Rite-text for the late Vice Director of Zhaoyi爲故昭義僕射齋詞
1Setting a feast for a grandnephew and two grandsons
中和二年七月二十三日。爲故昭義姪孫僕射及二孫子敬。設齋于法雲寺。聊憑法疏。用寫悲詞。以昭義姪孫幼蘊壯圖。長居重任。不掃一室。有志四方。手運豹韜。旣是吾家之事。身持龍節。累沾聖代之恩。至於越海征蠻。對河分陝。立戰功於遐徼。傳理化於近藩。愼守詔條。能諧物議。遂移上黨。實委外權。尋屬戎馬生郊。陣虵出穴。遽令寇孼。直犯京華。頻興伐叛之師。稍急訓戎之令。上將則雖期徇難。欲竭忠誠。小人則多是幸災。潛興狡計。叛徒忽至。橫禍斯侵。弘演納肝。其誰能繼。酆舒傷目。所不忍言。噫。道則日彰。志惟天奪。征旌永卷。飛旐遠來。言念彫零。莫勝悲慟。但以推尋佛理。抑割俗情。旣知前世因緣。粗解此時冤痛。況乃父立忠節。子揚孝名。古賢所稱。今我何恨。俾資冥福。敬設妙齋。所願慧炬照迷。慈航援溺。早推誠於貫日。終致樂於生天。子子孫孫。永絶怨讎之本。生生世世。常逢安泰之期。謹疏。
On the twenty-third day of the seventh month of the second year of Zhonghe, a vegetarian feast is set at Fayun Monastery for the late Zhaoyi's grandnephew, the Vice Director, and his two grandsons, Zijing. Leaning a little on the statement of the Law, these words of grief are written out. The grandnephew of Zhaoyi stored up great designs while young and held heavy charge as he grew. He did not sweep a single room; his will was set on the four quarters. His hand wielded the arts of war, which were already the business of our house, and his body bore the dragon tally, so that again and again he was wet with the grace of the sage age. He crossed the sea to campaign against the Man and faced the river to divide Shan. He set up merit in war on the far frontier and passed on good rule and teaching in the near province. He kept the articles of the edict with care and could meet the judgment of men. So he was moved to Shangdang, and the outer authority was truly entrusted to him. Soon it happened that war horses were foaled in the suburbs and the snake of the battle line came out of its hole, and all at once the host of calamity struck straight at the capital. Again and again an army was raised to punish the rebels, and the orders for drilling troops grew ever more urgent. The high general, though he set his mind on dying in the crisis and would exhaust his loyalty, found that small men for the most part gloated over the disaster and secretly raised crafty schemes. The rebel band came suddenly, and calamity came crosswise upon him. Hongyan put in his own liver; who can follow him in that? Fengshu wounded the eye; that is what one cannot bear to speak of. Alas. His way grew clearer day by day, but his will was taken by Heaven. The campaign banner is rolled up forever, and the flying funeral streamer comes from afar. Thinking of this withering and falling, I cannot master my grief and wailing. Yet by tracing out the Buddha's principle I hold down and cut off worldly feeling. Knowing already the causes of a former life, I loosen a little the bitterness and pain of this hour. Still more, the father set up loyal fidelity and the son raised a name for filial duty. This is what the worthies of old praised; what should I resent now? To lay a foundation for blessings in the dark world, a wondrous feast is reverently set. What is prayed for is that the torch of wisdom light the lost and the boat of mercy pull up the drowning, that sincerity piercing the sun be shown early and joy of birth in heaven be reached at the last, that sons and grandsons forever cut off the root of enmity, and that life after life and age after age they always meet a season of peace and ease. Respectfully submitted.