貞元新定釋教目錄 15.4.4

15.4.4

[like] tigers contending to be first. The plans in the ancestral temple left nothing out; divine merit needed no second trial. With this splitting of bamboo and meeting their turning of halberds, in a single military campaign three victories arrived in succession; in ten days both capitals were completely restored. This is truly
Your sagacious counsels operating broadly, your heroic strategy being extraordinary, and Your Sagely power upholding [the realm] surpassing all the rulers.
You are just about to perform the solemn sacrifice at the Eastern Peak, clearly making report to
the High Heavens. That Zhizang can personally preserve this luminous age and stand waiting to behold the grand ritual fills him with utmost joy and exultation. Respectfully going to the Right Yintai Gate, he presents a memorial offering congratulations for imperial hearing. In lightly braving
Your Imperial Majesty's presence, he prostrates in profound trepidation. The śramaṇa Zhizang, with true joy and true delight, respectfully speaks."
The Emperor's endorsement stated: "We have noted your congratulations."
At that time, both capitals had been restored, the palace halls remained as before, and the myriad people were revived.
The Retired Emperor was in Shu. The imperial retinue was welcomed and escorted from Chengdu. It was the first day of the twelfth month of the second year of Zhide.
Emperor Suzong, out of deep veneration for the Tripiṭaka Master, would not address him by his personal name, and from this time forward referred to him only by his title. On the following morning, he presented a memorial offering congratulations for imperial hearing, which stated:
"The śramaṇa Amogha speaks. Amogha has heard that the Way is prioritized only by emperors; when the sovereign Way is pervasive, divine merit operates without contrivance. Filial piety is the root of virtue; when supreme virtue flourishes, one receives the primordial talismans. Humbly I reflect that
Your Majesty, receiving Heaven's mandate, succeeds Yao, and according to the people's wishes, restores Yu's realm. Without altering things, the two poles [of Heaven and Earth]
are pure and upright. Before twelve days had elapsed, both capitals were settled in peace. Your merit reaches the Great Sky; Your virtue surpasses all rulers. In the east you receive the homage of all the lords, and in the west you welcome the Retired Emperor. Wearing the imperial robes, you further guide
the imperial carriages; clearing the celestial steps, you invite
the sovereign chariot. Heavenly Father and Heavenly Son,
prior to Heaven and posterior to Heaven. Leaving the palace gates, [they] return again to the Nine Enclosures. Rectifying the cosmic order, [you] once more give peace to the myriad people. Truly this is the Retired Emperor's transmitted instructions, whose merit reaches higher than the Primordial Lord; Your Majesty rides the times, and Your supreme virtue ranks first among founding kings. It is fully enough to shine brilliantly in the historical records and gaze high above Tang and Yu. Born to meet
this prosperous age, Amogha happens to witness this glorious spectacle, and is filled with boundless joy and gladness. Respectfully going to the Yintai Gate, he presents a memorial offering congratulations for imperial hearing. In lightly braving
Your Imperial Majesty's presence, he prostrates in increasing trepidation. The śramaṇa Amogha, with true joy and true delight, respectfully speaks."
The Emperor's endorsement stated:
"Having swept clean the miasmic vapors and settled the cosmic realm, the Sagely Monarch has returned to bring peace to the palace halls. Morning and evening We present Our respects, with unusually deep joy and celebration. We have noted your congratulations."
On the eighth day of that month, the honorable title was bestowed: Emperor of Luminescent Heaven, Civil and Martial, Great Sage, and Filial Influence. This was conferred by the edict of the Retired Emperor.
On the third day of the first month of the third year of Zhide, wuxu, Tripiṭaka Master Amogha hosted a vegetarian feast in his own cloister.
By imperial grace, precious incense was bestowed, accompanied by consolation. He drafted a memorial respectfully thanking the imperial grace to express his feelings, vowing to translate sūtras and śāstras for
the State, so that the Yoga esoteric teachings might quell calamities and eliminate disasters. His memorial stated:
"The śramaṇa Amogha speaks. The palace commissioner Wu Youyan arrived and conveyed the imperial decree: because Amogha was hosting a vegetarian feast in his cloister today, precious incense was specially granted, accompanied by
the imperial envoy. The vast benevolence is bestowed in detail; my joy and exultation are beyond description. Amogha is truly joyful and truly delighted. Amogha has taken refuge in the flow of the Dharma, and the imperial favor has broadened the esoteric teachings. Wandering alone for tens of thousands of li, I studied across the Five Indias.
