A Humane Kings Convocation Held in the Zhongxing Palace: A New Study of the P. 3808 Sutra Sermon
Abstract
:1. The Scripture for Humane Kings in the Sutra Sermon
1.1. Kumārajīva or Amoghavajra: That’s a Question
The phrase “如是我聞” emphasizes the credibility of the scripture. …The words “一時” highlight the time when the Buddha was giving the teaching. …The word “佛” emphasizes that the teacher giving the teaching was the Buddha. …The phrase “住王舍城鷲峰山中” emphasizes the location where the Buddha was giving the teaching. …The phrase “與大比丘眾千八百人俱” emphasizes which audience members were present and listening to the Buddha’s teaching.
如是我聞, 信成就; ……一時兩字, 時成就; ……佛之一字, 教主成就; ……住王舍城鷲峰山中, 處所成就; ……與大比丘眾千八百人俱, 聽眾成就.
1.2. Contemporary Scholastic Exegesis in Buddhism
The objective of this scripture is to expound the concept that the nature of Buddha is neither born nor extinguished. … This scripture emphasizes two forms of protection: one is inner (neihu 內護), which is used by bodhisattvas to nurture the practices of the ten stages (shidi 十地) and to protect the buddha-fruit (foguo 佛果); the other is outer (waihu外護), which refers to the protection of the country, to make it stable and peaceful, to extinguish the seven difficulties (qinan 七難), prevent disasters, and to make the people feel peaceful.
此經以無生正觀為宗, 離有無二見, 假言中道. ……此經以外內二護為用. 內護者, 下文云為諸菩薩說護佛果因緣, 護十地行因緣; 所言外護者, 下文云吾今為汝說護國土因緣, 令國土獲安, 七難不起, 災害不生, 萬民安樂.6
To provide an explanation of this Buddhist scripture, a comprehensive analysis of the two types of protection is necessary. The fourteen great kings, including both sages and commoners, all held the responsibility of nurturing their people and carried out deeds that can only be accomplished by Bodhisattvas.
今說此經, 廣陳二護. 十四王等, 有聖有凡, 皆育黎元, 植菩薩事.7
During that time, the World-honored One expounded a remarkably profound Buddhist doctrine and transmitted it to the wise king. In the distant future, this king would become a Buddha and save sentient beings, and even in the near future, he would bring peace and prosperity to his empire. He would practice the ten virtuous deeds (shishan 十善) and pacify the three calamities (sanzai 三災), fostering inner peace that would lead to favorable natural conditions. His strict laws would ensure the proper motion of the celestial bodies in the sky. The teachings of truth and worldly wisdom would coexist like fish and water. The king’s laws and Buddhist teachings together would serve to educate the people, just like clouds and dragons coexist in harmony.
於〔時〕世尊宣揚妙理, 付囑明君. 遠即成佛度人, 近即安民治國. 令行十善, 以息三災. 心行調而風雨亦調, 法令正而星辰自正. 真風俗諦同行, 而魚水相須; 王法佛經共化, 而雲龍契合.
2. The Sponsors and the Performance of the Humane Kings Convocation
2.1. The Sponsors of the Humane Kings Convocation
At that time the World-honored One told King Prasenajit, the others, and all of the other kings of great states, “Listen carefully, Listen carefully, and on your behalf I will expound the method for protecting the state. [Now], in all states, when [things are] on the brink of chaos and there are all [sorts of] disasters, difficulties, or bandits come to wreak havoc, you and the others and all kings should receive and hold, read and recite this Prajñāpāramitā. Sumptuously adorn a ritual arena and set up one hundred Buddha images, one hundred bodhisattva images, and one hundred seats for Buddhist masters, and invite one hundred masters of the Teaching to expound this scripture. Before all of the seats light all kinds of lamps, and burn all kinds of incense, scatter various flowers and make vast and abundant offerings of clothing and utensils, drink and food, broth and medicines, places of shelter and repose, and all of the usual affairs of offering. Twice each day [the Buddhist masters should] lecture on and read this scripture. If the king, the great officers, bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās hear, receives, read, and recite it and practice it according to the [prescribed] method, the disorders and difficulties will forthwith be eradicated.10
爾時, 世尊告波斯匿王等諸大國王: “諦聽諦聽, 我為汝等說護國法. 一切國土, 若欲亂時, 有諸災, 難, 賊來破壞, 汝等諸王應當受持, 讀誦此般若波羅蜜多, 嚴飾道場, 置百佛像, 百菩薩像, 百師子座, 請百法師, 解說此經. 於諸座前, 然種種燈, 燒種種香, 散諸雜花. 廣大供養, 衣服臥具, 飲食湯藥, 房舍床座, 一切供事. 每日二時, 講讀此經. 若王, 大臣, 比丘, 比丘尼, 優婆塞, 優婆夷, 聽受讀誦, 如法修行, 災難即滅.11
On the day of Jia Shen [of May in the fourth year of the Changxing], the emperor suddenly fell ill with a wind disease; on the day of Geng Yin, his body recovered slightly, and he met officials in the Wenming Palace.
