北山錄 3
English (machine translation) 3
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Contents
3.1
Chapter 5: Uniting Hegemons and Kings (Clarifying the successive emperors and rulers of the Western Regions and the Han land, and the encounters of śramaṇas with contemporary monarchs regarding their flourishing and decline, etc.)
3.2.1
At the beginning of the kalpa, the multitudinous people together fed on grain (the text notes: "'Multitudinous' means the masses. 'Together' means with one another. Once the fertility of the earth was exhausted, natural non-glutinous rice appeared"). When the fragrant rice was exhausted, they divided the land and cultivated it (the text notes: "Cultivation means management. As people encroached upon and seized [grain], they divided the fields and managed them individually"). To safeguard the territorial boundaries, King Mahāsammata was established (the text notes: "Sammata: he was the king of the settlements; fearing that the strong would encroach and plunder, they established one man as king, paid him taxes and tribute, and made him the ruler of the people"). The various classes respectfully submitted to him, and his kindness flowed across all the land. Double brilliance succeeded the dynastic line, and his lineage ruled in Tianzhu for generations (the text notes: "Fathers and sons succeeded one another as rulers of Tianzhu"), down to Śuddhodana, numbering altogether over eighty-four thousand two hundred and sixty kings. (The Āgama Sūtra states: "In the past there was a king named Ikṣvāku. He had four sons by concubines: the first was named Zhaomu, the second Lianmu, the third Tiaofuxiang, and the fourth Nilouchong. All were intelligent, divinely martial, and possessed great prestige and virtue. The principal queen had a son named Sheng, who was foolish, petty, ugly, and despised by everyone. The queen, fearing the four sons would usurp his position, slandered them to the king and urged him to banish them permanently. The king then commanded the four sons to leave the country at once. Thereupon, the mighty men and all the people wished to follow them. They reached the Himalayas and dwelt in an śāka forest. Within a few years, people flocked to their virtue like a marketplace, and it became a powerful kingdom. The father longed to see them, but when summoned, they would not come. The father sighed three times: 'My sons are capable!' For this reason, the clan was named Śākya." The Āgama Sūtra states: "The śāka forest provided the clan name, hence there is the Śākya clan; 'śāka' is the name of a tree.") After King Ikṣvāku, there was a king named Mahā-Kalyāṇa; for seven generations they held the Gautama clan name. (The text notes: "Long ago, there was a king whose parents died early. He yielded the kingdom to his younger brother, renounced the throne, and sought the Path. He met a brāhmaṇa surnamed Gautama and followed him to study the Path. The brāhmaṇa said: 'You should take off your royal garments, dress as I do, and receive the Gautama surname.' He was called the Lesser Gautama Bodhisattva.") After King Ulkāmukha, there was a king named Nilouchong; for five generations they held the Śākya clan name. (The text notes: "King Nilou begot King Ulkāmukha. King Ulkāmukha became the ruler of Kapilavastu and begot King Qutouluo. King Qutouluo begot King Shixiuluo. King Shixiuluo begot four sons: first, King Śuddhodana; second, King Śuklodana; third, King Droṇodana; and fourth, King Amṛtodana. King Śuddhodana was the father of the Buddha.") When the Great Being, having cultivated the primary and secondary marks for a hundred kalpas (the text notes: "A bodhisattva practices for three asaṃkhyeya kalpas up to the vajropama-samādhi; then for a hundred kalpas cultivates the primary and secondary marks, for a thousand kalpas studies the deportments, and for ten thousand kalpas studies conversion and practice"), observed where he should be born, none compared to the kṣatriyas and brāhmaṇas. Yet the position of the kṣatriyas was exalted (the text notes: "In Sanskrit, 'kṣatriya'; here translated as 'lord of the soil and fields', which is the royal caste"), while the virtue of the brāhmaṇas was honored (the text notes: "The correct Sanskrit is 'brāhmaṇa'; here translated as 'purely restrained'. They are the descendants of Brahmā; only the Five Indias have them, while other countries do not. Serving as teachers to kings, their virtue is thus honored"). However, in the turbidity and degeneration of the kalpa, virtue could not outweigh status; thus I was not born among the brāhmaṇas. Although insignificant lands lacked kṣatriyas (the text notes: "'Insignificant' means absent"), the lineage of none was as long-lasting as that of the Śākyas (the text notes: "Because from King Mahāsammata to King Śuddhodana there were over eighty-four thousand two hundred and sixty kings"). The remaining two castes were lowly and base; had he been born there, it would not have stopped people's slander, and therefore the Great Sage was not born among them. (The text notes: "To stop means to cover up. The two castes refer to: first, vaiśya, translated here as 'seated merchants', named thus because ordinary people among them possessed much wealth; second, śūdra, also called shuduo, meaning agriculturalists and servants.") The territory of the Five Indias encompasses over ninety thousand li, bordered on three sides by the great sea and backed in the north by the Himalayas. There are eight great kingdoms, sixteen great cities, and over seventy small kingdoms. At that time, there was no Cakravartin ruling over them, and they followed the mandates of the hegemonic states (the text notes: "Had there been a Cakravartin, the small states would all have submitted to him. Since there was no Cakravartin at that time, only the strong became hegemons"), just as during the Spring and Autumn period in the central lands of the Xia, when the royal way declined and the feudal lords were controlled by Huan and Wen (the text notes: "In the Zhou, after King You was killed, King Ping moved eastward to Luoyi, and the feudal lords were able to conduct military expeditions on their own authority, such as Duke Wen of Jin and Duke Huan of Qi"), and rites, music, and punitive expeditions did not emanate from a single person (the text notes: "In antiquity, the institution of rites, the creation of music, and punitive expeditions had to originate from the Son of Heaven. Thereafter, usurpation became rampant, and they did not proceed from a single man"). Magadha was a great kingdom (the text notes: "Translated here as 'unreached', because the generals of this country were brave and the soldiers resourceful, so the armies of neighboring rivals could not reach it. It has a circumference of five thousand li; few people live in cities, while many registered households dwell in villages. The fertile soil nurtures agriculture. There is fragrant rice with coarse grains and extraordinary flavor, called 'rice offered to great persons' by the locals. The ground is low and damp; cities and states dwell in marketplaces; the