It says in the Record of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang: “Historical records are not honest accounts; they are just like contemporary biographies, which tend to turn someone foolish into someone enlightened once that person is dead. How very confusing it is!” Indeed, histories are often filled with exaggerated praise and are generally untrustworthy. Yet, it’s overstating to say that all of them are like that.
Initially, history meant “straightforward records” – so how could it be devoid of truth? Yet, Confucius did once say, “If an article tries to whitewash someone’s deeds, it becomes history.” So perhaps history is not that ‘straightforward’ a record, after all. Therefore, instead of saying “historical records are not honest accounts”, maybe we can say “historical records are not necessarily honest accounts”, which is a more accurate way to put it.
People of bygone era were much more prudent with their words; a single praise could ensure a good reputation endured for ages. Nowadays, however, people see appraisal as make-believe, treating praises as mere social pleasantry, dealing out empty flattery and reckless acclaim that invite only ridicule. How sad!
That’s why the Record of the Buddhist Monasteries of Luoyang made the remark, striking at the very heart of the decadence of the Dharma-ending Age. Without such truth-telling, how could we distinguish between the true masters (such as those recorded in the Transmission of the Lamp) and the modern ‘sages’, whose names are stealthily inserted into the lineage charts?
Henceforth, my disciples should never invite high officials or celebrities to write commemorative for me. This way no one could turn my unawaken foibles into stories of enlightenment.
by Grand Master Lian Chi (蓮池大師), the Eighth Patriarch of Pure Land Buddhism
生愚死智 – 錄自明末蓮池大師《竹窗隨筆》(初筆)
洛陽伽藍記云:「史書皆非實錄，今人生愚死智，惑亦甚矣!」蓋言史多溢美，不足信也。但「皆非」二字，立言太過。古號史為直筆，則焉得非實? 夫子言「文勝質則史」，則容有非實，當改「皆非」作「未必」耳。夫古人慎重許可，一語品題，芳播千古；而今乃視為故事，等為人情，虛諛浪褒，取笑譏者，可嘆也。故洛陽記有激而發此論，切中末世之弊。不如是道破，傳燈錄前代真善知識，與今安排名姓插入祖圖者何辨? 爾後為吾弟子，毋妄干名公大人，裝點吾之未到也。
Buddha Mind 