Emperor Wu of Liang

( Text and commentary by the Venerable Master Hua on November 6, 1986 )

Text:

Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty of the South, who had the last name Xiao, first name Yan, and style name Shuda, changed the name of the Qi Dynasty to Liang and established his capital at Jiankang. During his 48-year reign, he governed with diligence, had great love for his people, and promoted academic learning. Thus his country became strong and prosperous. Initially a Taoist, Emperor Liang later became a very devout Buddhist. He went to Tongtai Temple three times requesting to give himself up to Buddhism. He also compiled the "Jeweled Repentance of the Emperor of Liang" to take across the deceased Empress Xi. This repentance text has been passed down to the present time.

When Patriarch Bodhidharma traveled east to China, the emperor asked him, "Since I became the Emperor, I have built many temples, printed many Sutras, and allowed countless people to enter the Sangha. What merit and virtue have I gained?" The Patriarch said, "There was actually no merit and virtue." The emperor was displeased. The Patriarch then traveled north to Shaolin Monastery. After meditating there facing a stone wall for nine years, he transmitted the Dharma to the Second Patriarch, Great Master Huike, and established the Chan School.

One day the emperor asked the National Master, Venerable Zhi, "How long will I live?" Venerable Zhi said, "When the stupa (pagoda) you are building for me collapses, you will die." Originally the emperor was building the stupa out of wood, but then he decided to build a stone stupa. As the wooden stupa was being dismantled, Hou Jing led a revolt and imprisoned the emperor in the palace prison, where he starved to death. This was the inevitable consequence of the emperor's past karma.

Commentary:

Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty had the surname Xiao, the first name Yan, and the style name Shuda. It is said that the Venerable name Yan, and the style name Shuda. It is said that the Venerable Master Hsu Yun was Emperor Wu's descendant, and that the emperor was an ancestor of his. It is not important to know whether this is true or not. Emperor Wu renamed Qi dynasty the Liang dynasty. He was a very skilled ruler who governed with diligence and cared for his people. He promoted the pursuit of scholarly learning. Thus his country became more and more prosperous day after day. Sincerely hoping the best for his country, the emperor loved his people and worked diligently for them.

Initially, Emperor Wu was a Taoist. Later, however, he was converted to Buddhism. Why did he start out being a Taoist? Because in his past life, he was first a Brahman and later cultivated the Buddhadharma. Having cultivated ascetic practices to develop both blessings and wisdom, he attained some blessings, but did not acquire sufficient wisdom. Therefore, Emperor Wu was first a Taoist, and then a Buddhist. When he was a Taoist, he did not build temples. But after he became a Buddhist, [Guo Li Zhou: he was very devout. He went to Tongtai Monastery (in Nanjing, now called Jiming Monastery) three times] to commit himself to cultivation. His queen, Empress Xi, was a very jealous person, and therefore she fell to the animal realm and became a giant python after death. In order to take across the deceased Empress Xi, the emperor compiled the "Jeweled Repentance of the Emperor of Liang," which has been passed down to the present.

Having built many temples, printed many Sutras, and allowed many people to enter the Sangha in his support of Buddhism, Emperor Wu thought that he had great merit and virtue, and he became very arrogant. When he saw Patriarch Bodhidharma arriving from India, he wanted to show off his merit and virtue and get the Patriarch to praise him. Thus he asked the Patriarch, "Ever since I became the Emperor, I have built many temples, printed many Sutras, and given sanction to many people to join the Sangha. What merit and virtue have I gained?" The emperor wanted the Patriarch to praise his merit and virtue, but Bodhidharma did not give him a "high hat" to wear. Instead, he said bluntly, "There was actually no merit and virtue."

Sincere words are displeasing to the ear. When Emperor Wu heard those honest words, he was displeased. Seeing that the emperor could not accept his words, Patriarch Bodhidharma traveled across the river and arrived at Mount Gao in Henan province. He meditated in a cave at Shaolin Monastery for nine years. Afterwards, he transmitted the Dharma to the Second Patriarch Huike and continued the lineage of the Chan School. One day, Emperor Wu asked Chan Master Zhi, "How much longer will I live?" Chan Master Zhi said, "After I complete perfect stillness, you will build a stupa for me. When this stupa collapses, your life will end. You will die then." Originally the emperor had ordered Master Zhi's stupa to be constructed out of wood.