[長興四年五月]甲申, 帝暴得風疾; 庚寅, 小愈, 見群臣于文明殿.
The emperor did not receive with the court officials for ten days, causing internal discussions among them. Some officials even fled to the mountains or wilderness, while others took refuge in military camps. In the autumn, on the day of Geng Chen in July, the emperor’s condition improved and he personally went to the Guangshou Palace. It was only then that the emotions of the court officials began to calm down slightly.
帝旬日不見群臣, 都人洶懼, 或潛竄山野, 或寓止軍營. 秋, 七月, 庚辰, 帝利疾御廣壽殿, 人情始安.13
He Ze, upon witnessing the Emperor’s deteriorating health and the increasing power of Prince Qin Li Congrong李從榮, sought to regain favor by appealing to Prince Qin’s influence. He submitted a memorial to the Emperor, requesting the appointment of Prince Qin as the Crown Prince.
何澤見上寢疾, 秦王從榮權勢方盛, 冀己復進用, 表請立從榮為太子.14
2.2. The Time and Space of the Humane Kings Convocation
The emperor held Buddhism in high regard and was determined to practice Buddhism. He engaged in spiritual cultivation throughout the Three Periods of Time and showed great reverence for the Buddhas’ teachings of the Ten Directions. If he did not have such aspirations, how could he possibly invite monks to preach on every birthday?
我皇帝翹心真境, 志信空門. 修持三世之果因, 敬重十方之佛法. 若不然者, 曷能得每逢降誕, 別啟御筵?
2.3. The Actors of the Humane Kings Convocation
3. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
1 | Regarding the differences between Amoghavajra’s and Kumārajīva’s translations, please refer to Charles D. Orzech (1998, p. 69). |
2 | See Sanbao ganying yaolüe lu 三寶感應要略録 (the Collection of Essential Records on the Manifestations of the Three Jewels), fascicle 2 (T 2084n846b). |
3 | Renwang huguo bore boluo miduo jing 仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經 (the Scripture for Humane Kings), fascicle 1 (T 08n834c). |
4 | Foshuo renwang bore boluomi jing 佛說仁王般若波羅蜜經 (the Scripture for Humane Kings), fascicle 1 (T 08n825a). |
5 | According to Liu (1988, pp. 43–55), the user may have been the renowned YunBian 雲辯 during the Later Tang period. |
6 | Renwang bore jingshu 仁王般若經疏 (the Scripture for Humane Kings Commentary), fascicle 1 (T33n315a). |
7 | Renwang huguo bore boluo miduo jingshu (the Scripture for Humane Kings Commentary), fascicle 1 (T33n429b). |
8 | |
9 | The scripture used here is based on the Amoghavajra’s translation, but the Kumarajiva’ translation has only minor differences. |
10 | Here I refer to Charles D. Orzech’s translation, see Charles D. Orzech (1998, pp. 245–46). |
11 | Renwang huguo bore boluo miduo jing 仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經 (the Scripture for Humane Kings), fascicle 2 (T 08n840a). |
12 | Regarding the description of Emperor Mingzong’s political situation in the Sutra Sermon, please refer to Yang (1990, pp. 95–98). |
13 | Zizhi tongjian, fascicle 278, p. 9084. |
14 | Zizhi tongjian, fascicle 278, p. 9087. |
15 | Zizhi tongjian, fascicle 278, p. 9091. |
16 | The three characters “年年九” are incomplete in the plate, but can be inferred according to the meaning of the text. Please refer to Qiu and Luo (2020, pp. 70–72). |
17 | The aforementioned records can be found in Cefu yuangui, fascicle 2, pp. 23–24. |
18 | Jiu wudai shi, fascicle 37, p. 510. |
19 | Here I refer to Albert Welter’s translation, see Welter (2018, p. 242). |
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Pei, C.; Li, W. A Humane Kings Convocation Held in the Zhongxing Palace: A New Study of the P. 3808 Sutra Sermon. Religions 2023, 14, 718. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14060718
Pei C, Li W. A Humane Kings Convocation Held in the Zhongxing Palace: A New Study of the P. 3808 Sutra Sermon. Religions. 2023; 14(6):718. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14060718
Chicago/Turabian StylePei, Changchun, and Wei Li. 2023. "A Humane Kings Convocation Held in the Zhongxing Palace: A New Study of the P. 3808 Sutra Sermon" Religions 14, no. 6: 718. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14060718
APA StylePei, C., & Li, W. (2023). A Humane Kings Convocation Held in the Zhongxing Palace: A New Study of the P. 3808 Sutra Sermon. Religions, 14(6), 718. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14060718