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【 水鏡回天錄白話解 】

Reflections in the Water-Mirror: Turning the Tide of Destiny

狄仁傑 (續)
Di Renjie (continued)

宣公上人講於一九八七年一月二日 Lectured by the Venerable Master Hua on January 2, 1987
薛麗梅 英譯 English Translated by Echo Hsueh

讚曰

淫為惡首 死路莫走
雖有奇遇 堅持操守
高中狀元 德感北斗
位至丞相 絲毫不茍

「淫為惡首,死路莫走」:所以說「萬惡淫為首」,萬惡之中,這個淫亂,不守規則,這是頭一條的罪,誰要有這淫欲的念頭,走淫欲這一條路,誰就會很快死了。

「雖有奇遇,堅持操守」:他雖然遇到這個寡婦在那個旅店裏,那麼樣子來誘惑他,可是他堅持操守。堅持操守就是他的品德,就是他的這種行為,就是他這種正當的行為,他堅持不改變。

「高中狀元,德感北斗」:他在唐朝的時候中狀元,德感北斗,他這種德行都把天地都感動了。

「位至丞相,絲毫不茍」:他做到丞相的地位,他還是絲毫不茍,他一點也不馬虎,也不敷衍了事,茍且塞責,也不循私慢法,絲毫不茍且的。

又說偈曰

唐朝名臣狄梁公 盡忠報國驅群兇
武氏則天執朝政 懷英效地保和平
王綱未墜貞觀治 百姓安寧堯舜興
五穀豐登黎庶慶 四海謳歌覺有情

「唐朝名臣狄梁公」:說唐朝有一個很好的宰相,狄仁傑。「盡忠報國驅群兇」:在他那個時候是很複雜的,在朝裏也有很多奸臣賊子,他們見到狄仁傑,都很敬畏的,很怕他,所以他把這一班邪氣都給壓過了。

「武氏則天執朝政」:武則天那時候做皇帝,執持國家的權柄。

「懷英效地保和平」:狄仁傑他效法地能生長萬物,那麼保持唐朝的和平。

「王綱未墜貞觀治」:在這個時候啊唐朝這個王綱,國家這種政治還沒有毀滅,所以還繼續這個貞觀這種好的時候。

「百姓安寧堯舜興」:老百姓都非常安靜,也沒有什麼災難,老百姓也都是都堯歌舜日,這個時候是很太平的。

「五穀豐登黎庶慶」:在這個時候也天與人歸,年年也都很豐收的,沒有什麼天災人禍,所以老百姓都永慶昇平,不那麼憂愁。

「四海謳歌覺有情」:狄仁傑也可以說是大權示現,來教化眾生,令眾生能以都循規導矩,守法律。

 

補充資料
武則天稱帝、建立周朝後,任用酷吏,對於反對她的人,興告密羅織之風,大肆誅殺原來唐朝的大臣,進行無情鎮壓;但她也經常派人到處去物色人才,十分重用賢才。所以,她有一批能臣,其中最著名的便是宰相狄仁傑。

酷吏來俊臣得勢時,誣告狄仁傑謀反,把他入監。狄仁傑見審訊室裏擺滿了刑具,知道若不認罪,就會死在枷棒之下。好漢不吃眼前虧,他長嘆一聲:「如今太后建立周朝,什麼事都重新開始。唐朝舊臣,理當被殺。我招認就是了。」

狄仁傑以「自首」先躲過刑訊和死罪,不料來俊臣的手下王德用緊逼,說:「狄相公反正已經脫了死罪,請在供詞中再牽幾個人進此案。」狄仁傑說:「皇天后土,竟然要狄仁傑做這等事!」說罷一頭撞在柱子上,血流滿面,昏死過去。王德用見狄仁傑以死相拒,只得暫時放過他。

狄仁傑被關在大牢裏,趁獄卒不防備,偷偷地扯碎被子,用碎帛寫了一封給武則天的申訴狀,又把它縫在棉衣裏,乘著開春換季的機會,讓前來探監的家人,把被子傳回家去換洗。他的兒子見了血書,連忙到武則天宮外鳴冤。

來俊臣處心積慮要殺這幾個大臣,以這些大臣名義偽造了「謝死表」寫他們自感罪惡深重,無顏再活在世上,決心自殺以償罪惡。

武則天一直很欣賞狄仁傑的才能,並不相信他真的會謀反,看了血書,覺得很奇怪,說:「狄仁傑不是已經認罪了嗎?」決定親自召見狄仁傑問個明白;召見狄仁傑,說:「你既然申訴冤枉,為什麼要招供呢?」

狄仁傑說:「要是我不招,早就被他們拷打死了。」

狄仁傑死罪雖免,但丟了宰相職務,被降職到外地做縣令。直到來俊臣被殺後,才又調回來做宰相。

參考資料
新華網 2007年01月14日郭建 「狄仁傑為什么招認謀反 」
上下五千年 作者:曹余章 第151則 「狄仁傑桃李滿門」

A verse in praise says:
Licentiousness is the worst evil; do not take this deadly path.
Given a chance to take liberties, he guarded his integrity.
He placed first in the imperial exam, for his virtue moved the Big Dipper.
Even as prime minister, he was never careless in the least.

