辯正論 8

English (machine translation) 8

Language: English

8.2

Chapter 10: Revealing the Forgeries and Errors of Daoism

The Error of the Dispersal of the Numinous Texts / The Error of the Lingbao Taishang Being Subject to Birth and Death with the Kalpas / The Error of Altering Buddhist Sūtras into Daoist Scriptures / The Error of Stealing the Buddhist Four Fruits and Ten Stages / The Error of Claiming Daoist Scriptures Had Appeared Before They Had / The Error of Daoist Masters' Uniting of Qi / The Error of Narrating the Heavenly Worthy and His Traces of Transformation / The Error of Treating the Various Masters as Daoist Books

8.4

The Error of the Dispersal of the Numinous Texts

8.5

The Noble Person says: There is truly a reason for this! There is truly a reason for this! Now, between an orchid room and a dried-fish market, as days pass one grows fond of that with which one first grew intimate; when Yangwen was in favor, the accumulation of doting arose from his twisted affections. Therefore, though deer and horse are different in form, the Qin people treated them as the same creature; though the qilin and the roe-deer are of disparate substance, the customs of Lu were confounded by its appearance. The sort who merely bark at sounds have suddenly arrived at such extremes! I shall now examine their hollow frauds and make them clear again to later generations. According to the Taishang dongxuan lingbao huanglu jianwen weiyi jing (Scripture of Dignified Observances with Bamboo Slips of the Yellow Register of the Most High Numinous Treasure of the Cavern Mystery): 'The Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning addressed the Lord of the Most High Great Dao, saying: "The saving of the grades of merit and fault of the numinous immortals of the Lower Primordial Yellow Register was recorded in the Palace of Numinous Immortals. Originally there were eight hundred sections. But having passed through the Longhan era, the ancient texts became dispersed, and down to the Chiming era those texts were altered and exchanged, becoming mostly cumbersome and vulgar. Now I have therefore excerpted and compiled eighty-one items of the Lower Primordial, composing them for essential use. Above, they correspond to the count of the Three Primordials; in the middle, they correspond to the spirits of the Eight Radiances; below, they correspond to the Twenty-Four Qi. There are constantly awe-inspiring deities of the three divisions who attend and guard the numinous texts."' The Noble Person says: The numinous texts and true registers issue from spontaneity; they are texts preserved by the Heavenly Worthy, doctrines practiced by the multitude of sages, kept within jade cases and hidden in the Mystery Terrace, guarded all around by the awe-inspiring deities of the three divisions, originating in the beginningless and reaching to the endless. Why should they have traversed Longhan and become dispersed, and arrived at Chiming and been altered? If altered, they are untrue; if dispersed, they lack numinous power. What false deception is this, continually inviting abandonment and disgrace!

8.6

The Error of the Lingbao Taishang Being Subject to Birth and Death with the Kalpas

8.7

The Lingbao zhutian lingshu duming miaojing (Wondrous Scripture of the Numinous Books of the Various Heavens of Numinous Treasure for Delivering Life) claims that the Heavenly Worthy said: 'When the great kalpa completes its cycle, heaven collapses and earth sinks away. Within the six heavens, inside the desire realm, the miscellaneous dharmas are completely extinguished without anything remaining. The Taiping daojing (Daoist Scripture of Great Peace) and the Fahua and Large and Small Prajñā Sūtras spoken by the Buddha travel up and down within the eighteen heavens inside the form realm; when the great kalpa completes its cycle and heaven and earth are altered and abandoned, those texts then vanish. However, the true texts, golden writings, jade characters, and true scriptures of Numinous Treasure of the Supreme Dao of Jade Purity and the Three Caverns all issue from Primordial Beginning, dwelling above the twenty-eight heavens and above the formless realm. When the great kalpa completes its cycle, they all return to Mount Yujing and the seven-jeweled Mystery Terrace in the Daluo Heaven above heaven, where calamity does not reach. The Daluo Heaven is the heaven above five hundred and fifty-five million, five hundred and fifty-five thousand, five hundred and fifty-five heavens. Therefore the spontaneous texts are born together with the cosmic cycles and extinguished together with the cosmic cycles. Those who are able to revere them will have seven generations of ancestors reborn in heaven, and wheel-turning sagely kings will continue generation after generation without interruption.' The Lingbao zhenwen duren benxing jing (Scripture of the Original Deeds of Delivering People through the True Texts of Numinous Treasure) says: 'The great sages of the ten directions spoke thus among themselves: "By what cause and condition did he obtain this office of the Most High?" The Dao proclaimed of itself: "From when Primordial Beginning first opened the radiance down to the first year of Chiming, passing through 9,999,000,000,000 kalpas, I saved beings [as numerous as] the sands of the Ganges. From Chiming onward down to the first year of Shanghuang, I saved immeasurable people. I underwent birth and death following the kalpas, generation after generation without cease, constantly appearing together with the Numinous Treasure. Passing through seventy billion kalpas, meeting the kalpa of the Blue Thearch, when the nine qi ended and transformed the cycle, I then took womb in the Hong family, accumulating 3,700 years. Reaching the opening of Chiming in the jiazi year, I was born in Zhuangligaotian. Again I appeared together with the Numinous Treasure and saved immeasurable people. Because of my causes and conditions, the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning conferred upon me the title of Most High, residing in the Jade Capital of Xuandu, because I had faith in the Numinous Treasure."'

