Petition seeking donations to rebuild the Dayun temple求化修大雲寺疏
1To raise up the burned Dayun temple again
大雲寺募緣求化重修建瓦木功價等。詳夫敎列爲三。佛居其一。其如妙旨則暗裨玄化。微言則廣諭凡流。開張勸善之門。解摘執迷之網。然則欲使衆心歸敬。須令像設莊嚴。有感必通。無求不應。墾情田而種福。游法海而淘殃。不可思議。於是乎在。當州城西大雲寺。雖臨楚甸。實壓蜀岡。舊創仁祠。高標兌位。雨洗煙窓之外。萬朶前山。風敲月砌之聲。千株古木。在一郡乃偏爲勝境。於四時則最稱芳辰。至如春水綠波。雜花生樹。都人士女。以遨以遊。不勞聽法之緣。自得消憂之所。則與城東禪智寺。雙肩對聳。兩耳齊張。夾煬帝之遺宮。擁淮王之仙宅。壯玆樂土。倚彼福田。前年偶値飛蝗。未能避境。旋憂聚蟻。或欲毁堤。故護軍特進以將隔妖氛。忽興猛焰。遂使琉璃之界。翻成煨燼之餘。雖菩薩焚身。固爲常事。而苾蒭住足。盡失安居。可惜祗園。便同隙地。今幸遇太尉。將驅衆旅。佇滅群兇。旣逃過去之災。或補未來之福。欲安盛府。許葺精廬。欲使爐續朝香。鍾迎夜梵。樹宿獼猴之友。林棲鸚鵡之王。蓋尋貞觀之中。曾傳帝語。豈效太淸之末。酷信伽譚。所願廣運慈航。徐搥法鼓。深資功德。靜剗妖魔。百官榮從於鸞旌。萬乘遄歸於象闕。次願太尉廓淸寰宇。高坐廟堂。演伽葉之眞宗。龍堪比德。擧儒童之善敎。麟不失時。克興上古之風。永致大同之化。凡於戴髮含齒。鱗潛羽翔。皆荷慈悲。盡能解脫。但以一毛可拔。先求信義之心。百足不僵。須賴扶持之力。旣難獨辦。固託衆緣。無吝羨財。合資洪福。富者不仁之說。自古所譏。積而能散之規。于今可誡。謹疏。
The Dayun temple gathers its karmic ties and seeks donations to pay for the tiles, the timber and the labor of its rebuilding. Looking at the matter closely, the teachings are set out in three, and the Buddha dwells in one of them. Its subtle purport quietly aids the dark transformation. Its faint words admonish the common run of men far and wide. It opens the gate that urges men toward good, and it unties the net that holds them in delusion. That being so, if the hearts of the many are to turn to reverence, the images and their settings must be made majestic. Where there is stirring, there is surely a way through. Where there is asking, there is nothing that goes unanswered. One plows the field of feeling and plants blessings in it. One roams the sea of the Law and washes disaster away. What cannot be thought of lies here. The Dayun temple west of the wall of this prefecture looks out upon the land of Chu, yet it truly presses down on Shugang. Long ago the temple was founded here, and it stands high in the dui position. When rain washes beyond the misted window, there are ten thousand blossoms on the mountain in front. When the wind knocks at the moonlit stone steps, the sound is a thousand ancient trees. In this one commandery it is the one fine place, and among the four seasons it is called the fairest hour. When the spring water runs in green waves and every kind of flower comes out on the trees, the men and women of the city walk out to roam. Without the trouble of an occasion for hearing the Law, they find of themselves a place where cares are dissolved. With Chanzhi temple east of the wall it lifts a pair of shoulders and opens a pair of ears. The two of them flank the palace left by Emperor Yang and hold the immortal house of the prince of Huai. They make this happy land grand, and they lean upon that field of blessings. The year before last flying locusts happened to come, and the district could not be spared. Then came the worry of gathering ants, which might yet break the embankment. So the late Army Protector and Specially Advanced, meaning to shut out the baleful air, suddenly raised a fierce blaze. In the end the realm of lapis lazuli turned into the leavings of ash. Though a bodhisattva burning his body is indeed an ordinary matter, the monks who would rest their feet all lost their quiet dwelling. It is a pity that Jetavana became like empty ground. Now by good fortune the Grand Commandant has come. He will drive out his many troops and wait to destroy the crowd of villains. Since the disaster of the past has been escaped, he would mend the blessings of the time to come. Wishing to settle this flourishing prefecture, he has allowed the quiet cloister to be repaired. He would have the censer carry on the morning incense and the bell welcome the chanting at night, so that the friend of monkeys may lodge in the trees and the king of parrots may perch in the grove. This only seeks out what was handed down from the words of the emperor in the Zhenguan years. How should it copy the harsh belief in the tales of the Buddha at the end of the Taiqing years? What is prayed for is this. Let the boat of mercy be plied widely and the drum of the Law be struck slowly. Let merit be deeply drawn upon and baleful demons be quietly cut away. Let the hundred officials follow the luan banners in glory, and let the ten thousand chariots return swiftly to the elephant gate towers. Next it is prayed that the Grand Commandant clear the whole world and sit high in the hall of state. Let him unfold the true doctrine of Kasyapa, so that the dragon may be matched with his virtue. Let him raise up the good teaching of the Confucian youth, so that the unicorn may not lose its season. Let him raise again the manners of high antiquity and bring about forever the transformation of the great concord, so that all who bear hair on the head and hold teeth in the mouth, and all that sink with scales and soar with feathers, may receive his mercy and win release. Only, one hair can be plucked, so the heart of good faith is sought first. A hundred legs do not fall over, so the strength of a supporting hand is needed. Since it is hard to manage this alone, the work is truly entrusted to the karmic ties of the many. Do not grudge your surplus wealth. Join in laying the ground of great blessing. The saying that the rich are not benevolent has been blamed since ancient times. The rule that one may gather and yet scatter is worth taking to heart today. Respectfully submitted.
Interlinear notes 1
故 is taken as a connective carrying on from the preceding clause. It may also mark the late holder of the office, giving "the late Protector-General." — translator