法苑珠林 55.111

55.111

勅旨云。三皇經文字既不可傳。又語涉妖妄宜並除之。即以老子道德經替處。有諸道觀及以百姓人間有此文者。並勒送省除毀。其年冬諸州考使入京朝集。括得此文者。總取禮部尚書廳前。並從火謝也。故知代代穿鑿狂簡寔繁。人人妄作斐然盈卷。無識之徒將為聖說。晉彭城郡有釋道融。汲郡林慮人。十二出家。厥師愛其神彩先令外學。往村借論語竟不齎歸。於彼已誦。師便借本覆之不遺一字。既嗟而異之。於是恣其游學。迄至立年才解英絕。內外經書暗游心府。姚興曰。昨見融公復是奇聰明釋子。勅入逍遙園與什參正詳譯。俄而師子國有一婆羅門。聰辯多學。西土俗書罕不披誦。為彼國外道之宗。聞什在關大行佛法。乃謂其徒曰。寧可使釋氏之風獨傳震旦。而吾等正化不洽東國。遂乘駝負書來入長安。姚興見其口眼便僻。頗亦惑之。婆羅門乃啟興曰。至道無方各尊其事。今請與秦僧捔其辯力。隨有優者即傳其化。興即許焉。時關中僧眾相視缺然。莫敢當者。什謂融曰。此外道聰明殊人。捔言必勝。使無上大道在吾徒而屈。良可悲矣。若使外道得志。則法輪摧軸。豈可然乎。如吾所覩在君一人。融自顧才力不減。而外道經書未盡披讀。乃密令人寫婆羅門所持經目。一披即誦。後剋日論義。姚興自出。公卿皆會。關中僧眾四遠必集。融與婆羅門擬相酬抗。鋒辯飛玄彼所不及。婆羅門自知辭理已屈。猶以廣讀為夸。融乃列其所讀書并秦地經史名目卷部。三倍多之。什因嘲之曰。君不聞大秦廣學。那忽輕爾遠來。婆羅門心愧悔伏。頂禮融足。旬日之中無何而去。像運再興融有力也。後還彭城常講說相續。聞道至者千有餘人。依隨門徒數盈三百。性不狎諠常登樓披翫。殷勤善誘畢命弘法。後卒於彭城。春秋七十四矣。所著法華大品金光明十地維摩等義。並行於世。

The imperial edict stated: "Since the text of the Scripture of the Three Sovereigns cannot be transmitted, and its words touch upon demonic fabrications, it should all be eliminated. The Daodejing of Laozi shall immediately be used in its place. All Daoist abbeys, as well as the common people among the populace, who possess this text are all commanded to send it to the Department to be eliminated and destroyed." In the winter of that year, when the assessment commissioners of the various prefectures entered the capital for the court assembly, the copies of this text gathered were all taken in front of the hall of the Minister of Rites, and all perished in fire. Hence we know that in generation after generation, forced interpretations and wild excesses have been truly abundant; people have arbitrarily composed works until they filled scrolls, while ignorant folk took them to be sage teachings. In Pengcheng Commandery of the Jin dynasty, there was the śramaṇa Daorong, a native of Linlü in Jijiun. He left home at twelve. His master cherished his brilliant spirit and first had him study external learning. He went to a village to borrow the Analects, but never brought it home; he had already memorised it there. His master then borrowed the copy to test him against it, and he did not miss a single character. His master sighed in astonishment at him, and thereupon allowed him to travel and study as he pleased. By the time he reached thirty, his talents and understanding were preeminent, and internal and external scriptures and texts secretly moved through his mind. Yao Xing said: "Yesterday I saw Master Rong; he is yet another remarkably clever disciple of Śākya." He was ordered to enter the Xiaoyao Garden to consult with and assist [Kumāra]jīva in scrutinising translations. Shortly thereafter, in the Kingdom of the Lions, there was a brāhmaṇa of great eloquence and broad learning who had read almost all the secular books of the Western Lands; he was a leader of the non-Buddhists of that country. Hearing that Kumārajīva was greatly propagating the Buddhadharma in the Guanzhong region, he said to his followers: "How can we let the style of the Śākya clan alone be transmitted in the land of China, while our proper transformation does not reach the Eastern Realm?" He then rode a camel loaded with books and entered Chang'an. Yao Xing saw his glib tongue and sidelong glances, and was also somewhat beguiled by him. The brāhmaṇa then petitioned Yao Xing, saying: "The ultimate Way is without fixed direction; each honours his own cause. Now I request to contend in the power of debate with the Qin monks: whichever is superior, his transformation shall be transmitted." Yao Xing then consented. At that time, the monastic assembly in Guanzhong looked at each other in dismay, none daring to face him. Kumārajīva said to Daorong: "This non-Buddhist is exceptionally clever; in contending with words he will surely prevail. If the unsurpassed Great Way suffers defeat among our fellows, it would truly be lamentable! If the non-Buddhist attains his aim, the axle of the wheel of Dharma will be broken; how could we allow this? As I see it, the matter rests with you alone." Daorong considered that his talent was not inferior, but that he had not yet perused all the non-Buddhist scriptures and texts. He then secretly had someone copy the catalogue of scriptures held by the brāhmaṇa, and memorised them upon a single perusal. Later, when the day was set for the debate, Yao Xing came in person, the dukes and ministers all assembled, and the monastic assembly of Guanzhong gathered from all quarters. When Daorong and the brāhmaṇa were about to confront each other, Daorong's sharp eloquence soared into the profound, far beyond the brāhmaṇa's reach. The brāhmaṇa, knowing that his words and reasoning were already defeated, still boasted of his extensive reading. Daorong then enumerated the books he had read, along with the titles and fascicles of the scriptures and histories of the land of Qin, outnumbering the brāhmaṇa's threefold. Kumārajīva mocked him on this account, saying: "Did you not hear of the extensive learning of the Great Qin, that you should have come from afar so lightly?" The brāhmaṇa was ashamed, remorseful, and submissive; he bowed his head to Daorong's feet and departed within ten days without accomplishing anything. That the Semblance Dharma fortune rose once more was due to Daorong's strength. Later, he returned to Pengcheng, where he constantly lectured without interruption. More than a thousand people came after hearing of the Way, and his following disciples numbered over three hundred. By nature he did not take pleasure in clamour, and often ascended a tower to read and enjoy texts, diligently guiding others and dedicating his life to propagating the Dharma. Later, he passed away in Pengcheng at the age of seventy-four. His treatises on the meanings of the Lotus Sūtra, Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā, Suvarṇaprabhāsa, Daśabhūmika, and Vimalakīrtinirdeśa all circulate in the world.