古今譯經圖紀 1.3

1.3

惟孝明皇帝以永平三年歲次庚申。帝夢金人項有日月光飛來殿庭。上問群臣。太史傅毅對曰。臣聞西域有神號之為佛。陛下所夢固其是乎。至七年歲次甲子。帝勅郎中蔡愔中郎將秦景博士王遵等一十八人西尋佛法。愔等至印度國。請迦葉摩騰竺法蘭共還。用白馬馱經并將畫釋迦佛像。以永平十年歲次丁卯至于洛陽。帝悅造白馬寺。至十四年歲次辛未正月一日。五岳道士楮善信等負情不悅。因朝正之次表請較試。勅遣尚書令宋庠引入長樂宮。帝曰此月十五日大集白馬寺南門。爾日信等以靈寶諸經置道東壇上。帝以經像舍利置道西七寶行殿上。信等遶壇涕泣稽請天尊詞情懇切。又以栴檀柴等燒經。冀經無損以為神異。然所燒經並從灰燼。先時昇天入火履水隱形皆不復能。善禁呪者呼策不應。時太傅張衍語信曰。所試無驗即是虛妄。宜就西域真法。時南嶽道士費叔才等慚忸自感而死。時佛舍利光明五色。直上空中旋環如蓋。遍覆大眾映蔽日輪。摩騰法師先是阿羅漢。即以神足遊空飛行坐臥神化自在。時天雨寶華及奏作眾樂。感動人情大眾歡悅。摩騰復坐法蘭說法。時眾咸喜得未曾有。時後宮陰夫人王婕妤等。一百九十人出家。司空陽城侯劉善峻鎮遠將軍姜苟兒等。二百六十八人出家。四岳道士呂慧通等。六百二十人出家。京都男女張子尚阿潘等。三百九十一人出家。帝親與群官為出家者剃髮。給施供養經三十日。造寺十所。城外七寺城內三寺。七寺安僧三寺安尼。具如漢明帝法本內傳說。

Now, in the third year of the Yongping reign era, the year being gengshen, Emperor Xiaoming dreamed of a golden man with the light of the sun and moon at the nape of his neck, who came flying into the courtyard of the palace hall. His Majesty asked his ministers about this, and the Grand Astrologer Fu Yi replied, saying: "Your servant has heard that in the Western Regions there is a spirit named Buddha; could what Your Majesty dreamed indeed be he?" In the seventh year, the year being jiazi, the Emperor decreed that Gentleman of the Palace Cai Yin, Leader of the Court Gentlemen Qin Jing, Erudite Wang Zun, and others, eighteen men in all, should go west to seek the Dharma of the Buddha. Yin and his party arrived in the country of India. They invited Kāśyapa Mātanga and Dharmaratna to return together with them, using white horses to pack the scriptures and bringing along painted images of Śākyamuni Buddha. In the tenth year of the Yongping reign era, the year being dingmao, they reached Luoyang. The Emperor was delighted and built the Baima Monastery. In the fourteenth year, the year being xinwei, on the first day of the first month, Daoist masters of the Five Marchmounts, including Chu Shanxin and others, were displeased and harboured resentment. Taking advantage of the New Year imperial audience, they submitted a memorial requesting a trial of contest. By imperial decree, Prefect of the Masters of Writing Song Xiang was sent to escort them into the Changle Palace. The Emperor said: "On the fifteenth day of this month, there shall be a great assembly at the southern gate of Baima Monastery." On that day, Shanxin and the others placed their various Lingbao scriptures on an altar on the eastern side of the road. The Emperor placed the scriptures, images, and śarīra on an ambulatory pavilion of the seven treasures on the western side of the road. Shanxin and the others circumambulated the altar, weeping, prostrating, and supplicating the Celestial Worthy, their words and sentiments earnest and heartfelt. Furthermore, they set fire to the scriptures with sandalwood firewood and the like, hoping the scriptures would be undamaged and thus prove their divine wonder. However, the scriptures they burned were all reduced to ashes. What they had formerly been capable of—ascending to heaven, entering fire, treading on water, and rendering themselves invisible—they could no longer do at all. Those skilled in prohibitions and incantations called upon and commanded spirits, but there was no response. At that time, Grand Tutor Zhang Yan said to Shanxin: "That which was tested has no verification; it is utterly empty and false. You should turn to the true Dharma of the Western Regions." At that moment, Daoist master Fei Shucai of the Southern Marchmount and others died of shame and grief. At that time, the Buddha's śarīra emitted light of five colours, shooting straight up into the air and whirling like a canopy, everywhere covering the great assembly and outshining the solar disk. Master of the Dharma Mātanga was already an arhat; immediately, by means of his supernormal bases, he traversed the sky, flying, sitting, and reclining, manifesting supernatural transformations at will. Then flowers of jewels rained from the sky and various kinds of music were played, stirring human hearts so that the great assembly rejoiced. Mātanga returned to his seat, and Dharmaratna expounded the Dharma. The assembly at that time all rejoiced, having obtained what they had never had before. Thereupon, from the inner palace, Lady Yin, Lady of Handsome Fairness Wang, and others, one hundred and ninety persons, entered the monastic life. Minister of Works Liu Shanxun the Marquis of Yangcheng, General Who Calms Faraway Regions Jiang Gou'er, and others, two hundred and sixty-eight persons, entered the monastic life. Daoist masters of the Four Marchmounts, Lü Huitong and others, six hundred and twenty persons, entered the monastic life. Men and women of the capital, Zhang Zishang, A Pan, and others, three hundred and ninety-one persons, entered the monastic life. The Emperor in person, together with the ministers, shaved the hair of those entering the monastic life, and provided offerings to them for thirty days. He built ten monasteries: seven monasteries outside the city and three monasteries within the city. The seven monasteries accommodated monks, and the three monasteries accommodated nuns. All is as recorded in the Inner Tradition of the Dharma Origin under Emperor Ming of the Han.