customs are pure and simple, and the weather is mild"), situated on the sea's edge. King Bimbisāra was its ruler (the text notes: "That is Bimbisāra; translated here as 'handsome of countenance'; he was the father of King Ajātaśatru"), head of the assembly of lords. Rājagṛha was the site of the sublime assembly for the gathering of the Dharma, representing the convergence of myriad streams toward the court. (The text notes: "Rājagṛha; Sanskrit Kuśāgrapura; translated here as 'City of Superior Kuśa Grass', because it produces the finest kuśa grass. In the center of Magadha, long ago due to a fire, people moved outside to live here and subsequently walled it into dwellings. Later, King Aśoka moved his residence to Pāṭaliputra; here only a thousand households of brāhmaṇas remained.") Vulture Peak was the deep storehouse of the multitude of sages, rising high above the surrounding peaks. (The text notes: "Kusumapura, being a mountain citadel, is close to Rājagṛha. Although there are five mountains, this mountain is uniquely superior, tall and prominent. Thus it symbolizes surpassing the Two Vehicles. Many vultures nest here, hence the name Vulture Peak.") Ajātaśatru, in aspiring to ascend to power (the text notes: "'Grand' means great; 'ascend' means to rise; 'power' means function; to greatly ascend to function means to become ruler"), ruined his reputation by parricide; although he possessed merits, they are not worth extolling (the text notes: "Plotting with Devadatta to commit parricide, he imprisoned and killed King Bimbisāra, and drew a sword to pursue his mother Vaidehī and others"). When it came to King Aśoka, the great enterprise flourished in the middle period; his awe-inspiring power reached the ocean's shores, and his might rivaled that of an Iron-Wheel King, though he did not fully embody it (the text notes: "'Rivalling' means equal to; 'embody' means attain. Though his might equaled that of an Iron-Wheel King, he was not an actual Iron-Wheel King. He was the great-grandson of King Bimbisāra"). In the beginning, he constructed a hell modeled upon the scriptures (the text notes: "'Modeled upon' means to emulate and learn from"), with high walls and deep moats, where molten iron scalded and ran, and people were seized and cast within.
3.2.2
Although of old there were disembowellings, amputations, boilings, and burnings, none surpassed this cruelty (in ancient times, King Zhou of Shang disembowelled pregnant women, severed the shins of morning-waders, instituted the punishment of the roasting pillar, burned and roasted the loyal and good, and cut out the hearts of worthy men; yet if compared to this, they were not yet extreme). Coveting valour to foster evil, he could surpass [all in] vicious virtue (beneath the Southern Mountain there was a man so ferocious and evil that he was fit to be an executioner-jailer; when summoned, his parents did not consent, so he killed them and came). Meeting one who had attained the Way, who transformed him through spiritual powers, he hastily reformed his errors (at first, all criminals in the realm who violated the law, whether light or heavy, were plunged into misery; later, anyone passing near the prison was seized and executed. At that time, a śramaṇa went round the neighbourhood begging for food; the prison guard seized and took him in. Terrified, the śramaṇa begged to worship and repent for seven days. Suddenly he saw a man brought in bound, his hands and feet severed, his body torn to pieces. Having seen this, he felt profound sorrow and grief, cultivated the contemplation of impermanence, and attained the fruit of an arhat [aśaikṣa]. Although cast into a boiling cauldron, he was as if in a clear pool, with a great lotus blossom as his seat. Hearing of this, the king rushed to observe it, profoundly praising the divine assistance. He later killed the prison warden and thereupon abolished the prison). The Venerable Gupta further enlightened and guided him through cause and effect (Gupta refers to "opening"; Guiding refers to "leading on the Way"; the Fifth Patriarch Upagupta opened and guided him by means of cause and effect). Reflecting deeply, his dread increased; looking back in contemplation, he sought to make amends. Thereupon he opened the urns of the eight kings and erected eighty thousand wondrous stūpas (after the prison was abolished, Gupta daily increased his skillful guidance, extensively expounding the karmic cause of offering earth and the Tathāgata's former prophecy of the merit of erecting stūpas; he then assembled spirits and gods, uniting their strength and mind, using the relics collected by the eight kingdoms together; he commanded the spirits and gods that when the appointed day arrived, the sun would be eclipsed in the shape of a hand; at midday, when it was fitting to deposit the relics, the arhat stretched forth his hand to block the sun, and the construction was thus completed). Because of the merit of offering earth, this king was exalted in stature and lofty in rank, yet he went so far as to indulge [evil]. Mahādeva expelled the worthy and holy, thereby causing the Saṅgha to divide into two schools (after Mahādeva entered the palace, he daily received favour and patronisation; on the night of the prātimokṣa recitation he disputed with the monks, and King Aśoka sided with him; thus it divided into the two schools of the Mahāsāṃghika and Sthavira). When the Buddha's Dharma was first fractured, although the primary culprit and great scourge did not originate with the king himself, nevertheless, as a ruler he was peculiarly devoid of foresight, and thus he cannot escape sharing the guilt in his own person (from this point on, the Dharma diverged from its single flavour. "Primary" means the head; "scourge" means resentment. It was because the sovereign could not determine guilt and correct wrongs that this fault occurred). To the north of Shendu (Du has the sound of "du" in the Han texts; that is to say, India; or called Xian-gen, which in the Tang language means "moon"; the moon has one thousand names; living beings drift and cycle endlessly in the long night, and the holy and worthy transform and guide creatures just as the moon illuminates the night; for this reason that land was named) lies the kingdom of Gandhāra (that is, North India; five hundred li from Magadha; without frost or snow; its people love practicing arts and honour non-Buddhists; it is the birthplace of Asanga and Vasubandhu). Its king was named Kaniṣka (four hundred years after the Buddha's nirvāṇa). Hegemonic yet possessing propriety, broadly knowledgeable yet capable of faith, he took the Arhat Pārśva as his model and master (The Record of the Transmission of the Dharma Treasury says: The bhikṣu Pārśva throughout his life never lay down, his ribs never touching the mat; contemporaries called him Venerable Pārśva). He compiled and refined the agreements and differences in the principles and doctrines of the various schools, and composed the Mahāvibhāṣā (in two hundred fascicles). Although states have kings and every age has monks, to abide