法苑珠林 79.38

79.38

宋文帝元嘉二十三年丙戌。是北魏太平真君七年。太武皇帝信任崔皓邪佞諂諛。崇重寇謙號為天師。殘害釋種毀破浮圖。廢棄淫祀。時諸臣僉曰。如康僧感瑞太皇創寺。若也除毀恐貽後悔。又於後宮內掘地得一金像。皓乃穢之。陰處尤痛噭聲難忍。太史卜曰。由犯大神故。於是廣祈名山多賽祀廟。而屏苦尤重內痛彌甚。有信宮人屢設諫曰。陛下所痛由犯釋像。請祈佛者容可止苦。皓曰。佛為大神耶。試可求之。一請便愈。欣慶易心。乃以車馬迎康僧會法師。請求洗懺從受五戒。深加敬重也。太武皇帝方知寇謙陰用邪誤。乃加重罰。以置四郊。埋身出口。令四衢行人皆用口廁。以盡形命。徒黨之流並皆斬決。至庚寅年。大武遭疾。方始感寤。兼有曇始白足禪師。來相啟發。生愧悔心。即誅崔皓。到壬辰歲太武帝崩。孫文成立。即起浮圖。毀經七年還興三寶。至和平三年。昭玄統沙門釋曇曜。慨前凌廢欣今再興。故於此臺石室寺。集諸僧眾譯經傳流。通後賢之徒使法藏住持。千載不墜。准此掘地獲像。明知秦周已有佛教驗矣。

The twenty-third year of Yuanjia of Emperor Wen of the Song, a bingxu year, was the seventh year of Taiping Zhenjun of the Northern Wei. Emperor Taiwu trusted the evil, flattering sycophancy of Cui Hao and revered Kou Qianzhi, entitling him Celestial Master. He harmed the Śākya lineage, destroyed stupas, and abolished improper sacrifices. At that time, all the ministers said together, "When Kang Senghui moved [the court] with auspicious omens, the Grand Emperor founded a temple. If we demolish it, we fear it may bequeath future regrets." Furthermore, in digging the ground within the rear palace, a gold statue was obtained. Hao desecrated it. His genitals became exceedingly painful, and his shrieking cries were unbearable. The Grand Astrologer divined it, saying, "It is because you offended a great spirit." Thereupon he prayed extensively at famous mountains and offered many sacrifices at temples, but the hidden suffering grew ever heavier and the internal pain ever sharper. A believing palace lady repeatedly offered admonition, saying, "Your Majesty's pain is due to having offended an image of the Śākya. Please pray to the Buddha, and perhaps your suffering may be halted." Hao said, "Is the Buddha a great spirit? Let us try to make an appeal." At a single prayer, he was immediately cured. Rejoicing, he changed his mind, and sent carriages and horses to welcome Dharma Master Kang Senghui, requesting a cleansing repentance and receiving the five precepts from him, paying him profound reverence. Emperor Taiwu only then realized that Kou Qianzhi had secretly used wickedness to mislead him. Thereupon he imposed severe punishment, placing him in the four suburbs: burying his body and exposing his head, he ordered travelers at the crossroads to use his mouth as a latrine until his life was ended. His faction and associates were all decapitated. In the gengyin year, Emperor Taiwu fell ill, and only then was he awakened to realization. In addition, there was the Dhyāna Master Tanshi of the White Feet who came to enlighten him, giving rise to shame and remorse in him. He immediately executed Cui Hao. In the renchen year, Emperor Taiwu passed away, and his grandson Wencheng was established; he immediately erected stupas. Seven years after the destruction of the scriptures, the Three Jewels were revived. In the third year of Heping, Shi Tanyao, Director of the Clergy, lamented the previous desolation and rejoiced in the present revival. Therefore, at this Terrace of the Stone Chamber Temple, he gathered the monastic assembly to translate scriptures and spread their circulation, passing them down to subsequent worthy followers so that the storehouse of Dharma would be maintained and not fall into ruin for a thousand years. Based on this discovery of an image by digging the ground, it is clearly evident that Buddhism already existed during the Qin and Zhou dynasties.