But after he heard that prediction, he decided to build a more solid stupa out of stone. He thought that a stone stupa would never topple, and so he would live forever. When he was taking down the wooden stupa to start building the stone one, the official Hou Jing rebelled against him and had him imprisoned in the palace prison. The emperor later died of starvation. How could all of this have happened? The emperor was the "Son of Heaven"; he enjoyed the greatest wealth and honor that extended even to his after life. How could he have died of starvation? It was beyond his imagination.

It is said that when Emperor Wu was cultivating on the causal ground, there was a mischievous monkey who had a good understanding of human beings. When this cultivator was not in samadhi, the monkey would not bother him. But when he was about to enter samadhi, the monkey would disturb him so that he could not enter samadhi. Perhaps this monkey was afraid that the cultivator would fall asleep and forget his practice, so it became his meditation proctor, waking him up so that he would not fall asleep.

Since this old cultivator could not enter samadhi, he became very upset. He locked the monkey in a nearby cave so that the monkey would not disturb him for a while. This cultivator then remained in samadhi for several days. When he woke up from his samadhi, he remembered the monkey that he had put in the cave. He opened the cave and found that the monkey had died of starvation. When the monkey was dying, it was full of hatred, thinking, "You cruel, evil cultivator! You starved me to death; someday I will take revenge!"

This old cultivator had some power, but he was not fully enlightened at death. He was reincarnated as an emperor--Emperor Wu of Liang. The emperor never could have guessed that someone would rebel against him. The rebel, Hou Jing, seeking revenge on the one who had starved him to death as a monkey, kept the emperor in the palace prison and starved him to death. This was all the workings of cause and effect; the retribution is never off by the slightest bit. Such things may seem twisted, mistaken, impossible, and unimaginable, but they are not. They serve as Sutras--lessons--for us. This is a Sutra from actual life.

A verse of critique says:

Cause and effect are clear:

death by starvation in the palace.

Although he was an emperor,

he could not escape the laws of Dharma.

One must face the consequences of one's own actions;

do not blame the Lord in heaven.

The dead speak the Dharma; the living learn the lessons.

A verse of critique says: Cause and effect are clear. Having planted causes, one reaps their effects. When one has planted good causes, one is rewarded. If one has planted evil causes, one receives the retributions. If one kills someone else's father, one's own father will be killed. If one kills someone else's brother, one's own brother will be killed. These are all causes and effects. If you are unkind to others, others will be unkind to you. As is the cause, so will be the effect. If one plants melons, one gets melons. Planting beans, one gets beans.

Death by starvation in the palace. Since he had unintentionally starved a monkey to death in his past life, the monkey locked the emperor up in the palace, just as the animal had been trapped in a cave. The relationship between cause and effect is very clear.

Although he was an emperor, he could not escape the laws of Dharma. Even though he had become the "Son of Heaven," he could not evade the net of the Dharma. The Dharma net is a kind of law, invisible, yet most fair. No one can escape from it.

One must face the consequences of one's own actions. He experienced the result of his own actions.

Do not blame the Lord in heaven. One cannot blame the heavens or grumble about others.

The dead speak the Dharma. Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty has died, but this story remains to teach people the Dharma.

The living learn the lessons. When those who are still alive hear about such a retribution, they should take care not to make the same mistakes.

Another verse says:

Small errors lead to huge mistakes.

Good and bad retributions are all one's own karma.

Starving a monkey to death, one suffers bad retribution.

Saving the life of an ant, one's good roots deepen.

He was honored as the Son of Heaven, but he still starved to death.

One may be as poor as Fan Dan, yet enjoy happiness and longevity.

May people awaken from their deluded dreams upon hearing these words.

It is too late to dig a well when one is thirsty.

Another verse says: Small errors lead to huge mistakes. If you are off by a little bit in the beginning, you will miss by a lot when the retribution comes.

Good and bad retributions are all one's own karma. When you plant good causes, you will be rewarded. When you plant evil causes, you will have to receive the retribution. Why is it this way?

Starving a monkey to death brings one a bad retribution. Having starved a monkey to death, he was in turn starved to death by the monkey.

Saving the life of an ant causes one's good roots to deepen. If one saves the life of an ant, one's own good roots increase as a result.

He was honored as the Son of Heaven, but he still starved to death. Despite the fact he was an emperor, he starved to death.

One may be as poor as Fan Dan, yet enjoy happiness and longevity. Fan Dan was poor; even so, he was satisfied and happy. As a result, his lifespan increased.

May people awaken from their deluded dreams upon hearing these words. I speak these words in the hopes that everyone will awaken from deluded dreams.

It is too late to dig a well when one is thirsty. If one waits until one is thirsty to start digging a well, it is already too late. One's thirst will not be quenched.

The End