in faith and practice faith—this is called not being fawning (glibness of speech is called "fawning"; for the ruler of a state to dwell in loyalty and faith and practice reverent faith is called not being flattery and fawning. The king at first did not believe in guilt and merit; while hunting he saw two cowherd boys building a stūpa; when he questioned them, they said: "The Buddha prophesied that here a king would enshrine my relics"; the great king's past planting of roots having matched this, he thereupon gave rise to faith and deeply revered the Buddha's Dharma). Clergy and laity made use of it, and the great undertaking was gloriously acclaimed (the people of the Western Lands, both monks and laity, all study this treatise). In recent times, King Harṣa is next to him (King Harṣa was the king of Magadha at the beginning of the Tang dynasty; "subordinate" means next). In the Zhou and Qin eras, the source of truth was distantly obstructed, and the spiritual ford was long barred. The sovereigns were at odds with the Way, and the court did not promote the worthy; Boyang and Nifu met with no recognition (in the Zhou and Qin eras, although Confucius and Laozi were great worthies, neither was employed). Shang Yang and Li Si gave free rein to their cruelty (they were both violent and cruel ministers, and neither met a natural death). And the lineage of the Śākya was prudent regarding such tribulations, and therefore did not arrive (that Buddhism did not arrive was because it knew the tribulations of the tyrannical Qin; however, transformation through resonance has its proper time and cannot be forced). Furthermore, the Han inherited the decay of the Qin, winning all under heaven on horseback; relying on the power of heroes, the imperial enterprise was accomplished (Emperor Gaozu of Han grasped a three-foot sword to win all under heaven). Thus, when discussing merits, [the generals] all drew their swords and whispered in pairs; Gaozu was troubled by this (in the fifth year of Han, after the battle of Gaixia, when he was about to enfeoff for merits, the generals vied with each other, drawing their swords and whispering in pairs; Gaozu, because Yong Chi had once shot at him and was an enemy, enfeoffed him first; when the generals knew there was hope, they settled down). For this reason, Shusun Tong summoned the scholars of Lu to establish the rituals for the imperial audience. Looking up to the emperor's carriage, not one of the hundred officials failed to tremble in awe; this checked the abuses of that time, thereby elevating the majesty of the Lord of Ten Thousand Chariots (this was to venerate the Son of Heaven and restrain the feudal lords). Thus the Grand Emperor bowed in return (he was Gaozu's father), and the House Steward received gifts; claiming it to be a hegemonic enterprise, he bequeathed his designs to his descendants. In the ways of emperors and kings, honoring a teacher and abasing propriety [before him] was something not yet heard of (previously, when Shusun Tong and others instituted Han rituals, they had not yet seen the matter of respecting a teacher, valuing the Way, and humbling propriety to act as a subject). Now, the Yellow Emperor asked after the Way from Guangcheng (Xuanyuan asked after the Way from Guangchengzi), and Yao of Tang followed the wind to Juci (King Yao paid homage to the Master of Juci; both appear in the Nanhuai Zhenjing); were these not matters of the most exalted? When it came to the restoration of the Han house, Emperor Zhuang shone brightly (the second ruler of the Later Han, Emperor Ming, was named Zhuang; "brightly" means clearly). [Envoys] were received at the Court of State Ceremonial and handled by the Minister of Ceremonies (when Kaśyapa Mātanga and others arrived from the Western Lands, they were lodged at the Court of State Ceremonial or overseen by the Minister of Ceremonies). Hence Zhi Qian and An Qing (Zhi Qian was an upāsaka of the Yuezhi kingdom, courtesy name Gongming; at the end of the Han he traveled to Luoyang and received instruction from Zhi Liang; Liang had received it from Lokakṣema; contemporaries said that comprehensive learning under heaven did not exceed the three Zhis; An Qing's courtesy name was Shigao; he was a prince of Parthia who renounced the throne to leave the household, arriving here in the first year of Yuanjia under Emperor Huan of Han)—though their virtue was esteemed among the black-robed clergy, they were not treated as teachers and friends by kings and nobles. Although the King of Chu cultivated a shrine to the Benevolent Sage, and Emperor Xiaohuan instituted the sacrifice under the Floriate Canopy (both were Han princes and kings), they merely treated the Buddha as a deity; they did not seek out the persons of the Benevolent Shrine and the Floriate Canopy (they only adorned the ritual vessels). The Wei followed the Han rites, summoning and employing the eccentric and eminent.
3.2.3
"Yet, with the distress of toiling for the royal house and the tripartite division of the realm, how could I have any leisure for the Shrine of Benevolence?" (Cao Cao, styled Mengde, of the Wei, served as chancellor of the Han. Because the Han house was weak and feeble, he held the Son of Heaven hostage to command the feudal lords and plotted to divide hegemony; he had no leisure to exalt and manifest our teaching.) Yet although he was unable to propagate and promote its influence, in the end he did not obscure its way either. (There were also Tripiṭaka masters such as Kang Sengkai and Dharmasatya who arrived and made translations.) At the beginning of the Three Kingdoms, the people of Wu did not yet believe deeply. The Tianzhu śramaṇa Kang Senghui first came to Wu, establishing a foundation and practicing the Way. Sun Quan (styled Zhongmou, who had his capital at Jinling) considered it fraudulent and deviant custom. Summoning Senghui, he rebuked him, saying, (She means to compel; rang means to reprimand. He coerced the śramaṇa and reprimanded him.) "What divine efficacy does the Buddha have, that you alone alter your appearance?" Senghui said, "Although the Buddha's body has perished, his relic-śarīra manifest without limit. The former kings of foreign lands built eighty-four thousand stupas to display his bequeathed transformation." Quan thought he was deceiving him (dai is pronounced dai, meaning deceitful words) and set a term for the relics under threat of severe law and deferred punishment, up to three times seven days. Senghui's disciples were facing death when the relics finally descended: clinking within the dish, their light shone upward to the rainbow. The ruler and ministers of Wu looked at each other and rejoiced, saying, "Supreme indeed is this extraordinary auspicious omen!" They then first established the Jianchu Monastery and named the area Fota Lane. This year was the fourth year of the Chiwu era, altogether more than one hundred and seventy years since the Yongping era. (From the tenth year of the Yongping era, a jiazi year, to the fourth year of the Chiwu era of the Wu, a xinyou year, it was one