法苑珠林 100.402

100.402

大唐貞觀十三年冬十月。勅遣刑部尚書劉德威禮部侍郎令狐德棻侍御史韋悰雍州司功毛明素等。問法琳法師曰。依辯正論第五卷云。姚長謙曆言。佛是昭王甲寅歲生。穆王壬子之歲始滅度者。因何法顯傳云。聖殷王時生。推於像正之記言。佛周平王時出。依道安作論云。確執桓王。費長房為錄。固言莊代。何故傳述乖紊無的可依。仰具顯先後不同遐邇所以。

In the tenth month in the winter of the thirteenth year of Zhenguan of the Great Tang, an imperial order was issued dispatching Liu Dewei, Minister of the Ministry of Justice; Linghu Defen, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites; Wei Cong, Attendant Censor; and Mao Mingsu, Administrator of Works of Yongzhou, to question Dharma Master Falin, saying: 'According to the fifth fascicle of the Bianzheng Lun, it says: "Yao Changqian's calendar states that the Buddha was born in the jiayin year of King Zhao, and passed into extinction in the renzi year of King Mu." Why then does Faxian's account state that the Sage was born during the Shang dynasty? When deducing from the records of the Semblance and True Dharma, it says that the Buddha appeared in the time of King Ping of Zhou. Following the treatise composed by Dao'an, it firmly asserts King Huan. Fei Changfang's catalogue resolutely claims the era of King Zhuang. Why are the traditions so conflicting and disordered that there is no definitive standard to rely upon? You are respectfully requested to explain why these accounts differ in sequence and chronology.'