古今譯經圖紀 1.3

1.3

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.