hundred and seventy-eight years.) The distance between Wu and Luoyang was a thousand [li]; was not the Wu people's knowledge of the Dharma somewhat late? Sun Hao was wildly cruel and unprincipled; the state was about to fall into ruin. At first, he abolished and destroyed illicit shrines, extending this to Buddhist monasteries. His ministers deliberated, saying, "The Buddha's mighty power is not comparable to other gods. Senghui moved the divine realm, and the Great Emperor founded the monastery. If you now lightly abolish it, we fear it will bequeath regrets." Hao's mind did not consider it so, and he sent Zhang Yu to the monastery to interrogate Senghui. Senghui's talent and eloquence were extraordinary; Yu could not get the better of him and reported back to Hao. Hao assembled the dukes, ministers, and lesser officials in great numbers, summoning Senghui with carriage and horses. After he arrived, Hao used forced arguments and ignored reason, seeking to prove that Senghui was inferior to himself. (Hao asked Senghui, saying, "What are the karmic retributions of good and evil explained in the Buddhist teachings?" Senghui said, "When an enlightened ruler instructs the world with filial piety and compassion, the red crow soars and the Old Man Star appears. When his benevolent virtue reaches all things, sweet springs well forth and auspicious grains sprout. As good has its signs, evil can also be verified. For doing evil in secret, ghosts are empowered to punish them; for doing evil in the open, men are empowered to punish them." The king said, "If so, the Duke of Zhou and Confucius have already made this clear." Senghui said, "The Buddhist teachings are vast.") But Senghui's responses were entirely in accord with the style of the Classics and Canons, and his citations harmonized with the counsels of loyal and good men. Hao clearly knew he could not be subdued, so he altered his countenance and treated him with reverence. Therefore, those who govern a state should only be sages, worthies, and gentlemen; as for Hao's capacity and discernment, how petty it was! How could he not become the ruler of a fallen state? Were it not for Senghui's guiding him with morality and righteousness, his wanton evil knowing no bounds, the strife within the household would have stained the purple gates crimson with blood—how could he merely have suffered profound humiliation under the Jin? (Hao, styled Zongyuan, was the son of He and the grandson of Quan. He was originally enfeoffed as the Marquis of Wucheng. After Zhang Bu and others enthroned him, his majesty and cruelty were boundless. He was captured by General Who Subdues the South Du Yu and others. Hao surrendered to the Jin with his hands bound behind his back, entered Luoyang, and was enfeoffed as the Marquis Who Returns to Allegiance; this was the first year of the Taikang era.) Senghui came at the beginning of the Chiwu era; at the end of the Tianji era, when Hao surrendered, he passed away before the winter sacrifice. (From the fourth year of the Chiwu era, a xinyou year, when he arrived in Wu, to the fourth year of the Tianji era, a gengzi year, when Hao surrendered, it was thirty-nine years. In the winter, Senghui passed away in Wu.) He began with the rise of the state and ended with its annihilation. (Jian means extinction.) How could the countrymen's admiration of Hao surpass their admiration of Senghui? (He means 'how'; yu means 'to surpass'.) When the virtue of Earth waned, the cauldrons moved to the Jin. (The Wei had responded to the dynastic cycle through the virtue of Earth.) Emperor Hui lost control of the reins, and all under Heaven fractured and collapsed. (Emperor Hui was the son of Emperor Wu, named Zhong, styled Zhengdu. When enthroned, he was witless, and the court government was not ordered. After the Yongkang era, sixteen kingdoms were established separately in various places.) Former Zhao arose from Lishi. (Liu Yuanhai was a descendant of Modu of the Xiongnu of Xinxing. Gaozu of the Han gave him a daughter of the imperial clan in marriage, and Modu pledged brotherhood with him, whereupon they took the surname Liu. Yuanhai had ape-like arms and was good at archery. The King of Chengdu, Sang, memorialized him as General Who Pacifies the North. Within two ten-day periods at Youguo City, his multitude had reached fifty thousand; he then usurped the imperial title and ordered his son Cong to invade Luoyang. Liu Yao later moved to Chang'an and was killed by Shi Le. In all, there were four rulers over twenty-six years.) Later Zhao flourished at Gebei. (Shi Le was a Jie man from Shangdang. Rising at Xiangguo, he captured Wang Jun and subjugated Liu Kun, then assumed the imperial title. There were six rulers over forty-four years.) The troops of Shi Le and Shi Hu were strong and numerous; defying tyranny, they regarded [it] as virtue, cutting down people as if they were grass and trees. The śramaṇas who met with harm were very numerous. Fotudeng lamented this, saying, "What crime have those people committed that their lives cannot be preserved?" He therefore used Le's general Guo Heilüe to display his supernatural wonders and assist his military strategies, ensuring that he would gain an audience with Le. On another day, after Lüe had won a battle, he met Le, who granted him a pleased countenance; he thereupon presented Deng's affairs to him. Le was delighted and summoned him for questioning. Deng knew that Le did not comprehend profound principles, so he replied, "Although the Supreme Way is far, it can be verified near at hand." He then filled a bowl with water, burned incense, and prayed over it. In an instant, a blue lotus flower grew. Le respected his spiritual sanctity, bowed low in deference, humbly accepted his remonstrances, felt benevolence and pity for those in distress, and ceased pondering [cruelty]. (At first, Shi Le was an outlaw with Wang Yang and Zhi Xiong, committing much slaughter. Also, Shi Hu, styled Jilong, was Le's nephew; he was martial and courageous, yet few men or women were left alive where he fought.) Of the Hu and Chinese who were destined to be slaughtered, nine out of ten were spared. Truly, he may be described as snatching human lives from the tiger's jaws! From this, we know that the length of life depends on the sages, not on the Arbiter of Fate. The Arbiter of Fate can only oversee it; how could he lengthen or shorten it? (Because the sages employ methods to prolong and save them, it is not something the Arbiter of Fate can do.) Deng listened to the sound of bells and also gazed at his oiled palm; he entrusted his perception to ears and eyes, while in truth, the vacant illumination resided in his mind. None of his words failed to come true. (Whenever Tudeng knew that Hu was about to be defeated, he would smear oil on his palm to reveal light; and Guo Jinglüe would look into it accordingly. He also made use of the sound of bells, and of mindful recitation of the Prajñāpāramitā, to inform him of things. Deep discernment resided in his mind, while he made use of external matters to inspire faith.)