Focusing my contemplation upon the ten directions, I paid homage to the Buddhas of the Kusumatalagarbha; devoting myself to the five divisions, I plumbed the mantras of the Jetavana. Whenever arranging syllables and contemplating the mind, I cast myself down to pray for attainment. Borne along by the power of my great vows, I met with the advent of a wheel-turning king. Having maintained pure sincerity for ten years, I finally encountered the luminous sage. In earlier years, before the mysterious gate had opened,
Your Majesty was cultivating virtue in the Spring Palace. Early on, I received Your virtuous words and was favoured with visits of inquiry; You also bestowed incense and medicines, secretly dispatching them for empowerment. When Your Majesty made the Northern Tour, though Amogha was unable to accompany You as an attendant, my disciple, the monk Hanguang and others, returned from the western lands and were able to personally meet
the imperial carriage. Amid the ruggedness of the military campaign, they heard the deliberations on establishing the succession. Though Amogha's body was trapped in barbarian lands, my mind was ever turned towards the palace gates. Frequently receiving secret edicts, my offerings all reached You. Your Majesty's sagacious counsel operated alone, and the power of the Dharma secretly aided it; the bands of villains were dispersed, and the imperial celestial image returned to rectitude. Amogha's humble person again was favored by the court's grace. In the tenth month, the palace was purified to establish an assembly for repelling māras; at the New Year, an honorable title was offered, and [Your Majesty] came to the abhiṣeka altar. The upper palaces were coated and adorned; the separate halls were incensed and cultivated. Having already permitted translations and also the ordination of monks, the moistening benevolence is already deep; on what day can I ever repay it? Respectfully, during the three periods of the day I shall bathe the images, and every half-month perform the homa, hoping that
the thirty-seven deities will protect the territory of the Enlightened Monarch, and the sixteen protectors will augment
the divine might of the Sagely Sovereign, with longevity like the Southern Mountain, everlasting without limit. Unable to bear my extreme gratitude and joy, I respectfully submit this memorial to present my thanks for imperial hearing. The śramaṇa Amogha, with true joy and true delight, respectfully speaks."
The Emperor of Luminescent Heaven, Civil and Martial, Great Sage, and Filial Influence endorsed it, saying:
"The Master manifested his person in the western regions and opened the Dharma in the Central Realm. Regarding your past great vows, Our mind fully knows them. Walking along the Ganges sands, you brought about great merit; having had to trek [such distances], you constantly bore in mind causes and conditions, and had monks inquire about the Way and express vows. Now the lotus is utmost pure, and the pattra leaves are proclaimed once more; the subtle and wondrous Buddha is unfathomable. To honor the Unimpeded, this powdered incense is bestowed. Maintain and practice it with diligence; you shall be non-retrogressing. We have noted your thanks."
On the fifth day of the second month of that year, the third year of Zhide was changed to the first year of Qianyuan, the year still being wuxu. On the twelfth day of the third month, the Tripiṭaka Master memorialized to request searching for Indic manuscripts to repair and translate them. Soon an imperial decree
was issued, stating: "In the Central Capital's Cien, Jianfu, and other monasteries, as well as the Eastern Capital's Shengshan, Changshou, and other monasteries, and in monasteries, cloistered residences, villages, and quarters throughout various prefectures and counties, there are Indic manuscripts brought by the former Tripiṭaka Masters Xuanzang, Yijing, Śubhakarasiṃha, Bodhiruci, Baosheng, and others. The Tripiṭaka Master śramaṇa Amogha of the Right Daxingshan Monastery memorializes: 'The aforementioned Indic manuscripts and others, having been received from earlier Tripiṭaka masters, remain largely untranslated. The months and years have grown deep; the cords and ribbons are mostly broken; that they are submerged and falling into ruin is truly lamentable. If not repaired, it is feared we would violate the sacred teachings. Recently having received
Your gracious command permitting translation, the task relies on investigation and verifying subtle words. I request permission to inspect, collect, and search for them wherever they may be. For those among them that are damaged or incomplete, they shall be repaired according to their needs; for those suitable to be propagated to aid the State and spread conversion, they shall be translated in succession and memorialized for imperial hearing. The merit supporting the Sagely Person is most extraordinary. May the Heavenly Grace grant permission, and please order it announced to the relevant offices.' The imperial decree approved the memorial."
The luminous decree granted the permission. Searching wherever they might be, first from the Indic manuscripts obtained in South India, approximately over one thousand fascicles of works were counted. On the eleventh day of the sixth month, a detailed petition was submitted for imperial hearing. Soon an edict
was promulgated, stating: "Eighty works, including the Dhāraṇī teachings and the Vajraśekhara-yoga-sūtra, and twenty works of Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna sūtras and śāstras, totaling one thousand two hundred fascicles. The Tripiṭaka Master śramaṇa Amogha of the Right Daxingshan Monastery memorializes: 'Amogha has heard that he who succeeds Emperor Yao inherits the imperial throne; he who receives the Buddha's entrustment transmits the Buddha's teachings. Examining this maxim, it has never changed; it flows and flourishes through ten thousand generations, branching out its leaves and spreading its boughs. Amogha, with staff in hand and water bottle carried, journeyed across the heavenly [realms]