Petition for the dotting of the eyes of the Avalokiteshvara painted by Minister Choe to turn away the Khitan troops — all that follows was composed on his behalf at the Minister's request崔相國攘丹兵畫觀音點眼踈。皆相國所請代作。
聖智難思。衆生所倚。若以千手千眼之方便。權示梵威。雖云萬馬萬步之精強。卽爲我虜。嗟彼戎羯。擾吾封疆。流腥臭之淫夷者。自北自東。被毒牙之呑噬者。無老無幼。原其迹素。縱天資虐戾之使然。省厥因由。示國政陵夷之所自。宜其懺悔。弭此禍殃。若弟子者。處論思之司。無守禦之計。捨幣禱神兮神莫顯應。泣血號天兮天若不聞。勢已垂窮。計將安出。謹案大悲陁羅尼神呪經云。若患難之方起。有怨敵之來侵。疾疫流行。鬼魔耗亂。當造大悲之像。悉傾至敬之心。幢蓋莊嚴。香花供養。則擧彼敵而自伏。致諸難之頓消。奉此遺言。如承親囑。玆倩丹靑之手。用摹水月之容。吁哉繪事之工。肖我白衣之相。罄披霞懇。仰點蓮眸。伏願遄借丕庥。仍加妙力。如至仁廣大。憚令醜類以盡劉。以無畏神通。俾反舊巢而自却。
Holy wisdom is hard to fathom, and it is that on which living beings lean. If by the expedient of a thousand hands and a thousand eyes you show your holy majesty for a moment, then ten thousand horses and ten thousand footmen, however swift and stout, will at once be taken captive by us.
Alas, those barbarians throw our land into disorder. Trailing their stench, they overflow and spread from the north to the east, and those swallowed and bitten by their venomous teeth are neither old nor young by their choosing. If one digs into the ground of their traces, it may be said to be because their inborn nature is cruel and fierce; but if one looks into the cause, it shows itself to come from the collapse of the state's government. Fittingly we must repent and make this calamity cease.
A disciple such as I holds a place where he aids his king with writing, and yet has no plan by which to guard and bar the way. Offering silk and praying to the spirits, the spirits do not answer openly; crying out to heaven with tears of blood, heaven seems not to hear. The situation is nearly spent; from where, then, shall a plan come?
Reverently looking into the Sutra of the Great Compassion Dharani Spirit-Spell, it says that when calamity is just arising, when enemies invade, when epidemic goes round and ghosts and demons make disorder, one should fittingly make an image of the Great Compassionate One and pour out a heart of utmost reverence, adorning it with flagstaffs and parasols and offering incense and flowers; then those enemies will all surrender of themselves and every hardship will fade at a stroke. Receiving these words he left behind, it is as though we had been charged by him in person.
And so, borrowing a painter's hand, I have copied the likeness of a moon reflected in water. Ah, the skill of the painting resembles our White-robed One. Spreading out all my red sincerity, I look up and dot the lotus-like pupils.
Prostrate, I pray that you swiftly lend great help and add your mysterious power; and if your utmost benevolence, being broad and great, shrinks from killing the filthy host to the last, then by your fearless spiritual power make them go back to their old den and withdraw of themselves.
Interlinear notes 1
晉康公元嗣也。此下十九首
He is the eldest son of the Duke of Jingang (晉康公). The nineteen pieces below are of the same kind.