8.8

Zhen Luan said mockingly: 'Since these true texts are on Mount Yujing where calamity does not reach, why do they also say that the spontaneous texts are born together and extinguished together with the cycles? Is the day of birth and extinction not a calamity? It also says: "My body constantly appears and disappears together with the Numinous Treasure." And it says: "I undergo birth and death following the kalpas." If we reckon the day when the cycle of the Numinous Treasure is extinguished, the Most High in principle cannot survive alone. Yet they call it the "great Dharma of longevity and immortality"; these words are merely false speech! Furthermore, it says that Mount Yujing is above all mountains, where calamity does not reach; in principle, this ought to be doubted. Why? All conditioned things are completely impermanent; among classes of forms and colors, none endure. Mount Yujing, with its golden terraces and jade towers made of the seven jewels, is subsumed within the form realm. Since it belongs to the form realm, how could it be eternal? It also says: "The year of Chiming was in the jiazi year." How can the designation of Chiming be believed?'

8.9

The Error of Stealing and Altering Buddhist Sūtras into Daoist Scriptures

8.10

The Taishang xiangong wenxun jing (Scripture of the Questions of the Most High Immortal Lord) says: 'Riding a dragon that shines upon the void, bearing a round halo behind the neck, the body emitting heavenly light. Laozi said: "Generation after generation born into the families of kings and nobles—this is called the family of a wheel-turning sagely king—ultimately entering the way of the true immortals."' The Taishang lingbao wulian shengshi miaojing (Wondrous Scripture of the Most High Numinous Treasure on the Five Refinements of the Living Corpse) says: 'The Heavenly Worthy was in the Incense Forest Garden. The youth of Superior Wisdom, Guanshiyin of the Wheel Heaven, and others stepped forward, bowed to the left, and addressed the Heavenly Worthy.'

8.11

The Benxiang jing (Scripture of Original Marks) says: 'When the Heavenly Worthy preached the Dharma, gandharvas, humans, non-humans, and others, with white elephants having six tusks, and the fourfold assembly surrounded him for hundreds of circumambulations. The Heavenly Worthy expounded this meaning with the single voice of the Central Xia; sentient beings understood according to their kind. On Mount Tiantai there was a divine man named Heavenly Worthy. The thirty-six heavens struck bells and blew horns, making music as they departed for the place of the Heavenly Worthy, arriving after ten decades. On his crown he had a fleshy cowl, behind his neck a round halo, his ears were higher than his hair, on his forehead were three lines, his arms hung past his knees, his calves were like those of an antelope, and his face and head were flat and glossy. These are the eight marks of the Heavenly Worthy. Later it summarizes thirty-two marks and eighty wondrous postures.' It also changed the ten practices, ten dedications, and ten abodes into the ten immortals, ten triumphs, and ten dwelling places, setting them up in graded ranks, beginning with Joyous and proceeding up to Cloud of Dharma, fully endowed with the marks and signs, revealing them as adamantine. There are also the ten obstacles and four fruits of the path. It also says: 'Those who sit in dhyāna sever thoughts of defilement; their divine mind is stabilized. Atop Mount Sumeru, the palace of Śakra Devānām Indra is four thousand li square, surrounded by one thousand two hundred gates, with three thousand six hundred small palace wards within, five walls and twelve gates, with a ground entirely of vaidūrya. The thirty-six heavens assist it on four sides.' It also says: 'The Heavenly Worthy was in the forest, emitting a ray of white light from the ūrnā between his eyebrows that illuminated the great chiliocosm of lands in the south. The śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas saw it and advanced to behold it; those who advanced had already exhausted all outflows and had no more afflictions' (altered from the Lotus, Vimalakīrti, and Prajñā Sūtras).

8.12

The Fangdeng jing (Vaipulya Scripture) in two fascicles, also called Miaofa miduizi jing (Scripture of the Wondrous Law of Miduizi), was forged by the Wei dynasty Daoist master Zhang Da. It stole the Buddhist name of 'Great Vaipulya Scripture'; 'Miaofa miduizi' was taken from the Miaofa lianhua jing (Lotus Sūtra) and the name of Maitrāyaṇīputra.

8.13

'Turning back from the ford of the two vehicles and proclaiming the correct path of the one vehicle, pure and unmixed.' Question: What are the one vehicle and two vehicles? What is called 'pure' and what is called 'unmixed'? According to the Lotus Sūtra, there are the one vehicle and two vehicles, pure and unmixed, fully endowed with the marks of pure brahma-conduct, known as the seven excellences. How are they enumerated?

8.14

The countries of A-zha-dan, A-li, Fan-zhen, A-pan-zha, Chimei, and A-gang-ti.

8.15

Question: Where are these six countries now? There is no record of their names in books. They are still altered Buddhist names of foreign countries.

8.16

'We should take refuge in the thirty-six true persons' (modeled on the Buddhist names of the thirty-five Buddhas); 'take refuge in the Lion's Roar True Person' (taken from the name of Lion's Roar Bodhisattva); 'take refuge in the Precious Victory True Person' (taken from the name of Ratnaketu Buddha); 'each kneeling alternately and pressing the palms together, repenting in accordance with the Dharma; three threes unite into one' (altering the three threes into nine kinds); 'whether in this life or previous lives, repent all sins entirely' (identical to the Buddhists).

8.17

Question: Through successive dynasties within the nine lands, there were only expressions like long kneeling, prostrating the head, touching the forehead to the ground, knocking the head, and slapping the cheeks. In books and histories there was originally no practice of kneeling alternately or joining the palms. The Daoists had only taking off the cap and prostrating on the ground; nor did they have alternating kneeling. 'Directing all in pariṇāmanā toward all offerings' (that is, revering all).

8.18

'Take refuge in the Supreme Heavenly Worthy' (taking refuge in the Supreme Honored One).

