpiece; washed in river waters, it did not depend on the cutting of knives. It illuminated the pure land with divine radiance, and manifested transformation Buddhas in perfect forms. He further built three temples in the capital: Ningguo, Huichang, and Yongning. Flying galleries crossed the mid-sky terraces, and double gates welcomed belvederes of the immortals. Cloud-like ridgepoles and painted timbers, embroidered pillars and ornamented rafters, summer doors and autumn windows, lotus ponds and pomegranate groves—every place was pure and exquisite, each one radiant and splendid. Those who saw them forgot to return, and those who gazed were dazzled. In all, he ordained 1,800 monks and nuns, and had more than 1,700 works of sūtras and treatises copied. Later he met Zhang Bin, and only then began to act unwholesomely.