3.2.4
what [Sengcheng] declared invariably proved true.) When Shi Le died, [Shi] Hu usurped the illicit title. Intending to discipline the disrespectful customs, his holy reverence increased day by day. (Jin means strict. After Hu succeeded to the throne, wishing to make strict the disrespectful and insulting customs, he consequently added his own earnest respect towards Fotudeng.) He issued an edict saying: “The Upādhyāya is the great treasure of the state. He does not accept honorable ranks; he does not receive high stipends. Since rank and stipend are not what he esteems, how can his virtue be made manifest? From this time forward, he should be clothed in fine damask and silks, and ride in an engraved carriage. On the days of imperial assemblies, when the Upādhyāya ascends the hall, all attendants from the regular palace attendants down shall lift his carriage, and the crown prince and dukes shall support him. As he ascends, the master of ceremonies shall announce ‘The Great Upādhyāya!’, and all present shall rise, thereby demonstrating his reverence.” He also ordered Minister of Works Li Nong to personally inquire after him morning and evening, and the crown prince and the various princes to pay court to him once every five days, to express Our respect. When the Jin army advanced to the Huai and Fei Rivers (the Huai River emerges from Mount Tongbai; the Fei River is in Lujiang. At that time Jin had its capital at Jinling, while Shi Hu had his capital at Luoyang), Hu secretly became enraged and said: “I devoted my heart to venerating the Buddha, yet this has provoked foreign invaders instead. The Buddha has no spiritual efficacy!” Fotudeng knew of this, and going by night to visit Hu, said: “In a past life, your majesty was a great merchant chief who constantly made offerings in a temple in Jibin. In a great gathering, there were sixty arhats, and this humble body of mine also took part in that gathering. At that time, a person who had attained the Way told me: ‘When the life of this host ends, he will be reborn as a chicken, and later will be a king in the land of Jin.’ Now you have become a king; is this not due to that blessing? Frontier military invasions (jiangchang means the border lands) are merely the ordinary affairs of a state. Why harbor resentment and slanders against the Three Jewels and give rise to venomous thoughts by night?” Hu was startled, humbled, and apologized. Once, sitting with Hu, Fotudeng suddenly rose (zuo means to rise up) and said: “A strange disaster has struck Youzhou!” He hurried to call for wine and cast it from afar. Hu sent men to investigate that day; a fire had broken out from all four gates, and black clouds had come from the southwest, meeting a sudden shower of rain that extinguished it, and the rain smelled distinctly of wine. When Fotudeng was about to pass away, he told Hu: “Entering and exiting birth and death is the ordinary course of the Way. Long and short life spans are fixed by lot and cannot be extended. The heavenly Way emphasizes practice; perfecting virtue values being free of laxity. (Virtue cannot be attained through deficiency or negligence.) If one's conduct and integrity have no deficiency, though one dies, it is as though one lives. To transgress and obtain extension is not what one desires. What remains unfulfilled in my thoughts is that the state has harbored the Buddhist principles in heart and served the Dharma without flaw, raising monasteries and temples that are lofty, magnificent, and splendid; fulfilling this sentiment, you ought to enjoy auspicious blessings. Yet governance is executed with ferocity, and excessive punishments are harsh and uncontrolled. You visibly violate the sacred scriptures and darkly contravene the Dharma's precepts. If you do not admonish and reform yourself, in the end there will be no blessings and protection. (Cheng means to admonish; ge means to reform. Even if one builds monasteries and strictly reveres the Buddhist Dharma, if penal laws are harsh and uncontrolled, there will ultimately be no benefit.) If you lower your heart and alter your thoughts to bestow favor on the lower people, then the state's mandate will endure, and both monks and laity will rejoice and rely upon it. When I finish my span and approach my end, I shall pass away without remaining regret.” The noble men considered Fotudeng's words to truly be loyalty to the altars of soil and grain, and the compassion of the Universal Gate. How could rulers of states not take note of it? (The “noble men” refers to the noble men of that era. Some say they are true words that praise his virtue.) The Classic of Poetry says: “When the people perish, the state is devastated and exhausted.” (This is from the “Zhan'yang” chapter of the Daya in the Classic of Poetry. Tian means to destroy; cui means to fall ill. It means that when the ruler is unvirtuous, the worthy men of the court flee, and the states throughout the realm will all be afflicted.) And after Fotudeng died, that host of barbarians had their corpses left to Ran Min. (The Shishuo says: When Fotudeng passed away, Shi Hu opened the coffin and found no corpse, only his kāṣāya remained. Ran Min was Shi Hu's adopted grandson, peerless in stratagem and valor. He killed Shi Jian and established himself. His banners, bells, and drums stretched continuously for a hundred li. He engaged purely in slaughter, and was captured and killed by Murong Lin. Within seven li to the left and right, all grasses and trees withered.) Now, one who possesses extraordinary nature inevitably possesses extraordinary wisdom; possessing extraordinary wisdom, one inevitably possesses extraordinary deeds; possessing extraordinary deeds, one inevitably possesses extraordinary words; and their words become standard guidelines. In ancient times, there were those with scaly skin, ox heads, tiger noses, and bird beaks (Fuxi had dragon scales and a large, prominent nose; Shennong had an ox head; Nüwa had a serpent body; Huangdi had a dragon face; Diku had double rows of teeth; Yao's eyebrows had eight colors; Shun's eyes had double pupils; Gaoyao had a bird beak; King Wu had sheep-like eyes; and the Duke of Zhou was hunchbacked); all were endowed with unfathomable spiritual qi and harbored inexhaustible holy virtue. As for Sengcheng, beside his left breast he had an opening four or five inches around that penetrated into his belly. At times, light would emerge from within it, and he would plug it with silk floss (kuang means silk floss). At night, he might pull out the floss, and it would illuminate the entire room. On fast days, he would go to the water's edge (hu means the edge of water) and pull out his intestines to wash them. This was truly the manifestation of the utmost extraordinary! (All of this comes from the ancient Gaoseng zhuan.) During the disaster of Yongjia, the Jin imperial house moved to the east. (Since Jin Emperor Hui took the throne, the imperial court became chaotic and kin turned against kin. Zhao King