8.19

'Take refuge in the Vaipulya True Scripture' (taking refuge in sarvajña); 'take refuge in the sagely assembly who have attained the Way in the empty dharmadhātu of the four quarters, zenith, and nadir' (taking refuge in the Saṅgha of arhats); 'teaching and converting sentient beings, all attaining the fruit of duoluo.' Question: What is called pariṇāmanā? How many pariṇāmanā are there in all, with how many dharmas are they accomplished, and to what place are they dedicated? The verse from the 'Sixty-Four True Persons Walking the Void' chapter says:

8.20

"Some see the honored ones of the past, / Spontaneously attaining the true Way; / Their body's color like a mountain of gold, / Dignified, upright, and exceedingly wondrous. / As within pure vaidūrya, / Revealing within the True One of Primordial Beginning; / The Sagely Honored One amid the great assembly / Expounds and transforms the deluded and stubborn."

8.21

The verse of the Miaofa lianhua jing (Lotus Sūtra) says:

8.22

"Also seeing the various Tathāgatas, / Spontaneously attaining the Buddha Way; / Their body's color like a mountain of gold, / Dignified, upright, and exceedingly wondrous. / As within pure vaidūrya, / Revealing within an image of true gold; / The World-Honoured One amid the great assembly / Expounds the deep meaning of the Dharma."

8.23

They changed 'various Tathāgatas' to 'honored ones of the past'; changed 'Buddha Way' to 'true Way'; changed 'image of true gold' to 'True One of Primordial Beginning'; changed 'deep meaning of the Dharma' to 'transforms the deluded and stubborn'; and [say that] 'the king obtains the fruit of no outflows.'

8.24

Question: What is called the fruit of no outflows?

8.25

Reaching the first year of Jingming of the Qi dynasty, on the sixteenth day of the eighth month, the Daoist master Chen Xianming received this scripture from Tang Chezi. The Zhihui siwei dingzhi jing (Scripture of Wisdom, Contemplation, and Establishing the Will) says: 'The Dharma Master delivers the ten precepts and five precepts'—these are the five precepts of the Buddhists. It also says: 'In the past, a number like the sands of the Ganges.' Question: If the Daoists previously had the ten precepts issuing from spontaneity, and Laozi was the teacher of emperors and kings generation after generation, then rulers of humans since ancient times should all have complied with and practiced them. Why has no transmission of this teaching been heard of until now? Moreover, foreign countries have eight great rivers: the first is the Ganges, and the second is the Sindhu; these rivers are vast, and their sands are limitless in number. The Buddha borrowed this as a metaphor, listing it fully in various sūtras. Now, when they speak of 'the sands of the Ganges', where does it come from? It is certain that they stole from Buddhist sūtras; the thief is now exposed! It also says: 'The one who delights in pure faith is my present body; the one of Dharma understanding is the True Person of the Left Mystery; the wife of the one of Dharma understanding is the True Person of the Right Mystery'—all altered from the Suvarṇaprabhāsa, Lotus, and other sūtras.

8.26

The Taixuan zhenyi benji jing (Scripture of the Original Limit of the True One of the Great Mystery), Chapter on Protecting the State, Fascicle Two:

8.27

'At that time, the Heavenly Worthy of Primordial Beginning brought to completion the lands of the five directions, delivering all people.' The Noble Person says: If the Heavenly Worthy appeared in the world and delivered all people, the earth would certainly have shaken, light would have been emitted, and devas and humans would have gathered like clouds. Why is it not recorded in books, and transmitted neither in ancient nor modern times? Among the nine provinces, not a single person saw it! Their fraudulent deceptions are all of this sort.

8.28

The 'Sagely Practice' chapter contains terms such as the three knowledges, five eyes, six perfections, four immeasurables, five turbidities, and six supernormal knowledges. It also has: 'Those not yet saved, he causes to be saved; those not yet at ease, he causes to be at ease; those not yet liberated, he causes to be liberated'; transforming and leading the three vehicles to enter the path of the one vehicle; and in a single thought completely penetrating the three times.

8.29

The 'Dao Nature' chapter contains terms such as correct samādhi, seven small kalpas, three realms of existence, four Māras, four destinies, five paths, six sense bases, six dusts, six consciousnesses, and three wretched realms. It also has the seventy-two marks, eighty-one minor characteristics, four means of embrace, four analytical knowledges, and the exposition of 'neither cause nor non-cause, neither fruit nor non-fruit.'

8.30

The Noble Person says: The names of Dharma gates listed above are entirely stolen from Buddhist sūtras to create their forged scriptures. Investigating them one by one and thoroughly examining each division, they fully took texts from the Nirvāṇa and Prajñā, or stole the expositions of the Lotus and Vimalakīrti. That this was plagiarism is verifiable right before our eyes. Broadly learned and celebrated Confucians have all investigated this in detail; lacking the leisure to present everything in full, I have merely summarized the main points.

8.31

The Shengxuan neijiao jing (Scripture of the Inner Teaching of Ascending to the Mystery) says: 'The Dao spoke of the five grades and five qi circulating throughout the eight extremes; sometimes called Primordial Beginning, sometimes called Lord Lao, sometimes called Most High, and sometimes called Tathāgata. One should contemplate traveling among the palaces of the various heavens, questioning the Buddha and discussing scriptures with Lord Śakra.'

8.32

The fifth transformation on giving (dāna) in the Ninefold Transmuted Elixir Scripture says: "Circumambulate the Buddha and the saṅgha." The thirteenth vow of the Lingbao Scripture states: "One should contemplate the present Buddha-Dharma (altered to read 'Dao-Dharma')." The fourteenth vow states: "One should contemplate the future Buddha-Dharma universally transforming [all beings] without partiality (altered to read 'Dao-Dharma')." The fifteenth vow states: "One should contemplate the Buddha-Dao of the past and future as being completely free of defilement and defect (altered from the Bhaiṣajyaguru Sūtra)."

8.33

The Immortal Lord's Sūtra of Inquiries says: "Again he saw Daoist masters making vigorous and heroic progress; again he saw worthy people making vigorous and heroic progress (altered from the Lotus Sūtra)."

