釋氏要覽 1.100

1.100

The History says: Rectitude (zheng) means governance (zheng). One rectifies oneself to rectify others and can thus propagate governmental orders. For if monks have no rules, it is like horses without bridles: gradually tainted by worldly customs, they would contravene the refined norms. Therefore, those of virtue and prestige are selected to regulate them by law and make them return to rectitude; hence the name sengzheng (monk rector). This began with Sengqie under the illegitimate Qin. Coming to the sixth year of the Putong era of the Liang, an imperial decree appointed Fayun as the Grand Monk Rector (da sengzheng; adding the word 'grand').