Lun caused turmoil at the beginning of Yongkang, down to Yongjia and Jiangdu when rebellions broke out, and Former Zhao, Later Zhao, and Later Shu arose in competition. Emperor Yuan of Jin garrisoned Yangzhou and subsequently moved to Jinling, known as the Eastern Jin.) Zhu Faqian (an eminent monk of the Jin, whose secular surname was Wang, personal name Qian, and style name Fashen; he enjoyed renown in his day) was the younger brother of Wang Dun. He previously served Liu Yuanzhen of Zhongzhou, esteemed virtue, and applied himself to learning, with his fame filling the Western Court. (Liu Yuanzhen had early on earned renown for his talent, and was deeply valued by Sun Chuo.) Both Chancellor Wang Maohong and Grand Defender Yu Yuangui under Emperors Yuan and Ming (namely Wang Dao and Yu Liang) befriended and respected him. During the Jianwu and Taining eras, Faqian would always wear clogs into the palace; at that time, he was regarded as a gentleman beyond worldly bounds because of the weight of his virtue. Later, he secluded himself in the Shan Mountains; those who came to ask for instruction were steeped in both the inner and outer [teachings] of the Vaipulya scriptures, Laozi, and Zhuangzi. (He taught and guided them using both the inner and outer scriptures.) Emperor Ai summoned him to the imperial table to deliver lectures. (Emperor Ai of Jin was the son of Emperor Cheng, named Pi, with the style name Qianling. When Emperor Mu died without an heir, he was enthroned.) Minister of Works He Cidao took him as his master. Later, he submitted a memorial requesting to return to the Shan Mountains. After he passed away, Xiaowu issued an edict saying: “Master of the Dharma Qian had an understanding of principle that was profound and far-reaching, and his discernment of character was pure and noble. He abandoned the glory of a chancellor to don the plain dyed robes. Residing in the mountains beyond worldly affairs, he was earnest and diligent without remiss. Just when we relied on him to propagate the Way to rescue the multitude of people, he suddenly passed away, which brings grief to Our heart. He may be conferred a funeral gift of one hundred thousand cash.” (A gift sent on death is called fu. Xiaowu was named Yao, with the style name Changming; he was the third son of the Prince of Haixi. Huan Wen assisted in governance; the emperor was clever and discerning from childhood, ascending the throne at the age of ten.) During the reign of Emperor Mu (Emperor Mu of Jin.
3.2.5
[His personal name was Dan, and his courtesy name was Pengzu. He was the son of Emperor Kang, enthroned at the age of two; Empress Dowager Chu held court as regent.] Zhi Daolin was of outstanding brilliance within the monastic forest. His untainted manner was cool and refreshing, [like] clear ripples amid the flourish of waters. He built a dwelling in the woods and wilds, living in reclusion to pursue his aspirations. His virtue and literary style were revered by his generation. From the Son of Heaven, the three chief ministers, and the myriad magistrates (the 'three chief ministers' are the Three Excellencies, and the 'myriad magistrates' are the various ministers) to worthy literati, none among those renowned in the crags and thickets failed to extol his pre-eminent brilliance and respectfully accept his discourses on the Way. Figures such as Xie An, Wang Meng, Liu Tan, Yin Hao, Sun Chuo, Huan Yanbiao, and Wang Wendu—the glory of the realm and the order of all beings (all of them gentlemen of the noble clans and high ministers of the Eastern Jin)—all observed the eight precepts; on holidays they would gather, traversing mountains and lodging by marshes, washing clean their caps and sashes to offer incense and flowers. Harmonious and reverent, they associated with and looked up to him with mutual affection ('harmonious and reverent' describes an appearance of peace and joy). Their shared appreciation of the pure and extraordinary made this the splendor of an entire era. Wang Xizhi said to others, 'How can one trust someone's initial air [of brilliance]?' Yet once he saw him, only then did he regret his former words, [realizing] they had nearly fallen into error ('nearly' means fallen; some versions have 'blemish'; both are acceptable). Now, the purpose of setting forth the living is to illuminate their kinds. The *Classic of Poetry* says: 'Only when one befriends them, / Can one resemble them' (this is the final stanza of 'Changdi zhi hua' in the Lesser Odes of the *Classic of Poetry*; the meaning is that because the gentleman possesses such a lofty manner, the friends he acquires all resemble him; the words differ slightly from the *Poetry*, but one should not let the phrasing harm the sense). By this we know that owls and phoenixes do not flock together (the owl is an unfilial bird that eats its mother before flying away; in winter regulations it is captured and torn apart on roads; the character is written with a bird atop wood. The phoenix is an auspicious bird, with a chicken's head, snake's neck, swallow's chin, turtle's back, and fish's tail, five-colored, six feet tall; the female is called *huang*); leopards and swine do not companion each other (a leopard is a beast like a tiger but smaller; a swine is a pig). To promote the good so as to seek their company—this is indeed to follow the manner of antiquity ('follow' means conform to). Zhongni said: 'If you do not know the man, observe those he befriends; if you do not know the ruler, observe those he employs.' How worthy is the appreciation of worthies! This was truly the Sage Confucius. When the seven gentlemen followed him, the Marquis of Jin became hegemon (the seven gentlemen refer to Dian Jie, Wei Wuzi, Minister of Works Jizi, Hu Yan, Zhao Cui, Hu Mao, and Jia Tuo; these seven followed Chong'er of Jin when he fled into exile and ultimately returned to bring hegemony to Jin); when the Four Elders came to protect him, the heir of Han was established (Emperor Gaozu of the Han favored Consort Qi and was on the verge of establishing a new crown prince, which remained unsettled; superiors and inferiors were fearful. Zhang Liang instructed Empress Lü to invite them from Mount Shang to support the prince in attending court. As soon as Emperor Gao saw them, his position was settled. The Four White-Haired Elders were: first, Dongyuan Gong; second, Xia Huang Gong; third, Qi Liji; and fourth, Master Jiao Li; 'Jiao' is pronounced Lu); when Zhang Lu left Wei, Qin arose (Fan Sui was slandered by Xu Jia and suffered disgrace under Wei Qi; he then changed his surname and personal name, calling himself Master Zhang Lu. Qin employed him as prime minister and enfeoffed him as a marquis, greatly raising up the state of Qin); when Elai served as prime minister to Zhou, Yin perished (the *Records of the Grand Historian* says: Feilian fathered Elai, who served Zhou; he had great strength and was also adept at slandering the feudal lords. King Wu attacked Zhou and executed Elai). These words