8.34

The chapter on the practice of the Perfected One of Non-Accumulation says: "Second, to see the Buddha's body as like vajra, endowed with all physical marks." The Most High's Scripture of the Precious Truth for Dispelling Demons says: "If one sees one's household, wife, and children, one should vow that all quickly escape the prison of attachment, restrain the mind, and uphold the precepts (altered from the one hundred and forty vows of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra)."

8.35

The Yuanyang jing says: "The Most High Lingbao, from countless kalpas ago, in Dao is the root of the Dao, and in the Buddha is the predecessor of the Buddha. The Buddhas of the ten directions all originate from Lingbao. The land of the fragrant grove in the east has a Buddha named Entering Diligence, and a bodhisattva named Respectful Head." The Yuanyang jing further says: "Chisongzi, roaming as an immortal, observed the matters of transformation in the dwelling of Yuanyang." Among these, it fully includes the words from the Avataṃsaka regarding the youth Sudhana seeking good spiritual friends to enter the dharmadhātu, displaying supernatural powers, and so on. A verse in the Lingbao miaozhen jing says: "Even if the assembly of śrāvakas, / like rice, hemp, bamboo, and reeds, / completely filled the lands of the ten directions / and exhausted their thoughts to calculate together, / they could not fathom the Dao's wisdom." Yet the Lingbao merely changed the single character "Buddha" to the character "Dao", and in its structure and form it plagiarised the Lotus Sūtra entirely. The rest of its texts are similarly patched together. Xie, Palace Attendant of the Song dynasty, wrote the Refutation of the Daoist Discourse to question the Daoist master Gu Huan. Huan replied: "The marvelous scripture of Lingbao consists of great characters of celestial script that arose from spontaneity. It was originally not created by altering the Lotus Sūtra; rather, it was Kumārajīva who, with malicious falsehood, together with his disciple Sengyi, altered our Daoist Lingbao to make the Lotus Sūtra—it was not an alteration of the Lotus into Lingbao." Judging from such circumstances, one can investigate the truth through reason: the nature of the Lingbao scripture can be seen without words. If it is claimed that Kumārajīva altered the Lingbao scripture into the Lotus Sūtra, in what historical records or biographies is this found? Such a claim can only deceive this eastern land to delude the common people, but it could not have flowed to the Western Regions to exist everywhere there. Nowadays, when those śramaṇas come to visit this country, the scriptures they hold are copied on tree leaves; on that day, translators were also sent to translate and interpret them face to face, and they did not differ from the present scripture texts. Proving it by this, one certainly knows that Daoist masters stole and altered the Lotus Sūtra to make Daoist scriptures. This matter is truly credible. As listed previously, it is not merely one work. All Daoist writings, other than the Five Thousand Characters [of the Daodejing], have stolen and adopted [Buddhist texts] and placed them into their own canons, just as the Nirvāṇa Sūtra has stated. We observe that the Buddha and the saṅgha have succeeded each other generation after generation; former worthies and later sages are revered by everyone. This is because their majestic numinous transformation covers [all], and their principles and phenomena can be verified. Therefore, from antiquity down to the present, renowned monks have followed in continuous succession, fearless like lions. They are compared to being encircled by fragrant groves of sandalwood, supporting and sustaining the state, and their hidden moistening is immeasurable. Cultivating themselves with loving-kindness, pacifying others, and forgiving themselves, the beauty of their prudent conduct does not disgrace their predecessors! Establishing themselves and upholding the Dao, their fame is manifested. If they were persons who stole and altered Daoist scriptures into the Lotus Sūtra, having practiced and studied deceitful words, how could they have had so many supreme practices? Their minds were elevated and pure, their ocean of wisdom broad and profound. Yet since Daoist masters uphold the true texts, why is their foolishness and narrowness consecutive? Among the historical records, not one [such virtue] is found in them. Deducing from this, their alteration of orthodox scriptures into heterodox texts—its meaning is fully exposed, and everyone can examine it together.