Commentary:
Licentiousness is worst evil; do not take this deadly path.
Licentiousness ranks first among all evils. If you don’t follow this rule, then you commit the number one crime. Anyone who has licentious thoughts and indulges in lust will die rather early.

Given a chance to take liberties, he guarded his integrity. Although the widow at the inn tried to seduce him, he insisted on upholding his personal integrity. He would never fail to behave properly and decently.

He placed first in the imperial exam, for his virtue moved the Big Dipper. He took first place in the highest imperial exam in Tang Dynasty, because his virtue moved heaven and earth.

Even as prime minister, he was never careless in the least. Even though he had become the prime minister, he was never sloppy or negligent in his work. He never sought personal benefits or bent the law to his own favor.

Another verse says:
A renowned official of the Tang dynasty, Lord Di Liang
Served his country with dedication and dispeled all evils
When Wu Zetian assumed the dynastic rule,
Huaiying learned from the earth to preserve the peace.
The reign of Zhenguan continued; the dynasty did not decline.
The people were at peace, just as in the time of Yao and Shun.
With the five grains in abundance, the commoners celebrated the harvest
All within the four seas praised the one who came to enlighten them.

Commentary:
A renowned official of the Tang dynasty,
a great prime minister, Lord Di Liang, that is Di Renjie, served his country with dedication and dispeled all evils. The state of affairs was rather complicated in his time. There were numerous treacherous court officials and crooked traitors in the court. However, they all feared and respected Di Renjie, so he was able to suppress and keep the evil influences under control.

When Wu Zetian assumed the dynastic rule, when she came to power and became the Empress, Huaiying learned from the earth to preserve the peace. Di Renjie emulated the earth, which is able to grow and nourish all things, and maintained the peace in Tang Dynasty.

The reign of Zhenguan continued; the dynasty did not decline. At this time, the Tang Dynasty was still going strong and had not started to collapse. The times were still as good as in the reign of Zhenguan.

The people were at peace, just as in the time of Yao and Shun. The citizens lived tranquil lives and suffered no disasters. It was as if they were praising the days when the legendary emperors Yao and Shun ruled.

With the five grains in abundance, the commoners celebrated the harvest. At that time, heaven bestowed prosperity upon the people. There was an abundant harvest year after year, with no natural or manmade calamities. Therefore, the citizens rejoiced in peace and had no cares.

All within the four seas praised the one who came to enlighten them. We could say that Di Renjie was expediently manifesting to teach living beings to abide by the rules and laws.

 

Supplementary Material:
After establishing the Zhou Dynasty, Empress Wu appointed oppressive officials and encouraged a trend of framing those who opposed her. Her government cruelly suppressed rebellion by killing the officials of the Tang Dynasty. At the same time, she frequently dispatched people everywhere to find worthy individuals, whom she valued and assigned important jobs. Therefore, she had a group of capable officials, the most famous of which was Di Renjie.

When Lai Junchen, a brutal official, came to power, he accused Di Renjie of conspiracy and put him in jail. Upon seeing all kinds of the instruments in the inquisition room, Di Renjie knew that he would be killed if he didn’t confess. “A hero would not take a beating at hand.” He sighed and confessed, “Everything will start anew after Her Majesty’s establishment of the Zhou Dynasty. Officials of Tang Dynasty by all means should be killed. I plead guilty.”

Because of this confession, he avoided inquisition by torture and a death penalty. Wang Deyong, a subordinate of Lai, pressed him further and said, “Prime Minister, you can avoid the death penalty, but why don’t you implicate more people to get a lesser charge?”

Di Renjie said, “Heaven is above and earth is below. How can you ask Di Renjie to do such thing!” Then he banged his head against a pillar. He passed out and his blood covered the ground. Seeing this, the official let him off the hook.

In the jail when unwatched by guards, Di Renjie secretly tore open his padded coat and used the cotton pieces to write Empress Wu an appeal. He sewed this petition within his padded coat. When it was spring, during a family member’s visit he requested permission to send it back home to wash. Seeing the blood letter, his son went to the palace to appeal on his behalf.

Lai Junchen tried hard to kill several great officials, forging letters in their name to the Empress Wu saying that they felt their offenses were so heavy that they could not face living in the world and would commit suicide to pay for their offenses.

Empress Wu appreciated Di Renjie’s talents and didn’t believe that he would rebel. She had a strange feeling after she saw the blood letter, thinking: “Didn’t he confess already?” She decided to summon Di Renjie and ask him in person, “Since you say you have been falsely accused, why did you confess?”

“Had I not confessed, I would have been beaten to death,” replied Di.

Later, the death sentence was waived yet he also lost the position of prime minister. He was sent to another city to be a magistrate. When Lai Junchen was killed, Di was called back to act as the prime minister again.

Resources:
http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/theory/2007-01/14/content_5598254.htm
http://www.bookstrg.com/shtml/Reading/QZh

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