have been fully verified, yet men rarely bear them in mind. Therefore, in antiquity, entire factions were promoted or entire factions were executed; in truth, this did not fail regarding the good and evil of all under heaven (in the penal codes of antiquity, when a faction was good, all were rewarded; when a faction committed evil, all were executed through collective liability). Today's petty men mostly appropriate the friendship of gentlemen to win acclaim (deceitful knaves of recent times lack virtue themselves; they attach themselves to the high and eminent, improperly seeking reputation and fawning upon the world like foxes), yet the neighborhoods do not investigate their beginnings or ends, mutually accepting their deceit and trickery, and men of high discernment find it difficult to dispute them alone. Therefore, regarding friendships, antiquity was straightforward, while today it is careless (the Master said: 'Friendship with the upright, friendship with the sincere, and friendship with the well-informed are beneficial. Friendship with the obsequious, friendship with the smooth-tongued, and friendship with the glib are harmful'). Master Lin was detained at the capital for three years, yearning to return to East Mountain. The emperor did not promptly grant permission, so he firmly submitted a memorial to take his leave, his sincerity deeply moving. In the spurious Qin, there was the Venerable She (the eminent monk, the Venerable She, was originally from the Western Regions; his prophecies were mostly verified. In the fifteenth year of Jianyuan he arrived in Chang'an; in the sixteenth year he passed away; in the seventeenth year there was a great drought), who did not eat the five grains, could travel five hundred *li* a day, and could chant spells over a dragon so that it descended into his almsbowl and made rain fall. In the year the Venerable She passed away, there was a great drought. Fu Jian said to Zhu Tong (Zhu Tong was the director of the Palace Library), 'If the Venerable She were here, how could he let Us scorch Our heart over the Milky Way?' Earlier, the Qin Grand Astrologer had memorialized that a Star of Virtue had appeared in the planetary division of the foreign kingdoms, signaling that a sage was to enter to assist the Central State, and whoever obtained him would rule as king. Fu Jian then separately ordered Fu Pi (Pi was Jian's concubine-born son) to attack Xiangyang and capture Dao'an, and Lü Guang to chastise Kucha and seek Kumārajīva (the full name is Jiūmóluóshí; here translated as 'Youthful Purity'). When Zhu Xu was captured by Qin (Zhu Xu, General of the Southern Gentlemen of the Household for the Jin, was captured by Pi), Dao'an and Xi Zuochi were brought. Jian rejoiced and said, 'In employing a host of a hundred thousand, We have obtained a man and a half!' (the one man refers to Dao'an; the half refers to Xi Zuochi). Whenever the state had doubts in deliberation, or ancient vessels, garments, seal-script, clerical-script, or precious gems that could not be identified, he would have Dao'an consulted. Fu Jian once wished to tour the Eastern Park and ordered Dao'an to share his carriage. Quan Yi remonstrated, saying (Quan Yi was the Qin Left Assistant Director), 'Your servant has heard that for the Son of Heaven's official carriage, the Palace Attendants ride along. Dao'an has disfigured his form and is a lowly fellow; how could he improperly approach the imperial carriage?' Jian angrily changed countenance and said, 'Master An's Way is merged with the ultimate realm, and his virtue is honored by the age. Were We to weigh the whole realm against him, it would not suffice to match him. This is not the Master's glory, but Our own glory!' He made Quan Yi assist Dao'an into the carriage. Thus, the minister's remonstrance made manifest his loyalty, while the ruler's refusal showed his love for the worthy. Quan [Yi]'s [mind] was a petty measuring stick (Quan Yi's remonstrance was what was proper for a subject, yet he was unable to honor the worthy and esteem virtue; his capacity was indeed not broad), whereas Fu [Jian's] was a vast, overflowing lake (Master An was truly a worthy of an era, and Lord Fu deeply valued him; although there were strong remonstrances, he ultimately did not accept them; truly this was a vision of profound insight). The ruler and minister seemed opposed, as if not in accord ('seemed' means like or as if), yet regarding the state, they were in accord. Therefore, the gentleman is harmonious but does not conform. Without this, what could be made of it? (The Way of the gentleman is not to contend, yet what they see differs; this is what is called arriving at the same destination by different routes.) That spurious Fu was still better than the genuine Jie (although Jie was a legitimate ruler, he was devoid of the Way; although Qin was a spurious hegemon, he possessed virtue). Truly, he may be said to have attained the Way of hegemony! (Dao'an was a native of Fuliu in Changshan; his surname was Wei. His clan was of eminent Ruists. He lost his parents' protection early and was raised by his maternal cousin.)
3.2.6
At seven years of age he could read texts, and after two readings was able to recite them by heart. At twelve he went forth from household life. His appearance was coarse and lowly, yet he was esteemed by his master. He bore hardships and performed manual labor, never showing any resentment on his countenance. After several years, he finally requested to be taught the scriptures. He was given a volume of the Scripture on the Discrimination of Meaning (Bianyi jing), roughly five thousand words; he carried the scripture into the fields, and upon returning at dusk had already committed it to memory. He was further given a volume of the Scripture of Complete Illumination (Chengju guangming jing), totaling ten thousand words; as before, he recited it by heart. His master held the scripture to check him, and not a single character was amiss.) Qin conquered Yan and Liang (Former Yan was Murong Wei holding the capital of Ye, overthrown by Fu Jian. Former Liang was Zhang Tianxi occupying Liangzhou, destroyed by Fu Jian), reducing their rulers to vassals. From the Bohai Sea to Liusha, he expanded his realm (the Bohai Sea is the easternmost limit; Liusha is the westernmost limit). With ample provisions and soldiers, his might shook all within the seas. Yet he was constantly distressed that he could not inherit Yu's ancient territories, climb Kuaiji to gaze out at the azure ocean, and receive the court of the myriad states to issue commands to all under heaven (Yu assembled at Mount Tu, where the lords of the myriad states held jades and silks to pay tribute; Mount Tu is at Kuaiji in Yuezhou). Repeatedly he asked Dao'an for a strategy to attack Jin. An firmly answered: "Though Jin's virtue is slight, the mandate of heaven has not yet changed; it is difficult to plot against." Noble gentlemen also took this to mean that while privately protecting and aiding