8.36

Error of Stealing the Four Fruits and Ten Stages of the Buddha-Dharma

8.37

The chapter on Delivering the King in a Daoist scripture says: "The Heavenly Honoured One told King Cunda: 'The great assemblies of holy ones who attained the Dao, up to Tathāgatas [numerous as] the sands of the Ganges, all attained it by accumulating practices from the status of ordinary persons. As for the ten immortals, they are an immeasurable and countless assembly; some also attain an immortal through a single arising, while others attain their abodes from being ordinary persons. Why is this? If one's merit is high, one ascends in a single lift; if one's merit is low, one ascends through ten stages. The ten ascents are graded progressions through the ten abodes, from Joyful up to Cloud of the Dharma, endowed with physical marks and manifesting a vajra-body. Thereupon the great kings and minor kings, hearing the Heavenly Honoured One preach the Dharma, immediately attained the four fruits.'" Moreover, examining the chapter on Delivering the Body, it says: "Nirgrantha, hearing the Dharma preached and understanding samādhi before the Heavenly Honoured One, then attained the fruit and Dao of a srotāpanna." It also says: "Xuanzhongyang preached the venerable scriptures of the five sections on Vulture Peak, delivering countless people." It also says: "Together with Master Taihe on Mount Daṇḍa, he broadly delivered the king's people, titling them 'śramaṇas'." Examining the Biography of Wenshi, it says: "When Laozi was in the country of Jibin, he snapped his fingers and summoned heavenly kings, arhats, those of the five superknowledges, and flying celestial assemblies to arrive all at once, dispatching Yin Xi to be their teacher." It also says: "Bodhisattvas who attained the Dao composed eulogies for Laozi." Furthermore, the chapter on Wisdom and the Roots of Sin in the Lingbao says: "Heavenly beings [numerous as] the sands of the Ganges heard the Dharma, attained the Dao, and have already become Tathāgatas." Such false claims being so numerous, their slandering is also extreme. Why is this? The traces of the teachings of the Buddha and the Dao are not the same; their appearances and disappearances, concealed and manifest states, transformations and adaptations are also different. The Dao takes spontaneity as its principle; the Buddha takes causes and conditions (hetu-pratyaya) as its meaning. Spontaneity is accomplished through wuwei (non-action); causes and conditions are realized only through accumulated practice. For this reason, the Hīnayāna sets forth the ladder of the four fruits, and the Mahāyāna reveals the ranks of the ten stages; from the ordinary to the true, there is complete scriptural evidence. We do not know about the four fruits and ten stages listed by the Daoists: their names are identical to those of the Buddha, yet no explanation has been seen of their sequences of cultivation. Furthermore, in what Daoists cultivate, some inhale qi to soar to the heavens, some drink water to realize the Dao, some hear the Dharma to fly into the sky, and some ingest herbs to undergo corpse deliverance. Since their practices and karmas are different, the principles of their realized fruits must be different. Some speak of the Nine Heavens; some of thirty-six thousand; some of eighty-one heavens; some of sixty Great Brahmās; some of thirty-six heavens; some of thirty-two sovereigns; some of twenty-eight heavens; some of twenty-four sovereigns; some of eighteen heavens; some of the Heavenly Kings of the Ninefold Truth; some of the Heavenly Lords of the Nine Qis; some of the six heavens of the desire realm; some of the Qi Lords of the Four Directions; some of the Three Primes and Three Heavens; some of the Heavenly Ministries of the Nine Palaces; some of the Great Existence of Jade Clarity; some of the Purple Tenuity Palace of the Mysterious Metropolis; some of the Supreme Ultimate of the Three Sovereigns. Such categories are briefly listed by their titles. We do not know whether these heavens are identical or distinct, layered or horizontal, high or low, empty or real; what karmic practices one cultivates to be able to ascend, or what herbs one ingests to obtain rebirth—the sequence of causes and conditions has never been explained. Therefore, looking at what they do, observing their motives, and examining what they rest in, their false sentiments become evident.

8.38

Error of Claiming Unreleased Daoist Scriptures Are Released

8.39

According to the general catalogue of all scriptures submitted by the Daoist masters of Xuandu Abbey, they based their copying and submission on what was compiled by Lu Xiujing of the Song dynasty. Examining Xiujing's old catalogue, it notes that the Shangqing scriptures comprise one hundred and eighty-six fascicles, of which one hundred and seventeen fascicles were already circulating in the world, while forty works from the Shiqing downward, totaling sixty-nine fascicles, were not yet circulating in the world. Examining the present scripture catalogue, they all claim that these are currently extant. Xiujing's scripture catalogue also says that the Dongxuan scriptures comprise thirty-six fascicles, of which twenty-one fascicles were already circulating in the world, while eleven works from the Greater and Lesser Kalpas downward, totaling fifteen fascicles, were still concealed in the celestial palace and not yet released. Examining the present scripture catalogue, all of them are annotated as currently extant. Lu Xiujing was a person of the time of Emperor Ming of the Song dynasty. In the seventh year of the Taishi era, he submitted this scripture catalogue pursuant to an imperial decree. Xiujing annotated that they were concealed in the celestial palace and not yet released into the world. In the some two hundred years since then, we have not heard of heavenly beings descending, nor have we seen Daoist masters ascending to heaven; we do not know whence these scriptures came. Formerly, Wencheng fed a cow with a written message and falsely claimed that Queen Mother [of the West]'s mandate had arrived; and the Huangting and Yuanyang scriptures replaced the Buddha with the Dao. Zhang Ling fabricated the Lingbao scriptures, which only first appeared in the Chiwu era of Wu, and the Shangqing originated from Ge Xuan, circulating only between the Song and the Qi dynasties. Bao Jing fabricated the Sanhuang jing; when the matter was exposed at the time, it was suppressed. Wencheng was executed in the Han dynasty; the Bao clan was exterminated in times past. Today's scholars still follow in their footsteps—how truly lamentable! The biography of Liu Yan in the Han History states that Zhang Lu's grandfather, Ling, was a guest in Shu during the time of Emperor Huan, studying the Dao in the Heming Mountains, and fabricated talismans and writings to delude the common people. Those who received his Dao contributed five pecks of rice, so they were called 'rice thieves.' Ling transmitted it to his son Heng, Heng became the Successor Master, and Heng transmitted it to his son Lu, who became the Inheriting Master; they were called the Three Masters. Those who came to study under them were initially called 'ghost troops,' and later called 'libationers' (jijiu). Gathering vile followers, they repeatedly engaged in illegitimate actions. The wives of the three men were called the Three Mistresses. Ling was bitten by a python, and his disciples were also sequentially devoured by snakes, yet all claimed to have 'ascended to heaven in broad daylight.' Such fraudulent and monstrous fabrications are made clear in the historical records. Examining the Book of Yao, it says: 'From ancient times down to Fu and Yao, all assemblies of monks were called

