Yetgeul › Dongguk Isangguk Jip (Collected Works of Minister Yi of the Eastern Country) › Former Collection, Book 34

Edict granted to Dohaeng, Monastic Director of the Hwaeom school華嚴業僧統都行敎書官誥 敎書

Dongguk Isangguk Jip (Collected Works of Minister Yi of the Eastern Country) 東國李相國集 · Yi Gyubo · Compiled 1241 (Goryeo, 28th year of King Gojong); revised and enlarged 1251 · 1 passages · 171 Chinese characters · reading time 1.3 min

Dongguk Isangguk Jip (Collected Works of Minister Yi of the Eastern Country) Former Collection, Book 34 The collected writings of Yi Gyubo of Goryeo, gathered and cut in woodblock by his son Yi Ham in 1241 and revised and enlarged by his grandson Yi Ikbae in 1251. It holds poems and rhapsodies, memorials and reports sent up to the king, records written for temples and pagodas, stele and tomb inscriptions, letters and prefaces, and the state letters that passed to and from the Mongols during the invasions. The Lay of King Dongmyeong, which sings the founder of Goguryeo, stands in volume 3 of the first collection, and the daily life of a man who called himself the White Cloud Layman — with his wine, his zither and his verse — fills the later collection. The book closes with the last poem he wrote as his eyes failed and he laid down the brush, and with the dirge and tomb inscription others made for him after his death.

云云。夫國家所以設釋門之階品者。其意以爲若時乎有僧中龍鳳魁然挺出。其德也望也皆爲人之所莫抗對。而無稱謂以別之。則其與庸流有何等級耶。是以。其德之宜居席上。則謂之首座。德與望之合統沙門。則謂之僧統。此其極選也。雖本於尊道所稱。而未嘗關於名利也。然亦有高下差等。故其浸也稍如朝之班爵之例。則固不可不澄汰其人。然後授之也。師以法王。洪闡圓敎。爲衆所歸久矣。朕何惜其選。以孤福利邦家之效歟。今云云。

And so forth.

The intent with which the state established ranks within the Buddhist gate is this. If in a given age there were among the monks one like a dragon or a phoenix, standing out eminent so that none could match his virtue and renown, and yet there were no appellation by which to single him out and name him, what degree would set him apart from the common crowd? For this reason, when a man's virtue is such that he ought by right to sit in the highest seat, he is called Chief Seat; and when his virtue and renown are such that he may take all the monks together under his charge, he is called Monastic Director. This is the utmost of selection.

Although these are appellations arising from honoring the Way, and have never had to do with name or profit, still there are degrees of high and low in them. And so they come by degrees to be like the court's own practice of apportioning office, and truly they cannot be given until the man has been clearly singled out.

The master, as a Dharma King, has greatly spread the perfect teaching, and the multitude has long since turned to him. How should I begrudge him this selection and so slight the merit by which he has blessed and benefited the state? Now, and so forth.

‹ Great patent of appointment granted to Dohaeng, Monastic Director of the Hwaeom schoolContentsPatents of appointment making Ikjang, Woni, Damnyeong and Daeheol each a Zen Master ›Listen to this piece