his native court, in truth he attained ritual propriety; thus in a single statement both ends were achieved. Fu [Jian], holding the view of a solitary tyrant (the Book of Documents says: "The solitary tyrant, Zhou"), thereupon raised a host of a million. Fu Rong commanded the vanguard. Before the Jin forces had ceased their maneuvers, before their drums had sounded and before they had even formed their ranks, the Qin army collapsed in great disarray (Fu Jian marshaled eighty-seven thousand cavalry and infantry from Chang'an; from front to rear they spanned a thousand li with banners and drums in sight of one another, advancing ten thousand li from east to west by water and land together. Fu Rong was the general. The Jin general Xie Xuan and others resisted them with seventy thousand naval troops. Wang Daozi sought aid from the spirit of Mount Zhong through wind and percussion music. When Jian reached Shouchun, he climbed the city walls and looked out, seeing that the grasses and trees on Mount Bagong all had the appearance of men; he drew up his army along the Fei River. The Jin army was unable to cross. They sent an emissary to Rong, saying: "You have advanced your isolated forces deep and formed a battle line pressed against the water; this is a strategy for enduring delay—do you really wish to fight? If you retreat slightly to let our soldiers maneuver, I and the gentlemen may loosen our reins to watch the spectacle; would that not be splendid?" Rong waved his troops back to reposition the line, whereupon the army fled in retreat and could not be controlled; Rong galloped his horse along the ranks, his steed fell, and he was slain by the troops). Thereafter, Yan revived as Yan (after Jian's defeat, Murong Chong raised troops and attacked Chang'an; Murong Chui returned to the city of Ye and proclaimed Later Yan); Liang revived as Liang (Li Gao was originally a general under Zhang Gui, and later declared Western Liang in Dunhuang; Lü Guang declared Later Liang in Guzang); and Qin seized Qin (Yao Chang sent a general to surround Jian at Mount Wujiang, captured and strangled him at a Buddhist temple in Xinping, and established himself as Later Qin). Prior to this, Master Shi passed away (Master Shi was Dao'an). Jian wept in deep lamentation (excessive sorrow is called lamentation) and said: "I have not yet crossed over, yet Master An has abandoned me and departed!" How could his words have been mistaken? Earlier, An had said to Wang Zinian: "The affairs of the world are like this; why not depart?" (He means "why not"). Nian said: "You, venerable sir, may proceed; I must settle my final debts." Later, Nian was murdered by Yao Chang (Wang Jia, styled Zinian, was a man of Luoyang. His appearance was coarse and unsightly as though deficient; he was fond of jesting and did not eat the five grains. When questioned about good and bad fortune, his replies were playful in form, yet when the events passed, they proved largely accurate. He answered Dao'an: "My small debts are not yet settled; we cannot go together." When Yao Chang captured Chang'an, he was deadlocked with Fu Deng for a long time. Chang asked him: "Will I succeed?" He answered: "You will barely succeed [lve-de]." Chang said: "You should say I will succeed! What do you mean by 'barely'?" Thereupon he had him beheaded. After Chang died, his son Xing finally killed Deng; Xing's courtesy name was Zilve, which was what Jia meant by 'lve-de'). Fatai went to Jingzhou to call upon Huan Wen. Relying on his imposing prestige, Wen was not quick to receive guests. Troubled by his hesitation, Tai suddenly said to the usher: "I have fallen ill," and abruptly withdrew. On another day when Tai arrived, Wen rushed forward to greet him without even waiting to put on his shoes (Fatai was a man of Dongwan. In his youth he studied together with Dao'an; though his talent and eloquence did not equal An's, his physical appearance surpassed his). After An was taken captive by the Qin, his disciples dispersed in all directions. Huiyuan was originally about to go to Luofu (a mountain near the Southern Sea); upon reaching Xunyang (which is Jiangzhou), he divined a dwelling on Mount Lu and settled there. Having found that drilling into the earth produced a spring, he did not seek to leave. Huiyong (both disciples of Dao'an) invited him to lodge at the Xilin Monastery (the Xilin Monastery of Mount Lu). Later, Inspector Huan Yi (a minister of Eastern Jin) specially established Donglin Monastery. Prior to this, Tao Kan governed Guangzhou (Tao Kan was styled Shiheng; at first he loved study and welcomed guests and companions, but when guests arrived his family was poor, so his mother cut her hair and sold it to provide for them; later he became commander-in-chief of the eight provinces). He obtained a statue of King Aśoka (that is, an image made by King Aśoka) and sent it to Hanxi Monastery in Wuchang (Wuchang is Ezhou). When Yuan's monastery was completed, he made a request for the statue from afar, and it soared through the air to arrive. At that time, eminent scholars and literati who disdained the world and dwelled in retirement—such as Zong Bing, Lei Cizong, Liu Yimin, Zhou Xuzhi, and Zhang Jishuo (Zong Bing and Zhang Jishuo of Nanyang, Liu Yimin of Pengcheng, Lei Cizong of Yuzhang, Zhou Xuzhi of Yanmen, Bi Yingzhi of Xincai, and the monks Huichi and Huiyong together formed the Lotus Society)—in all, a hundred celebrated gentlemen, associated themselves with him (xu means "mutually"). In his youth, Yuan together with Huichi was a student who thoroughly mastered the study of the Six Classics; their knowledge of ritual, music, and moral propriety especially served as standards for court and countryside. Wang Xun sent a letter to Fan Ning (Wang Xun was registrar under Huan Wen; Fan Ning annotated the Guliang zhuan), asking: "Between Master Yuan and Master Chi, who is superior?" (Shu means "who"; yu means "superior"). Master Fan replied: "They are truly a worthy pair of brothers!" (Chi and Yuan were in fact biological brothers in secular life). Wang reiterated: "Merely to be like true brothers is indeed not easy to find; how much more so when both are worthy sages!" When Yao Xing finished the initial translation of the Treatise on Great Wisdom (the Zhilun, also called the Dazhidu lun, composed by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna), he earnestly sent an invitation asking Yuan to compose the preface; he was uniquely held in such high esteem. When Huan Xuan campaigned against Yin Zhongkan (Huan Xuan was styled Jingdao; son of Grand Marshal Wen, he was inspector of Jiangzhou. In the second year of Yuanxing he usurped the Jin emperor Andi; when Liu Yu raised troops, Huan Xuan then campaigned against Zhongkan), he invited Yuan to come out to Tiger Brook. Yuan pleaded illness. Xuan entered the mountain in person. His attendants said: "In the past, Yin Zhongkan paid homage to Yuan."
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- 北山錄 — Classical Chinese