8.40

Error of Daoist Masters Merging Qis

8.41

The Rules for the Perfected Ones' Inner Audience states: "The Perfected One said: 'According to the ritual regulations, on the days of the new moon and full moon, men and women first fast for three days, then enter for audience with the master, entering the private chamber. Approaching the master, they establish merit and virtue. Yin and yang advance together; when the command allows it, they finish establishing merit and exit. Throughout the six periods of the day and night, they constantly establish merit and virtue.'" Furthermore, examining the Inner Ritual of the Perfected Ones, the Daoist Rules for Inner Attendants states: "One must not lose the sequence of inner attendance; one must not covet outer paths and lose the teaching of central governance; one must not be fond of external intercourse and lose the ritual of inner cultivation; one must not be fond of being in front and lose the practice of inner refinement. Laozi said: 'My master taught me the Golden Elixir Scripture, / causing me to single-mindedly cultivate the jade stalk. / [At counts of] three, five, seven, and nine, return the yin essence; / breathing in the jade pool, enter the mysterious darkness; / practicing the Dao halfway through, maintain it and ascend to the Grand Clarity.'" It also says: "Laozi said: 'My master taught me to penetrate the master's essence; / gathering to ingest the golden elixir, ascend to the Grand Clarity. / I practice three and five, stay at seven and nine; / breathing into the Grand Mystery at the mouth of the life gate, / firmly guard the jade pool and pay homage to the Mother of the Dao.'" Chisongzi said: "My master taught me the Golden Elixir Scripture, / causing me to single-mindedly cultivate the jade stalk. / [At counts of] three, five, seven, and nine, return the yin essence; / breathing in the jade pool, enter the mysterious city; / circulating qi halfway through, maintain it and ascend to the Grand Clarity." Furthermore, the Rules for Visiting the Master's Home to Practice the Dao in the Inner Ritual of the Perfected Ones says: "Circulate qi in order and do not follow your own wishes. Do not cast aside the ugly to approach the fair, or intercept and skip the order." Furthermore, the Rules of Ritual for Daoist Masters states: "Xuanzi said: 'Without conflict or perversity, one can cross over from the world; without jealousy, one can be delivered from the world. When yin and yang harmonize, one rides a dragon and departs.' Chisongzi said: 'Wood ascends as an immortal, opening the life gate; / the Perfected One's Purple Mansion opens the intestinal portal.'"

8.42

Zhen Luan laughed and said: "Formerly, when I was twenty years of age, my mind delighted in the arts of the Dao. Approaching the various Daoist masters, I first practiced the Yellow Book's path of uniting qi in three, five, seven, and nine, and the sexual intercourse of men and women. With four eyes, four nostrils, two mouths, two tongues, and four hands, making their minds face yin and yang directly, they practiced the Dao by modeling on the number of the twenty-four qi. The true secret lies in the cinnabar field. They took prohibition and secrecy as urgent, never leaking it on the roads, and forbade mutual jealousy. Practitioners would have all calamities eradicated, were called True Persons, crossing beyond the world and extending their years. Trading husbands and swapping wives, they put lust above all else; fathers and elder brothers stood before them without any sense of shame. They proclaimed this to be the true art of the central qi. Nowadays, Daoist masters among the people constantly practice this method; their seeking the Dao through this is something I cannot accept."

8.43

Narrating the Errors Concerning the Heavenly Worthy and His Traces of Transformation

8.44

The Lingbao zhihui dingzhi tongwei jing states: 'In a past life, the Heavenly Worthy was a person of the Dao, surnamed Yue and named Jingxin. Due to making offerings to a Daoist master, he was able to become a Heavenly Worthy.' As for the True Person of the Right Mystery, who in a past life gave monks wealth, cloth, food, and drink and has now become a True Person—this too is untenable. Why? The Dao has ten titles, all of which are spontaneous, responsive transformations. The Heavenly Worthy was born before Heaven; he was not obtained through karmic actions. Originally having neither father nor mother and not receiving the yin and yang, how could he have cultivated causes in the past and now become the Ultimate? Their self-contradiction and fabrication can be known from this. If he were indeed born of a clan, why is it not recorded in the chronicles? The Lingbao duming jing states: 'The Heavenly Worthy journeyed along the banks of the West River and sat above the Ruoshui. His mouth emitted light of five colours, universally illuminating all heavens and the four quarters. The frontier lands universally saw this radiance, and young and old, men and women, all went to bow their heads. From his mouth the Heavenly Worthy emitted five chapters of True Talismans, proclaiming them to men and women.' Now let us examine this briefly. Why is this so? The Divine Province of the Red County is where great men reside; its cities and settlements have a vast population. If the Heavenly Worthy's mind were sincere, he should be impartial. Why did he travel far to frontier lands and abandon China close at hand? Was it because his divine power did not reach so far, or was it that the people of the Xia were inferior and incapable of being converted? Even granting their inferiority, they should not be inferior to those frontier barbarians. Since the frontier barbarians received his sagely power, when turning toward the Central Lands, why did he not send down his benevolent light and manifest his virtue? If he could not come here, then he possesses no numinous efficacy; this is merely constructing empty talk, resulting in fallacious arguments. Lately, merchants travelling back and forth and foreign envoys passing through all know nothing of this, with completely no trace or trail of it. The Zhihui zuigen jing states: 'One must not despise the master, disdain the Dharma, or arrogantly mock the Three Jewels.' The twelfth precept states: 'One must not steal Buddhist sūtras to falsely proclaim them as essentials of the Dao.'

8.45

The Twelve Gate Treatise states:
Silently merging with the true limit,
Quietly roaming the river of wisdom.
Once entering the ocean of the Mahāyāna,
Who could measure how many thousand kalpas it is?
Soaring beyond the three realms,
With a compassionate mind escaping the net of the world.

8.46

The Buddha is the school of no-mind,
Yet also the cause of all existent things.
Establishing merit has no fixed master;
The fundamental vow depends on each individual.
With an open mind rescuing all varieties of beings,
Universal love is fundamentally equal.

8.47

The Error of Taking the Various Philosophers to be Daoist Scriptures

8.48

Examining the scriptures of the Xuandu Abbey, they claim that the records, talismans, diagrams, and treatises of the Daoists amount to a total of 6,363 fascicles. Of these, 2,040 fascicles currently exist as physical copies, calculated to require 40,054 sheets of paper. Of these, 1,156 fascicles are Daoist scriptures, chronicles, talismans, and diagrams; and 884 fascicles are treatises of the various philosophers and the like. As for the remaining 4,323 fascicles, upon opening and examining the catalogue presented by the Daoist master Lu Xiujing in reply to Emperor Ming of the Song, neither the catalogue nor the physical texts are to be seen today.

8.49

The Yangsheng jing, one work in ten fascicles (compiled by Pengzu); the Shenxian zhuan, one work in ten fascicles (compiled by Ge Hong, Baopuzi); the Liexian zhuan, one work in ten fascicles (compiled by Liu Xiang); the Yi-Xia lun, one work in five fascicles (compiled by the Daoist master Gu Huan); the Zhuangzi, one work in seventeen fascicles (originating with Zhuang Zhou, compiled by Ge Hong); the Baopuzi, one work in twenty fascicles (authored by Ge Hong); the Guangchengzi, one work in four fascicles (compiled by Duke Shangluo); the Yinwenzi, one work in two fascicles (compiled by Liu Xin); the Huainanzi, one work in twenty fascicles (authored by Liu An, King of Huainan of the Han); the Wenzi, one work in eleven fascicles (authored by Wen Yang); the Liezi, one work in eight fascicles (authored by Lie Yukou); the Baopuzi fushi fang, one work in four fascicles (compiled and recorded by Ge Hong); the Cuiwenzi jing, one work in seven fascicles (authored by Cui Wenzi); the Guiguzi jing, one work in thirteen fascicles (authored by Master Guigu); the Fushi jinji jing, one work in five fascicles; the Huangdi longshou jing, one work in five fascicles (expounded by the Dark Lady, the Sovereign Person, and others); the Zhilian wushi, one work in eight fascicles; the Guaiyi zhi, one work in twelve fascicles; the Xingli zhaishe fa, one work in five fascicles; the Taixuan jing jing, one fascicle; the Anmo jing, one fascicle; the Zhibing jing, one fascicle; the Shuo yinyang jing, one fascicle; the Riyue mingjing jing, one fascicle; the Cuiwenzi zhouhou jing, one fascicle; the Taozhu bianhua shu jing, one fascicle (authored by Master Taozhu); the Pengzu ji jing, one fascicle; the Yangxing jing, one fascicle (miscellaneously produced by Pengzu and others); the Dingxin jing, one fascicle; the Guigu xiansheng bianhua lei jing, one fascicle; the Shi Kuang wei Xigongzi shouyao jing, one fascicle; the Jiugong shigui xu jing, one fascicle; the Daoyin tu, one work in one fascicle; the Hetu wen, one work in nine fascicles (compiled by He Chengtian and others); the Zhicao tu jing, one fascicle; the Zhicao tu, six fascicles; the Zouyangzi jing, one fascicle; the Jiangduwang sisheng, one work in two fascicles; the Daode xuanyi, thirty-three fascicles (compiled by Meng Zhizhou); the Biran lun, one fascicle; the Rongyin lun, one fascicle; the Suitong lun, one fascicle; the Guigen lun, one fascicle; the Mingfa lun, one fascicle; the Ziran yinyuan lun, one fascicle; the Wufu lun, one fascicle; the Sanmen lun, one fascicle.

8.50

The above eight treatises were authored by Lu Xiujing.

8.51

The scriptural catalogues presented by the Daoist masters all state that they rely on the list compiled by Lu Xiujing of the Song. Examining Xiujing's catalogue, one finds scriptures, medical formulas, talismans, diagrams, and so forth, totalling 1,228 fascicles; originally there were no titles of miscellaneous books or the various philosophers. Yet what the Daoist masters list today amounts to 2,040 fascicles. Among them, they largely take titles from the 'Treatise on Arts and Writings' of the Book of Han, falsely annotating 884 fascicles as Daoist scriptures and treatises. Judging by this situation, it is truly bizarre in principle! Why? If texts like Han Feizi, Mengzi, and Huainanzi all discuss matters of the Dao; and furthermore, if the formulas of the eight elders for gold and silver, the transformation arts of Taozhu, the talismans for overturning heaven and inverting earth, the methods for warding off soldiers and killing ghosts, as well as medical recipes and incantations can all become Daoist scriptures, then could the Lianshan, the Guicang, the Zhoulin, the Taixuan, the Yellow Emperor's Golden Coffer, Duke Taigong's Yin Talisman, the books on yin and yang, the diagrams of dwellings for the five surnames, the seventy-two books on burial, and so forth, also become Daoist scriptures? Upon examination, Xiujing's catalogue contains none of the aforesaid kinds. Now assembling them arbitrarily, on what basis do they proceed? The Xiaodao lun states: 'They falsely annotated 350 fascicles of the various philosophers as Daoist scriptures.' If they had an authority to rely on, why are the annotated listings inconsistent between earlier and later accounts? Moreover, when people have evils, they fear others will know of them; if one possesses good, one worries others will not see it. Therefore, the Daoists' own writings state: 'Those who have not received the Daoist precepts must not chant and read [them].' If Daoist scriptures are of such a nature, what shameful thing is there in the Dao that they fear people will know? If, as the Daoists annotate, the various philosophers are taken as Daoist scriptures, should all the various philosophers among the people be requisitioned into their fold? Examining Taozhu, he is Fan Li. Fan Li personally served King Goujian of Yue, and both ruler and minister were imprisoned in the Wu hall, eating feces and drinking urine—an extreme humiliation! Furthermore, Fan Li's son was executed in Qi. Since the father possessed the arts of transformation, why was he unable to transform and rescue him? Examining the Record of the Creation of Heaven and Earth, it claims Laozi was conceived in the womb of King You's queen, which makes him the son of King You; and being himself the Astrologer of the Pillar, he was also King You's minister. The Huahu jing states that Laozi was Dongfang Shuo under the Han. If it were truly so, knowing that King You would be killed by the Quanrong, could he not have loved his ruler and father and given him a divine talisman to prevent his ruler and father from dying? Furthermore, Emperor Wu of the Han exhausted his armies and impoverished the Central Lands, reducing the households of the realm by more than half. How could Laozi bear not giving him his talismans to ward off soldiers? Verified by this, how erroneous are these formulas of incantation! How erroneous! The catalogue of scriptures of the Xuandu Abbey states that Daoist scriptures, records, talismans, diagrams, and treatises total 6,363 fascicles, of which 2,040 fascicles already exist as physical copies in circulation, and the remaining 4,323 fascicles point to Lu Xiujing's catalogue. Since there are no genuine texts, how extreme is this error! Indeed, Xiujing's making of the catalogue was already a great fabrication; today's Xuandu catalogue is a fabrication of fabrications.

8.52

Chapter 11: Successive Dynastic Transmission

8.53

Daoism lacks Vajra, Guhyapada, and lions
Buddhist and Laozi's bodily appearances and clothing differ
Daoist seasonal festivals
Bells and banners differ
Names of utensils differ
Not fitting to circumambulate the city
Performing morning audience according to Dharma
Request to establish a scriptural catalogue
Xuandu and Donghua are not abbeys
Emperor Wu of the Liang's edict renouncing Daoism

8.54

Daoism Lacks Vajra, Guhyapada, and Lions

8.55

According to the Daoist Treatise on the Four Views (Sixian lun), there are in total twenty-one major topics: the first is Introduction; the second is Listing of Names; the third is Explaining Names; the fourth is Distinguishing Colours; the fifth is Cosmic Breath and Numbers; the sixth is Distance in Li; the seventh is Number of Layers; the eighth is Variant Names; the ninth is Manifestation of Essence; the tenth is Quantity; the eleventh is Differences and Sameness; the twelfth is Extensive Exposition; the thirteenth is Increase and Decrease; the fourteenth is Coarse and Subtle; the fifteenth is the Three Bonds; the sixteenth is the Seven Evils; the seventeenth is Mounting the Kalpas; the eighteenth is Lifespan; the nineteenth is Concrete Phenomena; the twentieth is the Five Sacred Peaks; and the twenty-first is Questions and Answers. They collectively illuminate the thirty-six heavens of the Daoists. From the initial Huangzeng Heaven up to the Unsurpassed Daluo Heaven, they describe fully the palaces, pavilions, golden gates, jade cities, jeweled trees, jasper branches, auspicious fowl, and propitious birds arrayed within the places where the various heavens and Daoist deities dwell. There are only immortal youths and jade maidens attending upon the Supreme Lord. Originally there was no vajra spirit, nor is there seen any image of a secret-traces mighty athlete (guhyapada-malla). Furthermore, according to Daoist works such as the Inner Chapters of the Mysterious Marvel, the Rules of the Great Perfected, the Stanzas on the Vitalizing Spirits of the Nine Heavens, the Chart of Primal Completion, the Biography of the Unsurpassed Perfected, the Chart of the Divine Immortals of the Five Sacred Peaks, the Biography of Qingxu, the Biography of the Immortal Lord of the Left, the Statutes of Xuandu, the Sovereign Stanzas of Jasper Writing, the Concealed Instructions for Ascending to Perfection, the Various Scriptures of the Taiping True Code, the Inward Sounds for Chanting to the Heavens, the Concealed Book of Great Xiao, and the Unsurpassed True Scripture—in none of these is there a spirit of a vajra mighty athlete. According to the Scripture of the True Dharma of the Three Heavens, the Sūtra on Foreign Releases, the Scripture of the Jade Weft, the Scripture on the Three Paths in Proper Course, the Scripture of Cavern Mystery, the Scripture of Cavern Spirit, the Scripture of Cavern Perfection, the Scripture of the Numinous Book, the Scripture of the Mysterious Elixir, the Scripture of the Great Precepts on Observing the Body, the Scripture of Fixed Aspiration, the Scripture of Salvation, and the Scripture of Precious Mystery—all fully describe the Capital of the Great Mystery, the Province of Jade Light, the Commandery of Golden Perfection, the County of Heavenly Treasures, the Township of Primal Brightness, the Hamlet of Fixed Aspiration, the Golden Gate, the Jade Capital, as well as the Qingling Palace, the Jizhen Palace, and the Ziyang Palace, which are all the seats of the venerable spirits of the Daoists. There are only qilin, phoenixes, white sparrows, red ospreys, kun-fowls, numinous swans, crimson crows, green birds, and the like, spread out amidst the parks and scattered within the palace terraces; neither is there any vajra spirit nor any image of a secret-traces mighty athlete. As for the Daoist masters today who alter the name 'Vajra' (Jingang) to 'Tiangang': according to Master Cao's Scripture of the Taiyi Divination Board, when the Yellow Emperor encountered the chaotic age of Chiyou, there was a divine woman who understood the nodes of opening and closing of yin and yang, so as to comprehend the degrees of revolution of the celestial ladle, master the portents of the flexing and extending of the six jia, and fathom the responses of waxing and waning of ghosts and spirits, thereby calculating heaven and earth and exhausting the essence into the subtle. Therefore she established the sun, moon, stars, constellations, four seasons, five elements, six pitch-pipes, seven mutations, eight solar terms, nine halls, and twelve earthly branches. Above, titles were established with divine generals; below, names were given by day-branches. The month was defined by the lunar conjunction, and the branch was defined by the breath of the month's established spirit. The one named Tiangang is the spirit of the eighth month, when the month is established in You. This signifies that all things are strong and firm; stems and leaves have formed ears of grain, solid and hard, so it is called Tiangang ('Heavenly Ridge'). The various books all state that Tiangang is the name of a monthly general; it is not a Daoist spirit. As for the Inner Scripture of the Cavern Chamber having a Scripture of the Divine Dhāraṇī of the Vajra Mighty Athlete, claiming there are thirty trillion secret-traces mighty athletes, this is entirely reckless talk.

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辯正論 — Classical Chinese